Speed From Efficiency – The Sea Phantom

Looking like a James Bond craft but powered by a simple outboard the Sea Phantom’s design focuses on efficiency to bring speeds over 70knots.

Wired Blog tells us:

The Sea Phantom is a prototype high speed boat which almost flies above the water. The body is shaped into an aerofoil to provide lift. Two fully sprung and damped “foils” push against the water stabilizing the hull and absorbing bumps in rough seas. Think beach buggy for water.

The Sea Phantom uses a regular outboard motor but the lack of drag means it can reach speeds of 70mph, with a 100mph version expected soon. Still in development, the Sea Phantom has been evolving since boat designer David Borman, who made his first boat at 12 years old, came up with the idea.

Future versions will use jet turbine engines and there are civilian pleasure craft on the way, priced at $400,000 to $600,000. Read More…

Some News coverage of the high speed craft:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzDDF9LXsDg

The company behind the design, Maritime Flight Dynamics, is currently testing a five passenger version of the craft and is in talk with the U.S. Navy to test one powered by a gas turbine engine.

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