A Short History of the MIT Human-Powered Hydrofoil Project (1988-1992)


  Former Daedalus team members Marc Schafer (MIT SM '92) 
and Bryan Sullivan (MIT SM '??) initially conceived of the 
human-powered hydrofoil on the flight back from Greece.  
Their intention was to create a vehicle for fun which every 
member of the team could ride.  The announcement of the DuPont
prize shifted the focus of the project more twards competition.

  The initial proposal, drafted in the summer of '88, 
attracted $5,000 from MIT SeaGrant. Matt Wall joined the team 
and the initial design began to take shape.  Professor 
David Gordon Wilson served as the faculty advisor for the 
project during the construction of the first V-foil version 
of the boat.  Professor Mark Drela joined the team as the 
test pilot only to find that the V-foil suffered badly from 
ventilation and control problems.  

  A year passed and the core team of Marc, Bryan, Matt, 
and Mark recruited a new group of undergraduates to rebuild the 
Decavitator.  Mark became the new faculty advisor.  Ted VanDusen,
founder of Composite Engineering, Inc. of West Concord, Mass. 
allowed the team use of his facilities to construct a pair of 
modified flatwater women's racing kayaks, which replaced the old
wooden pontoons. The Laboratory for Manufacturing Productivity 
gave the team access to a three-axis numerically controlled 
milling machine which produced molds for all of the graphite 
epoxy foils, struts, and control surfaces.  This milling machine 
reduced the construction time for a new foil to three days,
compared to the previous method of foam and fiberglass which 
required three months.

  As testing on the Charles progressed, the boat became 
faster and faster, with progressively smaller wings and control 
surfaces.  In the end, eight different foils and four sets of 
control surfaces were built.  In August of 1991 the team was 
finally ready for its first IHPVA competition in Milwaukee.  
Gusty crosswinds proved a severe disadvantage to the Decavitator 
because of its large air propeller, but the team still took 
sixth place in a field of over twenty.

  Upon returning to Boston, the team affected many changes 
including a stiffer frame and construction of the smallest foil 
ever tried.  The new wing measured only 1.75" x 29.5", yet would 
hold up a person at 20 miles per hour.  With construction complete, 
the team set up its own record course on the Charles in Boston.  
Mark Drela established the new world record of 18.5 knots (21.3 mph) 
on October 27,1991.  On the same day, Dava Newman set a new women's 
world record of 11.41 knots (13.13 mph).

  In a last effort to break the 20-knot barrier, the team 
returned to the river in the Fall of 1992, but bad weather allowed 
only a few trials.  Nevertheless, a new women's record of 13.86 knots 
(15.95 mph) was established by Kjirste Carlson on October 8, 1992.  
News of a new competition in California drove the team to construct 
an aerodynamic fairing around the pilot, and a new set of foils.  
Unfortunately the fairing rendered the boat uncontrollable in 
the light crosswind present at the race and no new records were set.  




Construction Materials:
 Pontoons: Graphite/epoxy, Fiberglass/epoxy, Nomex honeycomb
 Frame: Aluminum tubing, Kevlar/epoxy joints
 Propeller: Kevlar/epoxy, Rohacell foam, Graphite/epoxy
 Fairing: Kevlar/epoxy, Graphite/epoxy, Balsa wood, Mylar skin
 Foils and struts: Graphite/epoxy
 Drive: Bicycle pedals, 1/4" pitch stainless steel chain to prop
 Seat: Aluminum tubing, Kevlar webbing

Dimensions:
 Length: 18 ft.
 Width: 8 ft.
 Height: 6 ft. (no propeller)
 Prop dia: 10 ft.
 Weight: 48 lbs.

Sponsors:
 MIT SeaGrant
 MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
 MIT Aero-Astro Department
 MIT Mechanical Engineering Department
 Composite Engineering, Inc.

Team Members (in order of appearance I hope):
 Bryan Sullivan
 Marc Schafer
 Matt Wall
 Mark Drela
 Harold Youngren
 Jim Thorne
 Erik Saarmaa
 Karl Leeser
 Tom Sorensen
 Tom Washington
 Will Gorgen
 Rick Paxson
 Jeff Evernham
 Juan Alonso
 Dava Newman
 Kjirste Carlson

Photographer:
 Steven Finberg

Support:
 Norman Doelling
 Dick Perelli