F1-Powerboats
The first Formula one powerboat championship in 1981 introduced the powerboats in the racing senario.Formula one was brought to the water to gain the same level of thrill what people got from the F1 car racing. No one predicted it would be such a hit and the powerboats will stand the test of time. But it did and the powerboats that were used way back in 1980's have exactly the same design as they have now. The tunnel boat design is the main feaature of these powerboats that have not changed yet. What has changed is the technology inside the boat and the material used.
The rules of the F1 car racing chapionship are similar to the F1 power boat championship. There are 12 teams and 24 powerboats competing against each other.
Dangerous When Wet
Over The Years
The design is one aspect that has remained almost the same. So what has changed?
Initially powerboats were made of timber wood or plywood. But hardly could they stand the forces generated due to high velocity. Due to the phenomenal speed that the catamarons reached, many fatalities and accidents took place in a particular championship season. At that time the cockpit was not an enclosed cell and there were no safety harness or airbags for the drivers safety. The driver's life was at utmost risk.
Chris Hodges, a British powerboat designer came to the conclusion that the level of safety should be increased to preserve the lives of the drivers and also to preserve the sport. It was then that he came up with the idea of an enclosed cockpit. He made a capsule from a strong composite material. This cockpit was not attached to the main structure, instead it was connected to the hull and the central part of the boat. The purpose behind this design was that, in case of an accident the timber hull will absorb the impact and break, which will protect the driver from the impact. This was how the idea of enclosed cockpit evolved.
Later on, the safety harness which are now known as seat belts, were introduced. In 1990's the concept of airbags was launched. The idea behind the introduction of airbags was that incase of a crash, the airbag will inflate which will not only protect the driver from the impact forces but also prevent the capsule from sinking till the time the rescue team arrived.
F1 Powerboat Racing
The Cockpit
In the past, the powerboat cockpit used to consist of just a start button, a steering wheel and a throttle. But things have changed now. Drivers safety and operational ease is the utmost priority and to ensure this the cockpit is endowed with all kinds of facilities. A cockpit consists of a detachable steering wheel, a full throttle, a start button, a fuel pump switch, a red and yellow light which are controlled by the team's crew onshore to caution the driver for any obstacle on the course, a revolutions counter, air bag and oxygen supply.
Increased Saftey
The tunnel hull boats still runs on the same principal that when the speed increases the bow raises up in the air, creating a cushion below it. The boat then runs on this cushion with least contact with water and negligible friction.
As far as safety is concerned there is a lot of room left for improvement. No doubt there has been an increase in the safety norms, the number of deaths caused by accidents is still high. Thus it is imperative that utmost care is given to safety. For this reason, cockpits are made of flexible and shock absorbing constuction and installed with airbags. Additonal head and safety devices are also provided. Moreover a crash box is a must on each and every powerboat.
F1 Powerboat Onboard
F1 Powerboat Racing
Size does matter but sometimes speed matters more than size and nowhere is this truer than in water sports. So though we have been talking of giant ships till now of various types, we will take a look at relatively smaller sized power boats used in F1 circuits.
The F1 powerboat racing championship is analogous to the F1 car racing championship. It is supposed to be known as the most eletrifying water sport. It is believed that an F1 powerboat runs at a speed that is tough to acquire even by the best of the F1 cars. Now just imagine: a powerboat can reach a speed of 180-220 Kilometers per hour in just 4 seconds (97 - 119 Nautical Miles per hour). Seriously, you have to see it to believe it.
In an F1 powerboat championship, 24 boats compete with each other for a duration of 45 minutes, without the usage of brakes or gearboxes. Why? Because they don't have any brakes or gearboxes. Just imagine a vehicle racing on water at a speed of 220 kilometers per hour, maneuvering through the curvy tracks, balancing in air when lifted due to high speed and barely managing to preserve stability at hairpin turns. Its a tough roller coaster ride which requires great amount of courage and skills. The track is as long as 350 meters.
These light weight catamarans do spellbinding summersaults, doing "close shave" over taking with impeccable adroitness in maneuvering ability and unquenchable courage. To win the championship, a driver must have loads of skills, courage and of course luck.
PowerboatsThe design of powerboats has remained almost the same since the start of this championship in 1981. The design of power boats is of tunnel hull catamarans, which due to its aerodynamic structure provides high velocity and maneuverability. This tunnel hulls produces an air cushion below them which facilitates the boat to lift up, creating least friction with water. The catamarans are made of carbon fiber or fiber glass. The overall weight is approximately 860 pounds which also include the weight of a V6 engine, giving 400 horse power output at around 10,500 rpm. The length is around 6 meter and width is 2.5 meter approximately. As mentioned earlier, there are no brakes and gear boxes.
The cockpit of the boat is an enclosed capsule which ensures the safety of the driver at the time of a crash or a collision. The new powerboats are all provided with safety belts and airbags. They are also provided with crash box which is similar to the black box that is fixed in aircraft. In case of a collision or an accident the crash box records and preserves the internal operations of the boat, which makes the crash-analysis extremely easy.
The future powerboats will come with collapsible hull and bows, so that in case of a collision or crash, they get deformed rather than penetrating the other boat's hull.
Blame it on the weather
The weather and velocity of air, at the time of the race, play a vital role in the maneuvering and stability of the boat. If the water current and the wind condition is harsh, the water continuously splashes and sprays on the console screen, making visibility blurred and thus increase the chances of collision
High wind velocity is also a hinderance in the smooth sailing of the boats. The winds not only prevents attaining of high velocity but also leads to "turn around" of the boat, which may also lead to capsizing of the boat. In case of capsizing of the boat, the airbag installed in the cockpit inflates. The cocpits are also provided with oxygen suppy from the cylinders.
sources:picapp/brighthub/raunekk/youtube
References:
http://www.f1boat.com/history/introf1.html
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sports/driving/FMB.htm
Power Boat Racing by T. J. Andersen
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