Pontoons

[RWF]

How do y'all decide on which pontoons to use for your planes? Do you just pick something that seems to work for something else similiar to yuur planes or do you look at displacement, aerodynamics, ease of installation, overall weight, steerability without a separate rudder, etc.

I'm wondering because I have built kayaks and it seems a modified hull would be a perfect pontoon. Anyone try this approach? Also wondering about vacuum formed pontoons.

I need something for an 8½ oz airplane,

[Jim Casey]

Use the GWS floats. Generally about $10at your LHS.

If you want to design and make your own, go here: http://www.flyinglindy.homestead.com/skisandfloats.html

Kayaks don't have a "step" that lets them break free of the water. Add that and you've got the basic idea. for such a light plane: styrofoam and packing tape will serve well.

[CHELLIE]

Originally Posted by RWF

How do y'all decide on which pontoons to use for your planes? Do you just pick something that seems to work for something else similiar to yuur planes or do you look at displacement, aerodynamics, ease of installation, overall weight, steerability without a separate rudder, etc.

I'm wondering because I have built kayaks and it seems a modified hull would be a perfect pontoon. Anyone try this approach? Also wondering about vacuum formed pontoons.

I need something for an 8½ oz airplane,

Just take some foam and cut out your pontoons for a plane that lite with some thin Plywood on top for mounting them, Epoxy the wood to the foam.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147465

http://www.hooked-on-rc-airplanes.co...oat-plane.html

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=493281

http://www.seaplanesupply.com/



http://www.hooked-on-rc-airplanes.co...oat-plane.html

[CHELLIE]

jimsp
Registered User



Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Sayre,PA
Posts: 1,542


FLOAT DESIGN

Float Pattern
The float pattern I use is based on a RCM article written by Chuck Cunningham. You can find a copy of that article here The dimensions are based on the length of the float which is in turn is determined by the length of the model. Generally the floats should be about 75 – 80% of the fuselage length. For the Slow Stick this worked out to be 25” so that’s how long I made my first set of floats. Later I changed it to 24” because it was easier to simply cut out the starting blanks across the 2’ width of the sheets. My pattern for these floats is shown below. For other size planes you can proportionally change the dimensions based on the float length. In any event don’t worry about getting the dimensions exactly right as anything close should work.


Float Width
For lighter planes Cunningham suggested a 2” width but for the Slow Stick I found a slightly wider width worked better. Perhaps the lighter and slower parkflyer types benefit from a slightly wider and shorter float. With the method I am using you can make wide floats even though you’re starting with foam that is only 1.5” or 2” thick.

Float Shape
The floats I will be making a have a pentagon shaped cross-section. They have a shallow “V” for the bottom, sloped sides and a flat top. It’s referred to as the Carl Goldberg shape in this article from which I got my inspiration for this design.


http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...hreadid=147465

[CHELLIE]

http://flyinglindy.homestead.com/skisandfloats.html

[RWF]

Thanx for the info and the link - very helpful

[RWF]

This is very useful - thankyou

[PaperAirplane]

I think this thread could be a sticky with all the good links. Very helpful/informative.

[RWF]

Only two responses amd very helpful, yes... what is a sticky?

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi
Very good info here
http://www.stenulson.net/rcflight/waterfly.htm
The main site is awesome as well do check it out
http://www.stenulson.net/rcflight/rcflight.htm
Take care
Hank

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by RWF

Only two responses amd very helpful, yes... what is a sticky?

Hi
A sticky means that this will stay at the top of the forum so that it is easier to find
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3
See the stickies at the top of the page
Hope this explains it
And i vote to make this a sticky as well
Take care
Hank

[CHELLIE]

Originally Posted by RWF

This is very useful - thankyou

We are all Glad to be able to help here on Wattflyers Take care and have fun, Chellie

[RWF]

Excellant link, Ken. Not only how but why. Thank you!

http://www.stenulson.net/rcflight/waterfly.htm

[Slowjohn]

Thanks for asking that question RWF.
All the above info is very timely as I'm about to convert my old reliable Twin Simple Stick to a float plane. Seems that plane has been a test platform since I first built it about 4 years ago. It's seen many changes and has been a great test plane. I plan on this being it's final test & once I get it tweaked as a float plane it'll stay that way and I'll build another "Test" plane