How to sit vessel in realistic water but can still be removed to view how to?

[wapples]

Hi all a tricky one but hopefully not for you talented people.

NOTE I have sent several enquiries to Woodland Scenics & still no response as yet.

I have been working on a highly detailed boat.

I want to display it in a canal with the water wrapped around it like on other parts of my layout.

HOWEVER

I still want the ability to pickup the boat up so people can view it close up.

DO I take some Airclay or Blu tac or similar and cut a footprint out of the boat lay it into scene

POUR (Woodland Scenics Realistic water or DEEP POUR [2 part mix]{most likely}

Then once dry just hack out that clay or similar?

Iam sure there is a trick to this. & Look forward to hearing it. I was hoping i could just wrap the boat in a non stick (baking Paper / Cling Film Material) and tada.

All advice greatly received.

OP

[Rallymatt]

I’d do some testing with realistic water on various substances and see what ‘releases’ well. Is a ‘dummy’ boat of same hull size/shape and option, so there are no mishaps with the detailed model? I’d probably start with a release coating on the hull to get best finish, beeswax, a suitable oil (that won’t damage the boat) and test it with the realistic water to make sure it doesn’t go weird! I still get a bloom on a lake I poured months ago.

[wapples]

Yes i believe thats a wise move i have various products and i have a few spare life boats & tender's i could certainly knock up some different scenarios and try. I certainly ended up with a heck of a vessel which was never the original plan but now its done i'm reluctant to even put it into the scene deserves its own display case. NAH! had some whoopsee daisy's with some instructions that could have made better use of the materials on the sprue but I guess thats the lure to the hobby if everything was easy we would all be doing it LOL..

[ntpntpntp]

I must admit I've never tried allowing for the boat to be removable. Mine is set into "water" made from many layers of varnish. Over 25 years alter and the varnish is still soft underneath, like school custard skin!

I wonder if maybe something like clingfilm over the hull might work? That way if the clingfilm remains stuck to the water it'll be just a thin coat around the edge and can be trimmed down to the water level.

[96RAF]

There is a guy on the Airfix forum (Ships and Boats Section) who models his vessells on water and very realistic they look to. Maybe ask him the question. Your Hornby login also gets you in over there.

[What About The Bee]

Wapples

You need a way to precisely form the "water" to match the hull. Otherwise, you will end up with unsightly gaps.

So the method is to mold the void in the "water" to match the hull. Releasing the mold is the tricky part, as you correctly ascertain.

In other projects, I've considered molding for small batch manufacturing. Silicon molds allow you to peel away the mold.

Here is how I would approach the problem, noting that this is not from experience.

1) cast the hull in silicon. Your boat sits in a pool of silicon, forming the negative of the hull.

2) peel the negative mold.

3) cast a dummy hull, using the negative mold.

4) peel the negative mold, providing a positive mold of the hull.

5) Firmly position the positive mold on the layout. You will have braces, boards, & etc, holding it exactly on position.

6) pour the "water" up to the waterline of your positive mold, which should also be where you want the water to come up to on your layout¹

7) peel the positive mold from the "water".

This should result in a fairly good match of model hull to water.

Bee

¹That is going to be a significant amount of epoxy resin. Be very sure that you have enough on hand before you start AND that you can properly mix it and pour it before it goes off.

[81F]

What sort of boat is it? Does the hull have a complex shape or is it something fairly simple like a barge since you mention a canal?

One model railway book I once had suggested using a sheet of perspex for the canal (canals are often very still as they shouldn't have a flow). In which case would it be possible to accurately cur a hole in the perspex th fit the hull?

[wapples]

Nope nothing complex just a small fishing boat yes i will explore this further i also posted the Q to the Airfix Forum under boats and vessels so will keep you posted im surprised its not a method that many have not done this before. I noticed on the coastal scene one of the boats i set in there is certainly not going anywhere and that was with the woodland scenics realistic water

Thanks for the help