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What is the practical application for a boat like this?

Great idea! I hate to say it but China will have a copy within months.

Excellent job 👍

Good morning Walt, I’m really digging what you’re putting out. I just subscribed and will be following along your journey and look forward to seeing your progress in this arena. I’ve often wondered why more boats don’t use hydrofoil as it greatly reduces drag. And I think you are definitely o the right track. A side note, your on camera persona is authentic, please never change it. Take care

An air propeller can go from 4.5-7 lbs static thrust per hp, depending free stream to ducted. You indicate static thrust for boat propellers is around 2.6-4.55 lbs. thrust per hp. correct?

What happens when you hit something in the water? I was on a ship that hit a whale and other things at speed. I now value a steel hull. Hydrofoils are part of the future and just like ground effect transports, the technology still needs to mature. AI in the future may provide avoidance systems. Currently I cannot see the craft in this video hitting a 6 inch thick driftwood log at speed and coming out unscathed. Does this design lift or dive when striking an object?

Curious to know what the efficiencies of ducted air propellers? True, electric drives can get 85-90% to the shaft, as opposed to 35% from ICE engines.

I saw a ground effect boat project here in NZ about 30 years ago. I never saw it again so I guess it didn't pan out. If you can get it working that'll be fantastic.

I do not agree with a few points you made. But let us see what you are coming up with.

I have been thinking about this concept for years but you have taken the bold step to turn it into a real product,brilliant .

CONGRADULATIONS!!!

High speed hydrofoils have problems with cavitation, it's the same problem that gives rise to the poor efficiency of marine propellers you are trying to get around. Hydrofoils work best at low/mid speeds but as the speed increases so does the drag which increases exponentially. As a result hydrofoils can give you long range but not at high speed.

Now create a generator for the boats hull to make water propellant generators so reciprocation of energy loss and energy gain is increasing from power to weight ratios but electrical recharge is the trick love your ideas wish I could afford one but do think about regeneration and it’s complete no recharging just free non polluting system like sailing should be

Walter, is there a way to send you a direct message? I realize you must get a lot of junk, but there are constructive ideas that people might like to share with you.

An Ekranoplan with wet feet. To make it work, first solve the battery problem, then the teething problems, there might be a few, but before that show me research on ducted fan efficiency, there must be a reason nobody uses them. But best wishes for success in your " investment opportunity", I truly hope it works for you.

Do you have a website where we can see this boat?

Nice, but how are you offsetting the hydrofoils, when the foil rides out of a heavy wave (basically suddenly "out" of watter and into the air) and ship starts to go "down", on the side of the affected foil because the foil currently out of the watter is not "lifting" the ship suddenly. And if the idea was to utilize surface effect and foils for longer quicker rides, did you take into consideration heavy seas? I mean, some bigger waves can be problem not only for the hydrofoils, but for the height of the surface effect "flight" too. BTW, whoever saw in Avatar 2 (the way of the water) movie the "sea dragon" ship, might kinda have similar picture in head, as me, after you depicted your boat. And did you try some version with extendable "wings"?

Diesel has a denser energy source than batteries. youll have a lighter boat with more range on conventional fuel source.

I guess I should have read the comments below. the increase in efficiency was already brought up! My bad!

Seems like it would be loud as hell. That'll be a problem on lakes.

Cool! Love the innovation and I look forward to seeing it progress.

I like their boats but I'm not convinced it's nothing more than a toy for now.

The military will love this craft.

I have to wonder exactly if he is talking about conventional propellers(screws) or has he disregarded the newer more efficient shapes. Also, the spruce goose was designed to exploit surface effect, so the idea is hardly unique. I think the deck mounted propellers would be loud and need to be protected from waves, unless he is designing a fair weather craft.

David Kepler Will-walla hydrofoil tri hull look it up

Very exciting stuff. I’ve been dreaming and drawing surface effect vehicles, trying to figure out how to make one that’s wind powered. I end up with something that right out of Star Wars. Psyched to see someone is teasing out solutions to the standard challenges.

and with motors , a combined radial and axial = raxial field winding looks to be current leader .advancing all the time , power to weight is certainly way better .

funny ,my idea from 1974 , normal foils have to much drag ,which is why the first ones had ladders .The Aussie sea ski boats recognize this . Trouble with electric is energy density of batteries ,at present , a rechargeable vanadium diboride cell would solve , and there are lots of better techs coming ...always coming .. Sharrow props are showing big increase in efficiencies ,and it looks like we can do better , longer higher aspect ratio blades . In air according to John McGInnes of 'synergy' fame, 100% could be possible ,in the light sport field some new props are giving 20+% gains ,and sound reduction too . But not sadly with ducted fans ,which is probably why the latest big jet experimentals are are ultra high bypass turbo props , with rotating and stationary external blades . but Nice project ,like it ,keep up the good work .

Airfoil, or hydrofoil, or ? There does seem to be an actual airfoil tying the craft together, but it doesn't seem to be close enough to the water to be in ground effect, at boat speeds? One interesting aspect of electrical power on a large boat is that there is a lot of area available for photoelectric cells... He mentioned hybrid power, which normally means an internal combustion engine driving electrical power, but maybe a clean running steam turbine? A very good friend of mine was s naval architect, and actually did design for, I think, a world record hydrofoil "wind surfer" in the late 1970's, so I learned quite a bit from him... This presentation sounds good, but seems long on good vibes, and thin on details... If it's heavily patented, there's no reason to be shy...

this is a hovercraft

All due respect Mr. Shulz - going from 50% to 85% is a 70% increase in efficiency. Don't sell yourself short! Keep up the great work - your boats have always been inspiring to me, and my friends.

Utterly ridiculous that TH-cam censors the word “retarded” in the closed captioning. 😠

Jackie Mason [Jacob Maza] reincarnated!

❤ th-cam.com/video/jLd9a1fRX6k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=btenqK_llO6CIuxu❤

The next generation of this idea was already invented, built and put into service. Somehow the idea hasn't caught on yet- but it will. Look up the AirFish. Ekranoplanes can nearly fly and exist in many variations- with nothing hanging in the water to collide. Maybe this new "old drone" technology can be added to them, as well? Cool video, thanks.

As long as nobody uses galvanized nipples on their stainless water tanks, it may be ok.

Very cool idea. Best of luck! 🇨🇦

I love the concept, but having watched RCTestflight struggle to combine foils and ground effect for a few years, you may have a long road ahead of you…

Walter, thank you for the update on your project and clear explanation. You have always been the most interesting boat designer to me. Is there a fundamental reason why the ducted propeller concept could not be applied here in an under-water unit, as used on some slow speed vessels? My guess is that the drag of the shroud makes underwater operation inefficient for the kinds of speeds you are talking about, but it would be great if you could share your understanding.

Why not have solar panels on all upper surfaces?

a ducted propeller is more efficient in more speed and altitude, in low speed and altitude a "normal" propeller is way more efficient, also the bigger the aspect ratio of the wing, the more efficient it is, that also is true ro propellers, that is why helicopters have one giant "propeller". also, again, in low speed a water propeller is way more efficient because of the density of the water, and the limit to hydrofoils is about 130kmh, if you go more than that the foil's cavitate and destroy it self, soo very low speed... the ideal for that range of speed between 50kmh and 130kmh is waterjet propulsion. the idea of using the foil as control surface and to give a boost in lift in low speed is pretty genius, when you reach more speed the boat create enough lift with ground effect and the drag is as low as possible. also one more problem with the design, the foil is a wing, if you have four of then, it will be small, soo you will compensate with chord, the drag will be much higher than if you have just one main foil but very large in length...

Are you going to initiate a stock offering or IPO Please let me know I would like to Buy stock in your company

Great spokesman.

Best of luck with this game changing tech project!

It is a 70% increase in useful force.

Sounds like a wet dream to me Maybe you should get a cybertrash to pull it around with

Patent your design and who! I love your Shannon design in which an European company derived from it!

It sounds good...I wonder how winds affect it?

The cross-channel Hovercraft were really noisy

You started by saying electric ducted air propulsion, but half way through it changed to electric "hybrid" you didn't mention what the hybrid part is?