Ugears Tugboat

As you may have noticed, Ugears loves the sea, and marine devices inspire our creativity. The idea behind the Tugboat was to create a fully functional mechanism, but with a bit of flair, so that it would be both practical and interesting... and it also had to be some kind of vessel. We like to think that many of you enjoy watching gears at work, just like we do. That’s why the detailed hull of the Tugboat is openworked to show the beautiful mechanism in action. This way, the most important technical features we’ve incorporated into this wooden model will get all the credit they deserve. It is powered by a rubber band motor, with the tension of the bands translated into the movement of the gears. The reduction gear transfers energy to the drive wheel and then on to the asymmetrical pair of wheels.

The asymmetry of the pair of wheels gives the boat model its unique way of moving, imitating a boat rocking on the waves. Meanwhile, the working crank produces a distinctive sound similar to that of an old-fashioned but still very popular diesel engine, which many boats still use. A ratchet gear locks the key used to wind up the motor. There are two control levers: one stops the mechanism and the other starts it—the stop and start levers. Use two ropes with hooks to connect small wheeled cargo models or a paper boat to your Tugboat and tow them. Your boat will travel one and a half to three meters per winding, depending on its load and the surface.

Product dimensions in mm: 285 x 120 x 185
Package dimensions in mm: 378 x 170 x 32
Number of parts: 169
Estimated assembly time: 3 hours