Make a Remote Control Toy Boat

Have you ever wanted to make a remote control boat? Perhaps you've seen the prices in the stores... and despaired of ever affording one? Here are some simple steps to help guide you through making your own for a fraction of the cost.

Steps

  1. Obtain your hull, motor, servo, rechargeable battery with charger, and radio transmitter/receiver. These are the most expensive parts of the whole build.
  2. Glue (not cement—that's for building houses) the motor in the bottom rear of the boat (will be under the batteries) and set up the prop.
  3. Waterproof the openings. Even if you sail it on a mill pond somehow water will try to get inside. There will probably be one or more openings in the deck which you will need to get into the innards for adjustment and things like battery charging. Build a wall (coaming is the technical term) around the opening about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} high, making sure it is well sealed (using glue) to the deck. Then fit a hatch cover that is a good fit over the coaming. The way to do this is first cut some thin card eg from an old Xmas card and tape it round the outside of the coaming. Cut walls for the hatch and glue them to each other at the corners while fitting around the coaming. Fit a top onto the walls. When the glue is dry remove the hatch and carefully release the card if that got stuck too. That way you can get a tight fit with just a gap equal to the thin card.
  4. Glue a servo to the hull near the front of the boat.
  5. Fitting a rudder. You can buy 'rudder assemblies' which have a flat plate—the rudder—attached to a rod—the post—that passes through a tube and on the other end has a little arm. Take it apart and remember exactly how it was because you are going to need to put it back together later. At the back end of the boat, on the center line, a little behind the propeller drill a hole for the rudder tube. Use a drill that is just a little bigger than the tube for example if your tube is a modern one it might be 6mm, so you could drill a 1/4 in hole which would be a bit bigger, but if you have lots of tools you might have a 6.1 mm drill which would be better.
  6. Put a servo horn on the top of it.
  7. Hold it down by a screw. Preferably not rusty and rather a lot less than {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} long.
  8. Connect a servo rod with "Z bends" at each end and an "adjustment angle" in the middle of the rod.
  9. Glue in the battery pack between the rudder and servo. Make certain the servo rod does not rub on it.
  10. Glue in the receiver in the bow (front) of the boat.
  11. Waterproof everything with DAP kitchen and bath silicone and you are done!



Tips

  • Test your boat in the tub before going out on the lake or pond. Nothing spoils an RC outing like having to fish your project out of deep water. (or losing it altogether) If your wife asks what you are doing in the bathroom just tell her you are measuring for the tiles since she keeps asking for it to be redecorated. Then you will be able to 'visit tile showrooms' when you are actually going to the pond.
  • If you purchase servos and receivers from the same manufacturer for each of your projects,you can use the same transmitter/controller for multiple toys.

Warnings

  • Keep aware of your transmitter range. It is possible to propel your boat out of range of your transmitter, and then you get to swim to retrieve it.
  • Try to find a club or group when sailing. They will probably have a boat that can push yours to safety, or perhaps waders to walk in to retrieve it.
  • Boat modelling can be addictive.
  • Be careful not to drown.
  • Do not swim after a toy boat, you could lose your life!

Things You'll Need

  • Receiver/servo combination
  • Servo linkage (stiff wire)
  • Servo horn
  • Brass Screw
  • Kitchen and bath silicone for waterproofing

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