How to make world's fastest water transport on the pedals?

While different teams are trying to build a car that can move at the speed of sound, others are trying to beat a more modest record. Is it possible to overclock the ship, driven by people up to speeds higher than 34 kilometers per hour?

One cold October day in 1991, a group of Massachusetts Institute of technology under the guidance of physics Mark Drela set the record for the fastest waterfowl funds, that is, on the pedals. Their hydrofoil Decavitator accelerated to 18.5 knots (34 km/h) 100-meter stretch of the Charles river, which flows through Boston.

Decavitator was not a single drop like underwater wings that carry tourists to Greece. No, it was a catamaran with two slim hulls and the huge air propeller, which is attached in the back. The driver himself was Drela hanging out between two buildings, furiously pedaling.

In the Spring of 1993, the "Decapitator" was awarded the DuPont prize for the fastest water transport, driven by a man. After his record-breaking performances of transport exhibited in the lobby of the Boston science Museum.

Twenty-five years later, despite many attempts, this record remains unbroken.

However, an offshoot of Oxford University – Animal Dynamics, coritinue zoologist Adrian Thomas, spends £ 200,000 on it. Their unit Malolo ("Malolo") is an underwater wing according to the type "Decapitator". Unlike the rival project, "Malolo" is inspired by the movement of whales through the water instead of the propeller it uses a giant arched tail, which can sometimes be seen above the water and the diving whale.

Two years after beginning work on the project, the team began testing its third prototype off the South coast of England. According to Thomas, they have clocked up 22 miles per hour (12 knots).

The team expect to build at least three prototypes before they will really go for the record next year, each of which will be smaller and lighter than the previous one.

The Question is, will they be able to succeed where "Decapitator" could not?

This accelerates transport with human muscle power. For most of us it's bikes. But these bikes can and in the air fly and swim on the sea and even on the rails to ride.

The Bike is an everyday form of transport for many people, but the principle of their work can be put into the basis of a completely new vehicle, for example, to break the record or make the reputation. Drela have already participated in the installation records for the flying bikes to the record breaking attempt on the water – and so can boast not every. His work on flying bike resulted in a flight to "the dragonfly" Daedalus from Crete to Santorini in 1988. This flight set a record for speed and endurance flying Bicycle.

Upon return to the U.S. team Drela decided to win award DuPont (DuPont Prize), building the fastest water vessel, driven by human muscle, which was announced in 1988. The prize was to award the first team that can get up to 20 nodes in a 100-meter stretch, or the team, which will be the fastest as of December 31, 1992.

Drela realized that the only way to get the prize will be the development of a catamaran with an underwater wing.

Transport on the underwater wing — half boat, half plane. Often they are used to move between remote Islands or for a quick move from point a to point B. as soon as the boat accelerates, the hydrofoil lifts it above the water, and it seems to be flying low over the water.

The hydrofoil was invented in the late 19th century. But only in 1955, German engineer Julius SHUK presented to the public the first underwater wing. He called it "Wasserlauf" (running on water).

Since there are many different types of single - and even double units on the underwater wing, AquaSkipper, Foiled Again and others. They used the propellers under the water and above the water, flapping wings and oars to go fast enough to fly. The first version of the Flying Fish was even launched from a catapult. In Japan held an exciting race.

Engineers like Direly interested in doing because underwater wings allow you to create the fastest water transport on human power. Long kayaks are renowned for team race between Oxford and Cambridge will never beat the record set by "Decapitation" many years ago.

"I thought that my record will be beaten", was recognized Drela. "But we approached the project with a huge Luggage of experience on other projects and worked very hard. Build it was much harder than a flying unit. If you are drifting up and down on the airplane, it's not a problem. But hydrofoil drift even a few inches could be a disaster".

"there Were a lot of teams that tried, but failed to beat the record because they lacked qualified people, time to make things right, and money, because it's expensive," says Adrian Thomas, co-founder of Animal Dynamics. "We need to spend money to do it yourself and be ready for errors".

"Now it's too expensive for Amateurs and requires a whole heap of different skills," he says. "So, I think Mike was Drella was the only one who managed to do it. He had a fantastic set of skills and support of MIT behind".

Yet some believe that the victory of "Decapitator" was due to the wind in the back.

"the Rules of the award, DuPont was allowed to use a light breeze blowing from behind, about 4.8 km/h," says Allan Abbott, a member of Flying Fish 20. In 1987, Olympic gold medalist Steve Hegg set a world record time of 5 minutes, 48,53 seconds (11.15 node) on the 2,000-meter marine stadium in long beach, with Flying Fish 2. This record, though not as loud, still holds today.

"Decapitator" was designed to take advantage of it and use the propeller. Tailwind helps apparatus, which starts from the wind, when compared with the apparatus, a propeller which revolves in the water."

And then in competition in December of 1992, reservoir Paddington in California, where the wind speed was low, the speed of "Decapitator" was slightly smaller than Flying Fish.

"the Projects of underwater wings that hold the world speed record, was created specifically for high speed, and they are bound to be impractical, or do not fly with less effort."

"What advice would I give today's initiators of this race? Find a sponsor for the project. It is unlikely that these events will be something that you can sell."

However, Thomas and Alex Caccia, co-founder and CEO of Animal Dynamics, sure to break the record speed faster than 20 knots – and will be able later to sell his invention.

Animal Dynamics is taking a slightly different high-tech approach. Its technology is inspired by nature. The company is developing a small unmanned drone Skeeter for the UK Ministry of defence. It looks like a dragonfly and is able to spread her wings in flight. The company also instructed to develop a prototype of an Autonomous paramotor that could help soldiers at the front in the future.

The Lessons of the project, according to Thomas and Caccia have helped to overcome technical obstacles, "Malolo".

"the Reason we have a chance to break the record, that the whale tail is 20-30% more efficiency than a propeller," says Adrian Thomas. "It's just hard to do. Many have tried to take it, but no it never developed. I think because it is difficult to establish a mechanism for effective management".

The goal of the project is to convert the circular motion of the pedals when flapping the fin up and down without significant loss of efficiency. There are many ways to do this and has registered lots patents. And that's the biggest problem. Many teams come to the conclusion that it is easier to take a propeller and force the guy to pedal.

Thomas and Caccia see their technology in more than just a way to break the record: they see the technology that will help make the air cleaner and the planet cooler, freeing us from one of the dirtiest industries – navigable.

Studies show that only one giant ship, carrying containers, and can leave as much emissions, how much 50 million cars. The 16 largest ships emit as much nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide, how many of the 760 million cars.

The Engineers are interested in how to use the whale's tail for the movement of ships, they say. They don't need to build ships, whales, simply replace the propeller fins that go up and down.

It is nice That there are already hydraulic mechanisms working like a whale tail. In the water tank near laboratories in North Oxford engineers will soon experience the side the engine on the fin that goes up and down. The fin whale can also provide a 20-30% saving in fuel for ships. This industry is gradually moving towards Autonomous vehicles, and now it's time to develop more efficient ways of movement on the water. Such a thing is worthy of any award.

BBC...