UPDATE 11/29/06
I did some major modifications to get the lift air to behave the way I wanted it to. I'm not going to post the details of this. I'll just say that I've went past way beyond the point of no return and this will never be a finger skirt craft again.
The center of lift was shifted way back when I made the bow more boat-like. I'm struggling to correct for the balance and weight shift - looking for ideas short of adding weight to stern. Funny thing is that a major engine swap/upgrade would shift it back into balance (I think). If I were to do this it may look similar to what Ralph Debouse (sp?) did to his Scat-1 (a radical redesign).
How do you determine the center of gravity on an existing craft?
How do you determine the center of lift on an existing?
Is it best to have the two the same? What happens if they are not?
The first video is without the 2x12 for balance. The piece of lumber was the heaviest thing I had around to strap to the craft via bungie cords, but it does look like a wing. For more information be sure to read the captions posted with the videos.
Off Trailer-1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQtK1jHAHh0
Parking lot run-2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU0Xnlru-qo&mode=user&search=
Parking lot run-3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIc9vYyar6E
The video comes to a stop before the hovercraft hits a wood post at the end of the parking lot. I did that twice and now have some hull repairs ahead of me.
I have more videos taken the same day which was the day after Thanksgiving, but they don't show much more.
To do/install:
1. Longer handle bars
2. Seat
3. Elevators
4. Access panels plates to fix hull damage
5. Windshield
6. Gas tank rethink/replacement
7. Bow thruster/leaf blower.......someday
8. NOS kit.................just dreaming :P
EDIT:
Test flight 11/25/06 results:
Not once but twice I slid into a post at the end of a parking lot. The second time even harder than the first. My latest revisions to my craft means it slides much further than ever before after I let off the gas. Plow-in is no longer a quick fix reaction to objects coming up on you.
On the up side, I have an excuse to cut a big hole in my deck and have air tunnel access via aluminum diamond plate.
