aircraft propeller on hydrofoil boat

[White Knight]

Hey Haybayian, Sounds like a fun project. I used to partner with the Georgia distributor for the old Advanced Aviation Cobra ultralight aircraft back in the old days of light aviation. The guys at the Advanced Aviation factory down in Orlando had a prototype FRP hydroplane type air boat that I saw there once. It was about 9 ft. long with a seat molded into the deck that had, if I recall right; grippers to hold the pilot's helmet secure. You know, so you don't break your fool neck! It utilized an engine from a ultralight pushing a direct drive, chopped-down prop in a venturi. A "Ducted fan." They ran it in the seaplane canal at the airfield there and reportedly, ran speeds in the 90 MPH range. They also said it would turn 180 degrees beside it's own wake with nearly no speed loss through the turn. 180 degree turns at 90 MPH in a 60 ft. wide canal must have been intense! Oh yeah, did you know that standard style; flat bottomed air boats run faster with a wider beam - to a point. That's why standard air boats are so wide. Have fun - but wear you PFD! Later, Mark

[haybayian]

Thanks Rick,
This is a remarkable contribution to my project. I tried the calculator that you are suggesting and it is indeed not difficult even for a dummie like me.

Haybayian