Instant Boats Message Boards

I've got so many boats that I want to build that there's no way I could: Even if I could afford to build them all, I'd have no place to park them when they were done!
I've decided to start building 1/8 scale models of the boats I want to build instead... To save you the trouble of calculating, that's 1 1/2" to the foot and 1"=1/8." Presently, I'm lofting a 20' Benford tug boat and a 20' Atkins sternwheeler in 1/8 scale (42" scale length.)
The sternwheeler will use a windshied wiper motor, a small car batery and radio control to motivate it around a pond. At present, the tug is being designed as a static model.
I'd like to know if anyone else is building or planing to build models of the boats they would like to build full size "someday?"

Cory

I bought and read Payson's book, and made 1/4 size models of nymph and june bug. I picked 1/4 because it seemed possible to take one sheet of luan and model these by dividing the sheet and plan dimensions by 4.
There could be an easier way however now I am attempting a full size june bug.
June bug was easy to model and should be pratical for me as I live inland with canals and shallow waters.
So far other than fiberglass tape and oar locks/pintles everything came from Home Depot.

40 years of designing and building R/C aircraft. Time to go bigger. Can't take the wife and kids on an ultralight so we're gonna go the boat route.

Nice, Pirate! Welcome to the hobby! Post links to your pictures.

Currently I'm working on a 1/8 scale model of a sternwheeler (not a PCB design) because I want to see it in 3-D. If I like what I see in 3-D then I'll build it full size starting next year. If not, then I have a nice little model and have saved myself a lot of work and money for nothing! :)


Cory

Pirate ship 1/6th mock-up #1 is comming along nicely. Lots of decades old scrap balsa finally being put to use. A model REALLY helps in visualizing shapes and relationships between them. Found a 1/6 wooden flexible drawing dummy to check ergonomics. Pictures on 'puters be a befuddlin' science ta a humble pirate but ay work on it

Knocks on wood, throws salt over shoulder and crosses fingers-

I LIKE your models.

Flew RC in Bakersfield CA for 30 years. We retired in Oklahoma and boats seemed to make more sense here. The full size Skimmer and Surf I built were much easier than a RC plane but the parts are certainly heavier and the construction takes a LOT more clamps. And glue.

Mud Puddle Pirate,

Did you purchase a plan for your full size version of that pirate ship or is it your own design?

I looked REAL hard at every 3 view the internet could access. The basic underwater hull lines are similar to many available plans. From the waterline up it's all eyeball imagineering. The real beauty of the project is the nonnecessity for 100% functionality. If it floats upright, holds 4 people, can be rowed 100 yards out and fished from, I'll be a happy camper.

Mockup #2 was done more like an instant boat. Was able to pull patterns off of M#1 for the correct shapes. I'll get a picture up as soon as I can figger out the software again

Fighting with an "invalid session" error for 2 days. here goes-

A blast from the past- my first pirate ship- sometime around '65-'67.



Built through a city run summer program at the local waterhole.

Love it!

Alan