For some reason, being able to
control a miniature boat as it skims over the water of a local lake is
something that many people find very appealing. It doesn�t matter whether you
are a kid or an adult; remote controlled boats are universally fun. On top of
that, nothing is more fun than undergoing a huge and daunting project, and
eventually seeing the results come through. Therefore you should consider
building a remote controlled boat on your own, out of materials that you can
buy from any local craft or hobby store. If you are here, you have likely
already considered this prospect. It is more than possible, and probably easier
than you would think.
Since you have taken the more
interesting route and decided to build your remote controlled boat rather than
buy one pre-made, you will have quite a few more challenges facing you that you
wouldn�t have run into otherwise. However, all of the hard work that you put
into your remote controlled boat will pay off in the end, and you will feel
like you have really accomplished something when you take it out to a lake for
a day and it is able to successfully navigate the treacherous waters. You will
probably be frustrated along the way as your boat falls apart, or even sinks
into the water never to be seen again. However, if you persevere you will be
glad that you did.
Unless you have experience in the construction of boats, you will probably want to use plans that someone else has created. You can find plans for remote control boats all over the place � on the internet, in magazines, or in books. You may even use the plans for a full-sized boat, and make a scaled model of it. As long as you are confident that the motor and radio components will not interfere, this is a good route to take. Regardless of where you get your plan, you will need one that is utterly clear in every aspect. Even the slightest typo or misreading could result in your boat sinking, or spinning in circles struggling to stay afloat.
As you build the boat, you will
need quite a few supplies, first, the wood is a very important part. If you are
using custom plans, wood is probably the material you will be working with. You
can find quantities of light wood such as balsa at your local hobby store. You
should always get extra, since a wood that light is prone to snapping when you
least expect it. The wood is held together using glue, and you will start with
a hull-shaped structure then plate it with sheets of wood. After it is all
done, you caulk the holes and cracks with some sort of putty, then spray it all
with a sealant to make it waterproof. After that, you are free to paint it
however you see fit.
The motor equipment on a radio
controlled boat must have more attention paid to it than other remote
controlled projects like cars or planes. If even one droplet of water gets into
the electrical components, your entire project will be ruined, and you will
have to buy new (possibly expensive) radio equipment. Waterproofing the motor
equipment is fairly difficult, and you should always test it with no
electricity involved before you actually go out on your maiden voyage. It is
usually accomplished by having the motor extend an arm through a waterproof
sealant that will prevent any water from getting in.
There are many parts to the
process of creating a radio controlled boat, and each one needs to have close
attention paid to it. As long as you can invest this time, you should have a
great experience. You don�t want the little sailors in your boat frantically
tossing things overboard as they try to stay afloat, do you?
Article by: Clem C. Benton. Jr.
http://www.12path.com/1/80/