Hydroplane Building

This is the wooden OSY Hydroplane being built for the 2007 World championships being held at Oulton Broad, from this we have made a plug and then the mould to make these boats in either GRP, or Kevlar. Follow the following pictures for the build and trials for the boat.

OSY Hydroplane

Here are the first pictures released of the new hydroplanes I am building for the 2007 OSY 400 hydroplane world championships to be held at Oulton Broad. Being built from marine ply and using aircraft technology to keep the total weight down this boat hydroplane will be very light but strong.

just waiting for the decks, the plywood formers are removed and replaced with smaller deck support pieces, the formers are only used to ensure the boat is set up true and that subsequent boats are built in the same way.

OSY Hydroplane

Hull is now nearing completion, for the construction of this Hydroplane particular attention was paid to the UIM rule book for circuit racing 2007. With due care to conform to rules 522.01, 522.02. [see picture of bare wood hull above]

finished article ready to race, first outing will be 26th April at Oulton Broad first race 6pm

First meeting trials

Craig out on the water with the boat for the first time, now the set up begins

the moment before the boat barrel rolled, due to the way the boat was constructed we had produced a boat that did not like a tight turn. In the following photograph you may be able to notice the remedy.

finished article

what it looks like on the water at speed

OSY Hydroplane

The finished article prop riding

The end result

After slight disappointment at the World Championships we have continued to experiment with the boat, this has involved reducing the overall length of the hull by some 10" [250mm] and minor adjustments. The end result has been greatly improved acceleration, better handling and much faster lap times overall. The Last UK National race of the 2007 season saw the boat dominate the event with 4 wins from 4 starts, this even though we were still experimenting with engine settings and props. The picture shows Craig putting the boat through some more buoy turns at the Bedford event. picture thanks to Trevor Chatters

Proving a point

Head to head with the World champion, Craig Speller gets the better line and shows the boat really does work.

Composite hydroplane

The successful plywood prototype hull is now being made ready to take a mould from the make future boats from composite materials

First hull from the mould

today the first boat was delivered to the yard for fitting out, the second will arrive next week.

More information on composite hulls for sale

For more information on how to purchase one of the boats visit the Team 21 web site for further information and places to see these boats being raced.

First 2 boats on show

The first two boats ready and were put through their paces on Sunday at Bedford,

Oulton Broad 17th April 2008

Craig taking his boat out at Oulton Broad for the first time, all very pleased with the boats handling.