I print almost exclusively using ABS for my boat parts and plan to do the entire structure for this pushboat in 3D printed ABS because of the compact size of it.

ABS cements/welds to styrene plastic card stock very well so it makes great supports and odd shapes. This combination of plastic card for flat surfaces and ABS is a good process for making larger structures.

Lew
Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Link shows an ABS printed superstructure end for a FLB. This was cemented to styrene sheets for the side walls

http://lewsmodelboats.org/Dusseldorf-2/Aft-wall.png

Hi Lew, I have 3d printers and agree the early versions were test models. I only use to make bespoke fittings and then make silicon moulds and cast in finecast resin. Once the moulds are made I can cast as many as I require in about 30mins. Used for all the fittings on the Titanic and Olympic and there were hundreds.
I have used plank on frame and bread and butter construction and sometimes made a plug and mould and made a fibreglass hull. Thin ply and plasticard are my choice for superstructure and this keeps me occupied. 3D can and does produce some really detailed parts especially the resin/UV types but as you say it's a steep learning curve.
dave976

After suffering a major loss involving my important tools (3D printers) it looks like I am finally back in business.

Both of my 3D printers became unusable (one died and the other suffers badly) I broke down and bought another. Problem was this new one is the latest technology high speed FDM printing. Just released, it had plenty of bugs and I became a 3D printer "tester" instead of a model boat builder. Working with people a half a world away, after two months my printer finally works. They even sent me a second one free for my trouble and assistance. (~ 400 US$ each.)

So, I decided to finish Springer #4 and will soon create a build blog on this site. I'm trying to get more details on the real boat that I will replicate with a Springer hull. (This is my fourth Springer (two scale, one comical).

I found this neat looking 26-foot "truckable push boat" built for the US Army Corps of Engineering (They maintain the waterways in the US). So far it looks like it will work out fairly well at 1/17 scale.

This little boat has an interesting story (don't they all?). It is to handle logs and debris at the stoplog bulkhead at the Little Goose Dam on the Snake River in Washington State.

Lew
Florida, USA