SeaRescue Catamaran - Versatile 3D-Printed RC Boat

SeaRescue Catamaran – 3D-Printed RC Boat (Mostly Functional, Occasionally Janky)

What You’ll Need (V1 - Above-Water Propulsion):

Motor: A2212 brushless motor (other sizes might fit too)

Servo: 9-gram servo for steering

Prop: 8045 or 8060 CCW propeller (RC plane-style, mounted above water)

ESC: 30A

Receiver: FS-I6 or similar

Battery: 2s or 3s

Extras: M3 screws, heated inserts, push rod wires for steering

Printing & Building:

Print Settings: 3 walls, 4 top/bottom layers, 15% infill. Supports needed on a few parts, but mostly it’s just print-and-snap-together.

Assembly: Holes line up, parts fit, and it floats… Hopefully. A couple of layers of paint and clear coat should waterproof it.

New in V2 – Underwater Propulsion

I made a second version because why not. This one uses underwater propulsion instead of a plane prop spinning above the surface.

Changes in V2:

Still uses the same A2212 motor

Propeller is underwater, driven by a screw joint shaft (AliExpress mystery part: A7 3.17MM 2, 10x5cm)

Shaft runs through a 12mm x 10mm x 500mm carbon fiber tube

Motor is waterproofed with bath caulk — it’s not elegant, but it hasn’t exploded (yet)

Power runs through a hacked-up extension cord

The whole propulsion unit works like a motorized rudder

Files for this version start with v2-

This isn’t a polished, professional product. It’s a backyard experiment that works (ish lol). There are no guarantees here — just 3MF files, a few lessons learned, and an unusual amount of caulk and paint. If you enjoy messing with 3D prints, electronics, and figuring things out as you go, you’ll probably have fun. If you're looking for flawless performance and tight tolerances, this might not be your vibe.