Tracing Plans to Plywood:

  Nothing is more rewarding in RC Boating than the feeling you get when you launch a boat you built from scratch. Building a boat from plans gives you a whole different aspect to the hobby. You know everything about the boat; the angles, the lines, the weight, the theory and the attitude. From the first time your boat hits the water, you start to think about how you can improve the design for the next build. You are no longer locked into the design of someone else. You have the ability to modify the plans based on your experiences, and create your very own design.

  When designing new boats, you always want to start from the previous boat you built. So, when building the first boat, you want to keep the plans as clean as possible so you don't have to decipher lines when you start to build your next boat.

  Lay carbon paper onto the wood, then lay your plans over the carbon paper. Tape the plans to the wood so the plans don't move when you are half way thru the trace. Take a dowel stick and sharpen it in a pencil sharpener. Instead of using a pencil to trace your parts to the wood, use the sharpened dowel stick so you don't leave any lines on your plans. Trace the plans the same way you would with a pencil. You will see an imprint in the paper as you trace so you will see where you have been and where you still need to go. When you are finished tracing, your plans will look the same as they did when you started the project.

  When designing a new boat from existing plans, trace the existing plans to the wood, then make your modifications to the traced pieces. After your new design is complete, cut the pieces out and make a test fit. After you are satisfied with the corrections, trace your new parts to a piece of paper so you can continue to tweak the latest version. If your new design doesn't work, you can still go back to the original and try again. Eventually, you will learn what it takes to build an outstanding hydroplane you can call your own.

Until next time, happy boating.

Brian Blazer

Blazer Marine,  Cincinnati, OH (513) 598-1769

Email: Brian@BlazerMarine.com