Help Pls

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by khumalop3, Aug 8, 2006.

  1. khumalop3
    Joined: Aug 2006
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    khumalop3 Junior Member

    I Want To Desing And Make A Toy Boat That Can Move A Distance Of About 4 Meters, But The Boat Must Not Have A Mottor And Bettries.pls Help On How To Power The Boat.
     
  2. CaptainTweak
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    CaptainTweak Junior Member

    If you can use wind, just put a sail on it! That would be the easiest way to make it move.
     
  3. SamSam
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    SamSam Senior Member

    A wound up rubber band can power a propeller or a paddlewheel. I think somehow baking soda or baking powder can make it go poot-poot-poot blowing bubbles out a tube in a primative jet drive. Sam
     
  4. Toot
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    Toot Senior Member

    really powerful magnets!!!

    harness the power of water bugs!
     
  5. hansp77
    Joined: Mar 2006
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    hansp77

    Or a candle,
    I am not sure how they work, but you can buy those little boats that are powered by a tealight candle.
    I am sure you could buy one ($2 or so) and get a little 'inspiration.'
     
  6. khumalop3
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    khumalop3 Junior Member

    candle powering

    I think the candle is best but still i'm not sure haw to do it, pls if u know how to use the candle to power the boat help me.thanks to u all.
     
  7. Figgy
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    Figgy Senior Member

  8. hansp77
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    hansp77

    Nice finding Figgy, I knew it was something like that,
    I love how simply it works.
    It pumps like ten times a second,
    it's fantastic.

    Khumalop3- is this for a race?
     
  9. Figgy
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    Figgy Senior Member

    It must be for homework or something. he posted somewhere else this morning, only a little different..
    http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13161
    Khumalop3, how do you know that this won't move straight? A little tweeking with the copper lines, maby hang a string off the back for drag..
    Yeah Hans, I don't think it can be any simpler than that. Its almost TOO easy!
    The simple things amuse me the most:)
     
  10. khumalop3
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    khumalop3 Junior Member

    thank u figgy.i realy appretiate your help.
     
  11. SamSam
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    SamSam Senior Member

  12. JPC
    Joined: Jun 2005
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    JPC Junior Member

    Foil Boat

    That candle-steam-coil is great!

    Another fun one is a boat made of a small piece of aluminium foil that is shaped such that it is nearly flat across the bottom. A cut is made in the back of the boat in a shape similar to that of a pen nib (imagine a 1mm channel running in approx 1/2 - 1 cm from the stern to a small circle (2-3mm) -sorry; I'm at the office so can't provide a drawing). It is usually helpful if the channel widens towards the stern (more rocket nozzle than pen nib now). The dimensions are not at all critical.

    The boat is floated in water, and a chip of bar soap is placed in the small circle the sole purpose of which is to contain the soap chip. As the soap dissolves, it reduces surface tension at the aft-end of the vessel with the result that the greater surface tension acting on the rest of the waterline will draw the boat forward.

    While this doesn't have the commercial potential of the steam propulsion above, it's fun with kids and usually mystifies adults (also fun).
     
  13. SeaSpark
    Joined: Mar 2006
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    SeaSpark -

    Foil and coils

    Hoi JPC,

    Thanks for your foil/soap boat design information. The candle coil steam boat is rather well known, the foil soap propulsion is completely new to me.
     
  14. Toot
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    Toot Senior Member

    I also hear you can generate a lot of heat energy by burning spotted owls...
     

  15. SamSam
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    SamSam Senior Member

    Other than the nuisance of plucking them, that would work. How about seals? Or whales? :confused: Blubber ought to be about as good as a tire. Sam
     
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