Lay down tunnel

[Damo]

Hy guys
Just looking for some advice could I convert a kneel down tunnel to a lay down tunnel? If any one has an opinion I would love to here it.
Cheers
Damien :D

[David Weaver]

This may not be the way to go. Laying down in a full tunnel is likely to be problematic. Vision will be the big problem. And, I do not see much to be gained in terms of performance. The biggest danger is that laying down in a tunnel may impede a drivers ability to judge his perspective with regards to the horizon. This makes a violent blowover more likely.

Many PRO / ALKY and some larger MOD boats incorporate a small tunnell in the rear of the boat. But all true tunnells are sit-down configurations.

[Damo]

Thank you for that David. I apreciatete the feed back
Cheers
Damien :)

[Ray Lumpkin]

I race tunnels for 15 years. I thought about lay down tunnels but it never looked right. To many problems. Sit down is way to go, I race both neal down and sit down tunnels. You have much more control sitting with power trim.

[Tim Chance]

I have run runabouts kneeling, hydros both kneeling and laying down, and a tunnel sitting down. I stuffed and spun the tunnel at 100+ mph restrained in a capsule. I didn't really get hurt, just some bruises on my shoulder from the harness. I hate to think what would have happened to me had I been laying down unrestrained.

[Damo]

Thanks guy's
I will convert it to a sit down (bad knees) this is for a stock 25hp class we have here in OZ. As we all run monos it's a open hull class and I wanted to be diferent. Thanks for the inpout.
Cheers
Damien :D

[hagerl8m]

a while back paul trolian made a lay down 45, maybe someone has some more information on that.

[Tim Chance]

I can't picture how you could lay down and be strapped in and still get out in an emergency.

[Jimboat]

Jimbo McConnell drove a Mod U laydown design once, i think the design concept was Jack Leek's and was built by Wilbur McDonald. In Canada, Spencer Dunn drove the same design, built by Lorne Pinel. The idea was to lower CofG and reduce aerodynamic drag. Both Jimbo and Spencer complained about visibility and ability to judge small changes in horizon. In pictures of Jimbo's laydown boat, you can see a coffee cup taped to the nose of the boat so he could see the horizon when he was driving. Aerodynamically, you're not that much worse off sitting, and advantage of "seeing" the motion is much greater.