Anakin, your boat is ready, it’s the Front Runner

Is it a pod racer?

No, that’ s just ridiculous (but it does kind of look like one).

This new boat from designer Joey Ruiter has twin sponsons that are separated from the main hull. More importantly, they both house 215 horsepower jet drive motors. This means, yes, 430 horsepower of pod racing water skimming insanity!

But wait, there’s new based in reality too! It’s designed to run in extremely shallow water (think around 2 feet, at the lowest, when it’s up on plane probably about a foot, but that doesn’t really count when coming in to beach it at the local lake).

The other cool bits are the it’s not a glued aluminum solution (likely aluminum welds). The big thing about that is, when you’re done with it, you can recycle the whole thing like a drink can!

It’s going to cost around $40,000 USD which is around the price of a comparable jet drive twin engine would cost, yet it looks about 10 times better.

It’s just a visual prototype right now (which you know I get frustrated with). However it’s an excellent job, it looks great, and should be a ton of fun (is it bad if I admit I kinda want one?)

Here’s a link to Joey Ruiter’s design site.

Here’s a link to the Grand Rapids boat show

Thanks core77 & Grand Rapids Press

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6 Comments on “Anakin, your boat is ready, it’s the Front Runner”

Robd Says:

This is ridiculous. Is this what happens when furniture designers decide to try their hand at naval architecture? What body of water is this designed for? a drainage ditch? A very shallow lake? any wave bigger than six inches is going to make a rough ride.

Shallow draft is a good thing, esp if you are fishing for redfish or other nearshore species. And a flat bottom will reduce draft to a minimum.

But a perfectly flat bottom will beat the hell out of its occupants in the slightest amount of chop. Not to mention that a flat surface like this will oilcan and flex much easier that something with some strakes or at least a minimal vee shape.

My recommentation, make the buyer sign away his down payment before a sea trial.

Xamu Says:

People don’t buy ugly boats - well, except maybe the military. And that doesn’t look like it has enough utility (in this incarnation) to attract the military.

Fred Says:

You’re right Rob.
Do you know the story of the original jet ski?
The first one made was all wrong (with the hydronamicist’s calculations), it sank immediately) so the guy that made the body for it made another one (he is a great surfboard shaper and later became a design teacher at some great design schools (maybe you’ve heard of Long Beach, or Art Center?))
The second one is the standard stand up ski you saw for years and years (and now it’s all sit down).

I do like the “podracer” aspect though, just wild to control I bet (if it was real of course)

Petite Gadget Pics » Coolest Gadgets Says:

[...] Anakin, your boat is ready, it’s the Front Runner [...]

Jeff Pynnonen Says:

This is the coolest boating vehicle ever. I would really like to see it in action in the water. I saw it at the Grand Rapids Michigan boat show. Its a pod runner on water. I am ready for a trip to Grand Rapids to see it in action.

jenzwhiz Says:

yeah, well there plenty of free podcasts or whatever on the internet that are supposedly “designed” for workouts, but remember — you get what you pay for — the creators of these podcasts have to rely on “free” music…… they can’t license real hits, they could never afford to …. if you look carefully at the playlists, you’ll realize they are all either outdated techno from back in the 90’s, or they are really “underground” (i.e. terribly, terribly boring) tracks, with just a beat going forever until u want to kill yourself — ….

If you want something that’s really going to get you motivated and keep you motivated… I recommend the “Euro Club Hits” series — it’s on iTunes — you can just search for it, or try this link: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/advancedSearchResults?albumTerm=Euro+Club+Hits+Vol+

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