Need fast, EFFICIENT, commuter boat

[rwatson]

There is a thread that is right down your alley

boat designing help!! PLEASE!

These dudes *average* twenty knots around a course in the open sea, on 6hp seagull outboards.

The wave piercing concept is taken care of, you can slip between other boats, and by the look of it, you could probably leave it in the car park at work on its own trolly.

Put a slightly better engine in it, a bit of a canopy for weather protection - an voila - Mr Commuter in Style

[jonr]

I've used a hydrofoil called an "airchair" that is towed behind a ski boat. The rider is usually about 2' above the water and weight shift is used to control it.

I have to say that it is amazing in rough water - waves do absolutely nothing. And there isn't much wetted area.

Problems I see with hydrofoils are

1) control - would probably take a computer to keep 4 hydrofoils at the right depth.

2) what if you hit something (a small log or piece of rope).

[whipper]

If ya want to stay with a regular type boat Allisons will go 100mph+ and get the best fuel milage on the planet for the HP used. 10+mpg at 70mph. I have one and can testifie to this.

[blackdaisies]

http://www.svensons.com/boat/

This website has some nice small free boat plans. Their hydroplaning boats are all small and fast. I'm not sure how small you want to go, but there is also water vehicles.

http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global.../wv/index.html

[eponodyne]

Originally Posted by whipper

If ya want to stay with a regular type boat Allisons will go 100mph+ and get the best fuel milage on the planet for the HP used. 10+mpg at 70mph. I have one and can testifie to this.

So that works out to about 7GPH. What do the numbers look like lower down, say at 35 mph? Wouldn't it be cheaper in the long run to have a smaller, lighter boat that can be powered by a smaller, lighter motor? One of those Bermuda Slicers or whatever you want to call them looks like a damn good compromise.

[rwatson]

Long thin low powered boats have been used all over the world for fast, efficient commuting. From dugout canoes with 20hp in the Congo, to those stern drive asian boats.

For example, this site

http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans...dory/index.htm

designed a
20ft "CLARENCE RIVER DORY"
POWER - 25 hp Outboard (max)
SPEED - 20 kts
Cost of plans US $125 00

a small motor is a lot less heavy on the fuel. If you are commuting anywhere near busy waters, you will have on water speed limits, as well as just commonsense safety to think about as well.

Also, check out the price difference between 30hp and 75 hp. outboards.

Mind you, there are a lot of other things to think about, like launching and daily storage facilities, weather conditions, - not totally straight forward.

Keep us all in the loop with your project

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by MattM

I have reached a major goal in my life, I live on the water, 18 miles up the Willamette river from my job, which is on the water. I never have to get in a car again.

I recently spent three weeks between Salem and Portland, Oregon. I missed the Northwest Hover-In though. If interested at all in a hovercraft, I can put you in contact with some people out there.

If going up river is the main/most important part and plus saving fuel is critical, then you might want to consider a hovercraft - really.

http://www.ushovercraft.com/


http://www.amphibiousmarine.com/

Plans:
http://members.aol.com/sevtec/sev/skmr.html

http://www.hovercraftalaska.com/

Adventure Story...........North to Alaska.
(No water depth charts required)
http://members.aol.com/sevtec/sev/AK.html

The 35 hp two stoke on my small hovercraft gets 2 gph at 40 mph. A boat even with a four stoke will do much more poorly. The hovercraft links above are to 4-strokes, better on gas and more quiet.

Do leave and arrive at a dock? At what cost?

Could you launch and arrive to and from a shallow slope suitable for hovercraft use?


Hovercraft fuel consumption thread:
http://www.hoverclubofamerica.org/fo...showtopic=1659

EDIT: Hovercraft use half the fuel of conventional boats, see thread link above.

[fastfreddie]

This is an old thread but I can't stand for a good question to go unanswered. I built a hickman seasled and it goes 75 miles on 4.5 gallons of gas. Top speed 34mph. I've had it up to 42 with a different prop. 50horse Tohatsu injected two stroke. Great engine! Nobody is building seasleds now but I can provide you with a drawing if you want to have one custom built. The seasled is fast, efficient, and a great sea boat. Plus it goes up on a beach nicely. Mine is plywood/glass/epoxy. One-off glass with a throw away mold would be a good option, or (holding nose) welded aluminum.... or tape and glue plywood but you have to know what you are doing to make that work with this design.

[marshmat]

I'm somewhat amazed that the Sea Sled isn't more common these days. I guess people think it looks too weird.

There are a few threads talking about the sea sled, Fastfreddie, that you might want to chime in on:
Here's The true Sea Sled Story,circa1985
Hickman Sea sled Story, 23foot plug to be built for launch 2008
You're not the only one who's interested in them

[eponodyne]

Originally Posted by rwatson

There is a thread that is right down your alley

boat designing help!! PLEASE!

These dudes *average* twenty knots around a course in the open sea, on 6hp seagull outboards.

The wave piercing concept is taken care of, you can slip between other boats, and by the look of it, you could probably leave it in the car park at work on its own trolly.

Put a slightly better engine in it, a bit of a canopy for weather protection - an voila - Mr Commuter in Style

I have been thinking about *exactly* the same thing lately!! The hull looks to be stitch-and-glue of 5 plywood panels, and what? About 20' long by 4' wide? Two tandem seats, keep it as light as possible (obsessive would be the right word) and power it with a Honda 20. I don't think 25 MPG at 40 mph is out of the question here. I really don't.

[Typhoon]

Get yourself a light, long off the beach catamaran, something like a Tornado. These one design boats get upgraded a fair bit, so older ones become cheap, especially when they need refitting. Build a basic centre pod to keep out of the weather, put a 30-40hp outboard on teh back and you'll have a 20kt boat that will handle quite appaling weather easily.
Or, just buy something small, light with a deep entry. We used to use this on Sydney harbour as a workboat (Sydney harbour can get VERY choppy, like 1m waves). This boat would do it easy with a 40hp Mariner outboard and do it all day for 25 litres of fuel:

Very dry boat in rough water, but rain would be taken car of with a small dodger. I've had this boat in 1.5m waves no problems.
Seriously, if you want a dry boat that will handle rough water and not pound you to death, aluminium is out.

Regards, Andrew.

[kroberts]

I would pick something like this:

http://www.hovercraft.com/content/in...ex&cPath=34_48

http://www.hovercraft.com/content/me...4p_256k_lo.wmv



This is a very quiet hovercraft, has very good speed and can have 20 mpg if you are in good conditions.

[hwsiii]

If you go to this URL you will find an 18' sea sled designed to be built in stitch and glue. It does not require high horsepower and the forum helps everybody with their building.

http://www.bateau.com/studyplans/TX1....htm?prod=TX18



H

[johnhazel]

Here's step by step design procedure for a very low drag hull. You might be able to use a wing mounted on the outboard motor to good effect.

http://www.foils.org/02_Papers%20dnl...0dynaplane.PDF

[johnhazel]

Here's step by step design procedure for a very low drag hull. You might be able to use a wing mounted on the outboard motor to good effect if you have power trim adjustment.

http://www.foils.org/02_Papers%20dnl...0dynaplane.PDF