Trimarans and the BladeRunner...

Yes Catmando,

We were building very light boats in the past. A 24-footer could weigh in at under 100kg and we could put on a V8 racing outboarder giving at least 350 hp. Actually such a boat was the best I´ve raced, very fast and still predictable. Today the UIM rules is trying to limit speeds to what a human has a chance to survive, cause accidents do happen.

In our archipelagos I also think an average race speed for our small offshore class III boats of about 60 knots is enough, even if some are still close to 90 knots in top speed...

You are doing right using a helmet and hopefully also an approved racing vest. Without them I doubt I should still be alive and I think it is a shame when organizers of Poker Runs don´t stipulate them to be used.

Anyway, is your model produced in any numbers and is there a version with deeper V, or is the whole project history today?

/Lars

One of the most recent designs by Carlson -

http://www.hallettboats.com/260-ac.html

More Sea Knife Photos

I had posted some material and photos of Sea Knife back on posting #47

Just today I ran across a few more photos of Sea Knife hidding out on one of my computers. Thought I would add them to the subject thread.

Bladerunner is alive and well

Gentlemen,
I was directed to your forum/thread today by a friend and as i unwound this evening decided to explore. You are definately a very intelligent bunch, masters in your fields i am sure. I have learned a lot here tonight and was especially surprised to learn a few things i was completely ignorant about.

Regarding a few of the articles i read, i offer the following;
The Bladerunner 51 did return for the round Britain challenge following repairs to the surface drive assembly after impacting with an unknown object during its initial run. The Bladerunner, "Bradstone Challenger" destroyed the existing record set by the OTAM 80 by 3 hours and 41 minutes for an overall time of 27 hours and 10 minutres at an average speed of 63.5 MPH. Following these excellent results it was decided to create a pleasureboat version of the same craft and go to market with the technology, concept, power and speed. Hull number 2 is being built by my firm in Fort Lauderdale to be delivered to it's new owner (already sold) in the next few weeks. Like the Bradstone Challenger, this craft is also powered by twin Caterpiller C-18 diesels (1015 HP) coupled to arneson ASD12 surface drives. The hull and foredecks will be metallic silver with the interior accents being a combination of carbon fiber, brushed aluminum and glove leather fabrics. I have attached a few renderings/pics. she is expected to achieve 70 knots.

Thanks for coming back on this and if you´ll recieve the press release it would be useful to read what they have to say on safety issues. Our Racing Federation still consider Poker Runs as outlaws, but it would be better to impose some basic safety rules, get a proper insurance and above all less risky races...

"Our Racing Federation still consider Poker Runs as outlaws"

That has a familiar ring to it. I've attended a few poker runs, and will say I'm one happy outlaw.

Kelly

Power Trimaran Circumnavigation Record Attempt

Press release from Earthrace, the extraordinary power trimaran built in New Zealand to set a speed record for a circumnavigation of the world:


Auckland, New Zealand--Last week the Earthrace boat and her crew began its sea trials in the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland after two years in concept and one year of building. It was an extremely pensive moment for all the crew as the Cummins engines were fired up for the first time, and the boat was powered under her own steam out into the Harbour and beyond.

The boat has already attracted enormous interest from other (somewhat surprised) boaties in Auckland Harbour and local and international media, with a film crew from the Discovery Channel spending the past two days with the boat.

Only minor faults have been found as a result of the testing so far which is extremely encouraging and will mean very few modifications will need to be made to the boat before she will be open-ocean ready.

"You've got to expect a few things to go wrong when you launch a new boat
We're really lucky in that so far we've only had a couple of minor hitches. The boat's about exactly where we expected it to be, it's performing great!"
- Pete Bethune, Earthrace skipper.

The crew is hoping for a storm to come through in the next week so the boat can be put to the test in its true elements.

The Earthrace crew is extremely proud to have the boat up and running and nearly ready to begin our global mission. This will begin late next week with the crew taking the boat around the Coromandel Peninsula over the Easter period with stops in Whitianga, Tairua/Pauanui, Whangamata, Mt Maunganui and Tauranga.

Please see the Earthrace website or listen to your local radio stations for details of our exact whereabouts if you'd like to see the boat in the flesh and have a look through and meet the crew.

More about Earthrace

The Earthrace is an attempt to set the world record for circumnavigating of the globe.

The boat is to be fuelled with 100% biodiesel, a fuel made from renewable sources such as canola and rape.

The current 75-day record is held by British boat Cable and Wireless in 1998, Earthrace aims to complete the race in less than 65 days. It is also the first time in history an official UIM Powerboat record will be attempted using renewable fuel.

The boat has a unique wave piercing hull that allows the boat to pierce through the water rather than riding over the top.

Wave piercing technology was originally formulated for passenger ferry applications, and more recently it has been applied to military craft.

Wave piercing is a key element in getting the record for circumnavigating the globe as it allows the boat to run continuously at high speed in both flat and rough sea conditions.

The Earthrace has been funded to date by sponsorship from more than 200 marine supplies companies who have donated everything from onboard communications gear to high-tech toilets.

The boat will tour New Zealand from mid April through June.

http://www.earthrace.net/view.asp
http://www.cld.co.nz/welcome.htm
http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/cable_and_wireless.htm

Model of Bladerunner

I ran across this website of a model boat builder who happened to have a model of the ICE Bladerunner

http://www.fastelectrics.com/bladerunner.htm

What I found particularly interesting was the hull shape of this model in comparison with the hull shape shown in posting #21

The hull shape of the boat shown in Miami Show more closely resembles the model photo below, and that of the Carlson boat at posting #57

At that point I don't know whether to call it a trimaran or a tunnel hull?

Well heres the real thing! Outside the launch party for the BladeRun rally last year!

I made a mistake there. That sould have been posting #58 rather than #57

Go through the waves, not over...

Launched February 22nd, this 24-meter Craig Loomes designed, wavepiercing trimaran is going after the EarthRace record...

http://www.cld.co.nz/welcome.htm

Torpedo with stalibizers?