Blake
10-02-2004, 11:55 PM
I found my way to this site through a search of 'boat design' in Yahoo, and I wanted to know if anyone can help me in my design of an airboat that I am required to build. I plan to go into engineering in college, and this is an excellent exercise for me to test my skills. I have to build a boat out of wood, and it must be able to fit in a small, water-filled gutter approx. 8 cm wide X 7 cm high. It is in a sense a drag race, in which I must accelerate through 2 m of gutter under five seconds to accomplish my goal.
Specifically, I need help in the design of the hull (I think that's what the bottom part that touches the water is called...I am obviously not very learned in naval architecture). I need to provide adequate bouyancy for the boat, which in its prototypal stages weighs about 150 to 180 g, and for MAXIMUM hydrodynamics. Would I need to curve the hull such that it looks like that of an aircraft carrier (in which the hull is shaped like a cusp) or like that of an everyday speedboat, in which the hull's curve comes outward, rather than inward? Sorry if this description is a bit vague, it's kind of hard for me to describe it...
Anyways, I appreciate any and all help in my project! Thanks...
Blake
Specifically, I need help in the design of the hull (I think that's what the bottom part that touches the water is called...I am obviously not very learned in naval architecture). I need to provide adequate bouyancy for the boat, which in its prototypal stages weighs about 150 to 180 g, and for MAXIMUM hydrodynamics. Would I need to curve the hull such that it looks like that of an aircraft carrier (in which the hull is shaped like a cusp) or like that of an everyday speedboat, in which the hull's curve comes outward, rather than inward? Sorry if this description is a bit vague, it's kind of hard for me to describe it...
Anyways, I appreciate any and all help in my project! Thanks...
Blake