THE KIT: The Triton's two-piece, ABS catamaran hull is joined at the factory. A functional vacuum-molded stand is supplied, and the kit's components are neatly bagged for easy assembly. The manual is precisely illustrated and combines "actual-size" hardware keys with simple icons to indicate repeated steps, such as the need for lube, etc., to keep assembly moving quickly.

HULL CONSTRUCTION: The 30-inch Triton's catamaran-type ABS hull is large enough to impress without being unwieldy on the workbench. Since the upper and lower halves are already joined, little building is required to ready the hull for the installation of radio and running gear. A quick float in the bathtub found the hull to be well sealed. The first step is to glue a pair of gearbox plates, which are merely Popsicle-stick-size plastic doublers designed to reinforce the hull for the gearbox's self-tapping screws into the hull's forward compartment with the included solvent-type cement. I found this glue to be quite aggressive—only a thin coat was required. Two plastic pushrod guides are inserted through the transom; the instructions call for CA to be used to secure them, but I epoxied the pieces in place to ensure a gap-free fit. Rubber bellows are provided to seal the rudder's wire pushrods (installed later) as they exit the guides.

Installation of the drive system begins with the assembly of the gearbox and stuffing tube. The composite plastic gearbox has a deep socket that holds the stuffing tube perpendicular to its face, while a pair of adjustable aluminum brackets secure the gearbox to the hull. Dry-fit the stuffing tube into the factory-drilled openings in the hull. It's easy to adjust the gearbox to sit squarely on its mounting rails while maintaining the correct angle to mate it with the stuffing tube. After you've properly aligned the components, tighten the gearbox brackets to hold the adjustment, and epoxy the stuffing tube into place. Now slide the drive shaft through the gearbox and into the stuffing tube, and install a bronze bushing at each end of the drive shaft. The instructions fail to mention that the stuffing tube should be filled with grease, although there is a hole in the tube for just this purpose. With the drive shaft in place, install the 540 motors, one on each side of the drive shaft. The simple 1.5:1 reduction transmission uses a 24-tooth pinion gear on each motor to spin the drive shaft-mounted, 36-tooth spur gear; a snap-on cover seals the assembly.

Construction moves to the business end of the boat, where you'll connect the molded rudder to a bracket that allows the depth of the prop and rudder—as well as the angle of the assembly—to be adjusted. I installed the plastic prop to the drive shaft with a metal drive dog and 4mm nut. A "dogbone" mates the prop's drive shaft to the primary drive shaft via a drive cup (an optional U-joint is available). To complete the hull, aluminum combination trim tabs/turn fins are bolted to it through plastic doublers. Since the mounting screws pierce the hull, I installed them with epoxy to safeguard against leaks.

ELECTRONICS INSTALLATION: The Triton's forward compartment holds a pair of stick-type batteries ahead of the transmission unit. The molded cradle holds the packs tightly, and a few squares of hook-and-loop tape (Academy's Magic Tape) are provided for extra security. The packs are plugged into a mechanical speed control, which is installed with the radio gear on a separate radio tray. The Triton's design allows all the electronics to be installed with the tray out of the boat, which simplifies assembly and also makes maintenance easier. I bolted in two standard Airtronics* 94102 servos (included with my CX2P radio) for throttle and steering duty, then rubber-banded the receiver and battery pack into their molded bays. After powering up the radio gear and centering the servos, I mounted the radio tray in the hull, routed the dual pushrods for the rudder through the transom, secured them to the rudder, and checked for free motion.

FINISHING TOUCHES: A full decal set is supplied to finish the hull. The large graphics require care to apply properly, but the extra time pays off with a sharp-looking boat. A bit of paint is required to detail the cockpit area; this can be as simple as a coat of black around the molded pilot figures or as complex as your imagination wishes. Two-piece helmets with molded-in driver faces are included, but I replaced these with some visored helmets I had in my R/C car "spares" box. Why the substitution? I didn't feel like painting those faces—and with a sunny afternoon urging me to finish the boat and hit the water, could you blame me? I screwed the heads into place, attached the cockpit/hatch with a body clip, and packed up for a trip to the pond.

Overall, the Triton has good performance, and it's not too challenging to build. If you want to command the seas, what better vehicle to use than a Triton.