Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

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Jeff
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Jeff »

Yes, looks really good Fred!! Jeff

Fred in Wisc
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Fred in Wisc »

Not much to show on the boat. Spent my available time this weekend getting some outdoor work done, putting in the path my wife wanted by the driveway. Should finish that up this evening, have a happy wife, and get back to finishing up the little boat.

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Had a new driveway installed last fall, my wife didn't want it right up to the edge of the garage, so we had them leave a space so we could make a decorative path. Unfortunately they made it 32" on one end and 38" on the other with big tapers on the edge of the asphalt. So I added sand, levelled it, cut the edges even and square with a diamond blade (works slick, but really dusty), chopped out the asphalt trimmings, laid down sheets of aluminum and rigid plastic scrap as underlayment, then laid out the block. that was a crap ton of work, and it was hot -n- humid. I'd WAY rather be boat building. But gotta keep the wife happy, they can punish you in ways that not even the police can, not even in China........

While I was picking up supplies for this at Menards, I DID find hinges that should work for the rudder on the boat though.
Last edited by Fred in Wisc on Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

Fuzz
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Fuzz »

Fred in Wisc wrote: But gotta keep the wife happy, they can punish you in ways that not even the police can, not even in China........
Never been a truer statement :P

Fred in Wisc
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Fred in Wisc »

Here's some mighty low tech design and development:

Rudder mounted- had to space it back about 1/4" from the pivot of the hinge to get enough clearance for it to fold all the way over in both directions. I think that might turn out to be important for transporting it. Trimmed the mounting plate on one side so it didn't hang off the rudder mount.

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The hinges have enough offset that the pivot point is pretty close to the center of the rudder. Close enough for the speeds and precision that we are dealing with here. If I'd routed the hinges in so they are flush it would put the pivot right on, and look better. But It's not important enough that I'm going back to change it. Routering that top hinge into the rudder mount would be a big challenge.

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The rudder shown is just a development piece, once it's figured out I'll make a nice one and fiberglass it.

Next, a way to control where it's pointing.... First tried the rope idea from Cape Man. Couldn't find my pulleys right then, so I used some aluminum round stock to provide the directional changes. More friction than a pulley but a good test for the concept. I also added a bungee up front to keep tension on the system, but to allow a little movement if it hits an obstruction underway. This worked OK, but the rope is in a difficult place to grab when sitting on the seat solo. It's going to be pretty low to the deck, and you either have to be able to push and pull it on one side, or pull on both sides. I also figured out if I clamped the bungee in the middle, it acted as a centering device to steer the rudder back straight when the rope was released.

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That design looked workable, but a little awkward, so I did some mock ups with a solid mechanical linkage. A long board down one side of the boat, sliding through a guide on each end links to an arm, then to a little offset bracket on the rudder. It took a bunch of experimenting to get the dimensions about right, to get a reasonable range of rudder motion with a reasonable amount of movement on the control stick, to keep the linkages from jamming up near the ends of their travel, and to provide enough clearance for the paddle wheel. Ended up with a link that can rotate on both ends. the link will need an offset of curve to clear the paddle wheels.

Unfortunately, the mechanical linkage is still difficult to reach, but since it's solid I could make a movable handle that extends up and in for easier access. I'm thinking something that clamps onto the wood shaft. I'm concerned though, that it's bulky and in the way for boarding. Still need to find a way to add a centering mechanism too for when control pressure is released. the big problem- it works the opposite direction that I would instinctually expect (forward seems like it should be left and aft should turn right)- could someone with stick steering verify that for me? I don't think I can change that by attaching to the rudder ahead of the pivot rather than behind because the linkage will hit the paddle wheels.

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So, I think a little pondering is in order now. Both designs are workable, but flawed. I'm leaning towards the rope- I was digging around in the garage yesterday and found those pulleys, and some have a real cool locking mechanism that I could use to fasten to the rope up near the front pulleys, and create a set of adjustable length "horse reins" for steering. And it goes the right direction, like a horse- pull right and go right pull left and go left.

terrulian
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by terrulian »

Great stuff as always.
Don't have any bright ideas about steering but you're right that the stick rig is counter-intuitive.
I don't think I could resist steering cables and a wheel, since you've already gone so far in elegant engineering.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196XLV3Q?psc=1
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Last edited by terrulian on Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tony
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by terrulian »

BTW, on Caledonia yawls they rig it like this:
A fixed strut is attached to the rudder at 90 degrees, extending either port or starboard about as wide as the boat. At the end of this a pivot is attached to the tiller that runs to the cockpit. At least I think that's how they do it. I've seen them but never sailed one. So they would have the same problem that you have with steering, and I guess they get used to it. Maybe someone here knows about those boats.
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by topwater »

Like Terrulian said go with a push pull tiller. Most small double ended sail boats use that
system .
Novi 23 finally launched !

Fred in Wisc
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Fred in Wisc »

After waffling about it far too long, I finally bit the bullet and decided on the steering. It's going to be the stick rather than the rope. A little more work to fabricate, but I just couldn't get the ergonomics to work right with the rope, the "horse reins" solution left a long piece of rope that would get dropped in the water, tangled in the pedals, etc.

The stick solution is going to need some guides, so made and I glued down the bases for these. The guides themselves will be cut out of Starboard and fasten to these bases. I made sure everything was square in relation to the seat track.

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I also removed the chain guide pulleys and turned the slots in them wider so the master links in the chain run through smoothly. I had some trouble holding the tool to take a narrow cut off each side, so I used a 1/2" chisel and cut them all in one shot. they are a little wider than ideal but they'll work. I also thought of a way to do this way easier if I need to make guides like this again. Just make the pulley in layers- 1/8 plastic, 3/8 or 1/2 plastic, 1/8 plastic. No fooling with the drill press lathe thing, just cut them out with hole saws with the thick one a little smaller than the others. Simple. they just get stacked on the center bolt, don't even need to glue them together.

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cape man
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by cape man »

I didn't say it was a good idea... 8)

Loving this project!
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman

Fred in Wisc
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Re: Stitch and Glue Pedal Boat

Post by Fred in Wisc »

Actually it was a good idea, I just can't figure out how to implement some of the details on it so they are easy for the kids to use. It was simple and elegant.

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