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[Liam]

Hello,

I am currently in my second year at college and i am doing product design course work in design and technology and would be grateful for any information on how to make a model yacht educational towards children. I am aiming to create an educational remote control model yacht to educate kids aged 8-11 in a chosen primary school of the principals of how wind direction affects the direction a yacht goes. To do this i am going to put the yacht on a turntable and then add a fan that moves in different directions which will move the yacht either clockwise or anti clockwise.I also plan to create a see through hull out of plastic which will let them see the mechanisms and electrical components inside the boat which i will colour code. I am also going to try and make the boat more ergonomically designed for people of that age range and try and make the yacht and controls more compact making it easier to transport to and from boating ponds and lakes.

Thanks
 Liam

[Martin (Admin)]

What a fantastic project Liam!   
There are some very clever and helpful people here on Mayhem so I'm going to follow this topic with great interest.

[chingdevil]

Welcome to the forum Liam

What a brilliant idea as Martin has already said the people on here are both clever and helpful, so do not be afraid to ask questions. Also as you project moves forward a couple of pictures would be great.
Have you any idea yet what plastic you will make the hull from?

Brian

[Master Cheif]

i did a similar project at uni quite a few years back and i wish i had this information then ...

http://www.racingsparrow.co.nz/theboat.html

plans in pdf format theres also a plan for the sail but only for the 750 size!

also use the search section of the forum and look for footsie yachts only 12" long  a great way to start but not sure where to direct you for a plan.

only thing i can suggest is making the hull as a plug and use 'vacuum forming' with clear plastic card or lexan, you may have to do some trial and error but you may be able to use perspex but it does tend to crack or show stress marks quite easily, to give you the see through effect , that's the best suggestion i have about that one, im sure your college will have a vacuum former somewhere, if not making your own is not that hard. check this thread for some infomation.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=21584.msg210552#msg210552

 

[Timo2]

Hi Liam

      A good place to start is   " The Wee Nip "  a standard design ,and can be build with clear side panels or deck

   Timo2

    P.S.  just Goggle " Wee Nip "

[malcolmfrary]

Is the boat actually going to sail, or is it just going to demonstrate principles in a class?  There could well be different considerations.
Any basic slab sided design should be good as a mechanisms demonstrator, being amenable to clear sheet styrene.
The trouble with demonstrating on a turntable is that the magic doesn't happen - the boat moving upwind, which is really the only difficult bit to explain away.

[Martin (Admin)]

Hi Liam

      A good place to start is   " The Wee Nip "  a standard design ,and can be build with clear side panels or deck

   Timo2

Yes of course, Wee Nip! - http://www.traplethouse.com/mmi/weenip.html
 Good thinking Timo2!

  ( "I was wondering who would be the first to spot that!" )   

[hmsantrim]

 Hi Liam.
             As stated the WEE Nip was designed for just a purpose as yours. I would suggest though you could mount it on a cradle with
             wheels then it can move more realistically.  Or a small garden inflatable pool.

                                        cheers Frank 

[triumphjon]

haveing just completed the wee nip , its a very simple build  as there arent many parts to complete the hull . as said by other posts it was designed to be made by school age children .

[malcolmfrary]

This project is not so much for the children to make, as to be a demonstration tool for the teacher.  A simple build is still a great advantage.  If the end result can be taken to a pond and played with demonstrated on the water, bonus.