Where's the Next generation gearbox

[Waterthunder]

Well after throwing mufflers on my boat last night I found out a few cool things. One I'm happy with how quite my boat is I can hold it at cruising RPM's on a trailer and talk to somebody standing 10 feet from my boat, that blew my mind. Second from idle to 3,500RPM all you heard was my gearbox howling. Now we need somebody to step up and build a more efficient helical gear gearbox instead of the spur gear gearbox everyone presently uses. I personally feel the best box out there was Innovative Accessories chain drive because a chain is so much more efficient then a gear to gear gearbox plus their quite and dampen harmonics. So Norman please start building them efficient chain box's again. Oh ya make some crazy big ratios so I can swing a five blade ULRTA WIDE Q series with my small block. I bet I could cruise at 600RPM's.

 

[SwampMatt]

I've noticed the same thing with any reduction unit. I just don't care for that rattle and whine and was happy when the prop & motor sound drowned them out. LOL

Question: Could you insulate a gear box with SOMETHING? Maybe hard foam bedliner type stuff? Inside & out? Double wall housing? A shroud around the gearbox?

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And don't take this the wrong way Thunder - You have probably the most beautiful boat I've EVER seen... But that little light boat is not my style for an everyday boat. (not that I wouldn't love to own one just like it!)

But a lot of your ability to run so quiet is because of that small light hull. I hope you come in with the quietest readings tomorrow, but have you done any calcs on scaling that combo UP to push a large barge?

Heh... we don't really want to "cheer" for you... it may throw off your readings! LOL :lol: But we'll be rooting for you anyway.

matt.

 

[jdotson]

The sound is magnified through composite prop blades being they are hollow with solid tips. Using a wood prop would quiet them down a bit but then you have ro run higher rpm's for push. I was amazed at the difference in sound after cutting the tips off my composite prop (New Year's incident). I'm sure you remember that one! With the solid tips gone the hollow blades and box combo didn't make near the noise they normally did when idling.

 

[Waterthunder]

OK you Aircraft guy's I mean this if it weren't for gearbox's I would run an aircraft. I know what you mean Mood I have learned nobody likes or appreciates anybody else's boat but their own. Most people end up with what they want or like. Personally I have no use or desire to own an airboat over 14ft to me it's not an airboat. The guy's with the barge boats say Thunder your boats to little or light then I look at all the boats that are tiny with one seat and super dupper light they can't even haul three people or any gear they say mines to big and heavy. So I have learned not to bother about ever saying what airboat I like or prefer because some people get really bowed up. However for my family riding, running the piss out of the hill (just ask CC what I did last Sunday), running pump 93 octane for (cost reasons), cruising, racing and letting my wife drive I feel for my needs I have the best all around airboat for me. The big barge boat owners say my boat is to small and light the little the A/C boats say I'm to big and heavy so as always I'm right in the middle which is where I want to be. I know I will not have the quietest boat Saturday, I sure hope not or nobody is putting any effort into this because I just spent $150 and two hours last night on my exhaust system but for the power I'm generating and the multi tasking ability of my boat I'm happy with it. The MAIN reason my boat is quite is I turn a max of 1500 prop RPM's so I might just try a wood prop but I don't think they make a two blade that would choke it down enough at the lenght I need.

 

[BADBILLY]

Heck we need a little noise to drown out the orders we receive from the side passenger. Airboating is the only piece and quiet I get

 

[Waterthunder]

Norman I'm calling you out, we need a more efficient gearbox! Start building them chain drives again. Put me down fot two I want to try one on a LS1!