Cost nothing boats?

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Each year I try to come up with a different idea for a boat competition for all the members of my local model boat club to make and race accross the lake. The main criteria is low or no cost. the 1st year we all made galleons from pipe lagging and carrier bags, the 2nd I set the rules to make sailing boat with a hull from a plastic bottle max size 1 litre or 2 at 500ml etc and sail area of no more than A4 size.

I need some new ideas please

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hi Len

You seem to be making a ‘serial’ of these races, so why not a play on words and have a ‘cereal’ race !

Where each boat is made from just 1 family size cereal box,  The printed side must face outwards (no painting allowed, only sealer) so’s cheats can be spotted using 2 boxes !There should be enough card in 1 box to make a small boat.  Power could be any small electric motor powered by no more than 4.8v – No radio, straight runners only.

Cheers – Ken

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Sounds like a great idea, a fantastic idea, a real killer idea,

A cereal killer in fact.

And with the right motor and battery set up they should fairly snap, crackle and pop along

This would make the watching crowds go O O O O with excitement so much so that some people would flake out and land face first in the porridge.

Sorry to milk this pun but I had good raisins to do so as it is oat so good for my nutty sense of humus.

Well Ken this will teacher me to mix keyboard and best bitter.

But the cereal box idea is a good one.

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Blimey with all the brains on this forum are there no other suggestions???

Crack open the Christmas cheer and get the brain cell/s working chaps/chapesses.

I look forward to lots of ideas,

            Len 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

A few serious suggestions, and no christmas cheer has been drunk.

Use take away containers/bits to make sail boats the polystyrene take away cartons could be the hulls, drinking straws the masts and the sails could be hand towels. Your members could make mono or multi hulls but limited to 300mm long.

Of course you could always fit elastic band motors into the take away containers and make speed boats (real fast food) join the containers together to a max length of 900mm

Or turn the containers upside down and make hovercraft using plastic bags as the hover skirts. 

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your ideas, how do I make a elastic band motor?, a sketch would be nice.

Len

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Len

Kiddies model aircraft have elastic band motors.

But for a boat get a piece of wood 20mm wide by 12mm thick and 300mm long (for example) and put a vertical piece of wood on each end of 25mm high so you end up with a long flat U shape. Drill a 6mm hole through the centre of one upright and screw a cup hook into the inside face of the opposite upright.

Through the hole put a small length prop shaft and glue it in position, put a prop on the business end of the shaft and fit another cup hook onto the other end, Connect the cup hooks with lots of elastic bands.

Wind up the prop with a couple of hundred turns and let go..

As the elastic unwinds the prop will spin and move a boat through the water, it wont go far as it all depends upon how tight you can get elastic bands.

The ideal shape for an elastic powered boat is long and very thin.

If you are serious I could produce a basic design.

Hope this is of some help.

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Paul,

They do say never volunteer, If you could produce a basic design I would be obliged.

Thanks,

Len

ps I was thinking of using all those elastic bands that the Postman drops everywhere.

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hi Len,

Lazzy band motors are ok (used them donkey years ago in planes) – but stay away from the red bands the posties drop – they are very poor quality and deteriorate very quickly ( I know, I worked for them for more than 22 years)

Best option here is to visit your local model shop and buy (sorry – mentioned the "B" word there) elastic strip made for the job.  Then give each contestant say 1 metre each to make their motors (get the money from the treasurer)

Cheers – Kenny

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

Sorry not to reply, my computer has thrown in the towel and I have only just got back on line, I will do my best and get back to you soon.

All the best

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

I knew that model boat mag had covered something to do with elastic powered boats. Have a look at scale scene 22/05/07 and the Eastleigh and district model boat club, their chairman set a similar challange to the club members.

Do you want to change your plans?

And Ken is right the choice of elastic can make a huge difference to the models performance as can the addition of gearing / flywheels.

Paul 

[TelstarParticipant @telstar]

Hi All

On the subject of rubber powered boats, I remember seeing a number of fairly crude rubber powered models in the engineering museum at Newcastle, they were made and used by Charlie Parsons  while designing Turbinia. Some of these had step up gears, to give a high speed prop. The ‘elastic bands’ were pretty substancial also.

Cheers Tom

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

Any more thoughts on your "cheap boats" project and do you still want that basic design?

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Paul,

Yes please I would like a basic design, how far can we expect a rubber motor using 1mtr of rubber to go?, and when you wind up and release the prop does  the prop thrash round or is there a way of slowing it down to get a more even output?,

 Thanks for your ideas,

Len 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

You have hit the nail on the head with the prop comment as the main problem with elastic motors is the speed of energy release, they spin very fast, which is ideal for elastic powered planes but not for boats.

You can control the rate of prop spin by using gears / flywheels the design of which could be part of the challenge.

If you give your members a standard design for a hull and a limit of 1 mtr of elastic, the rest could be up to individuals so they could try gearbox / flywheel / or even 3 props having 333mm of elastic each (these could even be on a sequenced release) this would be a real challenge to the technically minded.

How does this sound?

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

I had an epiphany last night regarding your boat challenge which would make the event a lot more interesting so if you wish to carry on with an elastic powered event then I would suggest that you have as few restrictions as possible i.e.

1/ Length of elastic in its unwound or dormant state should not exceed 1m

2/ Length of hull or multi hulls should not exceed 900mm (the length of each multi hull would be added together i.e. each hull of a cat should be no longer than 450mm)

3/ The model that covers the greatest straight line distance will be the winner.

These are all things that the scrutineer can easily check and these basic restrictions will allow your members to be as inventive as possible.

The reasoning behind this train of thought is that as this is an open forum those of your club members who have computers and log onto this site will already know that long thin hulls are the best design and that the use of basic gearing will allow greater control of the power. They will also have read all that has been discussed about higher powered elastic and that the Eastleigh club have had such an event which was covered in Model Boats.

So to be basic there is enougth information now available on the subject to allow your members virtually free range in their designs. but I would suggest that when you issue the challange that all members are given a transcript of this thread so that they are all starting from a level playing field 

Of course I am still happy to draw up a basic design but I feel that this might just be a straight jacket rather than an aid as you never know how clever people can be untill you give them a true challenge.

What do you think?

All the best

Paul 

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Paul,

I can’t seem to find the article you mention in MB May 07 from eastleigh club, am I nuts?

 Len.

ps, I would have cut & pasted your comment on 9th dec here but I do not know how.

Do you? if so do tell.

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hi Len,

Cut & Paste ? – Easy ….

Move your mouse pointer to the start of the text you wish to copy and press and hold the left mouse button,  now with the button still held down, move the mouse (as you move the text will highlight.  When you have highlighted the text required let go of the mouse button and press and hold the control key marked (Ctrl) while holding the ctrl key also press the "C" as if typing just the letter.

Now move into the window you want to copy the text into and click the left mouse button until the cursor appears – almost there – as before press and hold the Ctrl key and press the "V" key.  your chosen text should now be copied into the text editor.

You can also use the copy & paste options from the mouse menus.

(example – ps, I would have cut & pasted your comment on 9th dec here but I do not know how.)

Takes longer to write out than it is to use – give it a go

Cheers Kenny

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Len

The article is actually on this site but God (or Vinnie) knows how to get to it. I found it on Google by searching for elastic powered model boats, the first thing that came up was "the chairman’s challenge" from modelboats.com so I pressed it and there I was back on the site looking at elastic powered subs and boats.

Since then I have tried searching this site for it but to no avail.

paul

[Sam VimesParticipant @samvimes38365]

Come on Paul

Arn’t elastic powered boats a little simple for grown ups?

By the way its raining on the rock.

Cheers Sam

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Thanks Kenny,

Takes longer to write out than it is to use – give it a go

Cheers Kenny

Blimey,I can do it!!.

Sam,

We are simple grown ups!,

If you start at the beginning it may make sense,have you got any ideas for a club comp?.

If it is raining on the rock then get off it .

Len 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Sam

Basic perhaps but not simple, I would expect that Len’s members will be challenged by trying to make the most of this simple technology.

As I remember it was mostly raining or foggy on the island, its no good sulking about the weather and being stuck there all weekend you should not spend so much time in the departure lounge bar (I remember those happy days) how did you manage to miss the plane??

Never mind back to the grind tomorrow.

Take care.

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Len

Don’t take any notice of Sam he would just love to have a go at your challenge, he is miffed for not thinking about it himself, Sam and I go back a long way and he is not such a bad cove (even for a banker) and good company on our many trips through all the pubs on Duke St.

Paul

[TelstarParticipant @telstar]

HI Even with the simplest of ideas, the will to win can bring forth great design.

Anyone who remembers The Great Egg Race on TV will tell you that.

To see how far you can move an uncooked egg without breaking it powered by an elastic band.   Still the idea generated TV entertainment for 4 or 5 years, with national appeal,

Go for it Len you get signed up by national TV

cheers Tom

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

chaps, chaps….Rubber band boats for kids only?? have you seen the price that rubber powered "vintage "boats go for?? I had the privelige of having an article printed in this august mag a few issues ago-not to hand as type- concerning my efforts on the rubber band front. This was designed for a modocum of running time, not out and out speed,(although it was fairly nippy) but I have seen some americans clubs (on the web somewhere)do rubber racing along the length of, or possibly across, swimming pools at speeds you wouldnt believe! The main problem here is winding the things, need a big prop so you can get your fingers in , or an external winder,geared. Without this, you wont bother using it `cos its toooo much work.  Ashley

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