Sci-Fi boats anyone?

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Sus, Oct 30, 2007.

  1. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    >dragonfly-like UAV's which can enter a ship and fly down it's hallways getting an eye on the situation?

    Actually there are current RFPs out for such devices. NASA and a number of private contractors have working examples of these very fragile flutter bug-like devices with micro processors that can fly around inside a building to "see" who or what kind of threat are inside. They do not have much transmitting range, but they have these now!

    In near future these would not only be operational, but have more capacity and have larger transmission range.
     
  2. kach22i
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    kach22i Architect

    I know, and the machines which can walk on walls are pretty cool to.

    Like I said, smart machines (robots), why would you need to put anyone in harms way?

    Ships are so automated now that the crews are only there as a back up system.

    Perhaps it would be more accurate to imagine that 58 years from now that the pirates will be also using robots. Only their robots will attack the shipping lane robot ships. Perhaps two people at the controls could be sitting across from each other in a coffee shop and people in Vegas would be placing bets on the whole event.

    It's a sick world, anything is possible.

    Dang I'm good at this.:D
     
  3. Sus
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    Sus Junior Member

    yeah ok, but these are peripherals and i still dont even have a hull

    I'm definately interested in these possibilities

    - Surface-Effect-Ship : hybrid lifting body ship that combines the high-speed capabilities of a hydrofoil and the rough-water stability of a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH)
    [​IMG]
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ses-200-gallery.htm

    - Jetfoils : etfoil design has a normal service speed in foil-born mode of around 45 knots ... limited by cavitation such systems cant currently breach 50 knots, but i suppose also to go over that you may as well have a ground effect airplane (retractable wings?) or a planing hull (very bad sea-keeping)
    [​IMG]
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/hydrofoil.htm

    the speed record is held by the FRESH-1, which is in the vicinity of 70 knots... a transit foil system [designed to provide a smooth transition from a sub-cavitating to a fully cavitating flow regime and thus permit speeds up to 100 knots] was never tested...
    http://www.foils.org/fresh.htm
    i read that this ugly puppy is the fastest hydrofoil boat
    [​IMG]

    Luigi Colani's thingy
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2007
  4. safewalrus
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    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Trouble with all that spidery stuff is that as your trying to go 'deep sea' in more ways than one you will encounter rough weather! Break down and breakup coming up!!! If you see what I mean - all that pretty stuff is designed for calm water - or somewhere you can run to if it cuts up rough!! - now a 'sailing sub' - economical, get underneath it if you get the weather warning in time, run before it if you don't sort of thing sounds good to me! But hell it's only a story - right! Wrong it has to be feasable or it won't sell!


    Simple to repair too if it all goes wrong - and it will! Especially if the opposition is out to get you as well!!
     
  5. Sus
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    Sus Junior Member

    yeah, I'm thinking it actually has 4 modes

    displacement : stable, for ports and rough sea surfaces
    jetfoil : for moderately rough seas and calm / retractable foils
    sail : with retractable mast
    sub : with retractable elevators

    1. first trick will be a hull that isn't a major drawback in any of those roles
    2. second trick is combining some of the fin-functions so all this retractable equipment doesn't hug up all the interior space
    3. third trick figuring out a cockpit/interior layout
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2007
  6. yipster
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    yipster designer

  7. Sus
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    Sus Junior Member

    dank je wel yipster dat is erg mooi! I've never heard of such a project, late or post ww2? where on earth did you come across that?! I can't find anything online about it. the schematic seems to show the interior dominated by engines and batteries, if there wasnt a ladder depicted i'd wonder if it wasn't unmanned. is that a crew cabin in the middle?

    did however find this

    http://www.ag-schnelle-boote.de/kleine-kampfboote.html
    and
    http://www.ag-schnelle-boote.de/tfboote.html

    [​IMG]

    and im liking the look of this one

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2007
  8. yipster
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    yipster designer

    yes the german sub is inventif but it is the other pic i find "mooi"
    would have been a heavy contraption and allready easy target in 44
    topside down however i dreamt the tower as keel and foils as sails

    got it from a site like above and scrolling down that site i see the concept was allready there in 40
    gave up on diving i see but keep it sailing!

    edit, Tom Speer showed another almost sci-fi sub at http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?p=168761#post168761
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2007
  9. safewalrus
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    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Actually something similar is being used in combat at the moment - in that mountainious country full of Tellytubbies! in fact! Damn useful too, saves a lot of lives apparantly
     
  10. kach22i
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    kach22i Architect

    Here is what you do:

    1. For the worse possible weather conditions the craft goes into submersible mode.

    2. The diving planes and horizontal part of the rudders (wings) can change profile and extend out and be pulled all the way in too.

    3. The "wings" in full spread mode will act as airplane or WIG/Ekranoplan aerofoil wing.

    4. The wings part of the way down (could be Gull-Wing) may serve as hydrofoil lifting foils.

    5. Of course if your craft uses a "lifting Body" things could be even simpler.

    Then again, you could just show something which nobody has a clue how it is supposed to work and baffle them with ********.:D

    Sample:
    http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=20897
    [​IMG]
     
  11. safewalrus
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    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Ah but your submersible would need large tanks (for ballast) and be pretty stong (for strength read heavy) this contradicts the use of a 'spindly spider' to get the speed - one or t'other - not both!

    Conversely your that far in the future like Kach sez 'be vague and bull5h1t!'
     
  12. kach22i
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    kach22i Architect

    Real world stuff in service:

    North Korea: Hi Speed Submergible Boat
    http://www.strange-mecha.com/ship/M-Sub/N-Korea01.htm
    [​IMG]

    http://www.fas.org/man/eprint/anti-sof.htm
    [​IMG]
    http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread281932/pg1
    [​IMG]
    US stealth special forces boat, possibly submersible:
     
  13. Petros
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    Petros Senior Member

    It occurred to me to need to do a little research on what is current technology anyway, and what is underdevelopment. Foil surface ships have been around since WW2 at least (I used to watch a children's 'adventure' cartoon called "Johnny Quest" in the early 60's that had a foil ship as their normal means of sea travel).

    One of the best places to learn what is current is in Jane's Fighting ships (current edition), most libraries have copies available in their references sections, or check here:

    http://jfs.janes.com/public/jfs/index.shtml

    While at the library check also check Jane's all the worlds Aircraft, look over last years worth of Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine (they may have a free on-line version as well), for the latest in developmental contracts in aviation.

    Also there are some pretty good contemporary sci-fi books that are not bad in anticipating near future weapons systems. I like David Webber and John Ringo's work (though some of their stuff is far future space opera). The book series "Path of Fury" is good at listing what kinds of implants and weapons systems for "special ops" soldiers might be using in the future.

    Others on this list might be able to suggest a few other authors. Most of the "techno-thriller" type books have pretty good near future/current technology backgrounds in the stories.

    Not only do you need to stay current on what is current technology in terms of sea and air-borne technology, but you also need to know what is selling in terms of "techno-thriller" novels, or you will not sell your story. You need to write to the market place or you will be just another unemployed writer.

    Good luck.
     
  14. safewalrus
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    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Most still only useful in light weather! The bigger vessels (Frigates and Corvettes) may be better in rough weather but being big are still easier to 'see'
     

  15. kach22i
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    kach22i Architect

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