At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking you are looking at the keel of a full on racing boat, but in fact this is a new boat sold as a cruiser.
Who on earth thought it was a good idea to fit the boat with a bulb extending forward creating a setup to catch every stray piece of gear floating around our oceans, never mind the risk of snagging her own anchor rode or mooring chain?
I’m guessing it’s the same crew who thought up the forward-facing sterndrive leg.
Those started showing up a couple of years ago, and the immediate impression is “not only is the slightest impact with any solid object going to tear those props to shreds, but they’ll fling the resulting shrapnel into the watertight bellows around the driveshaft.”
It’s easy to dream up ways to make a boat’s underwater parts 3% more hydrodynamically efficient. Apparently it’s somewhat harder to give due consideration to all the ways that such schemes can go badly wrong under off-nominal conditions.
Wow, just a little common sense would have gone a long way here. I’m assuming it is a production boat. So…
Think about the number of people that would have had to sign off on this disaster. WTF?
I’m guessing it’s the same crew who thought up the forward-facing sterndrive leg.
Those started showing up a couple of years ago, and the immediate impression is “not only is the slightest impact with any solid object going to tear those props to shreds, but they’ll fling the resulting shrapnel into the watertight bellows around the driveshaft.”
It’s easy to dream up ways to make a boat’s underwater parts 3% more hydrodynamically efficient. Apparently it’s somewhat harder to give due consideration to all the ways that such schemes can go badly wrong under off-nominal conditions.
Hi Matt,
That’s a very clear way to look at it. I too have seen the forward facing props and thought WTF.
The same person who thought sail drives were a good idea, would be my guess!
Hi William,
You are probably right. We need to find that guy!
Wow, just a little common sense would have gone a long way here. I’m assuming it is a production boat. So…
Think about the number of people that would have had to sign off on this disaster. WTF?
Hi Mitchel,
That’s a good point that I had not really thought of…WTAF!