early 80`s jet hydroplane, Coniston.

[polo]

I give in, too many replies at once. If you want answers please ask direct questions .
I will try and answer them all but give me some breathing space!!
I wondered how long it would take for someone to out me as Polo..the SRC members got me at once!
Steve,if your Steve Holter, you know me !
Remember a long time ago we corresponded re getting you some RR Merlin engines and me diving on BB and doing a survey for you and Ken Norris. Remember that i refused to have anything to do lifting her[as I was..and still am..against raising her..will go into that another time..Bill is doing a marvellous job and I have told him that to his face] but would survey her for you? I would like a confirmation on this site re this as people don't believe me. I can't work out how to contact you direct via this site by e-mail, but if you can find a way for me to get in touch, I will. I think it is time for a book on K8 as she was a fabulous boat before she was 'tinkered' with!
K8 was a serious attempt at the record but the boat in question was meant as a 150mph test bed before the building of the attempt boat in metal. Roevin 'strengthened' her to make her into a attempt boat. They [my opinion] did not speak to people who know about these things and ignored[my opinion] those 'experts' [ ex- past it, spurts- drips under pressure{joke!}] who proffered advice and it went wrong, whether the 'experts' advice would have done any better is a matter ofconjecture.
People are apt to criticise boats and question design, you only have to look at the comments on Quicksilver to see that. Well in defence of all those who do and not just talk about, do you think they didn't think about all these things BEFORE you did? Do you think they didn't test as well?
The designer of K8 just happened to design such little known projects as - Concord, the space shuttle and a few canard jet planes that broke a few ASR's, so what would he know? He co-operated with that little known boat/ car designer Ken Norris, yes Ken had designed a reverse 3 pointer as well. Oh! I have forgotten that other person in the early team, he had no knowledge of fast boats..oh! what was his name?? OH! it was Leo Villa. Sorry to be cutting, but thats life.
Please people, don't criticise 'doers' , ask questions by all means, they WILL give you answers, you will rarely catch them out.We're all brilliant designers after success or we knew better after failure.
K8 was designed to have a nose down attitude, so she didn't fly! she did not have flat planing surfaces so as to spread the load over a bigger area[yes more drag! that was thought of as well!]. Now hands up those who know about a boat that flew[ BB?] and a boat that had its planing shoe collapse[Crusader?] it WAS THOUGHT OF! the only problem does it work in reality.
I had the early design and built a 1/10th scale model that I tested on my local lake[air screw propulsion- fan jet didn't have enough power and jet engines too dear and in infancy] I tootled her about at very low speeds to see what her low speed attitude was and how she would get onto the plane. All worked very well until the lake wardens laughed at the low speed of the boat and wanted a race, I opened her up and left them for dead with my mate getting a speed of over 130mph on the timer[ Police hand held radar gun borrowed from the unit below my office!], before I lost control and she kept going onto land and chopping a tree in half.
Bill what do you want to know about the cockpit? she was ejected at a decelleration of 10g and would have sank like a stone to the bottom of Coniston. Tony had a 20cu ft[old money] direct pressure air supply to breath from. It had recovery handles for lifting bags. Work it out, approx 50m down, diver to get to spot 5mins, dive down at 30m/min, find capsule in nil vis[you give a time we'll work on instantly] tie on recovery bag 2min, start lift 1min, ...we're in deco time already!! time to 6m at 15m/min approx 3min..do we do a deco for Tony? No,hand over to surface team so recovery team can deco, then we had to recover at surface and get to hospital..he was dead as soon as he was ejected and I told him that!! I was doing a body recovery for his family.

[polo]

having picture problems again.
BP was designed so that she would cut through any small waves she met without causing oscillation. Look at Ken Warby's planing shoes and you will see a high deadrise.

Bill if you look at the photo I posted earlier of the capsule on the hoist, you will see a 'lump' on the slope. The idea was that the capsule would eject with a ram placed under the 'lump' firing on decelleration and the power would smash the front hull throwing the capsule clear..in theory..we never tried it!

[polo]

someone mentioned large flames coming out of the back of the engine.. weeellll it was a cheat ! publicity is all, I used to chuck a cup of AVTUR [jet engine fuel] into the engine before starting her, it was a great show and appreciated by all, apart from me! I was at the rear leaning on the wing with the engine on my left. I had to plug in the battery leads and then pull the switch back to start the igniters with Tony doing his bit at the front. That flame used to fry my bum!! They used to throw water on my drysuit before I started it and then laugh as the steam came off!Frying tonight.
I thought you would like to see a handsome me, with hair then, kitting up and getting last instructions, and then the flame, unfortunately someone walked in front of the camera just as it was taken.

Bill please note. I was wearing one of the first ever membrane dry suits at the time! I hated diving in wet suits it was cold in Coniston.

[tas]

I'll get me coat...

[polo]

Mike,
Raj Nangia was definitely not a parson! He was in fact chief aerodynamycist on the projects mentioned and as such had very serious input into their design. I can't go into each nook and cranny of everyone's part in a project, its not like the end of a film where you see the credits, I just give credits to the person in charge.

[Mentallica]

Thanks for shareing the pictures and info.

I may not understand everything written but I wanted to say thanks for airing the pictures

[ace_chris]

Just wanted to say thank you to 'Polo' for posting about British Pursuit, a fascinating insight!!! Done a bit of reserach on Raj Nangia - ok perhaps not a 'parson' but definitiely a God! Chris

[f1steveuk]

"Polo"

I have tried to send a PM, but it keeps being sent to my out box, without actually sending it!

E mail me at steve@holters.freeserve.co.uk

Can I just confirm everything "Polo" has said. I recall a couple of visits to Filching, and if it hadn't been for "Polo", I'd never have got in touch with Geoff Hallawell, or quite a few others!!

[Renegadenemo]

I'm at a conference with Dr Raj in March - will be sure to get the story...

[polo]

Bill, I will e-mail him and warn him not to speak to strange men!