This is the story of how private foreign enterprise in the form of Swedish Lloyd and Swedish America Line, who formed a British company called 'Hoverlloyd', galvanised the British Government in to supporting this new concept in transport through the formation of a British Rail subsidiary called 'Seaspeed'.

This definitive text describes the theory and design both of Air Cushion Vehicles (ACV) and Surface Effect Ships (SES). It begins by introducing hovercraft types and their development and application throughout the world in the last three decades, before going on to discuss the theoretical aspects of ACV and SES craft covering their hovering performance, dynamic trim over calm water, resistance, stability, manoeuvrability, skirt configuration and analysis of forces acting on the skirts, ACV and SES seakeeping, and the methodology of scaling aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces acting on the ACV/SES from model test data. The latter chapters describe a design methodology, including design criteria and standard methods for estimating craft performance, lift system design, skirt design, hull structure, propulsion systems and power unit selection. Much technical information, data, and references to further work on hovercraft and SES design is provided. The book will be a useful reference to engineers, technicians, teachers, students (both undergraduate and postgraduate), operators etc. who are involved in ACV/SES research, design, construction and operation. - Guides the reader on how to perform machinery and systems selection within ACV and SES overall design - For teachers, students (both at under- and post-graduate level), engineers and technicians involved in ACV/SES

They can rule the half-pipe, but can they survive this? Jimmy, David, and Henry are psyched. It's summer, school's out, and they are on their way to California, where they will be able to do some major skating. But on the plane, the unthinkable happens: They are hijacked by terrorists. As frightened as they may be, they take action and they succeed. Sort of. They may have beaten the terrorists, but now their plane has crashed in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden, their summer vacation is about finding food, shelter, and a rescue. Can three normal twelve-year-old boys find a way to get by without fast food and skate parks?

High Performance Marine Vessels (HPMVs) range from the Fast Ferries to the latest high speed Navy Craft, including competition power boats and hydroplanes, hydrofoils, hovercraft, catamarans and other multi-hull craft. High Performance Marine Vessels covers the main concepts of HPMVs and discusses historical background, design features, services that have been successful and not so successful, and some sample data of the range of HPMVs to date. Included is a comparison of all HPMVs craft and the differences between them and descriptions of performance (hydrodynamics and aerodynamics). Readers will find a comprehensive overview of the design, development and building of HPMVs.

Air Lubrication and Air Cavity Technology is a major development that has emerged in recent years as a means to reduce resistance and powering for many types of ships, and an efficient design for high speed marine vessels. This book introduces the mechanisms for boundary layer drag reduction and concepts studied in early research work. Air bubble and sheet lubrication for displacement vessels is outlined and the key projects introduced. Generation of low volume flow air cavities under the hull of displacement, semi displacement and planing vessels are introduced together with theoretical and empirical analysis and design methods. Resistance reduction, power reduction and fuel efficiency are covered for both displacement and high speed vessels. Air layer and air cavity effects on vessel static and dynamic stability are covered, linked to regulatory requirements such as IMO. Seaway motions and reduced impact load of high speed craft in waves are discussed including model test results. Integration of propulsion systems for optimum powering is summarized. A design proposal for a wave piercing air cavity craft is included in an appendix. A comprehensive listing of document resources and internet locations is provided for further research.