S07 → N400
The Spike of Fascinating & Unexpected
SPIKE 62
→ BOAT.
© 1. The Museum of Curiosity — A Victorian home being moved by boat in Tiburon, California (1957) / 2. unknown — Tiburon Marine Laboratory Two-Man Submersible taking part in a press demonstration at Oakland, California (1963) / 3. Bettmann — A one-man submarine-which tests gas carried its inventor, James Bolar, 15 feet below the surface of Oakland Estuary (1933) / 4. Shorpy — Sailing on the beach. Ormond, Florida (1900) / 5. William Howard — C.P.R. Co. S.S. Princess May wrecked on Sentinel Is., Alaska (1910) / 6. Leonard Frank — Fishing boat “New England” covered in ice, British Columbia (1916) / 7. unknown / 8. Guido van der Werve/MoMA — Nummer acht, everything is going to be alright (2007) / 9. Houot — The launch of the Archimède / 10. unknown — The rolling bridge from Saint-Malo to Saint-Servan is a movable bridge that connected the Bourse slipway in Saint-Malo to the Naye in Saint-Servan / 11. Ellis Kelsey Collection — The ‘Pioneer’ car approaches Palace Pier, with Marine Drive in the background by the Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway / 12. Office of Naval Research — RV FLIP Floating Instrument Platform is a 355-long floating oceanographic instrument platform. It is towed in a horizontal position to its destination behind a ship, then its ballast tanks are flooded, and it tilts to an upright position. All but 55 feet of its length disappears below the water, providing an extremely stable platform. Since 1962, FLIP has been used for a broad range of oceanographic research, including wave attenuation sound propagation, scattering, and reverberation seismic wave recording and measurement of internal waves. FLIP resides at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography / 13. Wikipedia — A model of hydrofoil high-speed boat Meteor on Lake Ladoga, Russia.
-100
-400
Ancient Egyptian sailors were among the first navigators to use a precursor to the modern compass. They employed a simple yet effective navigation tool called the “lodestone”, a naturally occurring magnetic rock. By magnetising the lodestone by stroking it with iron, it would align with Earth’s magnetic field, indicating the north-south direction. Suspended on a reed or floated in water, the magnetised lodestone allowed Egyptian sailors to determine their heading, enhancing their ability to navigate the Nile River and the Mediterranean Sea with greater precision. The ancient Polynesian navigators, operating without modern instruments like compasses or GPS, also relied on their deep understanding of stars, winds, waves, and other natural signs to traverse vast oceanic distances. A notable technique they used was “wayfinding”, which involved observing celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars to ascertain direction and location. In addition to celestial navigation, ancient mariners often relied on environmental cues and natural phenomena. The Polynesians, skilled inhabitants of the Pacific Islands, expertly read patterns in ocean swells, wave refraction, and the behaviour of marine life to navigate open seas. They could detect land beyond the horizon by observing subtle changes in wave patterns, such as the way waves refract around islands or reefs, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of their maritime environment.
Many models of boats have been designed across centuries and cultures depending on their use. Among them, the hydrofoil is worth highlighting. A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. It functions similarly to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. As a hydrofoil-equipped vessel gains speed, the hydrofoil elements create lift, causing the boat to rise above the water's surface. This reduces drag, allowing for greater speeds and increased fuel efficiency. Hydrofoils have a long history, with early concepts dating back to the late 19th century. Italian engineer Enrico Forlanini is often credited with pioneering the first successful hydrofoil boat in the early 1900s. His designs paved the way for further developments in hydrofoil technology, which has been applied to various types of watercraft, including racing boats, passenger ferries, and even military vessels. Their primary advantage lies in their ability to reduce water resistance. By lifting the hull out of the water, hydrofoils minimise the surface area in contact with the water, significantly decreasing drag. This allows hydrofoil boats to achieve higher speeds with less power compared to traditional boats. The reduced drag also contributes to smoother rides, as the vessel is less affected by waves and turbulence.
—
→ Sourced from: SYSTEM 03 (Specteore)
→ Stored online: N400 Spikes Repository
—
→ Search log: Google images / Ships and Warships / National Railway Museum’s Archives / RV Flip / The International Hydrofoil Society
—
© If you are the owner of a picture and want it removed, please contact us.