Vac-U-Boat Vac-U-Soling Lower Hull Kit Manuel utilisateur
Vac-U-Soling™
An AMYA Soling One Meter Class Lower Hull Kit
Manufactured by Vac-U-Boat 1259 Humphries Rd. Conyers, GA 30012 philpace@vac-u-boat.com
The Vac-U-Soling™ Lower Hull Kit Features: Tough high-impact polystyrene hull with
a tongue-in-groove perimeter deck joint, full deck, partial hull and transom reinforcing liners
that can be trimmed/adjusted for weight savings, removable one-piece 7 pound keel with
options to special-order lighter or heavier weights, completed rudder with safety clip, Du-Bro
rudder arm, hex wrench, stainless pushrod and easy-connector for your servo, self-aligning
rudder mount, integral transom on the hull, no wood components, precut fiberglass deck cleat
backers, pre-drilled self-centering keel mount/fiberglass servo board/crossmember, 8 servo
screws with hex wrench, stainless steel keel hardware, stainless steel deck hardware, plastic
mast step, magnetically attached hatch cover, removable carbon fiber king post, industrial-
ceramic deck fairleads.
The crossmember accommodates sail servos from standard footprint high-torque digital
models all the way up to the HS-815BB large servo. Rudder servo is mounted near the rudder
or can be mounted on the crossmember. There are no bulkheads giving you better access to the
hull's interior.
This kit does not include paint, sails, mast, booms, sail rigging or electronics. We are
considering a basic sail mast-rigging kit for release in the future.
To build this you will need: A 50-pack of wooden clothespins (83 if you want to laminate
the hull and deck on the same day), talc-cornstarch-microspheres (your favorite epoxy filler), 2
pumps of West Systems 105 epoxy with 206 hardener or similar product (ask if you don’t have
any), 30-minute set (or longer) epoxy glue (Devcon 2-Ton at Ace Hardware), one caulking
tube of Loctite PL S40 polyurethane window, door & siding sealant and paper towels.
Tools you may need include a box cutter, 1/16” drill, 5/64” drill, 7/64” drill, a step-
drill set (allow you to drill large holes in plastic without splitting), wrenches,
screwdrivers, drill, an old bath towel, plastic gloves, mixing cup & sticks, alcohol (for
cleaning up epoxy), mineral spirits (for cleaning up polyurethane sealant) and you will
need to borrow four 15oz. cans of vegetables from the pantry.
© 2020 Philip Pace dba Vac-U-Boat™ 1
Now for the Warnings!
Read all of the instructions! Review and understand each step, and the one after, as you build
your boat. Don’t rush. Good work takes time.
This is not a toy! I know. It LOOKS like a toy, but it isn’t. Toys are generally safe for small
children. This boat is not safe for small children. Assembling it requires the use of sharp tools
that can cut skin, strong adhesives than can bond flesh and injure eyes, spray paints that can be
flammable and toxic, as well as batteries that can short causing severe burns or fires. Read all of
the instructions and warnings on all of the tools and chemicals you plan to use. Use protective
eyewear when recommended. USE SAFETY GLASSES! If you think you don’t have the
skills, or are uncomfortable with tools and chemicals, or just changed your mind, then pack
up this kit and return it immediately for a full refund including economical standard return
shipping. If you need some help, find a local boat club to join, check with the hobby shop
where you purchased your radio gear, or contact local RC sailing clubs and organizations
for assistance. Keep your work area away from children & pets. Even if you have no children,
when not working on the kit, keep all sharp objects and all chemicals locked away in a safe area.
You never know who will come to visit and how well they will supervise the young ones with
them.
This is STILL not a toy! Never run the boat if swimmers are in the water. Don’t chase wildlife.
Be careful with rechargeable batteries. They have the ability to dump large amounts of current in
a very brief period of time if shorted, causing burns or fires. Never store rechargable batteries
inside your boat, connected or not. Keep your batteries in a safe place, out of the reach of
children. You are responsible for the safe use of this product. You are responsible for choosing
wisely, those who you entrust the use of the boat and radio, even for a few minutes at a lake.
Never swim after a disabled model boat!
Read warnings on all products used in the construction of this kit. Keep your work area clean
and tidy. Whenever using hobby knives, box cutters, or razors, cut AWAY from your body. Keep
in mind where the knife will go if it breaks or suddenly cuts through the plastic. Plastic can bind
the blade of a knife and suddenly release it. If it is binding, you may be doing it wrong.
Additional force is not the answer. Angle the blade so the plastic can separate without binding.
Read the section on cutting plastic safely.
WARNING
CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
WARNING - To avoid danger of suffocation, keep plastic bags away from babies and children. Do not use in
cribs, beds, carriages or play pens.
WARNING: Brass parts in this kit contain lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and other reproductive harm.
WARNING: THIS IS NOT A TOY! Once completed, this model should only to be used with the Safety
Rules and guidelines of the American Model Yachting Association.
https://theamya.org/ 2
KIT CONTENTS
High-Impact Polystyrene Deck,
Deck Reinforcing Liner, Pre-Cut
Fiberglass Deck Cleat Backers.
Hull with integral Transom, Hull
Reinforcing Liner.
Hatch Cover, Transom Reinforcement,
Battery Tray, Rudder Servo Mount,
Upper King Post Mount.
Hull Liner Anchor Inserts, Hull Liner
Crossmember Mount Inserts, 8 Rare
Earth Magnets, Hull Clamp Strips.
Keel, Keel Shoe, 2 Keel Posts, Switch,
Crossmember, 6 Crossmember Screws, 8
Servo Screws with Wrench, 2 Keel
Stainless Nuts & Washers.
Rudder, Rudder Mount, Rudder Arm,
Rudder Arm Set Screw & Hex Wrench,
Safety Clip, Stainless Steel Pushrod & EZ-
Connector.
2 Ceramic Deck Fairleads with O-Rings, 10
Stainless Steel Deck Eye Screws with
Stainless Steel Flanged Finish Washers,
Mast Step with Stainless Steel Screws, 1-
1/4inch Rubber Drill Depth Gauge, 1-inch
Bristle Epoxy Brush, Double-Sided 100
Grit Sandpaper. 3
CLEAN HANDS
Using “plastic friendly” spray paints or acrylics, you can paint the boat without sanding first. A clean oil-free
surface is important. Wash your hands with soap & water before handling the plastic, after meals, etc… Contaminants or
oily fingerprints can be removed with Windex, Alcohol, or Low Odor Mineral Spirits without affecting the plastic’s
ability to chemically bond with paints like Krylon Fusion or Rustoleum 2X Ultra Cover. Although they have a
reputation of being runny, with some guidance and patience you can get good results.
Conventional paint methods involving scuffing, priming, and painting for this boat are available and have been
discussed by several clubs. Avoid lacquers because they will melt styrene plastic. Wet-on-wet spraying of some
enamels can be harmful as well. 4
Styrene can be cut by scoring and breaking, or with scissors. The first score should be very light while concentrating on
accuracy. The second and third score is made with more pressure and will follow the first. Repeat scoring the line until
the part separates or after 2 or 3 scores, bend the plastic to break it.
INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the photos and captions to assemble your boat. Read through the instructions before building. Assemble the
necessary tools and adhesives on a clean workbench or table. Keep paper towels handy to catch spills. Don’t forget the
safety glasses!
Read ahead for each step. With hobby knives or box cutters, always cut in a direction away from nearby body parts.
Practice harder steps without glue to be comfortable with what is needed to ensure a good fit.
When drilling styrene, drill at the slowest speed. The material is soft so little pressure is needed to drill into it. All
surfaces that will be glued with epoxy or CA-super glue need to be sanded/scuffed with 100 grit sandpaper to help the sur-
faces have a strong bond.
Sanding/trimming for a nicer looking model. These instructions use the plastic parts just as they were supplied in the
kit. Some sanding/trimming of parts can improve the looks of the finished hull. In particular, the Deck Flange is as-cut from
the mold. It has a slight flare at the edge of the side flange. Using a sanding block with 80 or 100 grit sandpaper, you can
sand away about 1/6-inch of material to remove that flange. It will be easier to hold and sand after it is laminated to the
Deck Reinforcing Liner but should be sanded before you attach the Hull to the Deck.
Light weight build. There is a separate set of recommendations for trimming away parts of the kit to save weight in
order to stay close to the 10-pound minimum weight. Take a look and discuss with your club as to their recommendations.
CUTTING STYRENE
Bending down at the score will break the plastic along the scored line. Then, bend up to separate it cleanly. Don’t
tear or it will leave an uneven edge. You can cut with scissors if you prefer. Either way, any rough edges can be
smoothed out with the included 100 grit sand paper.
Be careful when drilling holes in sheets of plastic. Practice with the cockpit opening scrap. For tiny holes like the
5/64-inch (2mm) holes for the deck screw eyes, a standard drill bit is fine. For larger holes, a step drill will allow you to
drill or enlarge holes without the bit “digging” into the plastic causing the plastic to split.
5
LAMINATING THE DECK: You will need the Deck, Deck Reinforcement, 50 clothes pins, 1-inch epoxy brush, 1 level
tablespoon of powdered filler (talc), 1 pump of West Systems 105 epoxy with 206 slow hardener, mixing cup, dowel or
craft stick to mix, 100grt double-sided sandpaper, an old bath towel, the 10-inch paint stirring stick. The towel protects the
deck’s surface while you are sanding the underside. After trimming and sanding, we will practice first. No Glue.
Lightly score around the inside of the cockpit opening. Repeat until the center pushes out. Set it aside for testing paint or
practice drilling holes. Lay out a towel & turn over the deck.
Sand the UNDERSIDE of the Deck thoroughly. Use a crisscross or circular pattern to roughen the surface for the epoxy to
bond well. Sand the TOP of the Deck Reinforcing Liner. Check the edge trim of the Deck Liner. Use the sandpaper to
straighten any uneven spots like at my thumb.
Remove the towel. Set the Deck upside-down onto the work surface. Set the Deck Reinforcing Liner into the Deck using the
cockpit opening to align the Liner to the Deck. You will notice an even spacing around the perimeter. This will be the
groove of the tongue-in-groove seam for the hull.
Take a clothespin and clamp the rib of the Deck Liner to the Deck near the Transom. Adjust it until the corner of the deck
falls into the notch of the clothespin. The flange of the Deck Liner is within the other notch in the clothespin.
6
Clamp 3 more clothespins keeping the Deck Reinforcing Liner centered to the deck. Clamp two more at the end of the stern.
There are no ribs there but still keep the deck corner into the notch of the clothespin.
Attach 4 clothespins at the bow clamped to the 2nd & 3rd rib, then put one on the end clamped flat to the tip of both the
Deck and the Deck Liner. The end pairs of clothes pins (yellow arrows) will be touching the deck evenly to ensure that there
is no twist in the deck before the epoxy cures. Practice is over. Lay out the rest of your materials to laminate the Deck.
Mix 1-Pump of West Systems Epoxy and stir in 1 level tablespoon of filler. Brush the filled epoxy on to the Deck Liner.
Hold the brush almost flat against the surface and very lightly brush the surface. Flat strokes will distribute the epoxy on the
surface without it getting in to the grooves. If it gets into the grooves, scoop it out with the brush.
Holding it vertically will help prevent epoxy from dripping off of the edges. You want it to look thin but fully covered
with no dry areas. Do not put epoxy on the edges, just the top. Once you are done, any extra epoxy can be brushed onto
the areas where the deck cleats, mast-step and their fiberglass backing strips will be located to further-reinforce them.
The brush will flick droplets of epoxy around as you brush past the edges of the Hull Liner. Keep good parts away
from the work area to prevent epoxy drying on them. Once you are done, wipe up any drops of epoxy on the work
surface and clean the residue with alcohol while it is still liquid.
7
Center the tip of the Deck Liner to the tip of the Deck. Clamp 4 clothespins to the 2nd & 3rd ribs as shown. Check that the
cockpit opening is still centered. Starting at the stern end, alternating left then right, attach clothespins to every other rib
working toward the cockpit.
Carefully set the Deck Liner epoxy-side down into the Deck. Press the four corners of the cockpit opening to align it. Clamp
4 clothespins to the stern-end sides of the deck at these two ribs.
At the bow-end of the deck, put clothes pins on the two ribs shown next to each other. Then continue every other rib to the
bow as shown. Put a single clothes pin at the tip of the bow. Set your paint stirring stick into the cockpit with the left end
(bow end) covering the five locator bumps next to the cockpit opening as shown.
Set your two 15 ounce cans of vegetables on the left (bow) end of the stick as shown. At the stern, place two clothes pins
on the end of the deck one-finger width from the sides. These clothes pins will touch the table and hold the stern-end of
the deck assembly square to the build table. Clean the brush with alcohol before the epoxy sets!
8
In the Hull Liner you will need to glue inserts into the two shelves that support the Crossmember and the two marked Anchor
Points if you require them. The Crossmember inserts only fit one way. This is the wrong insert as it does not fit well.
Use a pencil to mark the edges of the Hull Liner onto the hull. This will help you align it later and marks the area on the
Hull you will need to sand. The Crossmember looks like this. Bow is on the left. Note the 4 bumps on the Hull Liner. These
are possible anchor points if your rigging requires them. Mark the two you plan to use.
Inside the Hull at the center bottom where the Keel is installed you will see two locator points. The Hull Liner has two
corresponding points. Using 2 fingers, slide the Hull Liner along the Hull until you feel the bumps line up. The bow-end of
the Hull Liner is narrower than the stern and must be oriented to the bow of the Hull as shown.
Examine the two bow-end clothespins. If one is not touching the table, it could have a slight twist. Lightly grasp the Deck
bow and twist up at the side where the clothespin is touching the table to remove the twist. Set down & examine again to
confirm it is level. If neither are touching, a small weight added to the center of the deck will help them touch. Attach the
last clothespin to the bow. Take one last look to be sure that all clothespins are even and properly clamped to the deck edge,
that the groove width is even all around the deck and that no epoxy dripped onto the edges of the deck or to the work
surface. Slide it back out of the way to cure overnight and prepare to work on the hull. You will need the Hull, Hull
Reinforcing Liner, Crossmember Mount Inserts, Anchor Point Inserts if you need anchor points, 30-minute epoxy & filler,
2ea 1-inch x 16-inch plastic clamping strips, your towel and around 32 more clothespins.
9
Lay out the shelf inserts and anchor point inserts near where they go to avoid mistakes. Pour two 1-1/4-inch circles of 30
minute epoxy and mix. A steel shaft works well for this. A 1/8” diameter rod was used for these photos.
This is the correct Crossmember shelf insert for this side. It fits flush and evenly into the shelf. The anchor points inserts fit
any anchor point. Sand the insides of the two shelves and two inserts you marked and sand the corresponding sides of the
inserts that will go into the recesses.
Fold-in an equal volume of filler powder & mix well. Scoop up some and distribute around the inside of the chosen anchor
point. The insert is form-fit so little epoxy is needed.
Press the insert into the recess. Wipe away any excess epoxy. Repeat for the other anchor point and the two Crossmember
shelf inserts.
10
Check the inserts to make sure they are flush with the contour of the Hull Liner and won’t get in the way when you bond the
Hull Liner to the Hull. While you wait for the epoxy to cure, sand the hull. Use the folded towel to protect the outside of the
hull from scratches and to support the hull as you firmly sand in the marked outline of the Hull Liner’s location inside the
Hull. Be careful to not sand off the two locator bumps at the keel. You will need them later. On the rounded part of the
Keel Reinforcement, cut off about 1/4-inch with scissors to remove the flared edge.
Set the Transom Reinforcement into the Transom end of the Hull and align to the sides of the hull. Mark along the Transom
top and Hull Sides for trimming. Be careful not to move or shift the reinforcement while marking.
Carefully trim off the marked top of the Transom Reinforcement by scoring with a knife or use scissors. If scoring, lightly
score once then repeat until you can break off the scrap. Set the Transom Reinforcement back into the transom firmly seated
in place and mark the edges in the Hull for sanding.
Sand inside the Hull at the transom back and sides. Carefully support the back of the transom while sanding as it is very
thin. Sand the outside of the Transom Reinforcement. If the reinforcement epoxy is cured, sand the Hull Liner as shown.
The folded towel will allow you to support the shape while sanding.
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