Just posting this now, but a couple months ago I built this 3d printed and foam airboat.
It uses:
The hull is solid 2" XPS foam from Lowe's which I covered in 2-4 layers of packing tape. I cut 45* bevels with a jigsaw then sanded it smooth and rounded with a more shallow angle on the bow edge.
The 3D printed section, which is most of the boat, was printed on an Anet a8 in grey PLA. If people want it, I can share the stl and fusion 360 files for it, but they are far from perfect and required a lot of work with a dremel. The 3D printed part could easily be replicated a little more simply out of wood and bent aluminum.
To attach the rudder I created two halves of hinges, then I used pushrod wire as a hinge pin. The rudder itself is obviously FT water resistant foamboard that I inserted into a slot in the plastic rudder piece. This was strengthened with skewers and more packing tape.
I apologize for the video quality. I was trying to film and drive at the same time.
This is the best airboat I have made and I'm excited to use it in the snow this fall!
It uses:
- 750kv rcmc multirotor motor with 12x5.5 carbon prop
- 30A Emax esc
- 3500mah 3s lipo
- old waterproof servo from a Traxxas Slash car (I attempted a cheap 9g and it could not move the rudder well at all)
- Transmitter and receiver from a Traxxas Slash car
The hull is solid 2" XPS foam from Lowe's which I covered in 2-4 layers of packing tape. I cut 45* bevels with a jigsaw then sanded it smooth and rounded with a more shallow angle on the bow edge.
The 3D printed section, which is most of the boat, was printed on an Anet a8 in grey PLA. If people want it, I can share the stl and fusion 360 files for it, but they are far from perfect and required a lot of work with a dremel. The 3D printed part could easily be replicated a little more simply out of wood and bent aluminum.
To attach the rudder I created two halves of hinges, then I used pushrod wire as a hinge pin. The rudder itself is obviously FT water resistant foamboard that I inserted into a slot in the plastic rudder piece. This was strengthened with skewers and more packing tape.


I apologize for the video quality. I was trying to film and drive at the same time.