Step Hull Airboat

thingiverse

***Update 2*** I've uploaded a soft-chine version of the hull, which worked okay, but presented problems with plowing due to excess nose weight. This led me to create another boat from scratch, which I highly recommend printing instead of this one. You can find it here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2984284 The new boat features adjustable thrust angle, allowing you to fine-tune for plowing or porpoising. I'll leave this one up in case it provides an idea or sparks a remix. This is a prototype step hull created after printing and enjoying SlightlyAbnormal's fantastic model. A step hull is faster than a flat-bottom hull because air is trapped under the back portion of the hull at speed, reducing drag and making the hull more slippery in both forward and sideways motion. I'm hoping this will not only boost top speed but also allow the model to drift like the real thing. I'm currently printing the hull and will update with pictures and performance after assembly. The rest of the parts fit well together, as I've used them on two other prototypes, and they work great. ***Update 1*** This hull works wonderfully in smooth water, and the step definitely makes a difference. However, in choppy water, the chines can dig in and stop the boat immediately. It's impressive how violently it stops, but also frustrating! I'm going to soften the chines and try again. To save time, I'll print some 'wings' to epoxy onto the side to form a new shape, and upload the updated design if it works out.