Start to Finish: Building Our 50' Skater
12-16-2017, 07:40 PM
#1452
Registered
iTrader: (1)
we were originally planning a lot bigger boat and actually did some research on small nuclear power. There are actually companies trying to make small nuclear power plants. You can technically buy one that would have 50 megawatts which is the equivalent of 67,000 hp. It's only the size of a refrigerator and we would not need to stop for fuel going all the way around the world. But I did not have the $400 million laying around to get one, and I doubt my background check would allow me to get the fuel for it. Not counting that it would be pretty dangerous to put in a high speed boat
.
.
12-17-2017, 08:28 AM
#1454
Registered
VIP MemberJoin Date: Mar 2016
Location: Stephenville
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I’m sure it’s all been discussed, but I missed the specs on the cummins. Wondering if adding oversized and multiple oil cooling jets wouldn’t be helpful. Could be plumbed from an oversized dry sump system.
IMHumbleO there are only two ways to explore this topic of engine longevity. 1) have the billions to do proper R&D or 2) keep building and find the weak link, solve the problem, test, fail, solve, repeat.
For this type of project I’m going to bet Tyson comes out financially ahead doing it the way he is now.
My .02
IMHumbleO there are only two ways to explore this topic of engine longevity. 1) have the billions to do proper R&D or 2) keep building and find the weak link, solve the problem, test, fail, solve, repeat.
For this type of project I’m going to bet Tyson comes out financially ahead doing it the way he is now.
My .02
12-18-2017, 11:50 AM
#1455
Registered
These are the only pics I have of the "destruction". There was not much wrong. It definitely did not do what Lavon's engine did on the dyno. Could you imagine what would happen if it blew up like the dyno video while you were running 130 MPH. There's not much that scares me but that probably would, much less the boat would probably burn down.
12-18-2017, 12:00 PM
#1456
Registered
I understand the technical and financial challenges associated with developing a small displacement, reliable 1000hp+ marine diesel engine. As many of you have correctly pointed out, no one, including the multi-billion dollar diesel OEM’s, have ever built an engine like we are attempting to develop. Is it foolish to even try – probably. Is it impossible to accomplish – very likely. However, when I am on my death bed, I don’t want to look back on my life and remember the one time I lifted. The one time I took the easy path when I thought I had a chance to do something that everyone said couldn’t be done. 99% of all inovations in the world are not done by big corporations, or even by experts in the trade, they are done by someone that thinks outside the box and does not give up when things do not go right.
Is there a risk that we will never get an engine to work and do what we want? Yes, but everyone views risk differently. To me, wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of my life trying to build the impossible is not risky at all because you cannot take the money with you when you die. I would rather people remember me by the things I attempted/accomplished and the life I lived instead of the money I had. I know this set of engines may not live just like the last few sets we have tried, but I will not give up I will just keep trying different things till something works. I will never settle for second best and say, well lets just do what everyone else does, that is just not me.
Is there a risk that we will never get an engine to work and do what we want? Yes, but everyone views risk differently. To me, wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of my life trying to build the impossible is not risky at all because you cannot take the money with you when you die. I would rather people remember me by the things I attempted/accomplished and the life I lived instead of the money I had. I know this set of engines may not live just like the last few sets we have tried, but I will not give up I will just keep trying different things till something works. I will never settle for second best and say, well lets just do what everyone else does, that is just not me.
12-18-2017, 02:35 PM
#1458
Registered
[QUOTE=low_psi;4600013] in 2003 at the Detroit Autorama I had the guys from Airlift poking their head under my Blazer because it was laying on its frame with the stock floor. QUOTE]
The first time I had my 2 speed marine transmission on display at the Miami boat show the Mercury engineers came by and were looking at it real close, then they ask how long it was and I said about 12" . They ask if I minded if they measured it, I said go ahead. They were there for 20 minutes literally laying on the ground underneath it measuring everything on it. At one point I ask them if they just wanted the engineering drawings and they said sure if you don't mind.... yes, actually I do mind. Then that night I had wrapped a black blanket around the transmission and zip tied it around the bottom of the transmission and had a gopro camera sitting up in the corner of the booth recording and at about 1 a.m. you can see the same guys come in and cut the zip tie and unbolt the oil pan from the bottom and they were looking up in it from laying on the ground with a flash light. They were there about 30 min and left and got a zip tie and re zip tied the blanket around it. Fast forward a couple years and I had the rotary engine on display at the Miami boat show and the same exact thing happened except that time before I had watched the cameras a security guard came by and wanted me to inspect the engine and make sure nothing was wrong because he caught 3 guys measuring it and taking pics of it and they had a tool box with them late the night before and he had taken copies of each of there drivers licenses, it was the same guys...
The first time I had my 2 speed marine transmission on display at the Miami boat show the Mercury engineers came by and were looking at it real close, then they ask how long it was and I said about 12" . They ask if I minded if they measured it, I said go ahead. They were there for 20 minutes literally laying on the ground underneath it measuring everything on it. At one point I ask them if they just wanted the engineering drawings and they said sure if you don't mind.... yes, actually I do mind. Then that night I had wrapped a black blanket around the transmission and zip tied it around the bottom of the transmission and had a gopro camera sitting up in the corner of the booth recording and at about 1 a.m. you can see the same guys come in and cut the zip tie and unbolt the oil pan from the bottom and they were looking up in it from laying on the ground with a flash light. They were there about 30 min and left and got a zip tie and re zip tied the blanket around it. Fast forward a couple years and I had the rotary engine on display at the Miami boat show and the same exact thing happened except that time before I had watched the cameras a security guard came by and wanted me to inspect the engine and make sure nothing was wrong because he caught 3 guys measuring it and taking pics of it and they had a tool box with them late the night before and he had taken copies of each of there drivers licenses, it was the same guys...
12-18-2017, 03:43 PM
#1460
Registered
VIP MemberJoin Date: Mar 2016
Location: Stephenville
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
[QUOTE=BigSilverCat;4600048]
priceless!
in 2003 at the Detroit Autorama I had the guys from Airlift poking their head under my Blazer because it was laying on its frame with the stock floor. QUOTE]
The first time I had my 2 speed marine transmission on display at the Miami boat show the Mercury engineers came by and were looking at it real close, then they ask how long it was and I said about 12" . They ask if I minded if they measured it, I said go ahead. They were there for 20 minutes literally laying on the ground underneath it measuring everything on it. At one point I ask them if they just wanted the engineering drawings and they said sure if you don't mind.... yes, actually I do mind. Then that night I had wrapped a black blanket around the transmission and zip tied it around the bottom of the transmission and had a gopro camera sitting up in the corner of the booth recording and at about 1 a.m. you can see the same guys come in and cut the zip tie and unbolt the oil pan from the bottom and they were looking up in it from laying on the ground with a flash light. They were there about 30 min and left and got a zip tie and re zip tied the blanket around it. Fast forward a couple years and I had the rotary engine on display at the Miami boat show and the same exact thing happened except that time before I had watched the cameras a security guard came by and wanted me to inspect the engine and make sure nothing was wrong because he caught 3 guys measuring it and taking pics of it and they had a tool box with them late the night before and he had taken copies of each of there drivers licenses, it was the same guys...
The first time I had my 2 speed marine transmission on display at the Miami boat show the Mercury engineers came by and were looking at it real close, then they ask how long it was and I said about 12" . They ask if I minded if they measured it, I said go ahead. They were there for 20 minutes literally laying on the ground underneath it measuring everything on it. At one point I ask them if they just wanted the engineering drawings and they said sure if you don't mind.... yes, actually I do mind. Then that night I had wrapped a black blanket around the transmission and zip tied it around the bottom of the transmission and had a gopro camera sitting up in the corner of the booth recording and at about 1 a.m. you can see the same guys come in and cut the zip tie and unbolt the oil pan from the bottom and they were looking up in it from laying on the ground with a flash light. They were there about 30 min and left and got a zip tie and re zip tied the blanket around it. Fast forward a couple years and I had the rotary engine on display at the Miami boat show and the same exact thing happened except that time before I had watched the cameras a security guard came by and wanted me to inspect the engine and make sure nothing was wrong because he caught 3 guys measuring it and taking pics of it and they had a tool box with them late the night before and he had taken copies of each of there drivers licenses, it was the same guys...
