Yeah, I know it’s not vintage (wink, wink…send me some pics), but I am a HUGE fan of when folks dream up ideas and proceed to built a race hydroplane to see if those ideas will work. This E class hydro was spotted at some west coast races. No word was given to us on who’s design it is or how well it performed. My personal, non-engineer view of it is – not seeing a conventional tunnel (or air trap), but instead relies on “wings” between the sponsons and the boat to attain lift.
Interesting to say the least.
Julie Sparrowgrove send me an email and tells me the neat boat, E-24 Miss Demeanor was built by Jim Hill and is campaigned by Hill Family racing.
Below is nice photo she took at 2015 Manson Hydro Fest.
Julie Sparrowgrove’s website.
Neat photo of the boat on Jim Hill’s facebook page.
Footnote: Dan Ellison who designed and built the boat originally sent me some pics of how the boat looked when he finished building it. As you can see, the team that acquired her made quite a few modifications. Dan states he has other plans on the drawing table and states the designs will be fast. Dan can be reached by email.
Thanks for posting the build pictures
Great to see people with new ideas and willing to try and take the innovation to a new level. Maybe with some trial and modification they can get it mastered. Really this is what brought hydro racing to the speeds they attain today with people willing to try to have leading edge ideas and a willingness to push the idea through. Good luck Brent Nixon Summerstown Ont Canada
This is a common model racing hydro design.