pic: 648 Cardboard Crab Steer Boat 1

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

While I'm not familiar with what speed is required to make for an impressive speed for a cardboard boat, this design looks like it will experience a fair bit of drag compared to a more streamlined, single hull vessel.

You may also find that while this design will exhibit omni-directional drive ability, that it may also exhibit very little directional stability... the ability to track in a straight line.

It is a cool looking design, but I wouldn't expect it to go fast, or in a particularly straight line. Perhaps if the tetrahedrons were replaced with streamlined "rudders" that each rotated as the pilot did....

Jason

Heh, the "impressive speed" is well below the speed required to win a race. We have some difficulties in the past about maneuvering the left hand corners of the 200m course. Our biggest rival is mother nature... if it's windy, we might be in trouble, but if it isn't, my guess is that we'll be fine and we'll be able to control the boat fairly well.

There is one thing that is for certain. When we go to turn and are carrying some speed, we'll somewhat drift around the turn. Carrying both forward and left motions. We'll also lose nearly all of that speed in the turn.