Formula Boats Owner's Manual 

Formula

     Formula 1 on the water is one of the most courageous and risky sports. Established by Union International Motonautigue (UIM), F1H2O has been attracting millions of people for three consecutive decades.

As a rule, the stages of the F1H2O world championships take place in the richest countries and the most famous water resorts in the world. The circle of countries and cities hosting water racers is expanding from year to year.

Formula 1 water races are permitted only for extra-class pilots who have the appropriate license from the International Federation of Water-Motor Sports UIM. In order to obtain such a license, it is necessary to go through the stages of ten or more races of the highest world level on ships of the lower grades. For example, in the class Formula 3, where the engine displacement does not exceed 850 cm3. Competitions are designed for two days, usually held on Saturday and Sunday. However, in the Middle East, races are held on Thursday and Friday. Therefore, on the first day, athletes take part in free performances in the racing water area. At F1H2O level competitions, the discipline approach is very serious. The rider must arrive at the stage no later than 15:00 a day before the start of the training races. Any delay, even caused by non-flying weather or other valid reasons, is the basis for the removal of the rider from the competition. After all, the pilot must have a good rest, sleep off, adapt to the time zone in a particular country, and be prepared for the most difficult races.

"Formula 1" and on water and on land concentrates the highest technical achievements in technology and sports. The boat for the rider is everything - speed, life, victory. The boats participating in the F1H2O competitions are called differently: a scooter with an outboard engine, a catamaran or a car.

A modern racing catamaran is equipped with an outboard engine and is designed to move in a regime called flight. During the flight of the scooter above the water at full speed, only the propeller and the stern of the bottom are in the water. The body of the catamaran is made of carbon fiber, reinforced Kevlar, titanium alloy and special marine plywood. The pilot of the car is in the cockpit, and is closed in an aviation manner with a cap made of durable glass. The steering wheel is removed - for the convenience of landing and disembarking the pilot. Turns of the engine to the left and to the right are carried out with the help of cables that extend from the cab to the rotary system through roller blocks. Using a special hydraulic device, you can change the angle of the engine axis to put the propeller in the most favorable position. This makes it possible to maximize the use of engine power.

Competitions held in the framework of "Formula 1" play an exceptional role in the development and improvement of technology. In extreme conditions, at a speed that reaches 220 km / h, in practice, the issues of hydrodynamics of the hulls of racing vessels are worked out, forced outboard engines are improved, and the problems of ensuring the safety of athletes are solved.

Hulls of racing boats are made by specialized companies, among which the leading positions are occupied by Seebold, DAC, Bourges, Molgaard and ABC. To achieve high results, expensive and latest materials are used. This leads to a high cost of fireballs. According to the rules, a team must have one or two boats for racing in F1H2O. Water racers have relatively similar technical specifications.

The hull of a speedboat consists of a group of composite materials - carbon fiber, synthetic fibers, Kevlar, Nomex and Alrex. The length of the boat is 6 m, width 2.1 m, height 1.6 m, weight 390 kg, engine displacement 2.5 l, power 350 l. sec., acceleration to 100 km / h in 4 seconds.

 The pilot’s neck and head protection system is a special technical device that can reduce the load and damage to the neck during an accident and large overloads. It was developed in 1987 by Robert Hubard. As a result, 80 percent of the neck load energy is reduced with this system, better known as HANS (Head and Neck Support).

The cockpit of the speedboat was developed by ISATEC and has a rigid structure to absorb energy and increase safety in side impact. Consists of a rigid cabin and six layers of foam. The total mass of protective foam is 25 kg.

On Formula 1 sports boats, the OptiMax 250 Sport XS base engine is used, which provides steering control.