What happened to passenger hovercraft? BBC text story

Discussion in 'Powerboats' started by DCockey, Nov 9, 2015.

  1. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    I have opinions on that based on a fair amount of direct experience under way testing various hydrofoils. The situation where the seas cause a "knock down" or otherwise force a hydrofoil to go hull-borne, inevitably involves seas so high (relative to vessel size) that the resulting hullborne motions are very high; a truly miserable experience for passengers. The foils are certainly providing some passive damping under those conditions, but the effects are "lost in the noise" and hence largely irrelevant.

    Condor's Rodriguez hydrofoil ferry was a good example; despite having some very skilled skippers, there were occasions when the vessel would become over-matched enroute across the channel or between islands and forced to operate hull borne. Never a pleasant situation for the passengers on board.
     
  2. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    We do?

    ;)
     
  3. Leo Lazauskas
    Joined: Jan 2002
    Posts: 2,696
    Likes: 155, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 2229
    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    IMO, the only way for there to be a market for a large fleet of big SES (or ACV)
    would be if a volcanic eruption (e.g. Laki or some other Icelandic nasty?)
    rendered air flight impossible for a long time.
     
  4. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
    Posts: 5,371
    Likes: 258, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3380
    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    Leo, you seem to be ready to take over the leadership of Spectre. :p
     
  5. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    OK. I mean, I've been waiting this long....
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. Ad Hoc
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 7,773
    Likes: 1,678, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 2488
    Location: Japan

    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
     
  7. Ad Hoc
    Joined: Oct 2008
    Posts: 7,773
    Likes: 1,678, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 2488
    Location: Japan

    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

    I can testify to that, and on more than one occasion too :eek:
     
  8. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    Lionel sure did push his boats and their captains back in the day. ;)
     
  9. Leo Lazauskas
    Joined: Jan 2002
    Posts: 2,696
    Likes: 155, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 2229
    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    It's time to get a real job now that I've turned 60. And I've been watching
    volcanoes for many years, so it's a natural for me. :)

    But seriously, if there was another "Year Without Summer", or if trans-Atlantic
    and trans-Pacific flights were not possible for a couple of years or more, what
    alternatives are there that could replace airplanes?
     
  10. daiquiri
    Joined: May 2004
    Posts: 5,371
    Likes: 258, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3380
    Location: Italy (Garda Lake) and Croatia (Istria)

    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    For example, with the same total power as that Japanese TSL, a cargo submarine of the same length could probably carry at least 10 times higher useful load at 30-32 kt. Which gives like 10 times higher transport factor TF = (Wcargo x Speed) / Power.
     
  11. Leo Lazauskas
    Joined: Jan 2002
    Posts: 2,696
    Likes: 155, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 2229
    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    There are no shortage of alternatives for slow/medium transport. Apart from
    SES/ACV there's nothing I can see that could handle 75 -100 knots.
    Maybe dirigibles would become viable.
     
  12. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    SES sea trains....that's what we need. :D
     
  13. Marmoset
    Joined: Aug 2014
    Posts: 380
    Likes: 3, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 39
    Location: SF Bay Area

    Marmoset Senior Member

    yeah! ever ride on one! loud!!! cant see a thing over the spray either!

    Barry
     
  14. BMcF
    Joined: Mar 2007
    Posts: 1,173
    Likes: 182, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 361
    Location: Maryland

    BMcF Senior Member

    I even had one we operated out of our company compound for a while....an SH-2 that sounded like a flock of helicopters when it was operating. ;)
     

    Attached Files:


  15. Leo Lazauskas
    Joined: Jan 2002
    Posts: 2,696
    Likes: 155, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 2229
    Location: Adelaide, South Australia

    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Why do you need to see anything? In fact, who needs crew on ACV or SES
    these days?
    A 2000 tonne, crewless, Sea-Train at 75 knots would keep those pesky sail
    types from clogging up ports and harbours.
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.