Unit 1 - Boat Design - Product Design by Denizhan U

Identify and explaining the problem

denizhanu — 2025-08-20 11:16:23 UTC

One major problem is that the boats are a big environmental problem. They are trying to make the ships more environmentally friendly.

A significant problem with shipping goods using ships is that one large ship produces as much sulfur as 50 million cars. These types of issues are only going to grow and harm the infrastructure we use.

There is a problem when shipping products, the damage the boats create to the corals and their production.

Justifying the problems

denizhanu — 2025-08-20 11:24:42 UTC

For the environment to be healthy, we need to solve these problems to help the environment. One way we could help is by reducing the waste of sulfur and the fossil fuels used for the ships to be able to get from point A to point B. Instead, we should use wind or electricity for a more sustainable production and energy source.

The pollution of one ship has the same value as 50 million cars releasing sulfur, which is harmful to the environment. To solve this problem, I think we should use more sustainable energy or better transportation then boat like for example drones.

what could i do to solve the problem

denizhanu — 2025-08-26 08:35:30 UTC

As a designer, I could help create a sustainable prototype of a ship. Using sustainable materials to power the boat and use less fuel. One way we can make a ship is to make it with an electric engine as a power source for the propeller to move. The electric engine is going to take inspiration from electric car engine models. Instead of fuel, you will use a charger. In case of emergency, there will be solar panels on the roof of the boat that will convert solar energy to electricity that will charge the engine. In order for the boat to move and function, it needs a 36V engine.

source for the power voltage for the electric engine

denizhanu — 2025-08-26 08:37:14 UTC

picture of a solar panel on a roof of a boat

denizhanu — 2025-08-26 08:42:27 UTC

On this boat, there are 6 solar panels to give electricity to the boat without using fuel

SECONDARY SOURCE: What can you include in a boat scale model design to make it better at floating?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 10:38:28 UTC

For building a boat, and for it to float, this site says that using light materials like foam or plastic will help the boat float better, by having less mass on the boat itself.

SECONDARY SOURCE: What materials should you use to make your boat scale model?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 10:46:53 UTC

In this video, the guy says that we need to use things like balsa wood. Balsa wood is a thin, long wood piece that is a cheap and easy way to model boats.

SECONDARY SOURCE: What materials should you use to make your boat scale model?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 10:56:47 UTC

I asked ChatGPT, 'What materials do you need for making a boat?' So I found out that you need A knife, a hot glue gun, a ruler, and cloth for designing. I also need balsa thin wood in long pieces, or plastic bottles same with cardboard. To assemble them, you can also use duct tape or a heat gun to melt the plastic.

SECONDARY SOURCE: How will you keep your boat scale model protected from water?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 11:00:56 UTC

To make the base of the boat durable, this site says to cover the base with paint to make a sturdy and waterproof layer

SECONDARY SOURCE: How to make the boat able to float and keep its form?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 11:09:09 UTC

In this picture, I see that the base of the boat is filled with wooden supports, for it to hold shape and help it float and not give the boat a big mass to carry and potentially sink it.

SECONDARY SOURCE: What ideas from other boat designs will you need to include in your design to keep your boat afloat?

denizhanu — 2025-08-27 11:13:09 UTC

This is a boat design I want to use to make my boat modern and sporty. The main struggle in using this design is to make the base and the form.

PRIMARY SOURCE: What tools do i need to use for a scale model boat?

denizhanu — 2025-09-02 08:27:13 UTC

Tools I need

Exactoknife

hot glue gun

heat gun

paint brushes

acrylic paint

cutting boards

clamps

bamboo sticks

cloth

PRIMARY SOURCE: What do boats look like in Turkey?

denizhanu — 2025-09-02 08:31:01 UTC

Boats in Turkey are all similar; the modern ships in Turkey are an improved version of the older models.

Viking ship Gokstad

denizhanu — 2025-09-02 08:59:18 UTC

Aesthetics: The Aesthetics of a Ship is simple and good for the time the ship was from.

Construction: the build of the ship is simple and sleek for its design and is built out of wood.

Customer: The customer used the boat for discovery and probably for Viking raids, and for fights.

Environment: The boat is made out of sustainable materials because it is only wood and doesn't use oil or gas to be driven.

Safety: The safety of the boat in our time wouldn't be safe for people to use, but for their time, the boat was safe.

Function: The boat can complete the raids still, after so long, it has more than 90 percent original wood.

Materials: for the materials, the boat is 100 percent wood and is natural and stable.

La Pinta Ship

denizhanu — 2025-09-03 10:46:30 UTC

Aesthetics: The ship looks nice and has a pirate-like appearance.

Construction: The ship is made out of wood and has ropes that hold the sails.

Customer: The ship was the fastest and was used by Christopher Columbus for his exploration.

Environment: The ship was driven by wind and was made out of wood.

Safety: The ship looks safe. And some models of modern ships look like it.

Function: the ship's function was used for exploring and discovering parts of land

Materials: the ship was made out of natural materials like ropes and wood.

The scale model

denizhanu — 2025-09-03 10:59:31 UTC

Aesthetics: The aesthetics of the boat looked okay; it didn't catch my eye, but I liked the bottom of it.

Construction: the ship had a sail and was glued together, and used wood

customer: N/A

Environment: The boat uses a sail to propel itself forward, and the boat was also made out of reusable materials.

Safety: The safety isn't the best, but there is a net under the board to hold people from falling.

Size: The size of the ship is nice; it has a length of 29cm.

Function: This was a testing prototype to see if it floats on water

Materials: The materials are all recycled and reused.

Design Goal

denizhanu — 2025-09-03 11:27:48 UTC

What are you going to make?

I am going to make a boat for a Viking ship museum with my cultural accents, which floats in water.

Why are you going to make it?

I am making it for a museum that needs ship models to display to people.

How are you going to make it?

I am going to use wood, plastic, string,g cloth, aluminum foil, and other materials that help make the boat

Target Audience/Market

denizhanu — 2025-09-03 11:28:12 UTC

Who is the intended user of your model (organisation name, geographic location, age group, language)?

The user of my scale model boat is the Museum of Stavanger Viking Ships. The language of the museum and the target audience is most likely to be Norwegian people. The age group is a random range from 6- 70 years old.

What are the needs of your target audience?... list a few things that should be included/present in your scale model?

Since the audience of the group is most likely to be Norwegian, my scale model has to include a small part of their culture. It should also have a significant sign or part that is related to the Norwegian culture or the people from there.

Major Constraints

denizhanu — 2025-09-09 08:22:30 UTC

What are the main difficulties you will face during this project? (budget, time, availability of materials, technical skills, ability to use tools, etc.)

The main difficulties I would most likely face are the lack of materials. The materials I would like to use can't be found lying around the house, but I will need to go to the store and buy them, like thin strips of wood or metal wires.

Success Criteria

denizhanu — 2025-09-09 08:23:42 UTC

According to your research, what makes a good boat/ship scale model... a successful one?

The thing that makes a good boat is that it can float and doesn't sink when put in water.

How will you measure the success of your boat/ship scale model (think about two possible TESTS you can perform on your boat/ship scale model so you can MEASURE if it is SUCCESSFUL or not)?

To check if it is successful, I will put my boat in a pool of water and create waves to see if the boat sinks or will still float after the test and during the test.

the link to the canva

denizhanu — 2025-09-10 10:50:17 UTC

Suzzyras feedback 1 star and 2 wishes

denizhanu — 2025-09-17 10:58:06 UTC

1 star

The designs are very detailed and good , you can clearly see what its supposed to be.

2 wishes

should have added more culture into the designs

the chosen design sketch

denizhanu — 2025-09-17 11:14:34 UTC

The idea that I want to develop and improve is this one, because the boat is modern-looking and is useful for the new year of 2025-2026. I think I have the skills to make this superboat. The boat's front has an American flag on it, and it will have dice cubes on the hook in the boat. The materials I am planning to use for this design are easily found everywhere. The tools I need are simple and easy to use. The time that I have to complete this project is going to be fine and manageable. My design specifications are: Stress testing the boat to see if it floats, using sustainable and recyclable materials to build the boat, to make the boat have different and nice colours, to make sure the boat can float, I need to inspect it, include my culture, and have some American culture. My design of the boat meets some of my design specifications. The boat is made to balance and float. My boat doesn't have a lot of culture in it, so I am going to add more and make sure it does. The materials are also going to be sustainable and recycled to build my boat. When I am going to make the boat, I will inspect it to see if it has any holes or if it leaks water by putting it in a pool of water.

Outline the requirements for the creation of your boat scale model: Materials, Tools, Details, Function

denizhanu — 2025-09-24 10:17:21 UTC

The tools I need for the boat project are: Knives, Hot glue, a heat gun, and cutting board, paint, paint brushes, a drill, tweezers, building glue, duct tape, foil, wood, plastic sheets, cardboard, and popsicle sticks. All these materials that I am going to use are sustainable and are going to be recycled. The materials that are going to be recycled are the materials that will be used to make the scale model. The tools are going to be borrowed from the school.

denizhanu — 2025-09-24 10:29:57 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-09-24 10:30:18 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-09-24 10:30:37 UTC

Target Audience/Market

denizhanu — 2025-10-01 10:48:41 UTC

Who is the intended user of your model (organisation name, geographic location, age group, language)?

What are the needs of your target audience?... list a few things that should be included/present in your scale model?

denizhanu — 2025-10-01 11:29:41 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-10-01 11:29:55 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-10-01 11:30:05 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-10-14 08:20:44 UTC

Construct a logical plan, which outlines the efficient use of time and resources, sufficient for peers to be able to follow to create the solution.

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 10:38:50 UTC

Lesson 1

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:16:28 UTC

Cut the Hull Pieces
Begin by carefully cutting out the hull pieces from the plywood or cardboard. Use the craft knife on your cutting board to protect your surfaces while making clean cuts.

2 lessons estimated time

lesson 2

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:18:12 UTC

Assemble the Hull
Once you have all the hull pieces cut out, it’s time to assemble them. Apply glue using a glue gun between the pieces and use small clamps to hold everything together until the glue dries. Make sure to check the alignment!

estimated time is 2 lessons

lesson 3

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:18:27 UTC

Add the Deck and Superstructure
After the hull is ready, move on to constructing the deck and any cabins or masts that go with it. For small parts, using tweezers can help you place them accurately.

Estimated 2 lessons time

lesson 4

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:19:32 UTC

Sand the Model
With the main structures in place, take some sandpaper and gently smooth all surfaces. This step is important as it removes rough edges and helps the paint stick better.

Estimated 2 lessons time

lesson 5

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:19:51 UTC

Paint Your Boat
Now, painting: Apply thin, even layers of paint and let each layer dry completely before adding more. You can also add details like windows, railings, and lifeboats to make your model unique.

Estimated 2 lessons time

lesson 6

denizhanu — 2025-10-15 11:21:33 UTC

Finishing Touches
After the paint has dried, attach any remaining small details. Finally, check the model to ensure it's balanced and stable. Make any minor adjustments if needed.

Estimated 2 lessons time

here i am measuring and cutting out the shapes

denizhanu — 2025-11-26 12:15:14 UTC

Technique: measuring the pieces

Tools: ruler, cutting mat, pencil

Materials: cardboard

here i am cutting materials i need to build my boat

denizhanu — 2025-11-26 12:47:52 UTC

technique: cutting the can

Materials: Pringles can

tools: saw blade

here i am gluing my boat pieces together

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 11:28:17 UTC

technique: gluing the pieces

materials: cardboard

tools: Sharpy & glue gun

here i have glued he boat and i am planing to cut out the roof part

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 11:35:12 UTC

technique: measuring and cutting

materials: cardboard,

tools: cutting mat, pencil case, sharpie,

here i am restarting and starting to make the boat using wood so that it is water proof

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 11:38:35 UTC

technique: measuring and sawing

materials: basel wood

tools: pencil. metal ruler, and saw

i cut out all the pieces and started gluing them together

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 11:40:08 UTC

tecniqhue: gluing

materials: wood and plastic

tools: glue gun

i glued everything together and started to paint the boat and make cool cultural designs

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 11:41:32 UTC

technique: painting

materials: cardboard and the boat

tools: paint brush and plastic plate

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:12 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:15 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:26 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:33 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:41 UTC

denizhanu — 2025-12-03 12:18:52 UTC

Write and Justify all the changes you made to your Design Solution/Boat Scale Model (from your initial ideas from strands B3 + B4 and also to your Plan on strand C1).

denizhanu — 2025-12-09 09:25:03 UTC

What did you change?

Why did you change it?

I changed the outer design of the boat to make it cooler and represent another style of a country. I added an anchor to the boat for a more realistic feel. I also added wheels to make it look like a car boat. I painted the boat in different colors than what I was implying to do. The reason I changed the small parts of the design is that I didn't feel like making a simple idea, and wanted to challenge myself more by making the design more complicated and harder to achieve. I also changed the material halfway through the process of making. I changed the material from cardboard to basil wood. The reason I made this change is that the cardboard wasn't able to stay dry when in contact with water or wet surfaces. I also added more stairs going up and stairs going down. The reason I made this change was to make it more pleasingly appealing.

buoyancy test

denizhanu — 2025-12-10 12:21:03 UTC

Stability while buoyant?
Any water leaks?
Damage to the structure?
Damage to the paint coat?...

Throughout the test, there have been 0 leaks, and no paint has peeled. The structure remained intact thanks to my excellent work. The boat was buoyant and was stable for 1 minute in the pool.

my notes during the test of the boat

denizhanu — 2025-12-10 12:21:39 UTC

a couple of pictures of my test

denizhanu — 2025-12-10 12:23:22 UTC

In the first picture, the anchor works and doesn't disturb the stability and buoyancy of the boat

2 testing method

denizhanu — 2026-01-08 13:14:02 UTC

For the second test, I wanted to see if I portrayed the culture I chose in the design of the boat. To find out if I portrayed the culture, I decided to make a Google Form and send it to people and asking them questions and getting their opinion. The questions that were used in the forms were: What culture do you think my boat represents? What are some improvements I can make?

Google Forms Answers

denizhanu — 2026-01-08 13:22:20 UTC

The answers I got were very different; I received some positive ones and some negative ones, but in total, I got more positive answers than negative ones. Seeing that more people think my boat portrayed the culture shows me that the boat's second test was a success. The first test on testing the structure and buoyancy went really well and kept itself completely dry, and it was stable. So summing up everything, I think my boat design was a big success, and the building of the boat was a success. So that means that my entire boat is a success.

What can I improve

denizhanu — 2026-01-08 13:29:25 UTC

Using the form I sent out, I realized that I should have implemented the American features or something that could show the relation to America. Some people said that I should pick more common colours that are used in America.

The improvement

denizhanu — 2026-01-08 13:31:20 UTC

To show the improvement, I will draw the boat on paper and add the recommendations and details to the boat to show the culture better. The improvements I added are written and drawn on the paper, and explained on the paper

How did your product or design solution (boat model) impacted your target audience?

denizhanu — 2026-01-08 13:55:26 UTC

The changes I made to the boat model turned out well for my classmates. I added red and blue colors of the American flag and included the word “America” with a heart, making the boat's identity clearer.

Most feedback was positive (60%), with people saying the colors made the boat more interesting and easy to recognize. I met the design brief (Strand A4) because if I put the boat scale model in the Viking museum, I think it would stand out and show its culture, as I improved the model based on feedback. For future improvements, I want to use better colors and add more American details.