A few posts back you'll recall how I had forgotten to nail the motor to the cross-bar that forms the trailing-edge of the deck, but in retrospect there is no harm done as this method ~ which I've trialled during the recent past ~ has much to commend it, for it means the motors can be popped off without disturbing the larger framework.
The original aim was to align the thrust so far as possible with the C of G, because experiments at full-scale with an outboard long ago showed that a sizeable offset in the thrust-line meant the game was over from the get-go. I've flown jets with inline engines (Citation, Hawker 125) and underslung (737), and whilst adding or reducing thrust on the former altered trim not a jot, trimming required on the latter during thrust changes was considerable; as it would be were a water-propeller to be pitched south of this hydroski.
Nobody notices nowadays as auto-trim papers over such cracks on modern airliners, which adds another way in which modern pilots are unaware of how it is they fly.
But boats or planes, I'm old-school ~ and reviewing this set-up, the weight of the batteries and drive-train raise the C of G some way north of the deck anyways.
All in all I'm happy with how this looks, especially seeing how it came close to being cut up in order to re-use sections of the laminated sheet. It's a fourth prototype and the one that moves on first to testing under power. And there can't be another, as I'm out of the uPVC skirting used for the skis... and am too mean to buy any more.
Lick of paint though, eh Gromit?
* Jet engines are underslung on even the smallest airliners nowadays, being that much easier to inspect, service and maintain. They also allow for structurally lighter wings, but don't ask why.
