KTM Barracuda Foiler

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Chris Ostlind, Jan 19, 2009.

  1. Chris Ostlind

    Chris Ostlind Previous Member

    While I was working my way through college back in the 70's, I was a freelance motorcycle journalist/photographer. I don't ride bikes anymore because the roads are just way too zany and a serious accident is an ugly proposition. Still, I have a smoldering desire to stay up with the business end of the motorcycle trade and this just came across my desk... the high performance motorcycel manufacturer, KTM, has just unveiled the design for a new foiling watermachine that looks like a shredder right out of the box.

    Here's the press release that came in the mail, along with a set of images showing the new foiler:

    "January 16, 2009 Austria’s KTM diversified from its competition off-road motorcycle core product with first it's razor-sharp road bike range, and more recently the X-Bow road-registerable racecar. There’s no doubt new markets are on the horizon and a recent design study has unearthed an interesting potential next stop for the company that prides itself on its machinery being “Ready to Race.” The KTM Barracuda Hydrofoil has been conceived as a circuit racing machine for the water. Extremely agile, yet designed to be self-stabilizing, the Barracuda takes the philosophy of the RC8 superbike and X-BOW sportscar to the water."

    The Barracuda looks to be a dedicated, hauling butt powered foiler that will appeal to the same crowd that are currently tearing around your local lakes with their V8 wakeboard boats... we'll see.

    Below... Designers, Christoph Albiez & Thomas Perz, as well as photos of the scale model being weight tested in a pool
     

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  2. Munter
    Joined: Jul 2007
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    Munter Amateur

    Please tell me its April 1, otherwise the jetski crowd just got a whole lot more dangerous! It would be a race to see whether they would kill bystanders or themselves with that thing. Imagine what would happen if it nosed-into a wave. Looks like it would ploought straight into the occupants head!

    Doom and unmitigated failure to more powered personal watercraft on the water.
     
  3. marshmat
    Joined: Apr 2005
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    marshmat Senior Member

    Alexander Graham Bell would be impressed.

    Looking at some of their numbers.... 5.2L V10, 450 hp, 6.3m LOA, and they want it to top 100 mph. Sounds scary. But I know just the crowd it will appeal to....
     
  4. kerosene
    Joined: Jul 2006
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    kerosene Senior Member

    looks like results from KTM sponsored design school project. Don't expect to see this one in real life. Seriously doubt that there is any testing going on in the pool pics - more like a photo shoot for images.

    450hp? oh dear. And yes it does look like the nose is asking to plough into the depths. Side by seating seems silly - trimming issues if only one rider. I guess samll weight doesn't matter much - after all big V-10 isn't that light either let alone the fuel for feeding 450hp engine.


    anyways - I wouldn't scratch my head too long for this one. Its just a school project to get the guys some publicity and a job. And best wishes for them.
     
  5. Chris Ostlind

    Chris Ostlind Previous Member

    Oh, so true, Kero and the hmmm? factor applies to most everything developed as a design study.

    I recently took a tour of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena where some of the hottest automobile styling talent originates. They are typically working on at least two funded programs each year from the major car manufacturers to develop ideas for future vehicles.

    Of course, many of the studies never make it to production, but the important part of the process is that fresh heads and skills are being turned loose to explore conceptual potentials. Of these studies, maybe a handful of new ideas will emerge that will then be taken even further. The internal criticism sessions with fellow design students, faculty and industry design pros are extremely rigorous. Some of vehicles will only generate a single innovative approach that eventually gets into a production car.

    From there, it might be blended with current marketable knowns and maybe even a few other discovered elements from other vehicle studies done previously to yield a fresh take on automotive styling and utility.

    I don't expect the craft shown above to make it to production as is, but I do hope that some of the concepts being explored will open doors to other, more marketable vessels in the future... maybe even from different manufacturers than KTM.

    I brought the study here to share that process with you guys and maybe... the triggering mechanisms for some of the designers who visit here will be enlivened in such a way as to yield some really interesting machines in the future. Yes, the designs need to be held-up to the light of many market and production realities before they can ever get off the design board, but that's the way it works for everyone who wishes to introduce a craft that goes off in a new direction.
     
  6. ancient kayaker
    Joined: Aug 2006
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    ancient kayaker aka Terry Haines

    The KTM press release states “The KTM Barracuda Hydrofoil has been conceived as a circuit racing machine for the water” - although the model in the pictures shown is not functioning and it may be that it’s design will not proceed further I find it a bit ominous. The problem with things like this is, one or two people get to enjoy the thrill, hundreds of others in the vicinity get to hear the noise, smell the fumes and risk being hit. I’ve had a couple of narrow escapes already from jetskis. Doesn't KTM get rich enough already placing grossly overpowered machines on the roads? With a bit of luck gas prices will go back through the roof.
     

  7. Chris Ostlind

    Chris Ostlind Previous Member

    You know, Terry, there's plenty of folks out there who feel the same way about you and your land vehicle of choice. It's hell when you're so unloved and misunderestimated, ain't it?

    Your best weapon is to not buy one, should it ever see the light of day. Nothing like extremely limited sales to rattle a company's cage about a product.
     
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