If you could..............

[Raylar]

The Magic Bullet?

The word Offshore on that You tube Video is a Crack UP! Lets see someone take that little puppy in some three to four footers at speed! Anyone can build fast microboats for calm water! Motorcycle engines ain't gotta get it done! That boat is about as practical as a screen door on a submarine!

As for whats needed in Performance boating -New Hull forms and construction materials and processes that are lighter, less expensive to produce, safe and comfortable for passengers and driver alike, handle well in all water condtions and that don't take mega power to see 80-100mph speeds. Keep it simple! Keep the costs under control! and as they said in the movie-"Build It and They Will Come!!"

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar "Where innovation fuels applications"

 

[phragle]

less expensive..that always helps, but lighter? how about more dependable... 1000 hp motors have been available off the shelf for some time now.... the technology is out there in one form or another to make a motor that can do that dependably. same with trannies and drives. hoses shouldnt let go etc.... who here would like the new untra light, octa-stepped pringles special that is getting repeaired everytime you want to use it as opposed to a decent riding 80~100 mph boat thats ready to go when you turn the key?

 

[WFORob]

Prices need to come down. Looked in the latest PB and $650,000 for a 36 MTI with 700SCI's? That's a bit much - and they're not the only ones - every manufacturer has sky high prices these days.

After that, I'd have to say more focus on engine and drive technology and other innovations to make it more fun and comfortable. The STATEMENT air cushioned cockpit comes to mind as a truly innovative design.

 

[Raylar]

Keys to success!

You really want to see expensive boats? air cushoned cockpit! You gotta be kidd'in!
The whole industry needs to remember that to make things less expensive, user friendly and more affordable you have got to remember the "KISS" theory! Keep it Simple Stupid!!

As for $650K to $1mil performance boats, god bless the people who've got the money to plop down for them, they help keep technology and the innovations alive! But please remember these TOP DAWG boats represent less than 3% of the performance boat market by quantity.

The secret and future for the industry is to build affordable, innovative, efficient, fun boats and engines for "MR JOE BOATER"! Your Average performance boater by pocketbook size!

Therin lies the only sustainable successful future in Performance boating!!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Funny man. A drive with a horsepower capacity somewhere between an NXT and a #6 for the price of a Bravo.... ROTFLMAO!

It's a great idea, though!!!

How about:

1. Dealers that not only really know about the products that they sell, but that actually care about great customer service.
2. Engines, drives, and tabs that completely do away with all these silly, P.I.T.A. Morse cables that we have to run through the boat. In this day and age of electronics and fly-by wire, there has got to be an electronic solution for drive/tab position sensing.
3. A simpler hydraulic system so you don't have to have a separate pump, reservoir, solenoids and relays for every appliance on the transom. Just one pump with an accumulator and a group of moog valves.
4. A programmable trim system with several settings including a default program for coming on plane. The system would sense boat pitch angle, throttle position, engine load and engine speed, then automatically move the drives and tabs to get everything going as smoothly and quickly as possible. The settings could be customized by the user to their preference, or set to "learn" the best combination. This is just the next step from the joystick control systems that are already out there.
5. Once we go to fly-by-wire throttles, an active throttle program that cuts power when it senses no load on the input shaft (out of the water) to reduce the chance of breaking something for those of us who are not Bobby Moore or John Tomlinson. On down the road, forward-looking sensors could be used to re-instate power when the boat lands. The Navy is already using this basic technology in active ride-control seats.
6. Better 12-volt air conditioning systems and the battery technology to run them.
7. Updated engine technology, like the LS series of GM engines, and lightweight deisels in the 500-700 hp range.

Chuck, have you seen Bill Auberlin's Motec controlled Spectre? Everything is fly by wire and Bill says they are working on a variety of maps that will do things like throttle and trim the boat for the driver... Wild stuff. I shudder to think how much of BMW's money is stuffed into that monster! :sifone:

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Oh yah, and I vote for "cheaper" as well. I struggle to get my head around why offshore stuff costs as much as it does. Throw away race boats powered by big block Chevy engines you can build out of parts from Summit, that cost as much as a beach house... Is there a "woefully shaking my head" smiley in here somewhere?

 

[ILMORdude]

Dude! Sweet!- Love the sig man!! We sold em the race winning engines!

 

[ILMORdude]

You really want to see expensive boats? air cushoned cockpit! You gotta be kidd'in!
The whole industry needs to remember that to make things less expensive, user friendly and more affordable you have got to remember the "KISS" theory! Keep it Simple Stupid!!

As for $650K to $1mil performance boats, god bless the people who've got the money to plop down for them, they help keep technology and the innovations alive! But please remember these TOP DAWG boats represent less than 3% of the performance boat market by quantity.

The secret and future for the industry is to build affordable, innovative, efficient, fun boats and engines for "MR JOE BOATER"! Your Average performance boater by pocketbook size!

Therin lies the only sustainable successful future in Performance boating!!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

Well said Ray..........