I just finished my first hydroplane - a model of Donald Campbell's Bluebird X7.
I am quite pleased with it and grateful for the advice I have had and the posts I have read on this forum.
Here is a the link to a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEzGwatBYZs
The thing that interested me the most was the relation between prop speed and boat speed.
It looks to me like there are two stages in getting up to full planing.
The first stage happens starting at about 12 mph and the second at about 27 mph
I am guessing that at first, the sponsons start to plane while the aft end is still in the water. The second stage starts when the prop lifts itself up half out of the water.
I am a newbie to this sport so I may be all wrong but it's fun to speculate.
The other thing that happens is that it sometimes capsizes but then rights itself and just carries on. This has happened on two separate occasions. I hope to be able to film this event.
Bruce
Bruce
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