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This project is an easy to build toy boat (catamaran). Yes, there may be a lot of steps, but they are there to add detail and prevent confusion, really this project is not too difficult. This boat is designed to be built with a limited amount of tools and experience. It may not be the fastest design for a boat, but is fairly simple to build and works. It floats evenly in the water and is stable. I hope you give this a try.
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Signing UpStep 1Supplies and Materials
You will need a sheet of 1/4 inch thick wood. It can be plywood or MDF, keep in mind MDF will be heavier. You need a dowel (about 1/4" diameter) or a metal rod. You will need about 5 feet of dowel or metal rod, I used both because my dowel wasn't long enough. In addition, you will need a piece of square wood material (about 3/4" x 3/4" x 18"). I cut a 1 by 2 on my table saw to make this. For the sail you need some cloth and scissors. Solid wire and string is needed to make the rigging.
For tools you will need a saw to make various cuts. I used a table saw and a chop saw, but a hand saw and coping saw will also be able to make all the cuts. Course grit sandpaper will be use to help shape pieces, a sander will speed up the process. For measuring you will need a ruler, square, and pencil. You also need a way to measure a 45 degree angle, I used my saw which had a laser guide to cut the 45 degree angle. If your square is adjustable, use that, otherwise you have measure out each side of a 45 degree triangle with a ruler (which isn't too hard). A hot glue gun is absolutely necessary. You need a hack saw if you need to cut the a metal rod, and drill bits (one the size of your dowels/rods and a small one about 1/16"). To waterproof the hull I used metal tape, if you don't have metal tape use duct tape or packaging tape. You need a drill driver and screws (8), they need to be about 1 inch long. It is optional but you can also use a small screwdriver and small screws in one of the steps.
For tools you will need a saw to make various cuts. I used a table saw and a chop saw, but a hand saw and coping saw will also be able to make all the cuts. Course grit sandpaper will be use to help shape pieces, a sander will speed up the process. For measuring you will need a ruler, square, and pencil. You also need a way to measure a 45 degree angle, I used my saw which had a laser guide to cut the 45 degree angle. If your square is adjustable, use that, otherwise you have measure out each side of a 45 degree triangle with a ruler (which isn't too hard). A hot glue gun is absolutely necessary. You need a hack saw if you need to cut the a metal rod, and drill bits (one the size of your dowels/rods and a small one about 1/16"). To waterproof the hull I used metal tape, if you don't have metal tape use duct tape or packaging tape. You need a drill driver and screws (8), they need to be about 1 inch long. It is optional but you can also use a small screwdriver and small screws in one of the steps.
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And #2.
Step 10: Adding the Boom, I would suggest using a slightly larger drill bit to enlarge the hole rather than wiggling the block of wood. The wood could bind on the drill bit, spinning it around. It probably wouldn't kill anyone, but it can break a finger. Or worse, jam one.
Everything else looks great. Looks like something my 7 year old son and I can do one Saturday.
First, with a typical sail boat that uses stays to hold the mast upwards you arrange them as to create a tripod of sorts. There's always one at the front, centered on the centerline of the vessel, and then two which slant backwards towards the sides and rear of the vessel. On a catamaran since you don't have a hull to attach the forestay to you'll have a line which spans the front of the boat between the two hulls. The forestay attaches to the middle of that line, and when under tension the spanning line will form a slight "v" shape (although upside down).
Regarding the picture I've attached (it's lame I know), the "main" picture is a side view of the vessel. I've colored the stays in red, with the hulls and mast being black. The largest and centered image is the view from the side of the boat. The two rear stays attach at the same point near the top of the mast and come down at the same angle to points the same distance back on the hulls. The boats I've sailed generally have these fairly close to the outer edge of the hull. The upper left image is a image of how the spanning line (it has a name but I don't remember offhand what it's called) and the forestay are configured. The hobie 18 I had used two eye hooks near the top inner edge of the hull for attachment points, and the line was not tight, but also not really loose. With the forestay attached to it then you'd have tension, and also the "v" shape I mentioned.
The jib sail I mentioned will be attached to the forestay. The sail on the hobie had a leading edge which would unzip so you could wrap the forestay with the sail, but you can get the same effect with loops of line, or rings. I'd suggest looking for pictures of sailboats on the web for ideas on how to attach one to this model.