Thunder Boat - Thriftway 2.5

[Carl Van Houten]

After the Scorpion Gas Sport Hydro project I decided to design a scratch built Thunder Boat for Talley and I call it the Thriftway 2.5. This model is a lot of fun to watch and carries very good speeds around the track. I am ready to see it in action this spring. I actually drew it two years ago and It was recently finished and is being tested now. The Thunder Boat Class needed a new contender. There is one guy in Voo Doo that is not going to like it...LOL In the picture the cowling was not snapped down in the rear. There is no gap at the rear when its properly snapped on the boat.

 

[Jeff Barnes]

Sweet

 

[Carl Van Houten]

Sweet

THANKS JEFF!

This is not an easy model to build at this point. In the original concept drawing the deck curve was exaggerated quite a bit to cover the gas engine and that made it tuff to build. As a result the deck was built with mahogany strips. I could pie-cut the deck pieces but not sure what direction I will take it.

If it likes race water, I may just mold the front section of the deck and build it from carbon. ? It has been a fun project and it has some things that are obviously working and keeping the boat dry in the turns. Hopefully it will show well this spring.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Carl
Any chance of buying a set of drawings?

Mark

 

[Carl Van Houten]

Hey Mark,
I designed this laser cut Thunder Boat kit for Mike Talley. He has wanted one for 35 years. I will ask him if he wants to sell the kit. It will be raced at VooDoo this May. He will most likely want to see what it will do in race water first. I am very happy with what I see from this boat so far. If you want one I have no problem with that but it will be his call to release it.
- Carl

 

[Grimracer]

THAT BOAT LOOKS BAD ASS!

Grim

 

[Carl Van Houten]

THAT BOAT LOOKS BAD ***!

Grim

Thanks Grim! I sure hope it brings home some wood for Mike. Being able to watch real time corner speeds has been a lot of help in fine tuning the setup.

 

[donald dunlap]

Nice

 

[Kyle Ebisutani]

Hi Carl,

I love that look. Your Thriftway 2.5 is a very attractive modernization of the original Thriftway Too thunder boat!

I'd like to share my Thriftway Too.0 with you and the group. It's a modified Feecraft hull built for gas thunderboat heat racing.
Are you going to produce yours as a kit or is it just a personal build?

Aloha and nice build!

Kyle

 

[Mark Anderson]

Sounds good Carl. Tell Mike Not to worry about testing it any further, he needs to share!