Rebuild after a major crash two weeks ago

After my last tethered hydroplane flash steamer major crash at the Midland Area Championships two weeks ago and burning gallons of midnight oil I just managed to get it in a state to run at Kingsbury on 22 September 2013.

A fellow competitors video shows what happened 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqqOTd32sig

Despite a leaking cylinder head and a faulty prop shaft plus cam timing needing altering it still managed 122mph plus.

With Bob Kirtley on form it was a close competition with fractions of a second between our times.

A very enjoyable end to my season.

Paul

Edited By Windy on 26/09/2013 00:50:57

What an exiting run, well done

Alan

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow.

I really never even dreamt that was possible.

Richard

Jason I'd say it would be worth many hours to get 1% improovement, 10% is a massive change.

Congratulations Paul,.......... next season!!! Ian S C

Well done Paul, and congrats again on the July record.

Neil

Omg that was good to watch. I have watched northern amp draggers at Bridlington model boat club and there fast but nothing like that.

Nice jobmatey

bri

Amazing performance, Paul

MichaelG.

.

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It's very different technology, but you might enjoy this.

... Two Oracle "Americas Cup" boats practising.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 26/09/2013 22:13:55

Interesting "pattern" in the wake behind with the peaks of water (vertical) which I presume corresponds with the prop tips as it turns?

OOPS, we did'nt quite make it, but apart from an Aussy, English man, most the rest seem to be Kiwis on Oracle, oh and 1 American.

The latest I'v heard in NZ, that some Oracle crew that were ditched early are (maybe)going to court over the technoligy of the boat. The NZ syndicate is having nothing to do with this. Ian S C

It is wholly remarkable. The video just looks too fast to be real!

Neil

Thank you for your comments after the event Bob phoned to tell me on his final run his piston seized in a bad way his hydro and my own were running extremely hot.

We discussed why a possible cause because pump valve lift had increased through wear the 0.014" lift had increased that has an effect on water delivery?

This weekend I hope to do a static test in a pond to try some alterations.

A dyno would be handy but it would be difficult to simulate conditions on a run due to so many variables.

Jim Bamford tried one **LINK**

Paul

Paul, that's an interesting link. Ian S C

HI Paul,

A very interesting link.

I've seen the wind tunnel in a shed door in an old ME.

Neil

I had an interesting day at Bob Polleys railway track with the York and Pickering Model Engineer Clubs being invited.

A test firing with the Flash steamer in his small pond was a bit hair rising for me.

With the nose of the hydro embedded in the bank then raising the propeller up and down in the water to check how the engine performed.

A welders leather gauntlet was worn to hold the hydro’s stern as it gets very hot plus safety goggles as I did not know what to expect doing a static test for so long.

As I could not simulate the air speed at 120mph the burners cooled off after a while but noticed at one speed range could feel an oscillation on the rear I think it was the prop shaft as it had been straightened prior to my last meeting and was not too confident about it.

With duck weed flying it answered a few queries now back to making some new parts for it.

Thanks Bob for an interesting day.

Paul