design ideas...

[noa]

while doing some research on various hydrofoils designs and how they could be aplied to downwind boards, i started seeing some other options. one of them are stepped hulls http://www.parlier.org/hydraplaneur/bateau/innovations.php?lang=eng
they come in many "flavors", depending on the type and speed of craft its used on (or under). with some modifications it could possibly have some merit on downwinders.
the possibillities are endless, but who is going to finance the prototypes to explore all these options ?

[Tom]

I enjoyed that website and the hydraplaneur looks like a really wild ride. Here is San Diego they are testing the BMW Oracle 90, check out its website
bmworacleracing.com
I haven't seen it close up, but often see it out at sea, the thing is massive.

[stuey c]

   There are quite a few designs out there such as hydroplanes and hydrofoils that will allow a craft to move at amazing speeds but unfortunately all of these require more horsepower to drive than a human being can generate. Also when they are not operating at their peak, i.e. sitting on or above the water they are very inneficient. The only time a Sup has the horespower to possibly utilise these designs is when on a run which is only a small percentage of the time and because they aren't at their best when sitting low in the water it's difficult to catch these runs. I believe the secret to creating a fast Sup is in building a long narrow easily driven hull that doesn't rely on planing for optimum speed, the trick though is in finding the happy medium where the paddler isn't expending too much energy maintaing balance.......

[noa]

Hi Stuey,
thanks for your input regarding these issues. for a pure downwind board that will be used from 15 knots onwards in open ocean swells, how narrow and how long do you think designs could be pushed ?
what do you thing of J.Mitchels "Infront" paddleboards and their turbo hulls ?

[DavidJohn]

Some designs are never going to work.. 

DJ

[stuey c]

Hi Stuey,
thanks for your input regarding these issues. for a pure downwind board that will be used from 15 knots onwards in open ocean swells, how narrow and how long do you think designs could be pushed ?
what do you thing of J.Mitchels "Infront" paddleboards and their turbo hulls ?
[

   Hey Noa, For those conditions I would really like to try something around 20'0"x 26". With the rocker I use and the undercut rails this would give a footprint of about 18'6"x 22 1/2", it'd be a rocket and probably a handfull in short period chop and swells but at the moment I think this would probably be somewhere round the limit, sizewise for a Sup. I've only checked Jamies' Infront boards on their website and they look pretty sweet, those guys have been building them for a while and do a nice job......
/quote]

[stoneaxe]

Some designs are never going to work.. 

DJ

LOL...funny you should say that DJ...actually these guys sell quite a few of these. Its a local company and they sell a lot for folks that want to use them for fishing... Looks like a tugboat though...ugh.
http://www.wavewalk.com/

[PonoBill]

Oof. What an ugly ride.

[Paddle-Plappe]

Do you know the flyak? 27 km/h !

[greatdane]

The fkyak is awesome... but can only get up on the foils if paddled by an olympic-class paddler... leaves me out.  Freakin' cool though.

[PonoBill]

I got some info from the guys behind it. I think it may go to a place where humans can use it. It's a neat concept. The new surfcycles, a sit on frame with hydrofoils that you pump with your weight, might also enable swell riding by mortals.

[Paddle-Plappe]

Yes, aquaskipper