Introduction: Construction Folding Boats From Polypropylene Sheet
I have already had experience in building boats "Skif" of wood. As a result of its use, I wanted to make the boat as light in weight and with the possibility of storage under the bed or under the wall in the garage.
Step 1:
Bring to your attention the process of building a folding boat made of polypropylene own design. The boat was conceived light, compact, reliable - stability, maneuverability and ample. I sailed on a boat over 300km and is fully satisfied with the result! Boat weight about 40kg in the assembled form. Board height 50cm, width 1.20 m, length 3,75m. Transported on a car roof. Very stability. Under the motor 3.5 hp with 4 people on board is 10km / h, with one person speed of 12km / h. Going on shore in 9 minutes.
When folded, the boat is a flat pack size 4 * 0.60 * 0.05 meters. Paddles and fin fit inside, sitting separately.
Step 2:
To build the boats need 4 pieces of 5 mm thick polypropylene. I chose 4m long sheets of them to get a boat length of 3,8 m.
First marked out the pattern on the sheet and cut out using a jigsaw. Next, using the manual milling machine cut grooves along the edges of the sheet to be able to bend side and bottom that allows you to fold the boat. Milling depth of 0.3 mm slot width 5mm.
You will also need 400 pieces of bolts m5 * 16мм and nuts, washers with a diameter of 15mm 800pcs, a tube of silicone.
The distance between the centers of the bolts is 27-30mm.
Further, the sides and the bottom are connected by means of bolts and nuts. Between the sheets used sealant. Assembly of the half boat check for leaks, collect water inside. Leak should not be. Next, connect the two halves of the boat and check for leaks again.
Step 3:
In the boat has three seats. It can is 4 people. Aft transom mounted to the motor. The seats are attached to the sides of the bolts. Under the seats installed units buoyancy foam. Under the seats and floating keel blocks is inserted to enhance rigidity.
Step 4:
General view of the patterns represented on the photo. Good luck!
Step 5:
And now the boat with steering and remote control gas and reverse.
Step 6:
Files with the plan board, and the bottom of the seat.
Step 7: My Boat on the Dniester River - Ukraine
Step 8: One-handed Homemade Gas / Reverse Machine - (commander). Overview. Device, Assembly, Testing on the Boat.
Hello lovers of boats and boats!
Ever since I put the engine on the boat, I got the idea to install a one-hand gas / reverse machine. I didn't buy a ready-made one - I studied SolidWorks and made it myself, from scratch, I don't look at how the brand works.
https://youtu.be/Hkb3sgJ0V5o

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151 Comments
Question 3 months ago on Step 8
any tips for taking this design and stretching it out a bit? trying to build a small sailboat i can fold up and throw on top of a car or in a truck. do you think using slightly thicker sheets would affect bouyancy?
Answer 3 months ago
Hello! Great idea. From practice I see that the longer the boat, the better it is)
In fact, I do not see much point in taking a material thicker than 5mm - this will not affect the strength in any way, but will significantly increase the weight and cost. Anyway, so that the hull does not bend, you should install 1 or better 3 beams along the keel and sides in the floor, especially since the boat will be more than 4m.
Even with thicker material, you can't avoid installing a bar to reinforce the hull against buckling.
Even for the sea, I probably would have increased the height of the side. Now it is 40mm.
Cut out a scale model from cardboard and look...
I have emailed the patterns to you. Good luck! Where are you from?
Question 4 months ago
Hey. Im looking for a dinghy, small and low weight. I saw the folding boat and I thought, this would be perfect. No storage place, not heavy, easy to handle. ok. First congratulations for your job! Now the question, you can fold the boat? What's about the coast of materials? How long time you use it, I mean like, its strong and resistant? Thanks forwards , greetings annka
4 months ago
congrats for ur nicely bild folding boat , i would love to build one , if you could email me the drawings to : klengen1@gmail.com
have a nice day
Question 7 months ago
Has everyone in the USA been able to source the plastics ?
Answer 7 months ago
Yes, of course) Ask those who make pools or water tanks, septic tanks. Sheet polypropylene is used for these purposes.
9 months ago
Hello, this is exactly what I am looking for and would really like to try it.
Could you please send an e-mail to audric00@live.fr with the instructions ?
Very well done, it's really impressive !
Regards,
Audric
Reply 9 months ago
Hi Audric, I'm glad you like my work)
Thanks to France for supporting Ukraine!
I will be happy to share with you the pattern and assembly technology. Already have subscribers from France)
Do you live near a river or by the sea?
1 year ago
Hi. Im going to build the boat during this winter. Do you use oars too?
Im Jim from Sweden.
Reply 1 year ago
Hi Jim!
Glad to help you. You will be the first from Sweden)
Now I use the boat as a motor boat, I paddle a kayak that I also made https://youtu.be/GPnlIoauLNM
Of course, there are oars in the boat. If you want to use it without a motor with only oars, then I would recommend reducing the width a bit. Water resistance will be less and rowing will be easier.
I can send the drawing by e-mail.
Hello and thank you for the help that Sweden provides to Ukraine!
Reply 1 year ago
Nice. You can mail me at backne@gmail.com
I will post pictures how it progresses.
Im trying to get some materials in Sweden but it will tale some time i guess. Im planing to make the boat maximum 3.30 when its folded together. I have no more space then that to store the boat. Im going to build a storage area for that when the boat is finished some time in this winter I guess. Good work. .
Reply 1 year ago
All the same, it is better to make it longer - it turns out to be very stable, which is important. If you have a garage or shed, you can easily store it right on the floor - when folded, the boat is no more than 3 cm high! So you can safely drive a car. Either along the wall or under the ceiling.
Thank you, I'll be happy to look at the progress of construction) I'm sending it to the post office ...
Hello from warring Ukraine!
Question 1 year ago
can I have the constructionplans?
Do you have any pictures at the mounting with the screws?
Did you use any rails at the sides to stiff it all up?
Do you have any suggestions on how to build a floor in the boat?
Answer 1 year ago
Write your email and I will send you the drawing.
In the letter, I wrote a short assembly instruction. It's about bolts and other things...
There is no need to do anything to the floor - it is strong already. Why add weight to the boat?
The same goes for the sides - they have sufficient rigidity due to the material's curvature. Look for sheet polypropylene with a thickness of at least 5 mm, a width of 2 m, a length of 4 m, you need 1 sheet. Or 2 if the width is 1 m. Before starting construction, I advise you to make a 1:20 model out of cardboard, fastening it with tape. So you will understand how it works. You can reduce the width of the boat by taking 50 cm instead of 60 cm width of the bottom. In total, the width of the boat will be 1 m - it will be a sufficiently stable boat, but it will be easier to row on the oars than 1.2 m wide.
Reply 1 year ago
You can mail me at backne@gmail.com
Question 1 year ago
Merhaba cok zekice ve emek vermissin. Seni tebrik ediyorum. Bende yapmak isterim.
Dwg , iam vs.dosyasi varsa gonderebilirmisin?Denizde dalgalara dayanirmi sence ?
Answer 1 year ago
Teknemi değerlendirdiğiniz için teşekkür ederim)
Türkiye'den de takipçileri var.
Tekne zaten denizde kullanılıyor. İşte bir takipçiden bir fotoğraf, tekne bir yatta kullanılıyor.
Bağlantı elemanlarını paslanmaz çeliğe değiştirirdim. Tuzlu su demire karşı agresiftir.
Belki dalgalara daha iyi girmek için teknenin pruvasını biraz daha yükseğe kaldırırdım. Ama nehirde kayıkla geziyorum. 50-60 cm'ye kadar teknelerden maksimum dalgalarımız var.Çok keskinler. Denizdeki normal dalgalar daha yumuşak ve sakindir. Bunun istisnası kıyı sörfüdür. Yani tekne aşırı yüklenmezse denizde 1-2 kişi kullanılabilir. Nehirde, gemiye 4 kişi koyabilirim - ancak taslak daha fazla olacaktır. Hatta bir motorla gemide 3 kişi ile 30-40cm dalga ile rezervuarda fırtınaya yakalandım.
Doğal olarak, motoru koyarsanız, L tipi - uzun bacaklı koyun. Daha sonra vasistas üzerindeki kesik daha küçük olacaktır.
Bir tekne modeli kartondan kesip, parçaları bantla yapıştırmanızı tavsiye ederim. Teknenin pruvasındaki eğriliği biraz değiştirmeye çalışın ve suyun ne kadar yükseldiğini görün. Aynı şey teknenin kıç tarafında da var.
Parçaların eğriliği ne kadar büyük olursa, tahta o kadar yüksek olur.
dxf formatında dosyalarım var
Question 1 year ago on Step 3
Hi. Lovely work. hope you are safe in this babaric invasion as well are your loved ones. Do you still have energy to make your own projects? Did you make your tramson? do you have schematics? can you send also the drawings of the boat in pdf? My name is Carlos Marinheiro and i live in Portugal. My email is cmarinheiro@gmail.com Slava Ukraini.
Answer 1 year ago
Hello Carlos!
Glory to the heroes!
We in Ukraine really appreciate the support of people all over the world) Thank you for this!
I am in Vinnitsa - this is the center of the country. Only rockets flew to us, the Russians did not reach here.
Now I do nothing - there is neither the opportunity nor the desire.
I send you drawings - good luck in construction. Do you want to use the boat at sea? Then I recommend not to cut a cutout for the transom in the stern - here it is made for a motor with a short leg. On the river, I have no problems with flooding even from high waves from boats.
Your last name is suitable for a boat - a sailor;)
A lot of Ukrainians live in Portugal)
1 year ago
Bonjour, votre travail est excellent, simple et pratique, bravo et merci je compte m'y mettre mais à quelle distance des bords faites vous la rainure?
Il faut peut-être rajouter un plancher ?, une quille, des bordure en haut ?
Bien entendu tous vos conseils me seront utiles ainsi que les plans, voici mon adresse : alexandredudu@orange.fr.
par avance un grand merci. Bien cordialement de France
Здравствуйте, ваша работа прекрасна, проста и практична, браво и благодарю вас я планирую начать, но как далеко от края вы делаете грув?Может, добавить пол? киль, отделку сверху?Конечно, все ваши советы будут полезны мне, а также планы, вот мой адрес: alexandredu@orange.fr.заранее большое спасибо. Очень радушно из Франции