Paper boats are a toy that children have been building since the dawn of time. Easy to make, they can "navigate" on any small body of water: from a bathtub to a puddle, from a pond to a small stream. While they don't last long, once you know how to build them it will be easy to replace them!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Building the Barchetta
Step 1. Fold a sheet in half
Take a rectangular sheet and place it in front of you vertically (portrait format), with long edges on the sides. Fold it in half length, from top to bottom, so that the crease is on the top edge of the paper you will get.
Step 2. Fold the sheet in half, then reopen it
This time, fold the paper by matching the two sides, instead of the top and bottom edges as in the first step. Then reopen the sheet. The crease will mark the midline. You will now have the result after Step 1 again, with the sheet folded in half, but, on top of that, you will have a crease marked in the center. Make sure the folds are all straight and neat.
Step 3. Fold the top right corner down
Take the top right corner and bend the tip towards the center. The top edge should line up with the center crease.
Step 4. Turn the paper over
Then repeat the operation: fold the other corner following the same procedure, aligning the edge with the central crease. This will give you a shape similar to a "house", with a large "roof" and 2-3 cm remaining below the roof triangle.
Step 5. Fold the bottom edge up
Take one edge of the rectangular strip at the bottom of the paper and fold it up. Fold it as much as possible, but avoid any paper creasing inside it.
Step 6. Turn the paper over
Repeat the previous operation. Fold the other rectangular strip along the bottom of the house. Make sure the two strips are aligned so that the folds are all symmetrical. In this way you will have obtained the shape of a paper hat.
Step 7. Grab the shape obtained in the center
Grab the paper at the point where the two diagonal folds meet. Open the hat shape slightly. Bring the two edges to the diagonal folds.
Step 8. Pull the ends out
Gently tug and flatten the hat. You should get a rhomboid shape.
Step 9. Fold the bottom edge up
Take a bottom corner of the rhombus and fold it towards the top corner. Leave an edge of about 5mm between the top edge and the edge of the portion that has just been folded up. Once folded, turn the paper over.
Step 10. Repeat the operation
Fold the bottom end to line up with the other side. Make the fold following the directions applied for the previous step.
Step 11. Grab the paper boat in the center of the lower end
Open it and flatten it like you did in Step 8.
Step 12. Take the right and left triangular portions
April slowly: the bottom edge will rise automatically.
Step 13. Admire your creation
Now your paper boat is finished! And she is ready to set sail for stormy seas… or maybe just for the children's pool in the garden!
Method 2 of 2: Create a Boat That Lasts Over Time
Step 1. Strengthen the boat
There are several ways to make your paper boat last longer. Applying strips of duct tape all over the bottom edge is a good way to increase its strength.
- Create two boats and place them one inside the other: you will increase their water resistance, as well as their overall solidity.
- Color the boat with crayons. The wax increases the resistance of the paper to water.
- Instead of tape, line the bottom with plastic wrap - it's a great barrier against water.
- If you plan to use it again, let the boat dry after use, then wrap it in plastic wrap to protect it.
Step 2. Use the right card
Your best bet is to use a light sheet, such as a plain A4 sheet of printer paper. You can also opt for heavier materials, such as cardstock, but it will be more difficult to achieve precise creases.
- Remember: this is essentially an origami technique. Origami traditionally uses lightweight but durable paper. The paper for printers or photocopies is the right way to obtain, in a relatively simple way, creases like those required for a paper boat.
- You can also buy origami paper, or kami - a product developed in Japan in the early twentieth century, it is often decorated and can be found in home improvement stores. It is a little lighter, but in weight it is very similar to photocopy paper.
- You can opt for newspaper, but it will be slightly less durable and more prone to tearing.
Step 3. Enhance your buoyancy
Widen the bottom by pulling the diagonal edges outward. If you make the bottom flatter, you will increase the floatation capacity of the boat. At the same time the surface of the bottom will widen, thus giving it greater stability.
Step 4. Make the boat more stable on the water
By using two boats, one inside the other, you will enhance the buoyancy of the boat and, at the same time, make it more resistant to water. Try putting pebbles around the edge of the triangular part in the center of the boat: they will act as ballast and keep the boat upright. You can also adjust the weight arrangement of the pebbles to make the boat move in a straight line.
Advice
- For this creation it is recommended to use a rectangular, non-square sheet of paper.
- Do not add masts and sails to make it more like a real boat: the weight will only throw it off balance.
- If you are using a sheet of punched paper, such as those used in school for writing, make sure that the holes for ring bindings are not located where water could enter. If so, cover the holes with masking tape.
- You can also decorate some smooth marbles or pebbles by drawing faces on them to pretend they are passengers or crew members.
- If you are already familiar with the art of origami, it will be useful for making this project.
- The paper boat is based on the paper hat model.
Warnings
- Don't leave rubbish lying around. If you use the paper boats on running water outside, collect them when you are done playing.
- Be careful when playing near water. Do not play with the boats in deep water, with strong currents or dirty.
- Do not play near rivers with strong currents. If you fall into it, you risk being carried away by the current with ease.
