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| A Hov Pod Super Yacht Tender From Hov Pod Australia Images |
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Maybe Santa Claus will Fly a Hov Pod in Australia this Year!
Yet another Hov Pod shipment of the new Hov Pod SPX hulls has left the UK bound for Australia just in time for Christmas. Selling faster than we can ship, the Hov Pod SPX is proving to be incredibly popular amongst both private and commercial clients. Already a huge improvement on even the older Hov Pod ACX models - the HDPE SPX hull leaves even our closest competitors breathless!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Purchasing a Hovercraft? Intro Series #2
Intro To Hovercraft Purchasing #2
If purchasing a hovercraft for the first time, there are quite a few items you need to be aware of in order to determine the right vehicle for your needs. This 2nd issue of our four (4) part series will guide you step by step through the important points to consider to ensure your safety, complete satisfaction and that the hovercraft you choose is durable & strong.
Many issues affect Hovercraft performance, just as they do a boat, aeroplane or helicopter. Since the Hovercraft is partly all three of these vehicles, it is important that you consider a range of factors from durability, performance and safety, to the type of hovercraft skirts and hull materials used in construction. In addition, operational considerations and terms such as "ploughing-in" and "getting over the hump" should be understood and the manufacturer questioned on these items, before choosing the model and brand that will best fit you.
Lets Talk Engines!
Firstly, what sort of engine do I want in a Hovercraft? Remember in the first part of this series, we discussed that Hovercraft are part aeroplane, part boat, part helicopter? Well, when it comes to engines, just like in an aeroplane, weight matters! As you decrease the weight of an engine, without decreasing power, generally speaking price increases dramatically. Therefore many Hovercraft are built with pre-loved engines. 'Re-fitted', 'reconditioned', ‘used’ automobile engines or small commercial engines that need to be re-tuned and upgraded to generate sufficient power and therefore are prone to long term failure and overstressing of components. Either that, or your Hovercraft has to be built especially large to allow for a smaller engine to provide an equivalent lift (by spreading the downward airflow over a larger distance, less power is possible). This approach however does make for cumbersome and hard to trailer Hovercraft. Another concern is how effectively you can marinise and protect an engine that was not built for water use such as a car engine.
-- The Hov Pod uses highly reliable, brand new, high power-to-weight, marinised Weber & Rotax engines proven by many years use in the snowmobile, ATV, Jetboat and microlight industries. Hov Pod locates these engines under a uniquely designed engine cover system that offers excellent protection from the elements yet is very quick and easy to remove (approx 15 seconds). The Hov Pod engines have been put through their paces for hundreds of hours in very harsh marine conditions in climates such as Africa, Australia, The Caribbean, and the Middle East.
One Engine or Two?
Many hovercraft use two engines, one for thrust, one for lift. Lift engines are generally placed in front of the driver - This means that all the fumes and noise comes straight at the driver and the first wave that hits your Hovercraft may simply swamp the engine, thereby causing lift failure or the Hovercraft to 'plough in' - I hope that Hovercraft Floats! (don't be fooled, many don't).
But lets pretend that the Lift engine doesn't cause fume, or safety issues, now I'm back to my Helicopter flying days as I navigate a myriad of controls adjusting my lift engine speed and my thrust engine speed in order to drive the Hovercraft. Not only is it not simple, it's potentially expensive as I have to maintain two separate engines, fans and associated drive mechanism's.
-- The Hov Pod has only one engine for lift and thrust - since it is far easier and safer to coordinate one set of controls, more cost effective to service one engine, plus the noise footprint is lowered with only one engine. With only one engine to stow, the Hov Pod was deliberately designed without a gearbox assembly, allowing the engine to sit much lower in the craft, thereby lowering the centre of gravity, reducing the tendency to roll (I have seen other craft literally roll over in a simple low speed turn), and providing much greater ease of control. A lower engine also minimises airflow disturbance to the fan - clear airflow results in greater efficiency.
PERFORMANCE
Stopping on Land
Hovercraft should be considered as much a land-based vehicles as it is a water-based vehicle; stopping on a small rock shouldn’t cause the floor to crack, since cracks let in water. Most hovercraft have a single thin skin floor, made from glass fibre. It's important to find out just how durable your hovercraft is going to be, or you risk purchasing a complicated airboat and not a Hovercraft.
-- The Hov Pod hull is unique, manufactured from HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene). HDPE has been used to construct Formula 1 Race crash barriers and artificial joints; it is extremely strong, impact resistant and extremely buoyant. (One day, all hovercraft manufacturers will use this material). We add aluminium runners, impact sheets and wear bolts to protect the craft from the inevitable knocks that occasionally occur. There have even been Hov Pods in multiple car accidents where all cars and trailer have been written off, but the Hov Pod has been able to fly away.
Stopping on Water?
Apparently, many manufacturers tell their clients to avoid doing this. Believe it or not, some Hovercraft are not built to float!!! That aside, many hovercraft also have a problem with "starting on water" - this simply means coming to a stop (engine still running or not) and then trying to start moving forward again. You may sometimes hear the expression "getting over the hump", which is an industry term that describes the problem for Hovercraft to get back up onto the cushion of air so the Hovercraft can start moving again. If your Hovercraft cannot "get over the hump", you have once again purchased a complicated Airboat and not a true Hovercraft as you will now have to slowly chug back to shore before your vehicle will be able to fly again. In addition, many craft have a very severe tendency to spin and throw occupants when stopped quickly on water - not a safe day in the sun.
-- During demonstrations, I have seen a number of customers panick when we stop the Hov Pod on water, because of this reason. In response, I recommend fishing from the Hov Pod. The Hov Pod is designed to lift a payload of 290 kilos or 640 pounds (HP65) to 325 Kilos or 716 pounds (HP120 Turbo) for "on water" starts. The Hov Pod has been designed to quickly yet safely and smoothly stop in a controlled straight line - in fact safe, controlled stops on water are part of our demo and training manuals.
Buoyancy
Many hovercraft have poor buoyancy characteristics and can actually sink if swamped - remember that confusion about stopping on water! First engine trouble, then safety issues and finally, your Hovercraft starts to sink!
--The Hov Pod not only stops quite happily on water, but it has also been independently tested for flooded buoyancy approval. The difference in purchasing a professionally designed and manufactured craft is that it helps to overcome regulatory restrictions, where they apply. With an extremely buoyant hull, the Hov Pod is tested to take over one ton in weight before water regression is possible - at which point it still floats!
Sadly, we are at the end of our introduction to Hovercraft purchasing today! I hope it has been informative!! Keep an eye out for the next in this four part introduction to Hovercraft series. For more information visit: http://www.hovpod.com.au/
If purchasing a hovercraft for the first time, there are quite a few items you need to be aware of in order to determine the right vehicle for your needs. This 2nd issue of our four (4) part series will guide you step by step through the important points to consider to ensure your safety, complete satisfaction and that the hovercraft you choose is durable & strong.
Many issues affect Hovercraft performance, just as they do a boat, aeroplane or helicopter. Since the Hovercraft is partly all three of these vehicles, it is important that you consider a range of factors from durability, performance and safety, to the type of hovercraft skirts and hull materials used in construction. In addition, operational considerations and terms such as "ploughing-in" and "getting over the hump" should be understood and the manufacturer questioned on these items, before choosing the model and brand that will best fit you.
Lets Talk Engines!
Firstly, what sort of engine do I want in a Hovercraft? Remember in the first part of this series, we discussed that Hovercraft are part aeroplane, part boat, part helicopter? Well, when it comes to engines, just like in an aeroplane, weight matters! As you decrease the weight of an engine, without decreasing power, generally speaking price increases dramatically. Therefore many Hovercraft are built with pre-loved engines. 'Re-fitted', 'reconditioned', ‘used’ automobile engines or small commercial engines that need to be re-tuned and upgraded to generate sufficient power and therefore are prone to long term failure and overstressing of components. Either that, or your Hovercraft has to be built especially large to allow for a smaller engine to provide an equivalent lift (by spreading the downward airflow over a larger distance, less power is possible). This approach however does make for cumbersome and hard to trailer Hovercraft. Another concern is how effectively you can marinise and protect an engine that was not built for water use such as a car engine.
-- The Hov Pod uses highly reliable, brand new, high power-to-weight, marinised Weber & Rotax engines proven by many years use in the snowmobile, ATV, Jetboat and microlight industries. Hov Pod locates these engines under a uniquely designed engine cover system that offers excellent protection from the elements yet is very quick and easy to remove (approx 15 seconds). The Hov Pod engines have been put through their paces for hundreds of hours in very harsh marine conditions in climates such as Africa, Australia, The Caribbean, and the Middle East.
One Engine or Two?
Many hovercraft use two engines, one for thrust, one for lift. Lift engines are generally placed in front of the driver - This means that all the fumes and noise comes straight at the driver and the first wave that hits your Hovercraft may simply swamp the engine, thereby causing lift failure or the Hovercraft to 'plough in' - I hope that Hovercraft Floats! (don't be fooled, many don't).
But lets pretend that the Lift engine doesn't cause fume, or safety issues, now I'm back to my Helicopter flying days as I navigate a myriad of controls adjusting my lift engine speed and my thrust engine speed in order to drive the Hovercraft. Not only is it not simple, it's potentially expensive as I have to maintain two separate engines, fans and associated drive mechanism's.
-- The Hov Pod has only one engine for lift and thrust - since it is far easier and safer to coordinate one set of controls, more cost effective to service one engine, plus the noise footprint is lowered with only one engine. With only one engine to stow, the Hov Pod was deliberately designed without a gearbox assembly, allowing the engine to sit much lower in the craft, thereby lowering the centre of gravity, reducing the tendency to roll (I have seen other craft literally roll over in a simple low speed turn), and providing much greater ease of control. A lower engine also minimises airflow disturbance to the fan - clear airflow results in greater efficiency.
PERFORMANCE
Stopping on Land
Hovercraft should be considered as much a land-based vehicles as it is a water-based vehicle; stopping on a small rock shouldn’t cause the floor to crack, since cracks let in water. Most hovercraft have a single thin skin floor, made from glass fibre. It's important to find out just how durable your hovercraft is going to be, or you risk purchasing a complicated airboat and not a Hovercraft.
-- The Hov Pod hull is unique, manufactured from HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene). HDPE has been used to construct Formula 1 Race crash barriers and artificial joints; it is extremely strong, impact resistant and extremely buoyant. (One day, all hovercraft manufacturers will use this material). We add aluminium runners, impact sheets and wear bolts to protect the craft from the inevitable knocks that occasionally occur. There have even been Hov Pods in multiple car accidents where all cars and trailer have been written off, but the Hov Pod has been able to fly away.
Stopping on Water?
Apparently, many manufacturers tell their clients to avoid doing this. Believe it or not, some Hovercraft are not built to float!!! That aside, many hovercraft also have a problem with "starting on water" - this simply means coming to a stop (engine still running or not) and then trying to start moving forward again. You may sometimes hear the expression "getting over the hump", which is an industry term that describes the problem for Hovercraft to get back up onto the cushion of air so the Hovercraft can start moving again. If your Hovercraft cannot "get over the hump", you have once again purchased a complicated Airboat and not a true Hovercraft as you will now have to slowly chug back to shore before your vehicle will be able to fly again. In addition, many craft have a very severe tendency to spin and throw occupants when stopped quickly on water - not a safe day in the sun.
-- During demonstrations, I have seen a number of customers panick when we stop the Hov Pod on water, because of this reason. In response, I recommend fishing from the Hov Pod. The Hov Pod is designed to lift a payload of 290 kilos or 640 pounds (HP65) to 325 Kilos or 716 pounds (HP120 Turbo) for "on water" starts. The Hov Pod has been designed to quickly yet safely and smoothly stop in a controlled straight line - in fact safe, controlled stops on water are part of our demo and training manuals.
Buoyancy
Many hovercraft have poor buoyancy characteristics and can actually sink if swamped - remember that confusion about stopping on water! First engine trouble, then safety issues and finally, your Hovercraft starts to sink!
--The Hov Pod not only stops quite happily on water, but it has also been independently tested for flooded buoyancy approval. The difference in purchasing a professionally designed and manufactured craft is that it helps to overcome regulatory restrictions, where they apply. With an extremely buoyant hull, the Hov Pod is tested to take over one ton in weight before water regression is possible - at which point it still floats!
Sadly, we are at the end of our introduction to Hovercraft purchasing today! I hope it has been informative!! Keep an eye out for the next in this four part introduction to Hovercraft series. For more information visit: http://www.hovpod.com.au/
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