"Star Wars" Phantom Splashed!
 

The new Super Vee "Star Wars" Phantom is splashed:

Ken & Shannon take a deep breath.....

Pre-flight checklist completed....

All systems GO....

Watch the video.....


http://www.gppro.com/MidAmericanOffs...m56kserver.wmv

Cool, good luck guy's and be safe. Augie

That Sarasota boat ramp has seen more exotic hardware than any ramp in the country! Congrats and the Phantom looks awesome! BH

Very Cool!...lotsa luck....:cool:

I've got wood :D

WOW Ken, I remember talking to you about this boat when I meet you In Cinn. Good Luck Looks Great

KenD, Shannon & Phantom,

Congratulations on the maiden voyage of your new race boat. Best Wished for You and your Team in 2004!!!
Any chances of a few photos of the inside of the canopy?? I heard it is like STAR WARS on the inside with the cameras and plasma screens.

Best Wishes,
DPT
:cool: :cool: :cool:

wow . . . that boat is awsome. any pics of the inside. thanks :cool: :cool: :cool:

I'm sorry about the pictures, I was in the cockpit all afternoon programing and tweekng the electronics but forgot to take my camera.

Perhaps you'll get and idea of why we call it "Star Wars" from the on-board equipment:

3 - Dual screen LCD monitors
6 - Cameras
1- port rear view camera
1- starboard rear view camera
1- third man camera between the seats looking forward
1- rooster-tail camera looking back from the air scoop
1 - color/infrared camera in engine room
1 - underwater camera in the rocker tunnel looking back toward rocker tabs and drive bullets (my favorite)
3 - Digital video recorders

Mercury Smartcraft 5000 system which digitally monitors each engine with dual/split screen displays for:

* RPM
* Air temp going to engines
* Oil Pressure
* Oil Temp
* Water temp
* Water Pressure
* Fuel level graphical display for each tank
* Digital fuel gallons in each tank
* Digital fuel remaining in each tank
* Fuel used per engine in gallons
* Fuel flow per hour for each engine
* Estimated travel distance on remaining fuel
* Drive Trim graph
* Digital drive trim angle readout
* Drive turn angle
* Engine sync
* Max speed
* Avg Speed
* Current Speed
* GPS position
* Distance traveled
* Distance to next way-point
* Time to next way-point
* Time of day
* Engine alarms & warning lights
* Rev limit warning lights & horn
* A few other things I haven't figured out yet

We also have:

Garmin color GPS/Chartplotter w/features like water temp, tide charts, current speed, max speed, avg speed moving, time moving, time not moving, & lots of other features that I'm still learning about

AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sirius Satellite Stereo w/150 watt speakers - and a really neat graphical display that changes colors and screens with the music

2 -tach guages
2 -engine trim guages
Heads-up rocker trim indicators
Heads-up turn tab indicators
Integrated helmet intercom system
On-board scuba system
Halon fire control system
VHF/Weather radio w/emergency GPS position transmission

GPS/Engine telemetry - data logging system w/ 2 accelerometers & graphical recording of boat position, speed, rpm, torque, horsepower, & G-forces

Red neon indirect lighting in cockpit
Neon indirect engine room lighting
Power pop-up nav lights & telescoping anchor lights


And to top it all off.....This rocketship is F-A-S-T !

More pics when you get around to it KenD. Best wishes again in 2004 for Yourself and the Team.

Thanks for sharing,
DPT

:cool: :cool: :cool:

Sounds great Ken........but the next obvious question is......how much extra weight does all of that add?

Can't wait to see the pictures.:)

You could have called it Mr Technology II:D

That would not have been fair to you though Ron. Only would have been good if you were part of the Team. There is only one Mr. Technology and that name should stay with you.

DPT
:cool: :cool: :cool:

Ron,

I agree with DPT, there is only one Mr. Technology. We have bounced around some other names that are takeoffs of Mr. Technology...."Mr. Gadget" being one that works too.

Boat names are tough for me. We've been working on this project for more than 15 months and I still haven't hit on the perfect name. "Star Wars" is what what we said the deck plug looked like, so that has kinda stuck.

Maybe we should throw it open to the forum....the winner gets a ride.

KenD,

Any photos that you could post of the inside of the canopy for us???? Even photos of the engines installed currently too would be great.

Thanks Again,
DPT
:cool: :cool: :cool:

Phantom1,

Minimum weight in our Class is 8000 lbs. We had all the electronics and cables in a box before rigging started and the whole box didn't weight over 20 lbs.

Before we added fuel, the boat came in a few hundred pounds under minimum weight due to Will's secret lamination formula and a few other tricks like carbon fiber drive shafts. (The big 4-1/2 inch ones like they use in Top Fuel dragsters)

Will also installed two 100 gallon fuel tanks with the option to move fuel from tank to tank to tweek balance for different conditions. We'll probably use extra fuel in the appropriate tank to make minimum weight.

Two tanks also make it possible to use the boat for more than racing. We have our eye on a Sarasota to Key West run to get some hours on the engines and seat time in the boat.

Maybe we could run on over to Marathon while we're down in the Keys and run a race too. Would that work?

Love it............ thanks!

Ken, I'd be honored to see you use Mr Technology II on your new ride. You've definitely earned it. With Will as part of your team, there is enough of a connection for me.

The original Mr Technology has been purchased and hopefully will be racing with OPA or in Trinidad this year. The new owner wants to paint it like it was originally and to put the Mr Technology name back on the sides.

Ken, I'll be in Biloxi writing for the mag... how about a ride for the story??????????? PPPLLLLLLLEEAAAASEEEEE

Ron,

The honor is mine...you want to drive or throttle?

Oh what the hell, with the optional foot throttle you can do both. As long as I get to play with the buttons.

BTW, Will is going to Colorado on a sking trip next week, are you up to a Key West Run?

Ken

Just don't tell Ron that this button activates the seat that he is in.:D :D

holy crap!!!

Name it: Mc Guyver Racing
Gig a Bite Racing
Off The Hook Racing

I just want a ride and a chance at the sticks!
Randy

Ken, I normally like to throttle but since you have all those neat toys in there, I might get confused and think I'm playing a computer game.

I guess I'll drive.

Key West??? don't tempt me, it's still snowing here..... See ya in Biloxi, I'll be there Friday night so how about if we hook up on Saturday to go out and play with your new toy for a while? Will Wilbur be in Biloxi?

I really have to check out this underwater camera stuff.

Could name it Virtual V. Phantom Boats just keep getting better! Lots of luck with the boat and Racing. Jo

It sounds like that boat has more screens then my office! I look forward to seeing it. Best of Luck Jeff Louwers

Sorry Randy,

I beat you to the sticks. Ken allowed me the privilege to throttle. Takes a little getting used with the rocker plates in the back. One more thing for the throttleman to keep of.

Thanks for the ride Ken.

The back of Matt's van looked like Fort Knox. He came down with a ka-dozen sets of props and spent the entire day with us while Julie patiently waited for his return so they could start their vacation.....a day late.

It's amazing to watch a true genius get in the groove. Five minutes on the water and he is in a zone....thinking like the props.

Matt: "Feel that ? That's the props starting to ....."

Me: "I don't feel anything."

Matt: "This boat wants a little...This time, let's try ...."

Me: (Thinking) "This guy knows props....."