The Fauber Hydroplane [1908]

The Fauber-Designed Hydroplane Yankee Hydroplane a French Sensation The Fauber Hydroplane

The accompanying diagram gives a general outline of the form of a new hydroplane-boat invented by Mr. Fauber, an American Engineer living in France. It will be seen that the machine is much more seaworthy in type than the regular box hydroplane, being, as the owner claims, a true boat so far as the upper part is concerned, but with a hollow bottom divided into eight inclined curved surfaces on each side, with the usual hydroplane steps or notches. In this case, in place of the two planes usually seen, we have eight a-side, with a cross-section somewhat like a sharpie, but with considerable hollow. The notches in this boat are not nearly so deep as in most hydroplanes, being only about 2½ inches at the most, and the inventor, after a series of experiments, found that deeper notches greatly reduced the speed. In addition to the notches there are a pair of air tubes to each notch, by which the air is sucked under the bottom of the boat when she is travelling at a high speed, causing her to rise bodily to the surface of the water until she rests at the points of the steps. As the sketch from which this diagram was made is somewhat vague as to the extent outline of the keel, we have shown two alternative forms, one with the notches dying out in the keel (shown in full lines) and the other with the notches in the center of the same depth as at the sides (shown in dotted lines). We are unable to say which of these two forms is the best, but should be inclined to favor that with the straight keel as being the stronger and simpler to construct. Our informant who has been in one of the boats states that the stability is very great and that the boat runs at top speed without any vibration to speak of. He also states that the inventor is prepared to guarantee a speed of 60 kilometers per hour with a 60 b.h.p. engine. The present boat is said to be only 20 feet in length, fitted with an Antoinette of something like 30 b.h.p., and her speed is reported as 27 knots. One peculiarity of this strange craft is the absence of any circulating pump. The circulating water is taken by means of a tube which passes through the bottom just behind one of the notches or steps, the end of this tube is pointing forward just below the lowest point of the step, and the water is therefore forced up the tube and through the water jackets under considerable pressure. There is, however, one serious objection to this method of water cooling, as if the boat stops the water supply immediately stops also. This does not, perhaps matter very much in a race, as the boat would probably be out of the race anyhow if it stopped. For a pleasure boat, this would be an insuperable objection, especially in the case of boats intended for use on rivers, where there are plenty of locks. No doubt the idea of this form of water circulation is ingenious, although it is by no means new, but it is hardly likely to become general in spite of its simplicity. Another interesting point is that the position of the propeller has a very great influence on speed. If carried aft of the rudder, instead of being in the position shown, about three kilometers an hour are at once lost. By the way, we hear that the first hydroplane with a stepped bottom was patented in this country some 30 years ago by a clergyman, who is said to have succeeded in driving a model at enormous speed. Of this we shall have more to say later, but it would appear to antedate all the present hydroplane patents and render the step form unpatentable.

--The Motor Boat, London.

(Transcribed from MotorBoat, Sep. 25, 1908, p. 19. )

{So which came first, the Pitot tube for airplanes, or the Fauber tube for hydroplanes? - GWC}

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page —LF]

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