Alright folks, grab a drink because this fan boat journey? Man, it was something else. Wanted something simple, you know? Just a fan pushing a little boat. Easy-peasy, right? Yeah… turns out maybe not so much.
Digging Out the Junk
First up, I needed stuff. Went straight to my old box of random tech junk. You know the one – full of things you swear you’ll use someday. Found a busted computer fan, the kind that goes inside a tower. Pulled that sucker out. Looked kinda sad, but it spun when I blew on it, good enough. Then I started rummaging for some power. Dug around until I found this ancient DC adapter. Didn’t even know what it was for originally. Plugged it into the fan just to check… and whirr! Okay, fan works. Score one for me.
Stick It On Foam, They Said…
Right, time to make the actual boat bit. I had this thick block of packaging foam lying around. Grabbed my knife – not fancy, just the kitchen utility one. Started hacking away trying to shape something vaguely boat-like. Took longer than I thought. Foam chunks everywhere. My fingers felt stupid trying to hold it still. Finally got this rough, lumpy, rectangular-ish blob. Not pretty, but hey, it floats. Tested in the sink, yep, water wasn’t eating it. Success?
The “Mounting” Circus
Now, how to stick the fan on the foam? Saw people online using zip ties. Easy! Grabbed a bunch. Poked holes through the foam near the fan corners with a screwdriver. Fed the zip ties through those weird holes in the fan frame and then through the foam. Tightened them down. Looked messy, felt messy. Tugged on it… seemed sorta stuck on. Good enough for science!
Power Play Disaster
Next problem: running wires without drowning the adapter. Taped the adapter wires to the fan wires. Wrapped that whole mess in way too much electrical tape. Ugly as sin, but should keep the water out. Ha! Famous last words. Plugged it all into the wall adapter.
Walked it all over to the bathtub, filled just enough water. Heart pounding like a little kid. Set the foam blob down carefully. Plugged the adapter in.
Let the Failures Commence!
Fan spun up like a jet engine! Awesome! But then… the whole foam block just violently shot backwards and slammed into the tub wall. Didn’t move forward an inch. Water splashed everywhere. Fan screamed. Just… chaos. Turned it off fast.
Tried again. Slammed backwards.
Tried turning the foam around. Slammed into the other wall.
Troubleshooting Mode: Activated (Sorta)
So why wasn’t it pushing? Well, looking at it, maybe because:
- Fan Position: Had it kinda in the middle, not the back? Probably stupid.
- Weight: The adapter? Maybe too heavy?
- Direction: Was it facing the right way? Was it?
Unscrewed the fan, moved it way to the back end of the foam block. Retaped wires. Held my breath. Turned on.
This time… it moved! It lurched forward! Like… two inches. Then it just wobbled madly, splashing water, the fan blades hitting the water, foam tipping sideways… absolute mess. But hey, technically, it moved forward slightly! For a second!
Wrapping Up This Mess
Unplugged everything. Sat there looking at my wet, pathetic foam block with a screaming fan strapped to it. Honestly? It kinda worked? For about two seconds. Learned… something. Fan position matters. Weight distribution matters. Zip ties are your friend. And bathtubs get water everywhere when your experiment flops like a dying fish.
Looks stupid. Works maybe 1%. Ten outta ten would recommend trying once. But maybe outside next time, yeah?
