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[Fence Sence]

Re: Favorites

Good eye! Awesome project, bad location.

[speeddemon]

Re: Favorites

Good eye! Awesome project, bad location.

You know, from what I remember....the day that he was killed he was only going out 'for show'. It was really windy, and the water conditions were choppy and less than ideal...but the course sanction was running out on Lake Tahoe, and Taylor was feeling a lot of pressure to go out and do 'something' for all the investors and sponsors that were there.

On smooth water, I think the boat was relatively stable. But in a chop...well....we saw what happened.

[Leo]

Re: Favorites

Has'nt any boat that has gotten close to 300 had problems? I was once lectured in a physics class that it was considered a barrier similiar to the mythical "sound barrier" that technology and design had,nt reached yet. But this WAS in the early eighties.

[speeddemon]

Re: Favorites

Has'nt any boat that has gotten close to 300 had problems? I was once lectured in a physics class that it was considered a barrier similiar to the mythical "sound barrier" that technology and design had,nt reached yet. But this WAS in the early eighties.

Ken Warby went 317 in 1978 with relatively few issues. The boat looked very stable.

Some of the less successful attempts in the last 30 years have had problems because of design and/or water conditions. At 300 mph, even a slight chop on the water can upset the boat. When Craig Arfons was killed in Sebring back in '89, he hit a patrol boat wake, and it made the boat go completely out of control.

[Leo]

Re: Favorites

Well, like I said, it was a lecture...
Fastest I've been on water was 78 during a run with my dad to see how fast the boat we built would go, measured thru a timed trap so fairly accurate. I know what the slightest ripple felt then, can only imagine it at 300!
It would seem to me that very little of the boat could be in contact with the water at that point and your control would be more aerodynamic than anything else.

[speeddemon]

Re: Favorites

Well, like I said, it was a lecture...
Fastest I've been on water was 78 during a run with my dad to see how fast the boat we built would go, measured thru a timed trap so fairly accurate. I know what the slightest ripple felt then, can only imagine it at 300!
It would seem to me that very little of the boat could be in contact with the water at that point and your control would be more aerodynamic than anything else.

Absolutely.

You want to go over the chop. I've been at 120mph on the water, and it felt like everything was in slow motion....even the big waves I had time to watch come towards us....

[mayday51]

Re: Favorites

Absolutely.

You want to go over the chop. I've been at 120mph on the water, and it felt like everything was in slow motion....even the big waves I had time to watch come towards us....

...try an older (50's/60"s ) unlimited at ~180 on the Detroit River,
..that "Hole" off the yaucht club and the one off the boat club are bigger than any house I've lived in !

........they come mighty quick too !

[Leo]

Re: Favorites

Continueing the highjack...
I used to race around in a plywood 8.5 foot hydro that we built with a little 7.5 hp outbourd. It would do about 30-35 on smooth water, and do nothing but bounce and swamp in rough water! Used to wake jump in it until I was banned after flipping it too many times.
Jeez it was fun!
And when we were into drag boats rode in a few of the early "picklefork hydros, fast but very intolerant of chop. I watch the big unlimiteds and just marvel at the driving, especially when they show the cockpit and how much that guy is getting thrown around.
Ya wanna try chop tho, ski in a race behind a drag boat with a group of others at about 45-50, hard work!

[hattend]

Re: Favorites

Unlimited: Rare Bear
Jet: Mary Dilda
AT-6: Two of Hearts
Sport: Nemesis and Relentless
Biplane: Ruby #4
IF1: Alley Cat

Don