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Tinkerer 10-16-2016 01:03 PM

I hate to see these things happen. I have a 27' cat that I am modifying for top speed.
would a computer controlled wing on the front between the sponsons stop a blowover? You could use a high speed hydraulic system controlled by a computer to control the wing and would engage after the boat reached a certain angle to the direction of travel using a gyroscope as a reference angle.
I watched the video it looked like a clean ejection. If they didn't hit anything inside the boat is it just the impact with the water that does all of the injury? With an open cockpit boat would wearing a large padded life jacket, helmet with neck support have stopped most of the internal injuries?

indysupra 10-16-2016 01:42 PM

They had on helmets made for boat use and the best life jackets money could buy. At that speed hitting the water is worse than hitting the concrete.

flight club 10-16-2016 03:12 PM


Originally Posted by iamjoe (Post 4491968)
So you're saying that some things will never change; a Skater for sale and another one on order. BTW, you win the prize for building the most beautiful Skater ever built- the gold one. Have yet to see a more gorgeous boat

I'm not getting out of the sport I love. I just won't go 220. I will keep my pleasure boats in the 150 range. I'm Very comfortable running there

ToMorrow44 10-16-2016 03:18 PM


Originally Posted by Tinkerer (Post 4491976)
would a computer controlled wing on the front between the sponsons stop a blowover? You could use a high speed hydraulic system controlled by a computer to control the wing and would engage after the boat reached a certain angle to the direction of travel using a gyroscope as a reference angle.

It would take some immense engineering to accomplish this. The computer would have to have an incredible process speed and be processing the rate at which the nose is coming up or down and adjust the wing device accordingly. Otherwise, the wing corrections could shove the nose into the water and unload the back of the boat which is going to cause a bad day as well. I'm thinking when the boat goes over a wake or lake chop, the nose naturally comes up and down, if the wing starts making corrections then, it could cause a problem unnecessarily. If you wait for the wing to activate when the nose gets to an extreme angle (like a blowover), the wing correction would have to be very fast and very large, which could cause an equally bad crash. Not impossible, but I can see it being extremely expensive and it's going to take someone with a very in depth knowledge of boat aerodynamics to create.


Originally Posted by indysupra (Post 4491981)
They had on helmets made for boat use and the best life jackets money could buy. At that speed hitting the water is worse than hitting the concrete.

What he said. The only thing I can think of that might help would be a parachute vest like the drag boats. It would help to slow the impact with the water and maybe help enter the water feet first.

RIP and thoughts are with the families.

Tinkerer 10-16-2016 03:46 PM

i don't think it would be that hard for a good programmer. And I don't think the computer would have to be very expensive. Using a gyro and then with parameters set to engage at a certain up angle and be proportional. So the wing would only make a large correction if it was needed. I think I would rather ride through a stuff rather than a blow over. I think the most expensive part of the system would be the high speed actuator for the wing. I just think that if I could afford a 200+ MPH boat with $100K engines - what would be another $25K

buck35 10-16-2016 04:08 PM

Am I dreaming or was there not some fancy aerodynamics on he hydro model from the Gentry container thread last fall /winter? Really skater can't afford to be recognized as a customer eliminator so this should be at the top of their engineering priority.

ICDEDPPL 10-16-2016 05:56 PM

Tinkerere, Drive Guardian Mike (Got Freedom) designed what you`re talking about for Quatar. Maybe he can chime in.

flight club 10-16-2016 06:02 PM


Originally Posted by buck35 (Post 4492014)
Am I dreaming or was there not some fancy aerodynamics on he hydro model from the Gentry container thread last fall /winter? Really skater can't afford to be recognized as a customer eliminator so this should be at the top of their engineering priority.

I talked to Pete today and he is already coming up with a solution In the form of a parachute that will deploy when the Bow reaches a certain angle so the boat will not be able to take flight

Cash Bar 10-16-2016 06:05 PM

As a good friend I have seen you make tough and sound decisions. This one goes to the top of the list.

I am glad we will boating together for joy and not for a plastic trophy that quite literally gets a new owner every year.

Cash Bar 10-16-2016 06:07 PM

On a side not this thread has produced notes from people that prove I am not the only person that has bought a boat and decided I wanted it to go slower rather than faster.

Running together in the low 100s will be every bit the fun of the high 100s if we are doing it together.


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