Anyone Build From Blue Foam?

[johndreid]

Hello,

I know that alot of folks are building "foamie" planes these days and I was just wondering what was going on in the boat world. I know that they have those boat/plane weirdo's out there that fly,go on land, go in water and all kinds of crash worthy places but what about a plain old boat from pure foam?

I am trying to contruct one now using the electronics from an old plane of mine. I will be using a 540 electric motor with a pusher prop. I'm going for a swamp buggy type boat.

Any input or links about building boats from foam would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by,
John

[coosbaylumber]

Oh, about ten years ago they had a sale on blue insulating foam at K-mart. Two friends went and bought a whole bunch. As it cut and sanded so fast, overnight they built a super tanker that was about 12-15 feet long. On the appointed day their truck went to far location of lake and they assembled it. The two fellows used velcro to hold the three sections together.

The huge model certainly was lightweight. It took a good 1/2 hour to sail it over to near where the remainder of the group was located. The huge thing used a simple Mabuchi, simple hole in stern for a rudder, etc. As it would progress towards the foreign shoreline, the wind would blow it like a big rudder onto another shore. They had to either aim it direct into the wind or wait until calm to get closer. Big as it was, the draft could not have been a whole inch. Beam was about 18 inches and overall height nearly two feet.

Upon arriving, one old fellow took his lunch and thermos and placed it inside to keep cool for later.


Wm.

[martin richards]

I've mada a cat with wood veneer covering and am currently doing a sailing boat with 4 mm foam shadows, hollowe out and then reinfoced with epoxy/glass.

[wingnut163]

there is two threads on foam boats. a tanker and a aircraft carrier.
take a look,

[johndreid]

Well....Finished my quick little swamp buggy today. It was a complete disaster.
It was a flat bottomed boat with a 540 motor on a mast on the top with a wind rudder on the rear. Looks basically just like the swamp buggies that you see on movies about louisana.

First, the boat does not turn at all.
Second, at full throttle the boat tries to dive like a sub.
I have added weight to the rear, changed the thrust angle of the prop and all kinds of other crap i have already forgotten.

The boat basically sits on top of the water. Barely sinks at all. Maybe an eighth of an inch.
What the heck is wrong?

This is the only pic i have describing the boats shape. It is flat on all edges, top and bottom. I should win awards for my great artwork.

[Marv829]

I also build airboats but I use the pink foam (1 1/2" and 2"). I have built about 15 different hulls and still have alot of foam left to play with. I'm amazed at how much an inch in hull width will effect the stability of the boat. Anyhow looking at your boat and comparing it to mine my rudder is much bigger and my best hull size for my power system seems to be 12"W x 22"L. With my brushless motor on it I can almost flip it on a straight away at full speed and can easily flip it in a wide turn. By flipping it I mean that it goes fast enough for its size/weight that air gets under the entire hull like you see on some of those extreme sports clips of boats flipping from coming out of the water not tipping over because of being top heavy as the battery acts as ballast. I'm actually looking forward to it snowing this year to try out more designs so i don't have to go swimming after them when they tip. Nosing in is either too much power for the hull size or balance or both. I have yet to find any airboat hull theory design on the web. If I get time this weekend I'll post pics in this thread of my pink wonders.

[martin richards]

I'm no expert, but none the ones I'd seen before had a pusher prop:confused:

[CG Bob]

Dumas Little Swamp Buggy has a pusher prop. Husky (http://www.huskyairboats.com/) Airboats use a 6 blade carbon fiber pusher prop, powered by a Chevy 350 V8.

[skippy hop hop]

i fond that the motor coming furter forward mend that the boat dug in and further to the back makes it come out of the water more and i also found that all that i eva needed to ad was down thrust

[johndreid]

wouldn't down thrust push the boat further into the water in the front?

My boat looks almost just like that Dumas swamp buggy above although it is made of foam and only took about 10 minutes with hot glue. Looks like a 3yr old built it but its close:)

I'd like to see some pictures of foam boats if anyone has any. Thanks.

[skippy hop hop]

when it is as lite as my one is it actualy needed down thrust

[Marv829]

Here are some pink foam airboats of mine.

If the attachments don't show go HERE (http://www.freewebs.com/gassmann829/index.htm) and click on Boats.

[Marv829]

Lets see if these are clearer.

[johndreid]

Nice pictures. I can see that i am on the right track. I just need to get the weight/balance correct i guess. I would like to see some videos of these type of airboats if anyone has some.

I am going to finish up my airboat tommorrow and try it out again. I will let you guys know what happened.....or didn't:)

[MILLERTIME]

Check out RC AIRBOAT WORLD.
Lots of videos.

http://rcairboats.net/page2.html

[johndreid]

I've been away for a while.....i guess i forgot to tell you guys that my boat fell apart and scattered into about 50 peices across my friends pond.........I really suck at building things:)

[jeepers1940]

Hi John, I'm sorry to hear about your airboat misfortune; don't get discouraged and give up. My first attempt at a flying model was an under-powered, under-winged and over-painted control-line kit that kinda staggered into the air. I ultimately abandoned the idea of trying to get it to fly and moved on to more promising designs.
That was in the early 1950's and I've been modeling off and on since then. Again, keep on trying things or - try a proven kit design.
BTW I have been in Purvis; had sons at USM. I'm in Natchez, west of ya on the Mississippi. Hope you and yours made it through Katrina all right.
Bill

[johndreid]

Thanks for the "best wishes" jeepers. My family and I came out very well compared to alot of other families in the area. Don't worry, i'm not giving up just yet. I got some new motors and other gear on the way and hopefully i am going to fit them in a scratch built J3 Cub soon.

[stevenwill]

Hi John

As I mainly fly plans and am fairly new to boating, take my advise with a pinch of salt, but here goes. I put the same kind of boat thingy together for my son and had to put the rudder in the water (I used standard balsa fin soaked in cyna, qiuck and nasty) for any kind of control as it was too slow and the wind effected the direction completly. Now although still slow he has some direction control. I used a 380 motor that was designed for a small electric park flyer, but hey it works!?!

Steve

[TeamTEOR]

Cool air boats, but how about a vee-hull design???? something we can print out like we do for the flat profile 3D ships using fan fold?

[TeamTEOR]

Wow, I am surprised to not find one set of plans have turned up. Heck, I am goint to attempt to make a set of paper templates off of my Nitro Vee boat just for a simple Vee design. I'll just glue it together with Probond.

[RS 38-40]

This is an electric flat bottom I built out of Fan Fold Foam to run on the snow and ice . This gallery has other electrics as well . Pictures and videos .
http://www.rc-airboats.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album20

[TorViking]

Hi John
I have only used blue foam to make a plug for a fiberglass hull.I worked well but had to be well protected to stop any reactions with the GF resin.

Best wishes
Andy