# Stange experimental boat **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121 "2006-10-19T17:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/21 "2006-10-20T00:53:39Z")
Could this just be an elaborate movie prop? ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/22 "2006-10-20T01:11:13Z")
Are we sure Burt Rutan didn’t design that thing? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/23 "2006-10-20T01:28:18Z")
[QUOTE=Rysdad] Are we sure Burt Rutan didn’t design that thing? [/QUOTE] Prtetty sure. There are no canard winglets. I find it interesting that the cabin or pod appears to be designed as a boat hull, itself, marred by the way the cockpit seems bolted on to the from from some other ship. Could the pod be designed to be winched down to sit on (or under) the water? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/24 "2006-10-20T02:19:28Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Prtetty sure. There are no canard winglets. I find it interesting that the cabin or pod appears to be designed as a boat hull, itself, marred by the way the cockpit seems bolted on to the from from some other ship. Could the pod be designed to be winched down to sit on (or under) the water? [/QUOTE] Doubt it. The glass on the cabin is flat, and there is a lot of it. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/25 "2006-10-20T02:29:35Z")
Radical designs like this are often created around one critical mission criteria. It might be very specialized. It could be a scientific vessel that has some kind of sensor on it that has to be positioned a certain height above the water, or it could be shaped that way because it’s designed to manoever over top of some specific kind of obstacle. Also, note that the booms appear to be connected to the pontoons through large leaf-spring type isolators. Perhaps the thing is a platform for penetrating sonar mapping, or housing some other kind of instrument that needs to be on a very stable platform. ---
**Author:** ![Etherman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Etherman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Etherman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/26 "2006-10-20T02:39:37Z")
Looks to me like you could sling a 40ft shipping container under that thing and navigate a significant number of the smaller waterways in the world. As **Tommndeb** pointed out, that cabin is odd shaped, and reminds me of the cabins on the cranes in container ports. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/27 "2006-10-20T03:46:28Z")
Thinking about it, this \*could be a radical design for a very interesting cruising boat. Think about it - a typical ocean-going private vessel it typically a monohull of some kind. That means it rocks, sways, etc. For some people, it makes travel uncomfortable. Also, your eyes are right down near the surface of the water. Imagine cruising in this thing. It’s efficient, with minimal surface area and hull size. There’s no chance of being centered on a wave like there can be with other catamarans, and probably zero chance of being flipped. The living/piloting area is on all kinds of suspension - the inflatable pontoons themselves, the big leaf spring type shock absorbers, and maybe more in the connection between the booms and the pod. And the view would be spectacular - you’re quite high up, with excellent vision. Smooth, efficient, fairly high speed ocean travel. Only thing is, it doesn’t looke like the pod would be designed that way if it was meant for cruising. It would have windows in the back and sides, and probably be finished better than the military/commercial look of this thing. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/28 "2006-10-20T03:51:07Z")
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!! ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/29 "2006-10-20T13:17:01Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Or out at sea. You see one pontoon come alongside each side of your boat from aft… and then there a thumping noise on top of the pilothouse, and men in black jumpsuits land outside your windows, speaking an unknown language. Your lights and electronics and engine go dead, and you smell an odd smell, and the last thing you remember is falling to the floor as the leader of the team finds your logbook. Then you wake up in a small room with a view of a cavern. [/QUOTE] “Greetings, Dr. Quest.” ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/30 "2006-10-20T17:52:45Z")
Hmmm…with all that isolation from the waves, it might be a good platform for geophysical work – looking for oil using seismology, for example, or ocean bottom mapping. I’m not sure that the “salvage vessel” hypothesis holds water, as this vehicle looks pretty expensive, and salvage can conveniently be done by some rusty old barge with a crane on it. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/31 "2006-10-21T00:12:13Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Prtetty sure. There are no canard winglets. [/QUOTE] Still, that boat bears a passing resemblance to [this](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://radio.weblogs.com/0105910/images/rutan_plane.jpg&imgrefurl=http://radio.weblogs.com/0105910/2004/05/28.html&h=266&w=400&sz=53&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=V4UX-0J-X4FegM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplane%2Brutan%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D) Rutan creation. [sub]I know, I know, that’s two planes. But still…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/32 "2006-10-23T19:09:46Z")
[This guy](http://www.patentstorm.us/inventors/Ugo_Conti-1183998.html) has been working on [it](http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6874439-fulltext.html) for a long time… > [@](#): > > Foreign Patent References > 439997 AU Aug., 1973 > 2 590 861 FR Jun., 1987 > 2 770 482 FR May., 1999 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/33 "2006-10-23T19:28:10Z")
If the pontoons are inflatable as the description says, wonder what happens if one springs a leak? I don’t think I’d like to be be mid-ocean then. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/34 "2006-10-23T19:39:19Z")
Why couldn’t it just be a fun craft to have for someone who can afford a yacht but wants to be different? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/35 "2006-10-23T19:45:26Z")
[QUOTE=cantara] [This guy](http://www.patentstorm.us/inventors/Ugo_Conti-1183998.html) has been working on [it](http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6874439-fulltext.html) for a long time… [/QUOTE] And given his other patents, there’s some support for the oil exploration /sea bottom mapping theory. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/36 "2006-10-24T12:58:47Z")
[QUOTE=cantara] [This guy](http://www.patentstorm.us/inventors/Ugo_Conti-1183998.html) has been working on [it](http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6874439-fulltext.html) for a long time… [/QUOTE] From your link: > [@](#): > > …18. A watercraft comprising: > > first and second flexible hulls; > > first and second motor pods, each flexibly coupled to a respective flexible hull; and, … But is it flexible? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/37 "2006-10-24T13:33:37Z")
At a 100 feet long, probably more than one would expect. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/38 "2006-10-24T13:39:14Z")
From that Flickr link it seems to use ram-steered props similar to [Arnesen surface drives](http://www.arneson-industries.com/). Together with the general look of the thing, it makes me wonder whether it’s optimised for shallow-water operation of some kind? It might make a pretty good way of pootling around in shallow lagoons, reefs, swamps and the like, if it has very shallow draught and good obstacle visibility from the elevated position. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/39 "2006-10-24T16:47:32Z")
The “cabin” in the center seems to be mainly tarps surrounding something, only the glass cockpit seems solid. This [site](http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1018/) shows some different pics where you can see the wrinkles in the tarps as well as some shots of it under power with nothing but the cockpit portion of the center structure. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121/40 "2006-11-21T21:14:03Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Or out at sea. You see one pontoon come alongside each side of your boat from aft… and then there a thumping noise on top of the pilothouse, and men in black jumpsuits land outside your windows, speaking an unknown language. Your lights and electronics and engine go dead, and you smell an odd smell, and the last thing you remember is falling to the floor as the leader of the team finds your logbook. Then you wake up in a small room with a view of a cavern. [/QUOTE] Or in a villa with a view over an Italianate village: “What do you want?” “in-for-mation” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stange-experimental-boat/377121.md?page=3)