Super low budget destroyer-ish build...
 

New to rc boating, looking to build a "can I do it?" simple boat on the cheap...

This will be loosely based on a us navy destroyer, something like the uss Cole. The plan is to use stuff I have lying around, or stuff I can get for free, as much as possible, and build a reasonably decent looking ship. She will be roughly 3' long and 5" wide, about 1:144 scale.

I sort of have a plan for the hull using a re-claimed hollow core door, and scrap plywood for reinforcement and bulkheads.

I will worry about electronics and such after seeing if I can succeed in building the hull...

It worked for me almost 30 years ago when I built a sort of destroyer from a Glynn Guest plan in a magazine, it should work now.
Go for glue with good water resistance like aliphatic resin (the yellow stuff) and use plenty of waterproof pain. The model is there to make the paint be the right shape, the paint separates the model from the water.

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...stestdyat.jpeg

Let's see if I can post a picture, if it works you will see what I have so far...

The dead door panels that I used were 3mm ply. Destroyers are notoriously susceptible to being tender, so anything above the waterline needs to be light. It is always possible to build it with a deeper draught. It won't look quite right out of the water, but will be just fine when floating.

Thanks for the tips! I was thinking of using foam insulation board for the superstructure anyway. Since this isn't a true scale model I have no problem making the hull deeper to increase stability, so I will certainly take that advice!

Well, I have now spent money on this project... I've been watching for a free hollow core door, but haven't seen any... so I went to the lumber yard and spent $6 on plywood... I will keep a running total on this boat as I build it...

Project inspector approves of the progress...

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...spith5uix.jpeg

Today was a good day...

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ssubdkeid.jpeg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...spmoebubh.jpeg

While it will be a strong build, it might be that there isn't much left for the payload like batteries, motor, running gear and controls.

Well, I guess if the electronic stuff doesn't fit I will have to build a bigger boat and make this one into a display model... I honestly don't know if it will work or not, time will tell...

I do have an electronics question. I remembered that I have a losi 1/18 short course truck. It has a spektrum sr300 2.4 GHz receiver, and an excelorin 4500kv brushless motor and ESC, and whatever the stock steering servo is (no markings). Will any of that be of any use in this ship? The motor looks small to me, but I have no idea what I need to run a boat this size...

I am not into brushless, but the motor sounds like the sort of thing intended to rev furiously. It would need either a VERY small prop or a gearbox with a big step down ratio. With brushed motors (cheap if you avoid the exotic stuff, you can just hook them up direct to power or work them through a switch) you fit a prop that looks about right, then find a motor of slightly greater diameter and preferably with more poles than the prop has blades. I don't know the size and weight of your boat, but a common answer is a 15 volt 385 running on a bit over half its rated voltage.
If the radio works, it should be fine, but best to check out its range capabilities (short course?)

I'm not building a speed boat, so a super high revving motor probably won't be the best choice. I may use the radio. I bought this truck from my brother in law, and as I remember the range was pretty good... I will have to see if I can find a range specification for this receiver somewhere in the Interwebs...