Fastest Hovercraft Contest

[hover dude]

I was just checking out the foamies forum and noticed that they have a fastest scratchbuilt foamy competition. It got me thinking, why not have a fastest hovercraft contest. The only prize would only be bragging rights, unless someone wanted to donate some :). The foamy contest has a few rules, such as the power system has to be less than 100 dollars and no fiber-glassing. I think 100 bux is a little tricky to pull off if one decides to use both life and thrust motors. Here are the rules I am proposing.
1. $200 price cap on power systems this includes a lift system as well (motor , esc, batteries)
2. The craft must be fully capable of being amphibious when making the speed run
3. Two runs must be made in opposite directions on a single charge. The average of the top two speeds will be used.
4. Electric only??
Other than these I can’t think of anything else. I don’t think there should be any restrictions on the type of hovercraft as long as it is amphibious. So a single motor configuration, or dual motor, finger skirt, bag skirt, no skirt all goes. As far as I can tell any building material should be ok. If you guys think of suggestions for rules please tell me. This is NOT an official competition (I think I need permission from admins to do that) it is just a proposal. Tell me what you guys think. Is anyone up for it?

[Keylitho]

Well That sounds pretty good to me I will have to get my craft finished up.. I hope you can judge from video's!

I think I am at about 120 buck for the power systems including the ESC.

[metroidrc]

sounds like fun!

[hover dude]

Any one know how to start an official contest. Also is anyone else interested?

[metroidrc]

This would be a fun contest for the traditional hovercrafts. Mine are skirtless so they are limited to land only.

[hover dude]

Metroidrc. . . I realize that your hovercrafts are skirtless, but why are they not able to go over water. I your hover gap to low? I am asking because there are amphibious hovercraft withouth skirts.

[hover dude]

By the way all I am going to be starting a thread on my newest hovercraft in the next few. . . hopefully it will be more successfull than my last one (74mm speed machine) which was underpowered. I am thinking what we can do is have 2 100 yard timed runs and then just take the average speeds. Even if you dont want to make a new hovercraft for this i think i would just be cool to have as many people time their craft as possible. It would be a nice compilation to see how fast everyone is going.

[metroidrc]

Its mosty a weight distribution and size issue. The battery pack is up front to keep the nose down at high speeds, but it also drags the nose down into the water. If the pack were closer to the back it would be ok. It also wants to tip over in the water during turns. To be more stable in water it would have to be larger and have the weight distributed more in the back.

[airlush1]

I'm in!!! I agree with electric only and the price cap. How will the speeds be confirmed? Do the speed runs have to be on the water? Or can we do one run on the water and one on land or snow and take the average of the two? Either way i'm in now i will be searching for a pond that's 100 yds long to practice on. Does it count if it's still frozen :D I plan on attempting this with this machine but with a different skirt! This hovercraft has a motor that flies my park jet in the 60-70mph range!! so it should go pretty fast.

[metroidrc]

I think I have a hovercraft that would go over water quite easily, I'm just worried about it tipping over! hmmmmmmmm I think maybe just a more powerful lift fan would keep me out of trouble.