Help with a final year project

I am new to the forum and have been reading multiple posts looking for answers for the last few days.

A bit of background info on this post is I am in my final year of Manufacturing Engineering Technology course which requires a substantial project. I have access to CNC Lathes/Milling machines, welders, and tools for composite work (Autoclave).

What I am looking at building is a powered surfboard like similar to the Jetsurf and similar projects. I will be designing the "boat" and hope to model it on a CAD system (Catia). I was leaning toward the surfboard style for cost purposes (Other recommendations welcome).

Now the main question I have is what your recommendations would be to propel this? All the marketed ones operate via a Jet Drive system. I am having a hard time finding parts small enough to get this to work and am wondering if it is worth using a propeller propulsion system instead? If I go this rout here what size of engine should I look at attaining?(gas or electric) And if I go with a prop design, will I be able to still have the nimbleness and speed as with a jet propulsion system? (weight with my self and surfboard would be around 200lb + engine weight) Looking at achieving speeds around 30mph.

Thanks for reading it through and thanks for any input! P.S. I am sorry if this is in the wrong thread.

 

Have you considered the safety aspects of a propeller vs a jet drive? With a surfboard type vessel it's quite likely for the operator to go in the water, or for the vessel to be operated in the vicinity of swimmers.

Where will the hull design come from? How will stability, both static and dynamic, be analyzed?

 

I have actually did the research and would much rather use a jet propulsion system, but there aren't any marketed jet drive systems the size/cost I could find. I was planing on running the propeller in a sort of tube stem (reduces efficiency I know but I agree, safety is a major concern.

I will design the hull personally using a program called Catia to model and will look at different plug ins available to determine the technical information (my plan at least). I am not sure if this is a do-able project but figure finding an engine/propulsion method would be the first step and then build the hull design around it and the weight. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.