free floating boat design

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chromegsx
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free floating boat design

Post by chromegsx »

This is not a Raingutter Regatta project but...
My son wants to build a boat for a friendly race among classmates. The rules are rather loose, but the basic intent is free floating no metal, plastic, glue, screws, nails, etc. the boat will be powered by the flow of water only in a small creek. Must be at least 16 inches, not more than 36 inches long. Nothing on width or height. If there is a tail wind it would help but no guarantee on that. Since I know nothing about boat design, weight, buoyancy, etc.....I'm wondering if someone might be able to point me in the right direction with the right search terms for here or google. All I can find is sailing a boat faster than the wind or upwind. At this point all I got for ideas is staying light weight and to accomplish that by some sticks together and calling it good.
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FatSebastian
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Re: free floating boat design

Post by FatSebastian »

chromegsx wrote:free floating no metal, plastic, glue, screws, nails, etc. the boat will be powered by the flow of water only
Thus does "free floating" mean no sail?
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Scrollsawer
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Re: free floating boat design

Post by Scrollsawer »

I think he means free floating equates to "no blowing required". I didn't get the impression that a sail was omitted by that description. In fact, the tailwind statement might infer that a sail could provide incremental benefit.

Scrollsawer
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