More Of A
Good Thing:
The Secrets Of Tunnel Boat Design - 12th Edition
Book review by Greg Terzian
Many of you will remember our
first look at Aeromarine Research's fantastic tunnel hull manual, The
Secrets Of Tunnel Boat Design. This book is hailed by many (including us)
as the premier tunnel boat enthusiast's resource. Well, Jim Russell has
been hard at work on the latest edition, which brings us to the current
offering.
For those of you that are unfamiliar with this book,
it is recommended that you read our review of the 10th Edition
here. The Secrets
Of Tunnel Boat Design is what I believe to be the bible of the tunnel
boat. I'm happy to report that all of the goodness of previous editions is
present here, with much more to make this the best version yet.
After an interesting forward
written by Formula 1 Champion Mark Rotharmel, the reader is first
introduced to a fantastic history of both tunnel boats and modified-vee
bottom designs. Here you'll learn about the early concepts in boat racing,
dating back to 1905. Design evolution is extensively discussed - mono hull,
stepped bottom designs, hydroplanes, catamarans, "wing" designs, and of
course, the tunnel design. All that was learned through testing and racing
of these designs has been chronicled into this book, and as we all know,
some of these lessons were learned at great cost. It's all covered here,
from mild to wild, and everything in between.
The new book now includes the complete history of tunnel boat design, the
design of propellers, the history of the modified-vee hull, the history of
the Wing In Ground effect, and the Ten Steps To Performance Powerboat
Design. Secrets Of Tunnel Boat Design now includes over one hundred
photographs and many detailed illustrations to help the reader understand
the physical properties that are taken into consideration for design
analysis. Indeed this book will teach you how to design a tunnel hull with
predictable performance.
What impresses me about this book
is its capacity to educate even the most casual performance boater, while
making it very interesting at the same time. Every facet of performance
boating is covered, and while the material is easy to digest for any reader,
more advanced professionals will find that there's a lot to sink their
proverbial teeth into.
Finally, it should be mentioned that now more than ever, this is not a book
for just the tunnel boat crowd. While the Secrets Of Tunnel Boat Design is
a book that focuses on the tunnel hull, the knowledge contained in its pages
will educate all performance boaters. Understanding the forces that make
our rigs fly opens up new possibilities for performance and safety.
With the holidays upon us, this would make a great
gift for any performance boating enthusiast. The only way to take this one
step further is with Aeromarine Research's Tunnel Boat Design Software,
which is a living, breathing, interactive version of this book. Our review
of this software can be viewed
here. In our tests,
it was shockingly accurate, and dangerously addictive. Something to
consider for those long winter months. Either way, the Secrets Of Tunnel
Boat Design is sure to please any performance boating enthusiast. Happy
reading!
Special Offer: Any
Scream And Fly registered forum
member that orders the 12th Edition
Secrets Of Tunnel Boat Design
book ($69) AND the
Tunnel Boat Design Program,
Version 6.5 software ($379) will receive a $70 discount. Any of
these would make a great gift for the holidays!
If you're interested in purchasing these items, you
may use the following links:
12th Edition STBD book
TBDP Software, Version
6.5
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Contact Information |
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Aeromarine
Research
www.aeromarineresearch.com
67 Highland Cres.,Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
N1S 1M1
Fax: 519-622-5468 |
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