OK guys, now that you are dreaming of turbine powered 1/8th scale hydros, what are you going to do about a turbines worst enemy, H20 (WATER) they don't like it at all. Seems to me like you are going to have to go through the same stuff the full size boats went through at first and are still experiencing, water ingestion puts out the flame and damages the turbine blades. The maintainance issue alone is enough to make one think twice. The present starting sequence at a race isn't enough to get a turbine up and running and in the water within 2 1/2 minutes, unless you alter the rules just for 1/8th scale and we know that is going to take an act of congress.
During a conversation with the late Gene Taylor way back in the early eighties at a Southern Gentleman's race in Hammond, La. he said he could eventually see us racing boats in a wash tub out in the back yard, well Gene wasn't far off of it, as you can see with the micro boats that are available today, and the turbine have come a long way since early developement. Good luck to those that find the funds to try and do it. Maybe some day I/C engines will be a thing of the past just like the trend in the full size unlimited hydros..............................
that turbine is set up for helis. The shaft RPM are geared waaaaay down. To low for our boating use at around 18,000 RPM. You would have to have them modify the ratios. I was reading that they burn about 5+ ounces of fuel per minute at 90,000+ RPM@turbine.
