Large floating platform – suggestions?

[Richard ManningParticipant @richardmanning61218]

Hi all,

 First post – hope this is OK?

I am developing an "intelligent buoy" (not my eldest son!) and need a readily available platform on which to put some development kit. This platform needs to be able to hold about 20kg of kit (batteries and hardware). It also needs to be able to move – so I am thinking about a LARGE model boat. Something that I could easily fit a 600mm x 1000mm flat board on top of. I really want a very basic hull – probably a twin hull design for stability? Electric drive but I’m not planning on breaking any speed records. Basically it just needs to be able to hold position in a wind.

Any suggestions on what I could use? I am new to the model boat world so I really do not know what is out there. If I can get a kit that I can quickly put together so I can concentrate on the important bits so much the better.

Any suggestions welcome!

Thanks,

Richard

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Richard

I read your question when you first posted it and have been trying to think of a suitable basic hull that would suit your requirements but I have been unable to think of anything large or stable enough.

You are right in assuming that a multi hull would be best, in fact a semi submerged multi hull as used by ocean research teams would be ideal as they are fantastically stable even in heavy seas.

I would venture to suggest that you might have to build your own purpose designed hull to achieve the performance criteria that you are looking for, this would not be to difficult and could be completed quite quickly.

Sorry I can’t be of more help as it sounds like a very interesting project.

All the best.

Paul

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Richard,

What about using two barges spaced apart with control in both so that they could easily be manouvered.

Have a look at the barges on my gallery.

Is this for a full size project?. If not and the water is not to deep, you could lower legs down to stabilise it.

Regards,

Len

[Sam VimesParticipant @samvimes38365]

Paul

Would something like your model of the Mersey Mammoth be suitable for Richard as I remember it was a very big and very stable boat.

Still raining, I should have gone home this weekend but missed my flight.

Sam

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Sam

You idiot how did you manage to miss it?

The mammoth would work very well as it is just a great big pontoon float but I don’t know what conditions Richard intends the model to work in.

All the best

Paul

[ManxmanParticipant @manxman]

Hi Richard,

Been watching this with interest and to me it seems to be getting a little on the heavy side (thats not a pun Paul) of a mammoth build.  I think we should get back to what you want – a platform for your experiments –

So start at the top and work your way down.

First job is the platform – what could be simpler than a slab of 4" thick polystyrene (you could use thicker) has anyone heard of poly sinking ? – no.  This however needs protecting, here we can cover it with ply or MDF (very cheap for 3mm)

Cut the bottom sheet 600mm x 1000mm, now cut 2 pieces of poly and glue these to the outside edges of the base so as to leave a 100mm gap in the middle (this is were your motor, battery and radio is going to fit)  you now need to cover the front and back – each with a single piece – followed by the 2 sides and the 2 insides. The deck goes on now, either in 1 or 2 pieces and remember the hatch.  Chuck the running gear in, paint and get experimenting !

If you want twin motor power then build the cockpits on the ends and fill the center with poly.  For extra strength cover the whole thing in fibreglass (but keep it away from the poly – it’ll melt!) Paint with undercoat and a couple coats of household polyurethane paint (its a big platform)

You can buy 4" poly from B&Q (I prefer skips as they are open 24/7 and cheaper !)

I normally use "No More Nails" for gluing poly but here stay away from B&Q at £4 a tube its expensive – nip along to your local "Pound" shop, they even sell the applicator.

I’ve done a rough sketch and sent it to my new album "Kens Bits" but could take a few days to come through.

Cheers – Ken

ps – the downside to this is you won’t win any prizes in a scale competition !

[Richard ManningParticipant @richardmanning61218]

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