All News Posts Tagged 'Doug Ford' (6)

Pushing the hydroplane envelope didn't always work.

Reprinted from Hemmings Motor News, February, 2013.

The world of Unlimited hydroplane racing is extremely dangerous stuff under even the best circumstances. The drivers who race hydros make Sprint car jockeys and those souls who strap into Top Fuel projectiles look like geeks. The principle of these wildly overpowered racing boats is to balance them atop planes at full speed, limiting their contact…

Stories of those that tried, and sometimes died, chasing the Absolute World Water Speed Record

Author: Doug Ford, Printed by 48HrBooks, copyright 2012 ISBN-13:978-0-9847589-1-3 ISBN-10:0984758917, Published by Doug Ford Engineering, LLC / Paperback. price $24.95 + tax.

Come to the Museum on Saturday, April 6th at 7 PM and…

Unlike what has been seen in Formula 1 car racing, Indianapolis car racing, NASCAR, or Limited class boat racing, Unlimited hydroplane racing has brought out many unique and very unusual designs. Clear, not all of these worked as hoped, but they sure made things interesting, and often advanced the state of the technology.

Renown aerodynamicist Doug Ford…

By Doug Ford

Reprinted from h1unlimited.com.

There has been a lot of chatter lately about the potential of an automotive powered unlimited hydroplane--and for good reason. They are loud. They would clearly be a fan favorite. They attract an entirely different group of potential sponsors such as automotive products, motor oil, spark plugs,…

By Doug Ford

Reprinted from h1unlimited.com.

In the 1930's and 1940's, aerodynamics played little or no role in the performance of the Gold Cup boats and Unlimited Hydroplanes.  But, in 1955 the boat racing fraternity got a rude awakening as Lou Fageol and Slo-mo-shun V performed the first ever 360 degree blow-over while at high speed on the backstretch of his final lap of qualifying for the Gold Cup in Seattle. …

A historical look at skid fins and how they help hydroplanes turn left.

By Doug Ford

Reprinted from h1unlimited.com.

Everyone that has watched modern Unlimited Hydroplanes race has seen the so called "second roostertail" of spray that comes off the skid fins in a corner. That spray is very indicative of the tremendous loads these fins carry when the big boats enter a turn. It…