AquaCraft VS1 - Manual (Page 15)

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3. Wipe the cowl down with isopropyl alcohol to remove any
fi ngerprints or other oils. Allow the alcohol to completely
evaporate.
4. Prime the cowl using LustreKote white primer.
5. Paint the cowl with the LustreKote color of your choice.
6. Clear coat the cowl using LustreKote clear top coat.
7. Add some decals and you’re set to go!
Sounds simple and it is. This is a great way to add a personal
touch to your VS1!
PROFESSIONAL FINISH:
Supplies you will need:
Spray equipment (i.e. compressor, spray gun)
Stick (to hold cowl when applying paint)
Double sided tape
Tack rag
Lint free cloth
Fine line masking tape
Painter’s masking tape
Sandpaper (320 wet/dry)
Red scratch pad
Two part automotive primer/surfacer
Two part automotive color (your choice/s)
Two part automotive clear top coat
Let’s get started! Prep your cowl by installing a paint fi xture
of some type. I like to use a 36" length of 3/4" square dowel
(paint stick). You can get a length of wood like this at either
your local hobby shop or your local home store. Take some
double-sided tape and place a 10" to 12" length of it onto the
stick. Remove the backing and attach the stick to the inside
of the cowl. The longer stick makes a great handle to turn the
cowl as you paint.
Prep the cowl by wiping it down with a lint-free cloth and
isopropyl alcohol. Allow the alcohol to completely evaporate
before going any further. Using the red scratch pad scuff
the cowl to remove the gloss. Clean again with the isopropyl
alcohol and allow time to dry. Do not touch the cowl after
this step. Mix up some primer using the mixing ratios that
come with the primer. Prime the cowl starting with a light tack
coat followed by a slightly heaver coat. No need to go to a
full wet coat when using primer, as we are not going for the
ultimate fi nish but rather good adhesion. After the primer has
dried, inspect for any imperfections. Use the 320 sandpaper
on a sanding block to fl atten any high spots or imperfections.
Re-spray any areas that need to be touched up.
After the primer is fully dry, mix and spray the color. With
the color, you are looking for good adhesion and uniformity.
Begin by spraying a light tack coat. After the solvents have
fl ashed off apply another tack coat, wait just a few minutes
and apply a full wet coat. Be careful to avoid any runs in the
paint. After the color coat has fully cured, you can add details
like painting the windshield area or any fancy designs you
might like to try. I like to paint my windshield a medium gray
with a black anti-glare fade near the top. I also like to add
more than one color. Grimracer Says: Odd numbers of base
colors look better than an even number of colors. In other
words, 3 colors look better than 2 or 4.
After the color coats have cured, mix up your clear coat.
Spray the fi rst coat on using a light to medium coat. Wait for
the paint to fl ash off and apply another medium weight coat.
After you have that medium coat applied, wait approximately
5 minutes and apply a full wet coat. Be careful to avoid runs
in the clear. Move the cowl around in the light to look for any
dry spray or runs, adjust or add more paint if needed. If you
take your time you will be rewarded with a very long lasting,
tough and great looking paint job for years to come.
LAUNCH PROCEDURE
Before running the engine, read the instruction manual that
came with your engine.
1. Turn the transmitter on and then the receiver, in that order.
2. Start the engine. It is important to note, the propeller will
start spinning as you start the engine. Be sure to keep
clear of the propeller.
3. Once the engine is running and you are safely at the water’s
edge, launch the boat with a slight forward motion, applying
a slight amount of throttle as you release the boat.
4. Advance the throttle, taking note of the forward track of
the boat. Use the steering trim adjustment knob on your
transmitter to adjust the track of the boat.
5. When you are ready to bring the boat in, drive it parallel to
shore and push back on the trigger to stop the engine. Never
bring your boat to shore by driving it straight at you. Always
drive parallel to shore, stop the motor and then retrieve the
boat. This way if for some reason your engine does not kill
you can still go around and make another attempt.
ENGINE MAINTENANCE
When you are done running your VS1 for the day it is
important to properly maintain the engine.
1. Remove any fuel from the tank.
2. Remove the glow plug from the engine.
3. Open the carburetor.
4. Fill the carburetor with after run oil.
5. Place a rag over the head of the engine and apply short
bursts to the starting cone with your electric starter to coat
the inside of the engine. Repeat this step a few more times.
6. Reinstall the glow plug.
7. Remove the stub shaft from the lower unit and slide out
the cable. Re-grease the cable and reinstall.
When you are ready to run the boat again, remove the plug
and turn the engine over with the starter. Try to remove as
much oil as you can before restarting your motor.