Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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S.S. Sea Threw

Baked.
  (+14)(+14)
(+14)
  [vote for,
against]

I got it into my head that I could build a novel type of fold-up boat, I whipped up a cardboard mock-up which worked, so I decided to make the full-sized version.
For this I needed waterproof solid sheets so I thought, why not plexi-glass? That way the entire boat would be transparent. I used a sheet rubber I work with for building shower pans to adhere the sheets together in a way which required no seams.
No seams, no leaks.

It turned out to be far more stable than I thought it would be and I kind of enjoy the bit of vertigo induced from seeing bottom so clearly... or not.

Since then I have figured out a way to collapse one to a suitcase size for trips, but I have not had time to even make the mock-up of that one yet.

[links]


Folded up http://s68.photobuc...ecent]=1&sort=1&o=1
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 17 2015]

Ready for test run http://s68.photobuc...ecent]=1&sort=1&o=0
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 17 2015]

First time out... sorry not much video. http://s68.photobuc...mp4.html?sort=3&o=0
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 17 2015]

Seethroughcanoe http://www.seethrou...m/clear-canoes.html
This company missed the opportunity to put "seathroughcanoe" as their title and their website is terrible, ripe for the taking.... [bs0u0155, Sep 18 2015]

[link]






       Fantastic! I really like that. I've been looking for a clear version of one of those little fishing boats you propel and steer with your feet so you can use a fishing rod at the same time. I'm able to find clear kayaks - no folding ones though.   

       If you actually come up with a design that functions then follow through and make it we might have to kick you out of the gang though.
AusCan531, Sep 18 2015
  

       Having just educated myself on the intricacies of a couple of plastics, namely polycarbonate vs the polyethylene usually used for such things as kayaks and canoes I went through a few stages: 1. Polycarbonate is way tougher than polyethylene, and clear... let's do this. 2. It's got a higher density than water... 3. does it matter? nah. 4. oh, wait, it says here you have to be careful with moulding... have to mould around radii 100x bigger than the thickness... hmm. 5. meh, we can design around this. 6. wait, this is too easy, has this already been done? <link> dammit.   

       like the folding idea though, could bring the cost down, also, add in a polarizing layer to cut down glare at the waterline. Then, for extra credit make it out of a plastic with the same refractive index as water, then you'd REALLY confuse the fish.   

       Not the dolphins though. Wait, you'd have fish swimming into solid objects and being confused, dolphins not. How long before dolphins are chasing fish at your boat and gobbling up the stunned ones? Good luck with the hinge-y bits though.   

       Also, you actually DID something, sure you're posting to the right place? [+]
bs0u0155, Sep 18 2015
  

       If I'm not mistaken, you're using a pure rubber? If so, just a suggestion, you might want to look at the fiber reinforced rubber (or rubber doped cloth, not sure which) that is used for white water rafts and the like. It would up the weight a bit, but would greatly increase the durability against sharp rocks or broken tree branches.   

       Otherwise, looks neat.
MechE, Sep 18 2015
  

       "S.S." traditionally stands for "steam ship", I think. Are you indicating something you haven't specified in detail, yet?
Vernon, Sep 18 2015
  

       to be fair, the Nimitz is a steam ship with a very consistent heat source.
bs0u0155, Sep 18 2015
  

       [2fries], count me as impressed.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 18 2015
  

       Nice.
cudgel, Sep 18 2015
  

       : ]   

       Thanks for the materials info. Straight black rubber and contact cement, (although water-proof) is not the best way to go I'm sure.
For the collapsible suitcase version I found out that cutting through only half the depth of the plexi-sheets allowed me to fold them in half, way more times than I cared to continue trying, without snapping.
I wonder if I might ask if someone knows of a flexible clear rubber and clear adhesive to connect the individual geometric folds?
  

       //"S.S." traditionally stands for "steam ship", I think. Are you indicating something you haven't specified in detail, yet?//   

       It's just a stutter... s-s-sea threw.   

       //What's the suitcase version for ?//   

       Carry-on luggage for tropical vacations of course. Who wouldn't want a clear kayak that folds up into a suitcase?   

       //Maybe TPU? <links>//   

       Sweet! Thanks eh.   

       //cutting through only half the depth of the plexi-sheets allowed me to fold them in half//   

       That worries me. "Living hinges" such as clam-shell food packaging are used almost exclusively with polypropylene, and rarely with polyethylene. Acrylic (Plexiglas) is not generally used for these designs. Obviously it can work, but I would worry about the long term durability. The big thing is if they do crack at all, the crack will propagate very quickly.
MechE, Sep 21 2015
  

       //Acrylic (Plexiglas) is not generally used for these designs.//   

       I don't know if we're talking Plexi-glass or Lexan here, the names are often used interchangeably. Plexi is acrylic, Lexan is polycarbonate. Polycarbonate outperforms polypropylene in almost every mechanical way, including fatigue.
bs0u0155, Sep 21 2015
  

       PC isn't any better than PMMA for living hinges. It's extremely tough and durable, yes, even under cyclic loading (fatiuge limits), but it's not flexible, and in order to produce a living hinge it would have to be cut so far through that it produces an inherent weak point.
MechE, Sep 21 2015
  

       Shirley a nice series of cuts to the inside would produce a pleasing radius with very little flexibility per cut required.. 10 cuts, 9 degrees per section, would be easy enough to get the inside of the radius to touch so it held up in compression too.
bs0u0155, Sep 21 2015
  

       I would not choose to use pc for a living hinge. Also, living hinges are not good at transmitting weight forces of heavy parts hanging on them or the side pressure from buoyancy.
RayfordSteele, Sep 21 2015
  

       + You Rock (the boat)!!
xandram, Sep 21 2015
  

       I would love to go drifting down the river in your boat. +
blissmiss, Sep 21 2015
  

       Psst: sp. "seams" - but I love the idea. [+]
pertinax, Sep 27 2015
  

       Doh!
It seamed write at the thyme.
  

       When traveling at night, you could have the red/green port/starboard lights deployed inboard, below the water line. You might want to slot a small sheet of something opaque between them, though - possibly a double-sided mirror. It would be less practical than having them above the water line, but much more ... mystical.   

       Also, it might help you to see the frogman as he attaches the limpet mine. Why would a frogman attach a limpet mine to a boat that could be folded up into a suitcase? Well, it is a challenge to the ingenuity to devise a frogman who would fit into a *smaller* suitcase - possibly into carry-on luggage. This once achieved, the "limpet mine" might just be a waterproof sticker saying "gotcha!"
pertinax, Sep 28 2015
  

       //Shirley a nice series of cuts to the inside would produce a pleasing radius with very little flexibility per cut required.. 10 cuts, 9 degrees per section, would be easy enough to get the inside of the radius to touch so it held up in compression too.//   

       To make the bend, sure. To get it to flex repeatedly, not so much.
MechE, Sep 28 2015
  

       Clearly a great way to spend a weekend.
whatrock, May 14 2016
  
      
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