On the Water

Volvo Round-the-world Race visits the Big Apple

By Mike Hanlon

May 7, 2006 When the runaway leader of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, ABN AMRO 1, enters New York harbour some time tomorrow the round-the-world race will have been underway for more than six months - the 32,700 mile race having begun in Vigo, Spain on November 12, 2005 is scheduled to end in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 17, 2006. With more than 29,000 nautical miles of the race completed and just a tenth of that distance remaining in one of the world’s most gruelling adventure races, ABN AMRO I looks likely to take the event barring mishap. The has journeyed from Europe via the Atlantic to Cape Town then on to Melbourne, Australia, then across the Tasman Sea to Wellington, New Zealand, then across the Pacific ocean to Rio de Janeiro, then on to Baltimore, USA. If you’re in the Big Apple this week, make sure you get down and take a look at the most remarkable, high tech sailing machines ever assembled. Currently, boaters are setting their sails as they prepare to finish the sixth course of the race in New York on May 8. After a 48-hour stay, crews will hoist their anchors and set sail for Portsmouth, England. There are many fantastic information resources on the internet which cover the technologies used in the construction and design of the canting-keel boats,

the official race site with full tracking of the boats and much more, and the official sites of the leading boats such as ABN AMRO I & II, the Spanish Movistar boat which set a world 24 hour distance record just prior to the start of the race, the superbly named Pirates of the Caribean, Brasil 1 and Ericsson Racing Team. Check out the image library for a taste of the spectacular nature of the event. Check out the image library Read More

The innovative new 70 WallyPower Motor Yacht

By Mike Hanlon

April 3, 2006 The new 70 WallyPower carries the same distinctive stealth-like exterior as the US$25 million WallyPower 118 that won the Millenium Yacht Design Award, an award dedicated to the “Layout of the Third Millennium, a design that remarkably contributed to the development of the concept of the yacht layout”. The 70 WallyPower’s credentials as a floating pointer to the future remain equally as distinctive, with a glass composite hull, carbon fiber superstructure and KaMeWa water-jet propulsion system though with a far more modest price tag than its 118 big sister in the vicinity of US$3.5 million. The 21-meter WallyPower 70 comes in two basic models, both with that same distinctive dark glass exterior though one has a fully enclosed glass cabin area and the other is open to the aft transom, with the air conditioning acting as a barrier between the outside and the inside. Both can seat 20 or more for meals, though if it’s party space you’re after, the open version with the “lunch boat” layout is the one to go for, as its deck plan flows seamlessly between three social areas. And if you fancy speed, both boats are powered by two MTU diesel engines generating 3,000 horsepower, pushing the 70 WallyPower’s top speed 47.5 knots half load, and 45 knots full load at continuous duty with a consumption of only 250 litres – 66 US gallons per hour! Extensive photo library of these exquisite motor yachts. Read More

Rolls-Royce at the helm of Royal Navy flagship

By Mike Hanlon

March 27, 2006 It seems logical that prestige automotive designers should be the go-to-guys when you wish to create an ambience of luxury – they’ve been doing it for a long time and it’s the key difference that enables a few extra zeros to be added to the price. We saw it recently when BMW Group Designworks was used by Airbus to design a luxury aircraft interior and now we’ve seen Rolls-Royce Motor Cars employed to make a special captain’s chair for HMS Illustrious – the flagship of the Royal Navy. The chair, which is appropriately finished in the finest navy blue leather with sea shell-coloured piping, was handcrafted by Rolls-Royce engineers and craftspeople at the company’s world headquarters in Goodwood. It is based on the front seat originally designed for the best-selling Rolls-Royce Phantom and has been specially adapted for its sea-faring role. The chair was officially presented by Rolls-Royce chairman, Ian Robertson, and a group of Rolls-Royce staff to Captain Bob Cooling and his crew in Portsmouth yesterday, as part of the ship’s refurbishment. Read More

The 1250cc, 165 horsepower, 60mph Jetbike

By Mike Hanlon

March 27, 2006 Imagine a motorcycle that it didn’t hurt to fall off. Or one that didn’t do costly damage to itself in an accident. The Aquajet Jetbike WX-1 1250(MAV) is just such a beastie - a new type of watercraft powered by a 165 horsepower three cylinder two-stroke engine via a jet drive to offer a wild 60mph experience that is uncannily like riding a real motorcycle – without the pain of a transgression. Every aspect of the Jetbike is designed to give a motorcycle-like riding experience, from almost identical riding ergonomics and controls to the steerable front ski which has suspension, steering and handling attributes akin to those of a wheeled motorcycle, meaning you can carve turns for hours on end. For motorcyclists it represents the chance to go silly in a familiar environment without paying the inevitable price of pushing the limits on a motorcycle – a hefty repair bill, bruising, missing bark and the occasional broken bone. Sixty miles per hour on water is VERY fast so the thrills are just as heart pounding as those offered by a grand prix motorcycle and muscling the machine at those speeds provides an extreme aerobic workout such that the fitter you are, the faster you’ll go. The Jetbike is also spectacular and delivers blitzkreig point-to-point times, so it is perfectly suited to some form of offshore racing once sufficient numbers are available. Finally, the Jetbike’s engine is seawater cooled and all mechanical components are underwater at speeds below seven miles per hour. Combine this low-signature-everything stealth with extreme speed, manoeuvrability, and carrying capacity and you have an ideal platform for the potent military weapons system which is under development. The design allows for packing massive firepower while still maintaining a healthy lead as the manned military vehicle with the highest power-to-weight ratio. Read More

The Talisman Autonomous Underwater System

By Mike Hanlon

March 24, 2006 We hear a lot about Unmanned Aerial vehicles from the size of a butterfly to a full blown jet, and unmanned ground vehicles have been getting their share of the limelight recently too. So it figures that Unmanned Underwater Vehicles would soon become commercially available too. BAE Systems launched an autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) Talisman at Oceanology International 2006 earlier this week and like its cousins, the latest-generation modular multi-role UUV Talisman is equally omnipotent and capable of a wide range of maritime littoral operations. Talisman comprises the vehicle and a remote control console. The vehicle is based on an innovatively-shaped carbon fiber composite hull, equipped with internal carbon fiber composite pressure vessels containing the electronics systems and payload. The hull is fitted with commercial-off-the-shelf vectorable thruster pods, which allow it to maneuver very accurately, hover and turn 360 within its own length. The hull has been designed and manufactured by stealth aircraft technology experts at the BAE Systems military aircraft sites at Warton and Samlesbury, U.K. Read More

Ocean treasure hunting Dream Team gets celeb Captain

By Mike Hanlon

March 5, 2006 Exploration and treasure recovery team Deep Blue Marine had all the pieces to make a treasure hunting "dream team," except one. They needed a familiar face to launch and lend credibility to their brand. The company has solved that problem by inking a deal with celebrity James Brolin to be the spokesperson and face of DPBM Read More

Volvo Penta’s new IPS joystick controller for boats

By Mike Hanlon

February 26, 2006 Old school thinking has a distinct ring to it. “If it aint broke, don’t fix it” and “It’s always been done that way for a very good reason” are the catchcries of an era long-since-past. Once upon a time, ships and boats were pushed through the water by a fixed screw propeller and steered by a rudder. Now Volvo Penta has released a new system it has dubbed the Inboard Performance System (IPS) system and turned the whole industry on its ear. With double forward-facing propellers and steerable drive units, boats equipped with the Volvo Penta IPS are significantly better than boats with traditional inboard shafts in virtually all respects: comfort, performance, environmental features and driving characteristics. Since its introduction last year, the Volvo Penta IPS has received prizes and awards throughout the world but time stands still for no man and now there’s a new enhancement that will look strangely familiar to computer gamers - a joystick. Even the most experienced boat-owners can sometimes feel uncomfortable about the prospect of docking a large boat in a congested harbour, especially if the dockside is filled with spectators! Volvo Penta’s new IPS Joystick eliminates that problem. With just a few simple hand movements, you can place your boat elegantly against the dock. Read More

Royal Rendezvous: Queen Mary 2 meets namesake Queen Mary

By Mike Hanlon

February 25, 2006 Maritime history was made Thursday as two legendary ocean liners, the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Mary, met for the first time in Long Beach harbour for a royal rendezvous. The commemorative festivities were part of the Cunard Lines' Queen Mary 2's highly anticipated maiden call to Los Angeles on Wednesday, where more than 25,000 spectators turned out. As she entered Long Beach harbour on February 23, the Queen Mary 2 was met by a flotilla of 800 boats, 14 helicopters, and three blimps, as well as 6000 spectators lining the shore to view the festivities. A first-time whistle salutation between the famed ocean liners had even more meaning as the QM2 carries one of her namesake's original whistles, the tone of whose deep bass "A" can be heard ten miles away. When the original Queen Mary was built, it was the world’s largest ever ship, being significantly larger than the Titanic. It still holds the record for the most people carried aboard a floating vessel. The Queen Mary 2 is longer, taller and nearly twice as large as the Queen Mary. Read More

Fantastic toys for the pool

By Mike Hanlon

June 5, 2006 The art of resting the mind is fundamental to replenishing life’s energies and lazing around in a pool on a floater just has to be one of the most potent , readily available and affordable methods of achieving said relaxation. Excalibur Electronics has built what must be the ultimate pool lounger for the playful-at-heart. The US $150 PVC extended armchair has two powerful electric motors driving independent propellers directed by the joysticks on either arm rest, enabling one to propel oneself around one's pool in comfort and style – a nudge here, a squirt there and you can maintain the exact position you wish. Each lounger comes with its own built-in drink holder, but there’s an optional US$50 radio controlled drink holder and snack tray and a US$30 floating radio to complete the suite. Along similar lines but designed for a different, more boisterous form of pool relaxation is the US$185 Ocean Scooter, which is an inflatable , battery-powered electric jet-ski for the pool. If you have a pool, both these toys could considerably enhance your enjoyment . Read More

Stiletto Experimental ship with carbon fiber M-hull design tops 50 knots (60mph)

By Mike Hanlon

The M80 Stiletto Experimental Vessel was launched this week offering a sneak peak at the next generation of military vessels. The Stiletto is an operational experiment by the Pentagon’s Office of Force Transformation (OFT) and its revolutionary carbon fibre structure and hull enable it to operate in shallow water, with 50 knot speeds, stability and great stealth as part of its armoury. Costing US$12.5 million to develop and build, the 88ft vessel is capable of carrying 37 tonnes at speed over a range of 500 nautical miles. The patented M-hull design transitions automatically and efficiently through hydrostatic, hydrodynamic and aerostatic lift modes with increasing speeds effectively creating a cushion of air and providing a comfortable high speed ride with great stability, and has enormous promise for a wide range of nautical applications for boats from 8 through 200 feet (see these stunning concepts). The Stiletto is powered by four 1,650-horsepower Caterpillar engines, and can cruise comfortably near its top speed of more than 50 knots (60 miles per hour). With a shallow draft of less than 3 feet, Stiletto has a three man crew, and will carry a complement of 12 US Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) commandos, an11 metre rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) and either Manta and Silver Wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Read More

Likeafish extracts air from water to enable a new paradigm in underwater exploration and living

By Mike Hanlon

February 3, 2006 Air and water are two of life's staples - interestingly, two of the best ideas we've ever written up involve both. Airwater machines extract water from the air and now there's a machine which can extract air from water, on-the-fly. Isreali company LikeAFish has developed a new technology which will enable a new paradigm in underwater exploration and living. Likeafish’s tankless diving technology is able to extract air from water and could revolutionise scuba diving, offering unlimited dive time and no need for expensive and inconvenient refills. The appropriately-named company uses a method similar to a fish’s gills to extract the dissolved air present in all seawater to offer an indefinitely sustainable supply of oxygen to scuba divers, submarines and underwater habitats. The device uses a battery-powered centrifuge to lower the pressure of seawater in a sealed chamber, enabling the air to escape, in a similar manner to opening a bottle of lemonade. After separation in the centrifuge, the air is transferred to an air bag for use by the diver. The first unit will be installed in Lloyd Godson’s BioSUB this year – the BioSUB is the world’s first self-sufficient, self-sustaining underwater habitat. Read More

The Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA-R) amphibious assault ship

By Mike Hanlon

January 24, 2006 The United States Defense Acquisition Board has approved the Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA)-Replacement amphibious assault ship program to enter system development and demonstration (SDD) phase. The Northrop Grumman LHA(R) will be the U.S. Navy's newest multifunctional and most versatile, amphibious assault ship, incorporating enhanced aviation capabilities centred around the STOVL F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and the V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey. The LHA(R) will be a variant of the gas-turbine powered LHD 8. This longer and wider ship will provide increased aviation capability, vehicle lift, cargo magazine capacity, better survivability, increased habitability standards and greater service life margins. Read More

Winner takes all in Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

By Mike Hanlon

January 1, 2006 When Wild Oats XI crossed the finish line on December 27, it became just the sixth boat in the 61 year history of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race to take the line honours and handicap double. It also became only the second boat in history to win the magical treble (the first boat to do it was Rani under Captain John Illingworth in the inaugural race) by setting a new race record too, eclipsing Nokia's 1999 race record by more than an hour for the 628 nautical mile race. It is an enormous irony though, that the boat which was the last in contention to beat the US$10 million super maxi was the oldest boat in the race. The 41-footer Ray White Koomooloo won the race on IRC in 1968 with an elapsed time 4 days, 10 hours, 26 min and 52sec – in her time she was at the very forefront of boating technology with her lightweight four-skin, cold moulded wooden construction. This year she bettered that time by more than eleven hours to finish in 3 days, 22hours, 51min and 39sec but light winds in the final stages cost her any chance of repeating her IRC victory of 37 years ago. The mahogany-constructed Sparkman-Stephens-designed Koomooloo was lovingly restored over seven years and for the last twelve months has been heavily and successfully campaigned by Queenslander Don Freebairn. That's Wild Oats XI on the left and Koomooloo on the right. Read More

Rolex Sydney to Hobart: super maxi yacht showdown

By Mike Hanlon

December 26, 2005 Ocean racing is one of the most exciting and dangerous sports yet conceived by man, and with one of the sport’s flagship events now 21 hours old, we are witnessing one of the most public yacht races ever staged. Normally, ocean racing is not a spectator event, but thanks to an array of technologies, the entire world can watch the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race via the Internet. In addition to the official race web site’s yacht tracker functionality, this year it is possible to watch via Google’s new 3D interface to the planet, Google Earth (Google Earth combines satellite imagery with a model that can be zoomed, spun and tilted - instructions here), with yacht positions and standings updated every ten minutes. Though weather forecasts suggested perfect weather for the 90-plus-foot maxis, the race record of 1 day, 19 hours and 48 minutes now appears safe as light overnight winds have seen the leading supermaxis fall more than 50 km behind schedule to take the record. As expected, the two new Reichel/Pugh 98-footers, Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI are leading the race with Wild Oats now 12 nautical miles clear of Alfa Romeo after 21 hours of sailing. Live odds for the race can be found here. Read More

New breed of super maxis to tackle Rolex Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race

By Mike Hanlon

December 19, 2005 When Sydney businessman Neville Crichton built Alfa Romeo I a few years ago, the advanced design made the world take notice – the remarkable yacht dominated international ocean racing for 18 months and won an incredible 74 consecutive races, including every major ocean event – a yachting grand slam the likes of which has never been seen before and which is unlikely to be repeated. Wealthy yachtsmen the world recognised the advantages of running with the very latest technology and the “arms race” has resulted in a flotilla of new advanced super maxis currently preparing for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race. When they set off on Boxing Day, the world will be treated to a spectacle of technological wonder but skipper Neville Crichton believes that the deciding factor in which boat takes line honours will not be technology, but traditional sailing skills. Read More

Ocean Scooter - jet ski for the pool

By Mike Hanlon

December 22, 2005 What’s better than an Ocean Scooter? Two or more Ocean Scooters – that’s what! This is one of the those products which just screams, “why didn’t someone think of that before?” An inflatable , battery-powered electric boat that’s fast enough to give the kids a thrill, and slow and soft enough to be used in a swimming pool for everything from polo through to your good old fashioned demolition derby. The ASTONE ‘Ocean Scooter’ went on sale in Australia this month but global supplies will be available for the next Northern hemisphere summer. The Ocean Scooter comes with a battery-powered display, a variable speed throttle, automatic power shutdown, full waterproof circuit protection and a protected propeller body which is impenetrable to probing fingers. And at US$200, it’ll offer a very high bang-per-buck factor - eight of them turns your swimming pool into a water polo contest with serious attitude!. Read More

The Australian OffShore Challenge - one of the last great adventures

By Mike Hanlon

December 15, 2005 Bass Strait will rate on any list of the most treacherous places on earth – separating the world’s largest island (Australia) from one of the world’s largest and most pristine wilderness regions, Tasmania, it claimed its first recorded shipwreck in 1422 and has been claiming lives at an alarming rate ever since, including the infamous 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht race in which six souls were lost. Already it plays host to one of the world’s great boating adventures, in the form of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, it will be joined by a second great competition next year - the Australian OffShore Challenge. Run in the form of a navigational rally, the OffShore Challenge will run annually from June 2006 and enable competitors from all over the planet to bring their own boat or hire one and safely sail, much less compete on a stretch of water of such renown. Travelling Bass Strait can be very dangerous and would not normally be recommended so the event offers the unique proposition of travelling in an organised event with charts, organization, air support and the company of other boats through some of the most spectacular, dangerous and remote scenery on the planet. It begins in Hobart at Wrest Point Casino on February 22, 2006, with competitors heading south on the first morning through the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, before their first taste of open water across Storm Bay. Then it’s up the east coast of the former penal colony around Tasman Peninsula, Maria Island, Freycinet Peninsula, the Bay of Fires and on to Eddystone Lighthouse. At that point, the event enters Bass Strait, but in a series of short stages around Clarke Island, Cape Barren Island, to Flinders Island. The final part of the crossing is taken after a break , navigating a passage to the mainland state of Victoria via Deal Island, the Hogan Group, to refuel at Port Albert. Next day, the national park of Wilsons Promontory before heading west to the sheltered inlet at Inverloch, then Westernport Bay via the San Remo narrows. A final rest and preparation for the big one - through The Rip at Port Phillip Heads to Geelong. The last day is then a short sprint across the Bay to St. Kilda and then a cruise to the Docklands marina in the heart of Melbourne for the gala finish. We believe this event will become one of the great adventures on the planet as it is designed to bring small motor yachts together from all over the world for a celebration of the finest yachting has to offer in relative safety and comfort. Read More

smart amphibious vehicle

By Mike Hanlon

December 23, 2005 While this vehicle was conceived by Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America as yet another ingenious adaptation of the smart as a rescue vehicle for the adventures of BayWatch Southern California lifeguard types, we can’t help but think it’s the ideal vehicle for any water-side dweller anywhere in the world. Amphibious vehicles make loads of sense, particularly when the vehicle can carry five people to the beach AND happily entertain everyone in the surf when you get there. The concept is mid-engined and has an 800cc turbo smart engine that sits between the front and rear foam seats and powers the jet pump when in amphibious mode. Read More

NYYC set to create new yachting class with Swan 42

By Mike Hanlon

December 5, 2005 In July, two of the most famous names in yacht racing formed a partnership to create a new international one-design racing class –the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) and world renowned yacht manufacturer Nautor's Swan announced a new 42 foot racing yacht specifically formulated to create a worldwide one-design racing class founded around a light and extremely fast yacht. The yacht will be competitive at international sailing regattas within open divisions including IRC, and will also provide owners with a comfortable cruising experience. The yacht was born from a strong desire by a group of experienced sailors to create a truly Corinthian class that promotes high level/high performance competition within an owner-driver and amateur-sailing framework and is also focused on containing costs. With strict limitations on equipment and sail inventory, the Swan 42 is designed to prevent the “arms race” of owners trying to out-do each other. The immediate success of the idea has been spectacular - since its announcement just four months ago, 32 of the NYYC Swan 42 boats have been sold and many other international yacht clubs are committed to the project. This coming Saturday (December 10), the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) will be making a presentation at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY, on the new NYYC Swan 42. The event is open to anyone interested in the Swan 42. Read More

Rubson Raid Turquoise – the Cannonball Run of the Sea

By Mike Hanlon

December 3, 2005 The Rubson Raid Turquoise is fast gaining a reputation as one of the great adventures – akin to the Paris-Dakar or the Cannonball Run, it was held this year on Brazil’s Costa Verde. Beginning November 23, more than 60 adventure seekers from all over the world took to the waters of Brazil’s magical Copacabana Bay for the fifth running of the event begun in 2001 by Belgian adventurer Philippe Martin. Over the course of the week, the four-person teams raced identical 7.5 metre Capelli RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) powered by Yamaha Vmax 250hp outboards down the Brazilian coastline from Rio De Janeiro to finish in Sao Paulo on November 30. Along the way the teams took part in individual races, navigation tests, land-based orienteering and endurance trials, Yamaha Waverunner racing, diving, big-game fishing and water-skiing competitions. All the while, the large mother ship, the Diamant, kept pace with the fleet as the Raid moved along the coastline, offering the spectators and press crews luxurious accommodation and at night became a floating party. Get in soon for 2006 – we forecast this race will become an institution. Read More

The SeaLegs Anaconda Amphibious Concept

By Mike Hanlon

December 2, 2005 With the vast majority of the world’s population living very close to the water, amphibious vehicles make loads of sense – which means we love amphibious vehicles at Gizmag, having previously reported on the original launch of Sealegs, the Gibbs Aquada Sportcar, the Gibbs Humdinga 4WD amphibian, the Platypus 4WD amphibian, the Rinspeed Splash, the Phibicat,the world’s only mass production amphibian, the Amphicar. More recently, we’ve written about the Sealegs rugged aluminium amphibious craft which which halved Sir Richard Branson's English Channel record set in an Aquada in June. Interestingly, the country where most amphibious innovation is occuring is New Zealand, home of both Gibbs and SeaLegs and one of the most interesting tertiary courses in the world – Massey University’s Bachelor of Design in Transport Design. Our latest amphibian is a concept craft created by a graduate of Massey Designs Marine Transport Course, Matt Gibson. This year Matt’s final year project was sponsored by Sealegs International and the aim was to develop a futuristic amphibious craft, which eventually took shape as the “Anaconda” pictured here. Read More

US Navy orders Trimaran Littoral Combat Ship

By Mike Hanlon

The US Navy has announced the award of a construction contract for the Austal designed General Dynamics Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project. The US $223 million contract for the first of two planned “Flight 0” vessels follows a similar order for the single-hulled Lockheed Martin LCS last December. The two LCS ships will be evaluated and the contracts allow for up to two of each of the two designs to be constructed prior to a decision on how many of each will be ordered, with a fleet of between 50 and 100 LCSs expected to be required over the next 30 years. The General Dynamics LCS is a far different ship to the Lockheed Martin LCS with the secret to its remarkable speed and agility being the aluminium trimaran hull. The LCSs will be the most advanced high speed military craft in the world and are intended to operate in coastal areas globally. As a key part of the US Navy fleet, they will be highly manoeuvrable and configurable to support mine detection / elimination, anti-submarine and surface warfare. The trimaran hull form permits the ship to carry a large capacity of weapons packages with space to land two helicopters. Read More

The Surf Shark helps humans swim like a fish

By Mike Hanlon

October 27, 2005 NEW IMAGES UPLOADED The Surf Shark and the Electric Dolphin are electric aquatic vehicles with a difference – instead of holding onto them as with all other diving and swimming aids, the Shark and Dolphin attached to your feet and propel you from behind, just like a fish and nearly as fast. The Surf Shark is the pick of the pair for speed, having two motors, each delivering 82 pounds of thrust and capable of pushing a swimmer through the water at more than 5 knots (10km/h) – that’s roughly twice the speed of Grant Hackett at World Record 1500 metre pace. The Dolphin has just one motor but makes up for its lesser speed with twice the life, being capable of delivering about half that speed for over an hour before needing a battery swap. Read More

The Amfibidiver: an amphibious submarine

By Mike Hanlon

Belgian diving enthusiast and inventor Rene Baldewijns found that dive boats were rarely available when or where he wanted to dive and that a lot of dive time was lost looking for the area he wanted to dive in. So he conceived a boat that that could drive itself off the trailer, along the road and into the water whilst carrying larger quantities of air and equipment than any diver could carry. His dream boat could travel to the dive area like a speedboat and then literally ... pull the plug out and dive. Whilst dived, it had to be able to cruise around underwater until he found the right area, then park on the bottom as an underwater base to support diving activities for two. When finished, the idea was to blow the ballast, surface, and return to land at high speed, driving out of the water and onto its trailer. The prototype he built has achieved all those aims. Read More

NightConqueror Thermal Imager to Be Installed on U.S. Navy's Fastest Ship

By Mike Hanlon

September 14, 2005 Thermal imaging goes way beyond infrared imaging in most situations and it's not surprising that the US Navy will be using advanced thermal imaging in its next generation of warship. The fastest ship in the US Navy is the Sea Fighter FSF-1, which can operate at speeds greater than 50 knots and has a range of approximately 4,000 nautical miles. The Sea Fighter is currently being fitted with an advanced NightConqueror thermal imager. The produces unmatched high-resolution thermal imagery for 24-hour observation in degraded weather conditions (smoke and obscurants). Sea Fighter, previously known as Littoral Surface Craft Experimental or "X-Craft," will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility and propulsion system efficiency of high-speed vessels. Sea Fighter will also serve as a test bed for developmental mission packages and as a risk reduction experimental vessel for the Littoral Combat Ship and Deepwater Program concepts of operation development at sea. Read More