It’s Friday, What Are You Doing This Weekend?
How about building your own home made Hydroplane? What could possibly go wrong? Thanks to ebay for the wonderful photo. Although I question the Hydroplane thing? Regardless it made a fun story. Or not. Just own the picture, I am not sure we could recommend that it might work! the metal bath tub thing is close to genus. But it’s better than going outside right now. If you are stuck in the home looking on ebay.. Just click here for the photo.
Matt: I think your timing is perfect. This thing looks like it would work better on hardened water.
The skegs could be sharpened like ice skates and you could go race those guys on the Hudson River.
Ha Troy I had not thought of the ice boat angle. Maybe duck tape some jets on the side of the tub!
I wouldn’t trust the ice on moving water like the Hudson just yet. I think I am going to stay indoors by the wood burning stove and maybe have some hot chocolate and bacon. If I do crawl into a bath tub, it will have to be full of hot water and indoors. Unless it is outdoors on a tropical beach next to another tub like those Cialis ads. Wait, that is still weird, I’ll just take a shower thank you. Indoors with hot chocolate and bacon. Mmmmmmm bacon.
ok, what is the header picture????
Perhaps aero in origin? Zepplin or Sea Plane??
I have no idea. It was smething i shot in Algonac a couple years back. Its part of a racer I know that much
High speed ice boat-hot tub?
If you look at the guy in the background for reference the tub is pretty big. Big enough to be a coffin as I don’t see any steering.
That is a great photo…but what the hell is it?
Jules Verne has nothing on that…..is that Captn Nemo on the right?
John in Va.
Dam! Look what just popped up on Hemmings. A snow plane? maybe thats what it is??
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/01/09/blizzard-sno-matter-well-take-the-snow-plane/
My money (and there’s not much of it) is on it being an early airship gondola. Here’s a pic of another one.
The image in the header is on the tail of my friend Hal Leduc’s vintage hydroplane Opechee. Each year several of us vintage hydroplane owners are fortunate enough to be invited each year to the Algonac show. Greg Lewandowski coordinates this activity with us. I have been there for several yeas with my White Lightning CE 52 5 Liter hydro. What I would like to say is that we are made to feel most welcome I even though I feel like I should put a placard on my boat saying “I’m a Woody” Hal’s boat has a varnished deck, so no one says anything, but since mine is painted, I always get asked is it fiberglass. Two items for comment. I run my hydro at 6-7 APBA vintage meets each year, primarily in Michigan, Ohio, and New York. BUT, I also static display the boat at 5-6 ACBS shows also, and commercial indoor boat and car shows here in Michigan – Cobo Hall, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Autorama. Algonac, Presque Ile, Port Sanilac, and others. These displays are almost as much fun as running the boat on water. Kids get to sit in the race boats and have their picture taken – and we get to promote interest in our vintage hydros.
When I have some time, I’ll relate the story behind the name Opechee. It’s amazing.
Danny you are spot on. This “hydroplane” is actually an engine nacelle/ control and observation gondola from a Russian V-4 airship (probably СССР В-4).
According to deiselpunk.blogspot СССР В-4 was one of a few non-rigid airships powered by a single 185hp BMW IIIa engine.
Danny’s photo features A.F. Pomerantsev one of B4’s officers (second from the right) along with his flight technician, and some flight students.
The photo I’ve have attached depict E.M. Oppman (commander) together with his flight students.
Apparently B4’s gondola was enclosed in 1932 but she only remained in service until 1934.
Since the photo matt found shows the gondola with an open cockpit and no military insignias or numbers painted on it its was probably captured on a test bed before assembly, probably in 1928 or 1929.
Photos and information courtesy of the E.M. Oppman Archive
Another shop of B4
Now if you want real world class bathtub racers check this out!
bathtubbing.com/ World Championship Racing from Vancouver Island to Vancouver.
It looks like that “hydroplane” contraption was built by the same guy that is building that house next to it 🙂
Denis D
Okay can hovercrafts be far away ?
Here is mine.
Derigibles, bathtubs, hydros, deiselpunk.blogspot…? WoodyBoater minestrone.
If you are in the Toronto area stop by the Toronto International Boat Show and check out the antique and classic boats on display
http://www.trentsevernantiqueboats.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNgAxNcJs4_P45LKF63ffsw