kidturbo

Ultimately active aerodynamics is the sensible solution. Look at any modern supercar.. But this requires boat builders to step away from the old "racing" rules of no wings, canards, flaps or movable deck surfaces. Also it's not something your gonna control, cause human reaction is far to slow at such speeds. So gonna need some IT techie guys to build the flight control system. Sizeable investment for any single manufacture.

Plan B. Computer activated counter measure. IE: drag chute.. Properly launched into the slipstream, it's the only proven technology that can create enough drag on the stern to counteract all the aerodynamic lifting forces. Proven on dragsters at over 300, and demonstrated near 200mph last year with Qutar's accidental deployment, and no ill effects. Won't address every possible situation, but about as close to dropping and anchor off the stern as you can get. Short term it's a good fit for canopy boats at least.

Tinkerer

With a normal tunnel that is probably true. BUT if the tunnel was short as in the link posted it probably is not enough to blow over. Probably not anywhere enough to even raise the bow. The wing controls the attitude of the bow. The arrowspace industry has a computer and control system that will allow an airplane to fly with the wings forward swept. according to what I have read this plane would self destruct in seconds if the computer shut down in flight. A civilian equivalent of that system could and would easily keep a boat flying level.

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Tinkerer

And the reason was it is more maneuverable.

502ss

iTrader: (3)

My gut tells me that you are probably right! The right person could simulate this (generically) using computational fluid dynamics and get a rough idea of the amount of counter acting effects a packed tunnel has over a proposed wing. What's the width of a tunnel at the sponsons at the very front? 6 feet? If you look at a top fuel dragster wing and how aggressive a design it has it produces about 5500lbs of down force at 300mph. Let's assume that down force calculation is linear (which it probably isn't) so at 200mph the wing produces about 3600 lbs of downforce. Those wings are almost 6 feet wide! I am not sure 3600 lbs or even 5000 is enough to overcome all the air pushing the boat over. I have watched Mike's blow over video dozens of times and now this weekends dozens of times. What I see is once the boat gets to a certain angle let's say (10 degrees) it's no more a factor of the tunnel but instead the entire surface surface area of the boat and those boats have a lot of surface area. IMO the only way to stop a boat from blowing over is to aggressively decelerate the transom. Again just my opinion, great discussion though!

ToMorrow44

The downforce, like all fluid dynamics, is a product of the velocity squared, so not linear but exponential. This goes for lift, drag, fluid pressure, etc.

Someone mentioned designing the boat and the tunnel for a 200mph boat, instead of a 100-150mph boat. Thats a good point. Using round numbers, say the boat is designed to pack air and provide adequate lift at 100mph, taking that boat to 200mph is going to provide 4 times the amount of lift, not twice. While Skaters, MTIs, Outerlimits, etc are all really well-handling hulls, maybe more design needs to go into the tunnel design specifically for boats that are going to be pushing 200..?

TeamSaris

Good move. I respect and support you for it!

Pete B

For those that will continue to find the edge, please look at these as a possible way to avoid a tragedy

http://www.lifelineracegear.com/main/#products

SB

iTrader: (1)

Do any of these ^^^ provide impact protection like a Tek Vest, and if not, could one be worn underneath ?

Back4More

Hope this idea catches on....

mcprodesign

Still my favorite loto shootout boat,.