Model Boater Goes 98.8 MPH in full size electric Hydro

Eric Bourlet · Oct 12, 2008

Today I was fortunate to witness an amazing sight. A full size electric hydro piloted by Michael Bontoft do the Kilo with a two way average speed of 98.8 MPH with a top speed of 102 MPH. His boat is one he built with the help of Ron Jones Jr. and is powered by Enerland Lithium Polymer batteries and a brushed motor. Thanks to Michael Bontoft, Lohring Miller, Gene Gager and the crew for letting me be there and putting on one hell of a show. He named the boat for his wife it's called Bridget's Watt Knot and I look forward to the next kilo to see what they have up there sleeve.

You can see some photos here http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?autoco...m&album=542

Here you can read an article from a local newspaper about his project.

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/10/10/thi...2c382558572.txt

Andy Greene · Oct 12, 2008

Eric Bourlet said:
Today I was fortunate to witness an amazing sight. A full size electric hydro piloted by Michael Bontoft do the Kilo with a two way average speed of 98.8 MPH with a top speed of 102 MPH. His boat is one he built with the help of Ron Jones and is powered by Lithium Polymer batteries and a brushed motor. Thanks to Michael Bontoft, Lohring Miller, Gene Gager and the crew for letting me be there and putting on one hell of a show. He named the boat for his wife it's called Bridget's Watt Knot and I look forward to the next kilo to see what they have up there sleeve.

Please tell me someone has some pic's of this beast :blink:

I had to re-read the thread 3 times to make sure I read " full size and brushed " :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh:

Looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks Eric ....

Andy

Jerry Wyss · Oct 12, 2008

Wow, I was there and saw the 92mph record run on saturday morning and didn't think he would be able to run that afternoon

because of the wind.

Thats obviousley the most impressive electric that has been on that lake,, the craftmanship and high tech everything else was

all first class. Well Done You guys!

PakMan · Oct 13, 2008

Eric Bourlet said:
Today I was fortunate to witness an amazing sight. A full size electric hydro piloted by Michael Bontoft do the Kilo with a two way average speed of 98.8 MPH with a top speed of 102 MPH. His boat is one he built with the help of Ron Jones and is powered by Lithium Polymer batteries and a brushed motor. Thanks to Michael Bontoft, Lohring Miller, Gene Gager and the crew for letting me be there and putting on one hell of a show. He named the boat for his wife it's called Bridget's Watt Knot and I look forward to the next kilo to see what they have up there sleeve.

Great Job Mike. Will you be able to run this boat on Nov 1,2 at Legg Lake?

DJ

Ron Olson · Oct 13, 2008

Eric, did I read that right, a full-sized boat like as in Mike was onboard driving the boat instead of using radio control?

Eric Bourlet · Oct 13, 2008

PakMan said:
Eric Bourlet said:

Today I was fortunate to witness an amazing sight. A full size electric hydro piloted by Michael Bontoft do the Kilo with a two way average speed of 98.8 MPH with a top speed of 102 MPH. His boat is one he built with the help of Ron Jones and is powered by Lithium Polymer batteries and a brushed motor. Thanks to Michael Bontoft, Lohring Miller, Gene Gager and the crew for letting me be there and putting on one hell of a show. He named the boat for his wife it's called Bridget's Watt Knot and I look forward to the next kilo to see what they have up there sleeve.

Click to expand...

Great Job Mike. Will you be able to run this boat on Nov 1,2 at Legg Lake?

DJ

I don't believe that they allow full size non R/C boats to run on the 1/16 mile

I think that NAMBA has a 60" maximum size limit too. It takes Mike about a kilometer to spool up before he hits the Kilo course. Just not enough room at legg for that.

Eric Bourlet · Oct 13, 2008

Ron Olson said:
Eric, did I read that right, a full-sized boat like as in Mike was onboard driving the boat instead of using radio control?

Yes Ron Mike drives it from inside the boat. We did threaten to replace his throttle hand with one of the new 400 oz in. Airtronics servos though. :lol:

You can find photos in my album http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?autoco...m&album=542

Andy Greene · Oct 13, 2008

Holy Smokes-

And the Smock boys though THEY where gonna be busy charging batteries at the All Star Challange :blink:

http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?autoco...si&img=3148

Very Impressive !!!! I bet it sounds cool ......

Andy

PakMan · Oct 13, 2008

PakMan said:
Eric Bourlet said:

Today I was fortunate to witness an amazing sight. A full size electric hydro piloted by Michael Bontoft do the Kilo with a two way average speed of 98.8 MPH with a top speed of 102 MPH. His boat is one he built with the help of Ron Jones and is powered by Lithium Polymer batteries and a brushed motor. Thanks to Michael Bontoft, Lohring Miller, Gene Gager and the crew for letting me be there and putting on one hell of a show. He named the boat for his wife it's called Bridget's Watt Knot and I look forward to the next kilo to see what they have up there sleeve.

Click to expand...

Great Job Mike. Will you be able to run this boat on Nov 1,2 at Legg Lake? ... just kiddin'... thanks for the clarification, and posting this Eric!!

DJ

Bill Britton · Oct 13, 2008

OMG!

SWEET...

lohring · Oct 13, 2008

In another first for electrics, the boat was the fastest outboard at the event. Everything went much better than I expected, and the only disappointment was not averaging over 100 even though the onboard GPS units all agreed that the boat reached 102 mph during a pass. The timed speed was 99+ mph for that pass.

Lohring Miller

llema · Oct 13, 2008

That's just absolutely awesome!!!! Congratulations you guys!

Ron Olson · Oct 13, 2008

OK, how about some more spec's on this boat. Size? What outboard? How about some shota of it.

Eric Bourlet · Oct 13, 2008

Ron Olson said:
OK, how about some more spec's on this boat. Size? What outboard? How about some shota of it.

Ron there are photos here http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?autoco...m&album=542

Eric Bourlet · Oct 13, 2008

Drew2 said:
Holy Smokes- And the Smock boys though THEY where gonna be busy charging batteries at the All Star Challange :blink:

http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?autoco...si&img=3148

Very Impressive !!!! I bet it sounds cool ......

Andy

Yes Andy I wish I had audio of the run it sounds amazing!

Mike Bontoft · Oct 13, 2008

"Hi Lohring, Ive been googling on the net and there is a full size boat that holds the electric world speed record, I don't think its that impressive and want to build a boat to break it, Hell, I think it might be possible to get it up to 100, want to be my partner on the project?" This is where it all started.

This weekend two years later I am at Devils Lake about to make my first run, laying on my belly in a hydroplane just over twelve feet long sorrounded by 144 volts and about to go thru the kilo at close to a 100mph, :blink: "What the hell am I doing and who's bright idea was this?" It was one of those moments that etches itself into your brain. A day later we had Unofficially broken the APBA and UIM world records (THESE RECORDS ARE UNOFFICIAL AND HAVE TO BE VERIFIED BY UIM AND APBA)

What a fantastic weekend and to have all my model boating buddies helping out was absolutly awesome. I'd like to thank Gene Gager, Eric Bourlet, Mark Anderson and Art Hill for all there help and support at the kilos and especially to my partner in this project Lohring Miller and to my wife Brigitte for putting up with these crazy projects. The plan now is to go to other Kilo events and try to get the record over 100 mph, as Lohring stated we saw speeds of 102 on the GPS but I need more practice being consistent thru the run and entering the KILO.

Mike

Andy Greene · Oct 13, 2008

Mike Bontoft said:
"Hi Lohring, Ive been googling on the net and there is a full size boat that holds the electric world speed record, I don't think its that impressive and want to build a boat to break it, Hell, I think it might be possible to get it up to 100, want to be my partner on the project?" This is where it all started.This weekend two years later I am at Devils Lake about to make my first run, laying on my belly in a hydroplane just over twelve feet long sorrounded by 144 volts and about to go thru the kilo at close to a 100mph, :blink: "What the hell am I doing and who's bright idea was this?" It was one of those moments that etches itself into your brain. A day later we had Unofficially broken the APBA and UIM world records (THESE RECORDS ARE UNOFFICIAL AND HAVE TO BE VERIFIED BY UIM AND APBA)

What a fantastic weekend and to have all my model boating buddies helping out was absolutly awesome. I'd like to thank Gene Gager, Eric Bourlet, Mark Anderson and Art Hill for all there help and support at the kilos and especially to my partner in this project Lohring Miller and to my wife Brigitte for putting up with these crazy projects. The plan now is to go to other Kilo events and try to get the record over 100 mph, as Lohring stated we saw speeds of 102 on the GPS but I need more practice being consistent thru the run and entering the KILO.

Mike

First off, congrats Mike !!! Great Job on a VERY cool project.

You answered my first question in your post- voltage-

What type of motor was used and what kind of RPM did it turn ??

Andy

Mark Anderson · Oct 13, 2008

Mike, Thank you for letting me hang out and get in the way. I came down to witness what I thought was going to be a historic day, and it turned out to be more than I could have imagined. What you and your team did was simply amazing.

DON MAHER · Oct 13, 2008

Mike & Loring,

Congratulations on your latest record. WOW!!! That is really something to be proud of. I just love your "Outside The Box" thinking & DOING!!!!!

Don

ALLAN YUEN · Oct 13, 2008

WOW really How feel on driver fast ?

h34r: How much of horsepower and RPM for electric motor? how many of ratio gears outboard drive?

Model Boater Goes 98.8 MPH in full size electric Hydro

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