Wobble

I thought Formula 1 race cars laid claim to that title on the ground and the unlimited class Reno air racers in the air

T2x

Nope and nope........

You have to see a Champ boat turn to believe it.........I speak from first hand racing experience in the cockpit.......the G's are indescribable.

From the Champ Boat website.........

"High Speed Turns and Pure Excitement
High speeds, sharp turns and constant action
• Due to the shape of their tunnel hulls, Champ Boats are able to turn almost instantaneously
• Incurring more "G" forces than any other racing machine on earth
• Enables them to race close to river banks and lake shores
• Provides excellent spectator viewing

Champ Class (F1)
• Nearly identical to the Formula 1 machines raced internationally on the UIM circuit
• Champ Boats are 17 feet long and weigh just 1,150 pounds with driver
• 380-horsepower engines enable them to reach speeds of 140 miles per hour "

T2x

Airpacker

Its freaky how hard those boats turn. Real freaky.

T2x

It makes you question what you're seeing with your own eyes...... blast into a 25' diameter 2 pin turn at 125 +... drop the nose and literally 1 second later..the boat is going in the opposite direction at over 100........

T2x

PhantomChaos

You are quite correct SIR!

TexomaPowerboater

Question for T2X: How does the placement of the prop (i.e. single engine - center vs twin engine) affect the speed, efficiency, and rough water ability on a cat? Is a single engine cat more safe and/or stable than a same size twin?

Comanche3Six

I'm sure TX2 and Thor Heyerdahl ran into a similar question when they constructed Kon Tiki.

T2x

no........... for many reasons:

1. A single engine cat installation fills the tunnel exit adding compression and disturbing natural airflow. This engine placement will also tend to "trip" the hull upon re-entry after going airborne, perhaps increasing the tendency of the craft to stuff. The lone partial exception to this rule may be the above mentioned Champ boats which have such streamlined lower units and small propellers (see my avatar and prop pix below) that there is not as much disturbance or drag..... but there is still more than a dual application would create.

2. Twin engines allow for counter rotation and, if you spin them out, following the laws of nature and physics as God intended, you will achieve neutral torque and balance from the prop rotation.

3. In twin engine installations the sponsons protect the center section or upper drive components from random blasts of water at speed thereby adding durability to the drives. (when we raced triple outboard cats the center engine durability was always lower than the outboard mounted motors). Again you also reduce drag since most, if not all, of the gearcases' frontal area is "hidden" by the sponsons.

Of course these are just my humble opinions, based on decades of testing and development, rather than the "facts" that are readily available at Poker Run Cocktail parties and in West Coast Cat ads........... or from "State of the Art" Apache fans......

T2x

T2x

Comanche3Dollar:

You took the words right out of Thor's mouth.

Tee TWO EXX

MikeyFIN

Old guys usually know the best stories and jokes...

Now has anyone trying skating with using a single leg or using both ?
Which way is more stable turns better handles better and is faster ?

The answer is not a Fountain (with XXX monthly paments...).