Amazing Machine of the Day: SeaPhantom

The real ingenuity behind this devilishly fast machine is not the speed, but rather the comfort, a word not usually mentioned when describing high-speed boats. The unusually shaped craft is modeled after a NASA lifting body. There are two shock dampened hydrofoils that extend down and to the rear from the forward outboard portions of the machine. These foils have the marine equivalent of a desert racer's suspension system consisting of non-corrosive fiberglass leaf springs and billet-aluminum airbags tested to 60,000 pounds for dampening the wave impacts. As it increase in speed it rises onto the foils to get the hull out of the water. Although it currently uses a 625hp motor from an offshore racing boat, once on the foils, only 300hp is required to keep it on plane and at speed. Speaking of speed, this machine can rocket across the sea at speeds approaching 150 knots.
The Sea Phantom resembles Space Ship One crossed with a Peugeot 20Cup Concept in a Cypress Gardens waterski show. A proof of concept that seats five has been built and used in sea trials. They are considering turbines that can burn marine diesel and have superior weight to power ratios. Eventually they hope this technology will be used for craft seating 18-25 ferrying tourists, soldiers, or anyone that wants a cool ride!


SeaPhantom via Gizmag