Cloudsoarer

I have just published an eBook showing how to build a great sailing little Footy from household materials and tools for around$10.
As the simplest possible yacht it is aimed mainly at kids, but is also an ideal introduction to anyone wanting to construct and sail their first yacht.
Features very simple balanced Unarig and can even be sailed free.
See it sailing here.

LostParts

LOL How do you get payed if I just borrow the book on my prime account?

Cloudsoarer

There is a shared pool for borrowed books, but it would have to be very popular to make money. They only pay out when you have a balance over US$100, so it will be a long time before I get that cheque.
More important is to hear from you how your project goes, and any feedback on the book.

Graham Roberts

I finish building my bottle footy two weeks ago

Cloudsoarer

Thanks for your report and video Graham. It makes it look as though Footies can really hoof along! How did the Bottle! hull compare with the conventional footy?
I don't think that you will find it hard to interest kids in sailing these cute yachts. In the past few years I have had hundreds of kids from as little as four, queuing to sail my yachts. Recently kids and crew from the Luna Rosa Americas Cup team. Close to me is a central Auckland playground and we sail in the sculpture pool sharing space with paddling infants who chase and try to drown the yachts. I can report they are child proof having been thrown and dunked a few times! Better than the leaking hatches of store bought yachts...
Many parents too as in Auckland a lot of them have sailed in their youth and are keen to have their kids sailing too. However not many of them have experience making anything and no knowledge of electronics or radio control. In today's world they are used to buying toy models cheaply and ready to go. However few model yachts are now available in stores with major manufacturers of popular yachts like the Seawind discontinuing production.

Recently I have had reports of model free-sailing yachts available for public use in parks. A few school teachers here and overseas have requested class projects. So I have a prototype free-sailing Bottle! without a radio pot and with an unadulterated bottle hull including screw cap that primary aged kids can make and sail for a few dollars. Also have a drop over Pirate superstructure to add some appeal to the original Bottle!

Let me know if I can assist your youth project Graham. If you can take the Footys to the kids with a contact card, you will get great exposure. How about the fountain at Memorial Park on a weekend! Be aware of how cheap Chinese radios and servos are now. Apart from old AM radios, an import of new 2.4gHz 4ch sets would be useful to help a group of youngsters

Brrapp

Sweet! just the thing for my Navy Cadets to build when there not on the river themselves.