As a cat owner and reading this thread there is a lot of talk and maybe a few good ideas being thrown around. Jim Melling was a great guy that i have had many conversations with and i will sorely miss him. I pray for both his and Garth's family in these tough times.
Regarding this thread I think most of you guys are missing a big point. We have a boat that was designed in 96 with the intentions of being run in the speed range of 120mph or so. As time progressed more hp was added and the speeds went up. I agree the lift in the tunnel originally designed for 120mph was far to high for the speeds that was achieved and it took a small change in somrhing that set things in motion. Jim and Garth new the risks and I am sure they took whatever precautions they could afford. This boat was not run on a unlimited budget.
The first thing we all can do is ask ourselves are we really doing the right thing by pushing old technology beyond it limits. I bet if you guys ask Randy Scism or Pete they will tell you a boat designed to go 200mph would have a.different tunnel configuration along with other considerations as well. Maybe these boats have reached their limit with the power available today. There is a reason JT was absent from the last 2 shootouts. I whole heartedly agree with Ron and his decision. I believe that alone will do more our sport in the near future than anything else. IMO regardless of technology and whatever failsafes computers can provide it cannot replace the human element.
We all need to be smart about how we go about the sport we love and make good decisions. This involves more than designing a wing. Many others have died this year in pleasure boats out for a fun day on the water. May Jim and Garth RIP!

VERY well said.

Throttle control is NOT a viable option. I have read the experts talk about stopping a blow over. They said that as the bow comes up IF you throttled up it would push the bow down. But it doesn't work IF you are already at full throttle. They also said that as the bow goes up IF you chop the throttle it will settle the transom increasing the speed of bow lift.
With the wing the computer would control the bow completely and not allow the bow to rise. The tunnel would have to be ventilated to allow only enough lift for the transom NOT the bow. Remember the wing lifts the bow. The front of a CAT weighs very little when compared to the total weight of the boat.The whole idea is to keep the bow at a preset angle. Even if you hit a wave ( large boat wake - not 5+ ft ) the wing would be able to correct the bow attitude. remember the bow goes up and then the transom goes up and the boat stays flat to the water ( preset angle )

Does anybody know what Jeff had just given the green light and commissioned Peter at Skater to build? Editorial states: a new state of the art 46′ Skater that would be campaigned to race against the big black corporate giant. Ironically his goal was to develop a host of new safety devices and standards to change the safety aspect of hi performance boating. [I]This boat was to be the safest ever built. Beyonce that goal was to even the playing field showing that with the very best the aftermarket had to offer they could be a winner. The new boat would be powered by Smith Power engines, Arneson Industries drives, Hering Propellers, and Hardin Marine accessories. Jeff was a man committed to helping the smaller independent companies wage a competition similar to “David & Goliath” safety improvements Asbell and Smith working towardsmin a new build from Peter[I/]

You understand the article you quoted was over 3 years ago right?

Maybe that's the point... 3 years later and the power numbers have increased but the safety innovations really haven't.

Look, when I see some guy walking around the East Side or Brightmoor in a "RIP Pookie" shirt, it's hard not to shake my head and roll my eyes, because you just KNOW Pookie was all about that game until he wasn't....
It's getting like that with these boats. I'm happy guys are stepping back a little.

Yes, i do realize that. Just haven't seen mention of the safety innovations that he was working towards in these years since he and Brads' passing. Maybe it was hull design and some parts of his ideas live on, i just have wondered for years now, what was he / they working on.
Godspeed to the women and men we have lost over the years and God bless the families and friends picking up the pieces.

Couldn't agree more. I'm not an engineer but I think the design of the tunnel is key to the issue. More engineering is needed to figure out how changes can be made to give the lift needed without allowing so much air that a blowover can occur. As speed increases, the dynamics change and the hull, more specifically the tunnel, needs to be designed for the speeds we are currently seeing. As it has been stated before, the engine technology has effectively surpassed the hull design. The air flow is greater at these higher speeds. Don't get me wrong, I love this sport. The blend of engineering and design is what draws me in.

I looked around for different engineering approaches after the 2014 Lake of the Ozarks crash with Joel Begin and throttled by Mike Fiore. All I could find were posts and mentions of safety efforts such as a front wing or the parachute designs. Qatar did you have this in use at the same race and if I remember correctly their parachute actually deployed on an earlier run. I did find one manufacturer that did something different with the tunnel. I'm not endorsing this manufacturer but I can appreciate the efforts they have gone to in recognition of the issue. The Statement 50 foot Passion appears to be different. I have never seen one in person and can not attest to the quality. Their design focuses on the tunnel as the key in controlling the air to reduce the blow over.

With all this said, this community has lost too many great people in the recent years. RIP!

While I understand this thread is concentrating on tunnels and blow overs, when speeds in any multi engine boat get above a certain speed, say 100+, what happens when you have a catastrophic engine, drive, hydraulic steering, or prop failure? I understand that hydraulic steering when functioning properly will keep the drives straight, but lets say you are running at 165 in Parvey's boat and spit a propshaft and now you instantly have all that torque on only one side. I witnessed a buddy's 33 Fountain with Arnesons make a HARD left turn in front of me years ago at over 100. Hours later when he limped in in the dark we knew why.

Darr has the answer ��:


"Jim David Darr · Chief Executive Officer at Gateway pool and spa
Agree. Enough is enough. With Ron. Win. Kenny. And the Parveys either hanging it up or on the edge I think its time to stop the high speed runs. Im working on a blow over system that will virtually eliminate them but stopping the events is the answer"