Adding a Motor to an Inflatable Boat

This project adds a motor to a small inflatable boat. It re-uses a fan blade from a discarded fan as the propeller. The power is provided by an electric drill.

Fan blade from a discarded electric fan

Threaded rod

4 nuts, same diameter as threaded rod

6-inch length of 1/2 inch tube

Duct tape

Battery powered drill

Small inflatable boat

A fan's blade will be used as the propeller. I was able to source one from an electric fan that had been placed out on the street for waste collection.

The propeller shaft was a made from a 6mm treaded steel rod. Cut a length of 1/2 inch piece of tube about 6 inches long. This is attached to one of the inflatable boat's oarlocks with duct tape. The shaft goes through the tube and connects to the fan blade.

On one end of the treaded shaft, file six flat sides. This is so the drill can grip it better without slipping.

The fan blade is fitted to the other end of the shaft. The hole in the blade was re-drilled as it wasn't completely round. 2 nuts were placed either side of the blade and locked together to avoid them coming loose and having the fan fall off the shaft while being used.

Fit the length of 1/2 inch tubing to one of the oarlocks of the inflatable boat using some duct tape. Then slide the propeller shaft through it.

Attach the battery powered drill to the end of the shaft. I had covered the drill motor in a plastic bag to make it splash resistant.

Using the drill to push the boat along, with a paddle for steering, I went on a 350-meter trip and the motor powered the boat along at about 1 km per hour. It was a bit of fun and surprisingly nothing came a miss (such as the boat getting a puncture, blade falling off Etc.) One drawback of fitting the motor was the noise made by the drill as this takes away the peaceful nature of floating in a boat on a lake.