Szolack withdrawing from Shootout Action
#191
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,041
Likes: 712
From: Toledo Oh
Here is an interesting control used in a somewhat similar situation; anti wheelie control. In the 20 second video you can see the system reacting three times to drop the nose of the bike. When fuel, spark and throttles are all under ECU control and you have a reliable sensor for angle, this obviously works. Boats are different of course. They achieve high angles just launching off waves sometimes when the system does not need to activate. Perhaps the system only needs to be active above a given speed. Main difference...the guy on the motorcycle isn't trying to take a sheet of plywood home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3b3BkMELAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3b3BkMELAM
The answer to your question is already there..
Yes offshoreboats see all kinds of angles, but only when they are being used as offshoreboats. When doing radar runs, shootouts and kilo's, they arent running offshore, they are running on a smooth controlled course. so those angles would not come into play unless things are going wrong, in which case you want the system to work.
#192
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 80
From: Fort Worth, TX
The Flight Club modified 368 was originally planning on being a 200+ boat with 2000+ HP engines. I remember conversations during its construction coming from Skater that basically said something funny happens at 190. This was 10 years ago. No doubt technology developed around the proven Mystics have come a long way. I think the fact that the FC boat ran as well as it did with limited testing says the boat will break 200 easily with a little more power. With the steel reinforced cage and canopy, the boat is "safer" than most.
I commend Ron for pulling out. There are many reasons the boat wasn't finished by the first partnership, but one I remember was the reality of how fast it was going to be and the wives pressure of "why"? Back then, 170 in an open 32 Skater was pretty nuts.
My thought on these shootout boats vs drag boats is beyond the proven "safer" crashes of the top fuel boats, the expense or total loss of wrecking a $500k plus Skater etc. is way different than wrecking a spatula with 8000HP built to live 5 seconds. Even if you had a 100% chance of surviving a blow over, who is going to knowingly take a chance with a machine like these.
Bottom line is 8 highly missed souls were lost this one season all in single boat accidents at speed. It is no doubt time for a breather and consideration of what these machines have quickly become.
I commend Ron for pulling out. There are many reasons the boat wasn't finished by the first partnership, but one I remember was the reality of how fast it was going to be and the wives pressure of "why"? Back then, 170 in an open 32 Skater was pretty nuts.
My thought on these shootout boats vs drag boats is beyond the proven "safer" crashes of the top fuel boats, the expense or total loss of wrecking a $500k plus Skater etc. is way different than wrecking a spatula with 8000HP built to live 5 seconds. Even if you had a 100% chance of surviving a blow over, who is going to knowingly take a chance with a machine like these.
Bottom line is 8 highly missed souls were lost this one season all in single boat accidents at speed. It is no doubt time for a breather and consideration of what these machines have quickly become.
Last edited by TxHawk; 10-24-2016 at 07:46 PM.
#193
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 331
Likes: 84
The Flight Club modified 368 was originally planning on being a 200+ boat with 2000+ HP engines. I remember conversations during its construction coming from Skater that basically said something funny happens at 190. This was 10 years ago. Back then, 170 in an open 32 Skater was pretty nuts.
#194
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 115
From: Slidell, La.
You could fit in Al Copelands "Phenomenon"! 56ft should doo the trick? Lol, they could never get lay down any good times, I think it the theoretical speed of 285?? It was for sale a while back.. not sure what happened to it.
#195
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,395
Likes: 930
From: LBC, OH
Contrary to popular belief, there has been some decent advancements recently in cat design to specifically address high speed stability. The one that come to mind is the 50' Statement which uses a radically redesigned tunnel entrance.
If you do some reading, you'll find they patented this design and somewhat claimed it solves the blow over problem. Much like a velocity stack, the design accelerates airflow thru the tunnel, and focuses that into "channels" I guess you'd call them near the stern. Hence the air exiting the tunnel is very clean and actually moving faster than the air around or over the boat. The aero guys can explain these benefits, but the popular "shake down" video looks super stable at 180mph.
https://youtu.be/Wsc_qmnmKLw
If they can figure out how to keep them from catching fire, maybe we'll get to see one go fast enough one day to prove their stability theory...
If you do some reading, you'll find they patented this design and somewhat claimed it solves the blow over problem. Much like a velocity stack, the design accelerates airflow thru the tunnel, and focuses that into "channels" I guess you'd call them near the stern. Hence the air exiting the tunnel is very clean and actually moving faster than the air around or over the boat. The aero guys can explain these benefits, but the popular "shake down" video looks super stable at 180mph.
https://youtu.be/Wsc_qmnmKLw
If they can figure out how to keep them from catching fire, maybe we'll get to see one go fast enough one day to prove their stability theory...
#196
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,175
Likes: 302
From: Clearwater, FL
Contrary to popular belief, there has been some decent advancements recently in cat design to specifically address high speed stability. The one that come to mind is the 50' Statement which uses a radically redesigned tunnel entrance.
If you do some reading, you'll find they patented this design and somewhat claimed it solves the blow over problem. Much like a velocity stack, the design accelerates airflow thru the tunnel, and focuses that into "channels" I guess you'd call them near the stern. Hence the air exiting the tunnel is very clean and actually moving faster than the air around or over the boat. The aero guys can explain these benefits, but the popular "shake down" video looks super stable at 180mph.
https://youtu.be/Wsc_qmnmKLw
If they can figure out how to keep them from catching fire, maybe we'll get to see one go fast enough one day to prove their stability theory...
If you do some reading, you'll find they patented this design and somewhat claimed it solves the blow over problem. Much like a velocity stack, the design accelerates airflow thru the tunnel, and focuses that into "channels" I guess you'd call them near the stern. Hence the air exiting the tunnel is very clean and actually moving faster than the air around or over the boat. The aero guys can explain these benefits, but the popular "shake down" video looks super stable at 180mph.
https://youtu.be/Wsc_qmnmKLw
If they can figure out how to keep them from catching fire, maybe we'll get to see one go fast enough one day to prove their stability theory...
Also they have no real desire to see their boats go 200. The one they are building now used their design but was subbed out for the lay up. If you have noticed (which I am sure most have) they are sticking to what works for them CC's.
I wouldn't be shocked if this is the last passion to roll out from them with turbine power.
#197
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 331
Likes: 84
Keep "them"...it was one boat and from a fluke accident.
Also they have no real desire to see their boats go 200. The one they are building now used their design but was subbed out for the lay up. If you have noticed (which I am sure most have) they are sticking to what works for them CC's.
I wouldn't be shocked if this is the last passion to roll out from them with turbine power.
Also they have no real desire to see their boats go 200. The one they are building now used their design but was subbed out for the lay up. If you have noticed (which I am sure most have) they are sticking to what works for them CC's.
I wouldn't be shocked if this is the last passion to roll out from them with turbine power.
That's not good sign.
#198
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 11,904
Likes: 1,143
They have 5 ads for 2017 boats just in the OSO classifieds (5 of 11 total).......safe to say they are building boats and not spending their time on their website but didn't you see the opening page has 2 boats with Merc 400 OB's? They didn't come out in 2012......hmmm
#199
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 11,904
Likes: 1,143
That boat is the Spruce Goose of the performance boating world.......
#200
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,175
Likes: 302
From: Clearwater, FL
I would say that is a good sign
Last edited by Nate5.0; 10-25-2016 at 07:16 AM.


