Is a supersonic boat possible?

[cyclops]

BOATS to me have rudders, props and the hull in the water. Anyone of those missing is garbage. Hell, put your picture on 2 rockets, 1 for each way, and set a new record. No rules needed.

[chandler]

What's the point? If you need to get there that fast book an airline ticket and keep the pollution and noise in the stratoshere.

[Cary]

I wouldn't want to sanction stupidity as a national pastime, however, I recall water jets used to cut metal, and I think it is stupid, to try and get a boat to break a speed of sound record

[cyclops]

I do not want to see people being killed in those "test" runs. Put a explosive computer in the boat. We know that humans are now worthless in reflex times above 300 mph. Jet jocks will confirm that in what is called a " departure ". Same thing as a non- recoverable spin. Save the people. Piss on the boats.

[D'ARTOIS]

A boat is already barely controllable at speeds over 100 mph - for speeds closing on 140-150 mph one needs to have conditions that will play ball. Flat sea, no waves of some sort, you name it.

A supersonic boat should be either a WIGE or a Hydrofoil, and then, I give the best chance to a Hydrofoil.

Only a hydrofoil can operate under certain conditions - as long as the seastate permits.

Supersonic means over Mach 1 - e.g. about 1100 km/h or 594 knots/hr

people that never have driven or experienced speeds above 100 knots/hr may talk easily about this subject but the guys that do Off Shore Powerboating know that their lives can be stopped any moment if they go full throttle and something happens......

300, maybe 350 knots are feasible with an enormous gasturbine mounted in a Hydrofoil frame/body.

Then it might do a run under specific conditions - do we talk about a boat in this case and what will be the added value of the whole experience?

We are talking in this Forum about sailing yachts that - when they are fast - touch a mere 15 knots.

The guys that like fishing ( I hope I can experience it once) and that keep vessels that will go at 40-50 knots to their fishing spots, know how difficult it is to maintain that sort of speed when waves are building up.

What will be the next step? Boats at the speed of light?

[marshmat]

Originally Posted by D'ARTOIS

Boats at the speed of light?

Here to China in 0.065 seconds! Count me in!

[cyclops]

Ok. How good are the best hull designs at reducing a bumpy ride. You should be able to hold a full Martini glass 1" from your lips with no spillage at 30 mph or so . By name, model and size, are there any boat under 25'-----35'-----or 45'. Speed is easy, comfort for all ages on 1 boat underway is far more difficult. Names, please.

[marshmat]

Any boat can do that, Cyclops. Simply find a sheltered body of water, start measuring wave heights, and wait until there has been no wind at all for three hours. (In Canada, also wait until there have been no police for 3h, if there's going to be a martini around. Wouldn't want that, oh no.)

Oh, you meant in real conditions? (lol)

[alexlebrit]

You see if this could all be solved if Concorde was still flying.

Simply make a One Sheet Skiff and buy two tickets.

Voila supersonic boat.

[stonebreaker]

Originally Posted by Cary

I wouldn't want to sanction stupidity as a national pastime, however, I recall water jets used to cut metal, and I think it is stupid, to try and get a boat to break a speed of sound record

Yeah, what's with all these stupid pioneers? It's not like mankind has ever benefitted from these dorks going faster, higher, farther... except for carbon fiber, fuel injection, aluminum, jet engines, turbochargers, communications satellites, solar power, hydrogen fuel cells, roller cams, iconel, and tang. Oh, and nozzles for industrial water cutting jets. But other than that, nothing.

[Cary]

You wouldn't be able to keep it in the water, so it becomes an aircraft

[SailDesign]

Of course a supersonic boat is possible.
No-one has yet discovered how to do it, but it will happen....
Steve "anything is possible once you know how"

[granite]

I think it could be done, with a bit of creative thinking.

a planing or hydrofoil supersonic boat to be sucsesful would largely be skipping over the surface of the water if you go too deep the drag gets huge.

the problem is that water does not like to stay flat it keeps on getting kicked up into waves.

The solution is to cool the water to below 0 degrees C polish up a track plonk Thrust SST on and give it a shot

you have a speed record with the vehicle fully supported by water going supersonic.

[Crag Cay]

Granite - I like your logic! But you would only have a chance for one timed run, as the jet blast might 'impact' on the ice quality!

[imagery1jw]

Hey BillyDoc,

Yes Russia did develope a highspeed torp years ago based off rocket drive and bubble enclosure so the torp never really touches water as it drives through it. Check Scientific America May of 00 or 01 for the artical. But the speed was around 230 knots.