I have always wanted to make a working outboard motor and finally got one started. It was more of a challenge than I had thought it would be. Finding a tiny electric motor to go inside and then coming up with gearing to slow the RPM's and to fit into the lower unit was a feat to be reckoned with. Then making the boat made making the motor seem easy. I had to design ribs from the stern transom to the bow and then to plank them in compound curves. All the while trying to incorporate a steering mechanism, a tilt plate for the motor and a place to hide the battery. I used every tool in my Dremel arsenal. My moto-tool & drill press, my moto-saw, my router table and my versa tool. The boat is made of 1/16" hobby ply and covered with walnut veneer. Decorations on the boat are electronic components from circuit boards and deck cleats that I made myself. The motor is made from copper sheeting soldered together and the trailer is primarily from brass tubing of various sorts. It took a little over 300 hours to design and fabricate the parts and to get them all to work properly. It was fun and educational and I think it looks really nice.
