That spider boat is called the "Proteus"

SAN FRANCISCO
SPIDER SHIP ON THE BAY
El Cerrito firm unveils the Proteus, 'a new class of vessel'
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/19/BAGE7NLI001.DTL



Posted a while back by several BoatDesign members, consider this an "Up-Date".

 

It's not a new class of vessel- it's a friggin catamaran! What the hell is so new about that!

 

I think there is a little more to it, I'm reading the article a second time right now - just skimmed it the first time.

 

The Difference

I guess it is, more or less, but the innovation is there's some sort of articulation to the legs so that the hulls can move independent of each other.

 

but the innovation is there's some sort of articulation to the legs so that the hulls can move independent of each other.


Guess they never noticed the early South Sea cats were roped together ,(1500 years ago) allowing some movement of the hulls to lower the stresses.

FF

 

Does it receive the 'Ugliest Boat' of 2006 or should it be awarded to the 2007 award?

 

Can only ask one question - "why?"

 

Every land vehicle has a suspension, passenger trains, automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft landing gear you name it. Not only for comfort but also for handling and road or rail holding ability (some train cars even lean).

You can sip your tea riding the train, or drink your beer crossing the English Channel on a cushion of air (hovercraft); there is something between you and "shock".

If you chose a RIB or rubber raft you may enjoy a little less shock and jar, but at speed water is hard as concrete, right?

Going fast or in turbulent seas I would choose some form of suspension in any new concept, just because it's new ground.

Has anyone done for a boat what they have done for buildings? Suspend the entire deck as they do for buildings against earthquakes, now that's an idea.

If you could gain sea-keeping ability with comfort, that's like killing two birds with one stone, and winner in my eyes. Besides creating a stable platform for weapons launching has got to have some appeal, right?

 

Has anyone done for a boat what they have done for buildings? Suspend the entire deck as they do for buildings against earthquakes, now that's an idea.

Not really a need to, tables on vessel SURGE are available that allow a comfortable ride to be had in reasonable sea states..

FF

 

Yes Water Addict you have a point. Archimedes worked out wot floats and wot don't float. And people were making boats before he worked out why they float.

How can you patent a design of boat when all you've designed is a boat, so you've changed the size of this or the size of that, but it's still a boat.

I am going to register the design of a new ball, 287mm in diameter because no one else has disigned a ball yet with those specific dimensions.

Anyway the Proteus is a bloody good boat used for??

Fishing with a very long gaff
Scuba diving which gives the giant stride entry a whole new meaning
and remember when you overtake another vessel you can do it port or starboard or in this case both.

Reading the rules for dumping sewerage at sea didn't mention whether dumping it on another vessel is legal or not.

I shouldn't really let my imagination loose like this.

Poida

 

How about as a stable filming platform for movies? It is California after all....

 

They have gyroscope stabilized movie cameras, but having the whole platform more stabile could only help.

Sample-1:
http://www.aerialexposures.com/gyroplatform.htm


Sample-2:
http://www.filmhawaii.com/index.htm



I think such a platform would make a good medical ship.

 

If it doesn't work well as a boat, they could add a suction cup below the cabin and have the worlds largest springing spider toy. Sam

 

Sure would be easy to find a marina to accommodate this thing. Maybe is trailer able.

Note to Poida: I have balls from 285 > 290mm under patent protection and I will aggressively defend the patent. Also most colors!

It is easy to smile about something like this, but maybe, just maybe, there is some reason for it. We just have to be patient and see what happens.

 

Kach- if I'm not mistaken, the camera on that chopper is a Wescam unit? Clever device, to be sure, their civilian side makes some decent equipment. Too bad the company itself is in more than a bit of ethical and possibly legal trouble, something about their military products wing reportedly being partly responsible for a few civilian massacres overseas.

ABoatGuy- Does your patent cover balls that are fluorescent in the 58 keV band? Because that would make for some fun soccer (ok, fellow physicists will get the joke....)