Make a Boat from a Two Liter Soda Bottle | Make:

By Ken Denmead

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This easy build uses two important scientific principles, buoyancy and stored kinetic energy, to float and drive a simple boat. The parts are all readily available around most homes, and the boat can be assembled in minutes, though a bit more time with waterproof markers can add some style to the outcome. Consider experimenting with additional components like fins for stabilization, to improve the performance.

June 25, 2013, 9:12 am PDT

Parts
/
Tools

Parts

Rubber Bands, Large enough to span the diameter of the soda bottle, and rigid enough to wind up and provide drive. (2)
1/2 liter plastic soda or water bottle (2)
Wooden Sticks (10" - 14" long), "Chop" sticks or simiar thin wooden dowels will work. (2) [optional] you can also use wooden pencils, while not as long they will work, and then wrap tape around them for a neat look.
Plastic food lids, or other sheet plastic, The plastic lids from coffee cans or large water jug containers are perfect (2) Need enough area to cut two rectagles each with one side just smaller than the diameter of the two liter bottle, and the other side about 3/4" longer.
Tape, Duct, or other reasonably waterproof tape (1)
Two Liter Plastic Soda Bottle (1)

Tools

Scissors Can use a craft knife instead
Ruler

Steps

Step #1: Attach the Sticks

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Using the tape, attach the sticks or dowels on opposite sides of the soda bottle (empty, but with cap secured) so that they overlap the bottle by about 1/3 its length, and then extend 6" - 8" from the bottom.

48 Responses to Two Liter Soda Bottle Boat

kell on July 7th, 2013 at 5:04 pm said:

cool this whole program is really cool I love it
johnathan on July 7th, 2013 at 5:08 pm said:

I love this site its tighttttt
johnathan on July 7th, 2013 at 5:10 pm said:

uhhh cool site its titer than tite
Sarabeth on July 8th, 2013 at 8:43 am said:

As an educator- I would love it if you could make the instructions for these projects easily printable so I can create files and do this with students
- Andrew Terranova on July 8th, 2013 at 6:08 pm said:
  
  If you click the little grey oval “ALL” button near the Project Steps heading, you’ll get all the steps on one page, which makes printing easier. You still don’t get all the pictures zoomed in big, but it’s pretty good.
Janel Berchielli on July 8th, 2013 at 10:14 am said:

I would like a video visual to go along with this. It’s the plastic paddle part that I will likely get stuck on not being able to figure the correct sizing.
qt on July 8th, 2013 at 2:01 pm said:

we love todays project and it worked perfectly.
Jenny Lussier on July 9th, 2013 at 1:24 pm said:

This was great! Paddle was tricky, but with a bit of tweaking, works pretty well now. We tried different types of plastic. Made a big difference. Having fun!
Sandy Roberts on August 12th, 2013 at 3:44 am said:

Did this project at the local pool and it is was great. The kids loved being able to take their build right into the water to use it. Big hit! We found the strength of the dowels used really made a difference.
Slender on December 1st, 2013 at 7:56 pm said:

I did another boat out of an altoids tin box
addy on December 3rd, 2013 at 1:46 pm said:

me and my friend are doing a project for school and we are going to try this but it would help a lot if there was a video
Rilesss on December 3rd, 2013 at 1:49 pm said:

REALLY HOPE THIS WERKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW…. addy and I are gonna try diss.. :P better werk or else…lol