ASV - the future of fast motorboating?

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Anyone see the article in MBY about ASVs - air supported vessels? The company that has developed the concept is here http://www.seseu.com/ and they claim a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 50% compared to a normal monohull planing boat. Is this the kind of technological step change that the industry needs in the face of rising fuel costs?

 

[Ubergeekian]

Ah, the bubblecraft. It must be thirty years since I first read about them in Popular Mechanics. A rather old copy of Popular Mechanics. I wondered where they had got to.

 

[oceanfroggie]

...in the face of rising fuel costs?

We just need to work harder to pay rising fuel costs! Sounds like another fleeting idea hijacking the green trend, engineered by friendly men with beards, pens and swiss army pen knives in their shirt pockets! Pod drives weren't all they were cracked up to be, electric and hybride boats - all nutty professor ideas that just don't work in the world of reality.

 

[Bajansailor]

With respect, I dont think that SESU developed the concept - air supported vessels (ASV), surface effect ships (SES), side wall and 'ordinary' hovercraft have all been around and working in service for a long time - nothing too new or fleeting about them!

BMT Nigel Gee are specialists in the design of these craft - here is a general list of vessels in service - http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/

While here are some links to ASV / SES vessels they have designed.

http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/1837

http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/1843

 

[Bajansailor]

Staying on the ASV theme, how do you like these rather fast PACSCAT landing craft currently being built for the British Ministry of Defence?

http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIX/2010aug00163.html

More about Pacscat here at http://www.qinetiq.com/home/defence...File.PDF/PACSCAT_Datasheet_Logo_V20_01_06.pdf
Although it is a 1.44 MB download.

And here (with another video) at http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroo...age/2009/4th_quarter/pacscat_launched_10.html

 

[epervier]

With respect, I dont think that SESU developed the concept - air supported vessels (ASV), surface effect ships (SES), side wall and 'ordinary' hovercraft have all been around and working in service for a long time - nothing too new or fleeting about them!

BMT Nigel Gee are specialists in the design of these craft - here is a general list of vessels in service - http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/

While here are some links to ASV / SES vessels they have designed.

http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/1837

http://www.ngal.co.uk/?/344/1024/1843

I agree with what you say, ACV's have been around since 1956 with
Cockerell's SRN1 in 1959, But I believe the cost of running these machines has always been a problem, they seem to be inefficient with fuel, very hard to control,you have to be a pilot as they are flown not sailed, very noisy,hardly what you'd call stealth machines, as demonstrated only last month at my local bit of beach when the Royal Marines took over their latest toy from the makers,

Even the civillian pilot who was at the contols of this particular machine couldn't go in a straight line,having said that I love the thought that we (BRITS) invented it, but as usual never really got behind it, like so many things we do, by stark contrast if the the Americans see potential in something they can't stop throwing money at it, it seems.
Back to the issue,I believe this technology may get a second chance, mainly because of the high price of oil, only IMHO.