Catamaran (FLOATBOAT 2000 is its official name)

[arbiter787]

I have built a catamaran. It is called the FLOATBOAT 2000. I was building it on my DMP server while my friend messed around, and I didn't seriously expect it to work.

But work it did! I built a boat capable of at least 135 m/s (486 km/h), and I haven't even tested it to it's maximum speed yet. It remains controllable (but unmaneuverable) throughout this time, although it lost several intakes and a rudder while I was trying to turn at that speed. At lower speeds (around 30 m/s) it is maneuverable even without the rudder I lost and it doesn't lose any intakes while turning.

Getting to the water is handled by a large set of wheels, and it took a good 20 minutes to wheel the thing to the water. This is the only disadvantage of the FLOATBOAT so far. The FLOATBOAT itself is powered by two jet engines, and is steered by two below-water rudders and four above-water fins. The rudders underwater provide an advantage, or at least have some effect, as they seem to help with stability and when I lost the right one the craft started listing to the left.

Here's the FLOATBOAT with wheeling gear on.

Confirmation of speed

The FLOATBOAT kinda digs into the water at high speed. While worrying, it doesn't actually harm the craft.

Top down at high speed

The FLOATBOAT while stopped. Note how the bow rises out of the water. It's top heavy.

At low speed. Splashes stop at high speed for some reason.

Showing off the surviving rudder

More at low speed

The FLOATBOAT's maiden voyage stopped here. I was testing what would happen if I tried to use the engines on land, and while sliding along fine for a while it eventually did a backflip and landed in the water after shedding engines and cockpit.

The cockpit survived.

Craft file here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z3mb9hfcozzgsha/FLOATBOAT%202000.craft?dl=0

Feel free to make better land gear or even a dropship to get it to the water, as it currently takes FAR too long to get it to the sea.

UPDATE: Better ground rig added, as it is now capable of speeds up to 80 m/s on land.

UPDATE DOWNLOAD: https://www.dropbox.com/s/13012qc4ur6an9a/FLOATBOAT%204000.craft?dl=0

New ground rig

Edited September 14, 2014 by arbiter787

[Roflcopterkklol]

Neato, how does it go with the shattering thing that happens at around 110m/s?

(I figured my boat shatters at that speed because the structural parts are only designed to handle 90m/s impacts and you are hitting the water at more than that, hence kaboomie)

To stop the front coming down you need to add down force with wings to push it into the water

Oh by the way, can add landing gear to use on land and it shouldnt effect how fast it goes, pretty sure they are have no weight, should be good for 80m/s on the runway as well, makes getting to the water easier

Edit: Well i had a go of it, not too bad at all, i think the reason it dips down is actually the rudders, they are making the rear end sit above the surface, i have read you can use winglets to do 300m/s with a boat but i cant get it to work, on a side note, if you tilt back and forth you start losing the air intakes off the side:P other than that i didnt get it to break until i accidently pitched down at 140m/s fun stuff, rep for you sir.

Link to my boat seen as you are a fan of things that are pointless

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/93654-Jet-Hydroplane-300kmh-on-water

Edited September 14, 2014 by Roflcopterkklol

[arbiter787]

Hmmmm. I wonder what the over-water speed record is. My boat is certainly the fastest I've seen so far that remains controllable and survives at that speed, but I haven't done much research into boats.

Thanks for the rep, by the way. I shall be trying out your craft.

Edit: Having tried out your craft, I must commend you. Your design works quite well on both land and water, and the fact it can do high-speed transitions is awesome. I accidentally overheated the four outer engines, so I don't think I got the full experience from it.

By the way, removing the rudders does nothing to help the digging problem and actually makes it want to veer off to one side more. I have added a improved ground rig with landing gear, however. I shall update the OP.

Edited September 14, 2014 by arbiter787

[Roflcopterkklol]

Hmmmm. I wonder what the over-water speed record is. My boat is certainly the fastest I've seen so far that remains controllable and survives at that speed, but I haven't done much research into boats.

Thanks for the rep, by the way. I shall be trying out your craft.

Edit: Having tried out your craft, I must commend you. Your design works quite well on both land and water, and the fact it can do high-speed transitions is awesome. I accidentally overheated the four outer engines, so I don't think I got the full experience from it.

By the way, removing the rudders does nothing to help the digging problem and actually makes it want to veer off to one side more. I have added a improved ground rig with landing gear, however. I shall update the OP.

Interesting, i never managed to get the outer engines to over heat even at full throttle, just a thought do you use FAR? i was wondering where the downforce ended up being with FAR on (i dont use it)

And i am pretty sure the record is around 320m/s with the winglets, they break easy though, have heard of 200m/s with the intakes have not seen it though.

Maybe reaction wheels could stop the dipping? I have a fair few reaction wheels on my boat to help with the stability being that most of the weight in the main structure is over the rear, noticed your boat is nearly the same so maybe that is what it needs with the winglets pointing towards the ground to give it some downforce at the rear

Edited September 15, 2014 by Roflcopterkklol

[Nik_601]

Looks like high-speed boats became very popular)

[Roflcopterkklol]

Looks like high-speed boats became very popular)

Of course, Gotta try and break all the limits in the game

[arbiter787]

Interesting, i never managed to get the outer engines to over heat even at full throttle, just a thought do you use FAR? i was wondering where the downforce ended up being with FAR on (i dont use it)

And i am pretty sure the record is around 320m/s with the winglets, they break easy though, have heard of 200m/s with the intakes have not seen it though.

Maybe reaction wheels could stop the dipping? I have a fair few reaction wheels on my boat to help with the stability being that most of the weight in the main structure is over the rear, noticed your boat is nearly the same so maybe that is what it needs with the winglets pointing towards the ground to give it some downforce at the rear

I use NEAR. Your craft seemed to work fine using it, minus the rapid overheating of course. I might try reaction wheels when I get the chance to mess around with the design more, but the dipping seems to have no negative side effects at all so it shouldn't matter.

[Roflcopterkklol]

I use NEAR. Your craft seemed to work fine using it, minus the rapid overheating of course. I might try reaction wheels when I get the chance to mess around with the design more, but the dipping seems to have no negative side effects at all so it shouldn't matter.

Ahh that would be it, i made the craft with stock physics, cant overheat those engines if you over lap them with stock physics if you want to be able to use it with near i would suggest chucking a quad stack in place of all 5 engines that are there so it is usable at full throttle.

(Really a double set of engines would be enough for it)

Anywho if you are going to continue on the boat designs, when using reaction wheels you will find yourself using a leg design like i ended up with for stability, also downforce is a must i found, I am not 100% sure on NEAR (Dont use any atmosphere mods) but you can use my boats down force position relevant to its centre of mass to get an idea of what you should be looking for on yours, love to see something like my boat with more performance, i am a bit over the idea so go nuts with what you can learn from my boat and make something insane

Smaller is key is my thinking.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Roflcopterkklol

[arbiter787]

Thanks for the tips, I'll see what I can come up with next time I get around to playing. I don't KSP in my free time that often, sadly. I get kinda burnt out on it after a couple hours then I have to go play something else.