Sealing for model boat

Magnets reliably protect model boat from penetrating water

Author: Daniel Stern, Zürich, Switzerland

Online since: 16/01/2012, Number of visits: 232921

I built a model boat, which needs a removable lid, so you can exchange the battery, for instance, or grease the motor shaft. The question was: How do you attach the lid so no water can penetrate the boat, but you are still able to easily remove it?

I solved this problem with 200 small block magnets Q-10-05-03-N from supermagnete.fi.

At first, I used adhesive to position 100 block magnets on top of the boat.

Then I "sealed" the magnets on the boat with epoxy resin, so they are secured and protected from wetness.

I attached another 100 block magnets to the lid (behind the lid's edge), of course in a way that they fit exactly top and bottom. I also brushed epoxy resin on the magnets on the lid.

To prevent water from entering the boat, I formed a silicone seal over the magnets on the bottom part.

This "magnetic" silicon seal matches exactly the magnets on the lid and prevents water from penetrating into the boat. The magnets are strong enough to hold the lid securely on the boat.