Raingutter Regatta Advice?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Two questions on this ridiculous Scouting tradition from a newbie:

  1. I thought the kit’s hull would have had a pre-cut slot for keel and rudder. Can you use a knife to cut the slot? The directions imply they expect you to wear a notch into the wood by bearing down with a pencil. (Who are they kidding?)

  2. They say to glue the keel and rudder in place with a water-based resin or wood glue. Do either of these choices make sense when the bottom of the boat will be exposed to water? I thought a water-based product would dissolve, and I didn’t think wood glue did any better in water. Are the directions all wet?

Your thoughts?

2

Wood glue that has hardened will take a long time to soften enough to matter. Your event is going to be an hour, or maybe two? Also, the wood itself floats, so it’s not like the boat will sink. It’ll be fine.

Making a cut with a knife, like an exacto, would work, but my wife says for our kids’s boats, we just used the keel to score a groove, and pushed it in. ETA: It’s balsa wood, so it’s pretty soft.

3

Thanks for the advice. We missed out on this event last year, so…there’s a first time for everything!