Scratch Built Scale Pontoon Rescue Boat

[sammyha]

Here's a couple shots of the bottom side...


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[sammyha]

Onto some fun to build scale details.

The swim ladder is made from two sizes of K&S aluminum tubing.

And some junk.

I save weird stuff, like this battery box lid, for the material. I cut pieces out with the angle in them for the steps.

It folds and retracts...





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[sammyha]

Here's a nifty idea I think for the retractable section of the ladder.

I filed a groove on the inner piece of tubing. At just the right length to where there's about 3/8" engagement left inside when it extends. And to where it slides in to retract.

Then slid the tubing in and center punched the outer tubing in line with the groove.

Such a simple solution!

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[sammyha]

These clips are shaped from styrene. It snaps in place when it folds up...

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[sammyha]

The spacing on the steps are scale too.

No, I don't play with Barbie dolls. Not very often anyway, lol...

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[sammyha]

Some random and fun pics I think.

I found it interesting that a few of my friends thought she should not be driving.

Really?

There's also a shot with her facing rearward in the passenger seat. It's a good look at the side brackets and bump stops for the backrest...

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[sammyha]

The faux aluminum framework on the side walls was the last major scale detail in this build.

They're made from strips of 3/16"wide styrene. With a radius hand sanded on all four corners. Then primed and painted. Aluminum colored Rustoleum paint. Glued on with E6000.

I made 23 pieces total from a 1/8" x 12" x 24" piece of styrene sheet. The side walls measure 118" all the way around. For the top and bottom, and including the edges of the black stripe, I needed enough to wrap around the walls basically four times. Plus the vertical pieces.

I considered skipping the black stripe.

Less work.

But when I found the picture of the full size boat with the stripe, I knew I was in for a lot more work.

The black stripe pops, adds a little shape too...

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[sammyha]

The framework adds so much depth to the look of the side walls...

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[sammyha]

Working doors!

Gotta do it, right?

I used nylon airplane hinges with steel pins. E6000 is amazing for bonding nylon to aluminum.

And hand carved the handles from 1/8" styrene with a pin to go thru the door.

Then glued together some styrene pieces on the inside for the latch to work. E6000 glues styrene amazingly well to aluminum too.

But for all the gluing of styrene to itself I used Same Stuff by Micro Mark. It melts the plastic together, very strong joints...

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[sammyha]

I've also got a video on YouTube on this build.

There's another longer run at the 7:48 mark where it loosens up and goes pretty good, fwiw...

https://youtu.be/csHt6GQGkCc

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[sammyha]

An internet search tells me the CG should be at 60-65% back on a 1/1 pontoon boat.

I'm right on 64% now, exactly where it was when I ran it without the interior.

Might explain it feeling a bit loose, that plus the trim of the outboard and the power this beast cranks out.

I kinda like where it's at, and with a pontoon boat I'm not going out for a SAW run every time...

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[sammyha]

She did 32mph on GPS that day. Not too bad for a pontoon boat...

I float tested it with the interior, it sits about a 1/2" lower with the interior done. I gave it a quick snort, she jumped right up on plane just fine.

It was too windy to risk it here today, I'll get some more running vids soon...

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[sammyha]

Here's a shot of the foam bumper, it drops all the way down on the water with the deck raised.

I watched it coming in on plane, the bumper is not touching the water at all, it's way above it actually...


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[sammyha]

I uploaded the second running video if you just want to watch that...

https://youtu.be/-ESI6viOTNM

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[Mike W]

So awesome thanks for sharing!!