My grandson/14 has become invested into rowing crew in the last year and half. He would love to have a functional model of an 8 oar sweep racing shell. I have Googled for couple of days w/o finding any models he could build or even 3-D print. He has a Bambu 3D printer but not sure how big a project he can print.
(Maybe I am not very good at Google since I am 78.) I found a metal scale model on Amazon that is over $150–which makes it rather expensive IMO.
Can anyone on this forum give me some suggestions?
Appreciate your time in either event.
There is actually a dedicated eight-person racing shell STL available there. The current designer lists it as 1/64 scale, but that’s not a problem for a Bambu printer—you can enlarge the STL substantially. The shell is part of a two-file package with a transport trailer.
The important point is that this isn’t just a generic rowboat. It’s specifically an eight-person racing shell.
This is a free STL for a crew boat with 8 seats plus a coxswain. It was originally designed as a 3D-printable model. It may be worth downloading and examining in Bambu Studio before deciding whether its shape and level of detail are appropriate.
A model that could be scaled up
There’s also a professionally modeled 8-person racing shell available as an OBJ/FBX/etc. model. It isn’t advertised as print-ready, but an OBJ can be brought into Blender, Fusion, Meshmixer, or similar software and repaired/scaled for printing.
For 1/35 scale, an actual racing eight would be fairly substantial. A typical 8+ shell is roughly 60 feet long, so at 1/35:
60 ft ÷ 35 ≈ 20.6 inches long That’s actually a very nice size for a display model and well within the capability of a Bambu printer if the hull is divided into sections.
One thing I would do differently
Rather than simply enlarging the 1/64 STL to 1/35, I’d be inclined to modify the model specifically for 1/35:
Make the hull in 2–4 printable sections.
Add proper sliding seats.
Add the eight individual outriggers/oarlocks.
Print eight sweep oars separately.
Add the coxswain’s position.
Make the hull thin but strong enough for handling.
Possibly add tiny crew figures if he wants it displayed as an actual racing crew.
Design locating pins so the hull sections align perfectly.
There is also a Coxed Eight rowing boat 3D model on 3D Warehouse that is dimensioned at about 60 feet long and could potentially provide useful geometry for a 1/35 conversion.
I think the Bambu route is probably the best answer for your friend. And at 1/35, it would make an impressive model—about 21 inches long.
Sounds like an interesting project. Let us know how it turns out, whether it is suitable and a photo of the model. I’m sure others would be interested to see it.