Step by Step Building a hydroplane / MRC is up and running

[blueskyracer]

I guess it is time to get started on the build. First read the manual once or twice and order the material per the material list. Places are suggested to get supplies but I usually get most of my stuff from Noahs in Canada for their prices, good shipping pratices and quality.

While you wait for supplies to show up make the jig per the drawings and instructions. Spare no expense cause this is the most critical step to building a boat that will work right out of the box.

Once you get the material I lay out the coaming walls first. What I do is lay it out to where the aft part of the bottom is right along the factory edge of the plywood. Then I pin it in place with big thumb tacks so it wont move. If you look in the photo there is a tool that I call my porcupine. I got it from Tower Hobbies and it is for making R/C airlanes with monocote. I take all the blades out but one and roll it over the lines. It leaves little dots so when you take the print off you can just connect the dots with a pencil. I trace out he ribs to and then start cutting them out. Be carefull to note if you boat has an offset cockpit because half of your ribs will be an inch or two longer on the rightside. That will be the left side to start with when the boat is started out upside down.

Hopefully more tomorrow if I don't have to plow snow all day

[blueskyracer]

Here are pictures of the jig and the coaming walls cut out. I use a saber saw and drill 3/8's holes in the corners for the cut outs. Note the scarf cut for joining the rest of the coaming wall. Right now the halves are glueing and tomorrow I will start cutting out all of the ribs. Very time consuming.

[bill boyes]

Had to buy a woodpecker. Neat tool. Beats using an auto center punch.

[blueskyracer]

Had to buy a woodpecker. Neat tool. Beats using an auto center punch.

Bill you will like it. Makes it so easy to transfer the lines. Watch out though the sucker is sharp!

[Raymond]

Mike,

The level of detail you’re alluding to above is exactly what I have been waiting for from this site. I hope your entire build chronicles all those small details and steps that are required during a build. Show us your scarf joint glue ups. Please make no assumptions of your audience’s woodworking/boat building skill levels. This may just give me the confidence to build our teams next boat; something that is on my bucket list.

Rest assured I am subscribed to this thread and eagerly await your posts. Thanks for doing this.

[blueskyracer]

Mike,

The level of detail you’re alluding to above is exactly what I have been waiting for from this site. I hope your entire build chronicles all those small details and steps that are required during a build. Show us your scarf joint glue ups. Please make no assumptions of your audience’s woodworking/boat building skill levels. This may just give me the confidence to build our teams next boat; something that is on my bucket list.

Rest assured I am subscribed to this thread and eagerly await your posts. Thanks for doing this.

Raymond. I will get back to work now. I caught this nasty bug that is going around so I have been out of commision but I am feeling better today. Of course the weather outside is sunny and a temp of 0 so I don't know how much I can get done today but I will show every step.

It does make it a lot nicer when you can do it all for your team. I know when I started flyfishing I did not feel complete till I caught fish with flys that I had tied and it is the same for boat racing. Plus once you have built one you also will know how to repair one.

I also figure that if this will help get folks into boat racing it is worth it and who knows we might sell some plans.

[blueskyracer]

Ok the two joints are glues together. I lay them on a flat surface and apply the glue. Then I sandwich the joint in between two pieces of wax paper. Apply weight while using a strait edge to line everything up. Then you mount the pieces in the jig.

Next step I start ripping all the sticks leaving 1/8 excess so that they can be planed smooth to final size. After planning the saw cut edges I rout out the edges to match the corners of the cut outs in the coming sides.

After installing the cross frames for a fit check and a temp piece of wood down the coaming wall I level the boat side to side and front to back and square up the whole frame work. I guess this is where some folks put a twist in the boat but no thanks. Just keep it strait for me and you will stay out of trouble. The National champ CSH from 2010 has absolutely no twist.

[blueskyracer]

Some of the right photos

[blueskyracer]

Last photos for today. Happy New Year!!!

[Aussie Steve]

Nice , great thread mike .


Steve A

[Raymond]

This is exactly what I have been looking for

Nice , great thread mike .


Steve A

Oh, yes it is.

Mike, in post 24 pic 2 it appears that the bottom of the port and starboard combing are not exact duplicates. It appears the cross frame holes on one side are ‘up’ an inch or so from the bottom whereas on the other side it looks like the cross frames are flush with the bottom. It also looks like your going to ‘cap’ the flush mounted side with a fore/aft stringer. Is this an illusion or is my stringer theory correct?

[blueskyracer]

Oh, yes it is.

Mike, in post 24 pic 2 it appears that the bottom of the port and starboard combing are not exact duplicates. It appears the cross frame holes on one side are ‘up’ an inch or so from the bottom whereas on the other side it looks like the cross frames are flush with the bottom. It also looks like your going to ‘cap’ the flush mounted side with a fore/aft stringer. Is this an illusion or is my stringer theory correct?

Raymond both sides are exactly the same but I will say that the holes in the back of the boat drop down slightly to allow for a rear tunnel. Not all boats have this. It will make more sense as I go along. I am probably showing how to make the hardest design we have.

[Raymond]

Ok, I got it. Thanks

[Pauly1]

How do I view the pictures?

[blueskyracer]

How do I view the pictures?

If you can post which you did then you should be able to see the pictures. Send us a private E-mail if you are still having problems.