RC Boat

thingiverse

https://youtu.be/d0IpHtbU63A This is a fully functional RC boat that I made entirely from scratch. It was inspired by commercial high-speed RC boats. Parts List: * 3D printed parts created using files, which were successfully printed on the Zortrax M300 without any issues. The printed parts are watertight, and no special print settings are required; simply check if you can print the entire part at once. If not, try resizing equally or dividing it. I also printed a larger version of the boat that is visible in the pictures. * M4 235mm self-sealing boat shaft * M4 30-35mm boat screw (you can start with an affordable option; more expensive ones do not significantly improve trust) * 4x5 metal kardan joint * 20-30 ESC * 2205 2300kV motor (I used this one, but you can try another) * servo 9g (for the beginning, a plastic servo is sufficient, but I recommend using a metal servo) * lipo battery 1300 - 2200 mah, 3-4 S * transmitter and receiver (2-channel is enough for the start) * hot glue * sanitary sealant (the cheapest silicone is acceptable) * zip ties * some screws Instructions: 1. Print all parts and check if they are watertight. If not, use sanitary sealant or another sealant. 2. Apply a sealant between the hull and lid using sanitary sealant or another sealant. 3. Test the boat in a bathroom to ensure it is watertight. Even if there are some drops of water, do not worry; for the beginning, this is enough. 4. Create a rudder: I did not design its parts because I had an aluminum hotend block, flat plastic part, PTFE tube from the printer, and screws. Try to make yours from scrap material. Use a metal pushrod to connect the servo inside the hull with the rudder. You need to experiment a little to set the proper length of the rod. 5. Assemble all parts together. 6. For the start, test the boat in a bath; you do not want to sink your precious boat on its first run. Upgrades: 1. Depending on water and air temperature, your ESC and motor can warm up significantly, reducing their power. So remember not to overheat them. I recommend adding a 40x40 fan blowing on the ESC inside the hull. More professional but also more expensive will be replacing the motor and ESC with versions that have water cooling made specifically for RC speedboats. 2. You can see on the movie that the boat screw is sucking air at higher speeds. I suppose this is due to the hull shape and how deep the screw is in the water. When I lowered the screw, the boat was faster but also more prone to roll-over. 3. It would be good to have an anti-roll system. This happens on greater speeds. Commercial RC speedboats have reverse thrust that helps them roll back. Of course, the screw needs to be immersed in water when the boat is on its back. Lowering the center of gravity of the boat will also help stabilize it. 4. You can experiment with different rudder sizes; I believe this will improve performance on taking fast turns. 5. You can add additional fins for more stability. Let me know in comments what you think, and how the performance can be improved.