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Video: Airline Food, Maglev & Arrival in Shanghai

Posted by camuyano on 28 Aug 2009 at 9:27 pm under Technology, Travel, Vehicles | No Comments

Boats: Buy one get one free…

You know the economy is bad when they start advertising “buy one get one free” deals on boats. This is no joke! I received this on a promotial email from Yachting magazine. Oyster Harbors Marine of Osterville, MA is giving away a 24 FS Regulator center console boat with the purchase of a Maritimo 52′ cruising motor yacht and a 26 FS with a 60′ cruising motor yacht. The only catch is that the 52′ Maritimo will set you back $1,159,000 while the 60′ will cost $1,659,000 not to mention the thousands you will have to pay for docking, fuel, maintenance, taxes, repairs and winter storage for not one but two boats. (Nevermine that the Maritimos are discounted from $1.4M and $2.2M, respectively.) But if you have the dough, both are nice boats. In fact, the Regulators alone are better than my current rig.

Posted by camuyano on 07 May 2009 at 6:13 pm under Boats | Comments Off

Scout 145 Hybrid Boat

A while back I blogged about the DSe Hybrid yacht, a cruising motor-boat that used electric motors coupled with a pair of small diesel generators and a bank of batteries and solar panel array. The boat could steam along under diesel or electric power alone and provide power indefinitely for living â€œon the hookâ€.

If you donâ€™t have a need for a large cruising motor yacht but still want to feel like your doing your part for the environment â€“ not to mention save a bundle on gas â€“ the Scout 145 Hybrid has just hit the market. The small skiff uses a 20 hp outboard to run at planning speeds but it also has a pair of Lenco Marine 36-volt Trollâ€™n Tab electric motors fed by a bank of three 30 Amp deep cycle batteries. The boat can reportedly scoot along at displacement speeds for up to 8 hours on a full charge and features joy stick steering for the electric drives which could greatly reduce stress during docking.

I guess any small sport fishing boat fitted with Trollâ€™n Tabs would technically be a hybrid; however, this is the first time that such a boat has been sold as a package. Additionally, the Lenco system seems a lot more practical for use as auxiliary propulsion. With gas prices expected to continue to rise and environmental concerns looming large in the horizon, letâ€™s hope that boat manufacturers come up with more innovative ideas like this that could keep boat enthusiast like us on the water while helping preserve out fragile and valuable resources.

Posted by camuyano on 01 Jul 2008 at 2:00 pm under Boats, Environment, Fishing, Gadgets, Hybrid, Motorboat | No Comments

Targa Newfoundland: Everymanâ€™s Rally

Â In my opinion, nothing embodies the spirit of auto racing in its purest form than rallying. This form of motor sport harkens back to the days before closed circuits when road racing literally meant what its name implies: two or more cars racing on public roads from point A to point B. It is no wonder that one of my favorite movies growing up was â€œThe Great Raceâ€.

Even if you are not so much into motor sports, rallying can still appeal to adventurous travelers not just because of the thrill of speeding through back roads and towns trying to find that elusive â€œXâ€ in the map but also because of the beautiful and sometimes exotic locales that serve as a backdrop to many events. In North America, where racing is dominated by primarily oval-based series such as NASCAR and Indy Racing League, rallying is almost unknown. In Europe, however, the World Rally Championship attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators and champion drivers such as SÃ©bastien Loeb and Marcus Gronholm are superstars in their own right.

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Nevertheless, there is still hope for North American rally fans. The sport has recently gained higher profile due to two consecutive appearances in the summer X games. (One of which feature an spectacular performance by the now deceased rally legend Colin Mcrae in which he rolled the car yet managed to continue almost as if nothing had happened only to be beaten by American adventure sport phenomenon and #1 rally ambassador in the US Travis Pastrana by mere seconds.)

Another event that is quickly becoming a classic, despite having been in existence for only 6 years, is the Targa Newfoundland. â€œTargaâ€ means plate in Italian and it signifies the shape of the prize given to the winner of this event. The event is run each September on 2200 Km of public paved roads in eastern and central Newfoundland. The race is composed of 75% â€œtransit sectionsâ€ (equivalent to road or liaison stages in rallying parlance), in which crews compete on public roads following the rules of the road, and 25% â€œtargaâ€ or â€œspeedâ€ sections (special stages), which are all out time trials held in public roads closed to the public.

Each vehicle competes against itself on a handicap basis, as well as against other vehicles, within several classes that include historic, classic and modern sporting motor vehicles. This allows even privateers with limited budgets to compete against larger teams. In fact, the overall winner for the 2003, 2004 and 2005 editions of the Targa was a BMW club racer from Northern California named Bill Arnold who beat out factory entries from Chrysler, Subaru and GM. This year Roy Hopkins and Adrienne Hughes took the overall win on a 1969 BMW 2002.

Add to the thrill of rally racing the dramatic backdrop of the island of Newfoundland with its quaint villages and rugged coastlines and you have what can only be called one of the last great automotive adventures. Best of all, it is one adventure that can be attained even by average Joes and is not reserved only for the racing elite.

Posted by camuyano on 16 Oct 2007 at 7:51 pm under Adventure, BMW, Rally, Subaru | No Comments

Honda to produce revolutionary light jet

I recently read about Hondaâ€™s ground breaking for a new $100 Million facility in Greensboro, NC to produce the new Hondajet. The facility will house engineering, development and production for Hondaâ€™s new light jet and turbo fan engines. This is exciting news for us independent travelers (and airplane aficionados) as it points to a bright future for light jets suitable for air taxi operations and fractional ownership arrangements (as reported previously on this site) as another major player throws its hat into the ring.

The Hodajet features an advanced engine design that uses advanced aerodynamics to improve efficiency and maximize time between overhauls, all of which translates into lower operating costs and the possibility that average Joes may soon get to hitch rides in light jets for short haul travel. (Goodbye long security line!) The engine is also mounted above the wing rather than the fuselage so that the rear fuselage can be used to maximize cargo room.

The aircraftâ€™s cabin is designed to carry 6 or 7 passengers in comfortable yet relatively spartan accommodations. Honda has paid special attention to ergonomics in order to create a layout that is efficient, safe and comfortable. This is expected from a company that produces some of the worldâ€™s best selling minivans. The lack of luxury amenities indicates once again that this aircraft is not meant only for the jet-set but for air taxi operators and less wealthy private owners.

Posted by camuyano on 10 Oct 2007 at 1:25 pm under Airplanes | No Comments

Verdier Westfalia Diesel-Hybrid Camper Concept

Just the other day I was editing some video from Europe (Donâ€™t worry. I will post some of it online eventuallyâ€¦ honest!) and thinking of the virtues of travel by campervan. Running around with everything you need within easy reach is extremely appealing but, in a van, you have the added advantage of easy movement between cab and camper.

Need to change out of your sweats for lunch in a roadside establishment that looks a bit more upscale? No problem! Just hop in the back and change. Need to spend the night in a spot that looks kind of shady? Knowing that you can get up in the middle of the night and just drive without having to walk outside should offer some comfort.

All this has me pining for a van that is compact and practical yet powerful enough for towing toys and supplies yet economical. Just recently Brenda stumbled onto a new design that has us both extremely exited even if it does not necessarily meet all of the criteria above. The Montreal based design firm Verdier has recently announced that it won a special jury prize at the Caravan Salon DÃ¼sseldorf in Germany for a concept of their solar-diesel hybrid Westfalia camper concept.

I know; I knowâ€¦ Just last week I was complaining about hybrids and how they are mostly an â€œimage thingâ€; however, this vehicle combines the best of both worlds, hybrid-electric and new diesel technology. Besides, the batteries can be recharged using the solar panels too further enhancing fuel economy. Finally, who could resist the sleek and clever design as depicted in the computer-generated video from the company?

Details on the design seem to be restricted to computer-generated images and specs from the companyâ€™s website where Verdier boldly declares, â€œReserve yours Now!â€ as if the vehicle is ready for production today. The target price has also been quoted as $69,000.

It remains to be seen whether the proposed 200 hp engine will be powerful enough to tow much of anything (or even if a hitch attachment will be offered). At least the diesel should offer more torque for towing even with an underpowered engine. (This is the norm in Europe as even small passenger cars tow huge trailers since virtually no one owns a truck.) If the production model can indeed tow at least 5,000 lbs, I may be looking at my ideal campervan.

Posted by camuyano on 28 Sep 2007 at 4:19 pm under Campers, Camping, Hybrid, Volkswagen | No Comments

Island Pilot DSe Hybrid Yacht

With the â€œGreenâ€ Emmys now behind us and the success of Al Goreâ€™s â€œAn Inconvenient Truthâ€, there seems to be an increased awareness of the environmental challenges we are likely to face in the coming century (at least among Hollywoodâ€™s elite). It has become â€œcoolâ€ to drive a Prius Hybrid. In reality driving a hybrid Prius is more of a public statement sinceâ€”for all its technological wizardryâ€”the Prius is not much more efficient than other more conventional models such as the Jetta TDI (and a lot more emasculating if you ask me).

Iâ€™ve written before about how boat builders also need to get on the â€œgreenâ€ bandwagon and give boaters more efficient options. Otherwise the future of one of my favorite pastimes is in jeopardy. Itâ€™s only a matter of time before strict emission and efficiency regulations make 99% of all boats out there obsolete. In fact, it is politically less risky for lawmakers to strictly regulate boats than cars. After all, everyone drive but only a â€œprivileged fewâ€ own boats (yea right!).

The industry is catching on somewhat as evidenced by the new crop of â€œcleanâ€ and fuel efficient outboards out there. These motors, however, are mostly found in smaller fishing craft while small and mid-size cruising craft are mostly powered by large inefficient gasoline engines hooked up to stern drives. Even the move to more efficient small diesels has been slow.

Now Island Pilot is offering an alternative, the DSe Hybrid catamaran. The boat features electric motors that drive the propellers and can be powered by either two Ossa Powerlite 25KW, variable-speed, high voltage DC, sound shielded generators or a bank of rechargeable batteries. The generators feature a Mercedes-engineered 1-litre engine developed for the Smart Car in Europe (soon to be sold in the US). This â€œnext-generationâ€ diesel should prove extremely efficient, clean and reliable.

But what sets the Hybrid yacht apart from its quasi-efficient land-based counterpart is the ability to run multiple photovoltaic solar cells on its generous on-deck surface area. The cells help charge the batteries and can also provide power to run the motors. In fact, Island Pilot boasts that the DSe Hybrid can run at 6 Knots on solar power alone! The yacht can also be plugged into the grid when in port to charge the batteries, something that automakers have been reluctant to do for some reason.

Even if the effect of the solar panels is somewhat less than aesthetically pleasing, this system seems like a huge step forward in practicality from a purely solar propulsion system. I can envision the day when flexible photovoltaic solar cells can be used to cover the entire surface area of a sleek wave-piercing design like Earthrace and combine with more efficient energy storage and control systems to provide an efficient, fast and beautiful craft. Until that day, we will have to keep a close watch for developments such as the DSe Hybrid.

Posted by camuyano on 19 Sep 2007 at 4:22 pm under Hybrid, Motorboat, Solar | 2 Comments

â€œYour Porsche is ready, Mr. Bondâ€¦â€

Now there is one more reason to love Porscheâ€™s mid-engine supercar, the Cayman Sâ€”as if I needed more reasons; however, all the reasons in the world will not help me overcome the steep purchase price. In November 2007, the company will be introducing the Cayman S â€œPorsche Design Edition 1â€.

The car incorporates styling cues traditionally featured in the sleek, technologically advanced gadgets, clothing and accessories produced by the Porsche Design Group. The black exterior with its barely-visible dark grey racing stripes, stealth Porsche Design Edition 1 lettering and large 5-spoke rims give the car a menacing appearance that make it fit for an secret agentâ€™s arsenal.

But looks are not this carâ€™s only secret weapons. In a plot twist that will undoubtedly make James Bond fans (like myself) salivate; each car comes equipped with a mysterious black case full of goodies. Each case is matched to the car via a limited edition number in the carâ€™s glove box.

A post in the Notcot design blog recently revealed the secret contents of the mysterious case. It includes the Flat Six Chronograph, pocket knife, sunglasses, pen and a key ring. As if to emphasize the secret agent theme, even the blade of the knife is black.

Only 777 Porsche Design Edition 1 Caymans are being built, which insures that only a select few will get to live their 007 fantasies. I wonder if the next Bond flick will feature a Cayman instead of an Aston Martin and whether Porsche will come out with clever ads decrying the â€œoutrageâ€ of Britainâ€™s most famous secret agent switching to a German make like BMW did back in 90â€™s.

Posted by camuyano on 23 Aug 2007 at 12:40 pm under Design, Porsche, Style | No Comments

Very Light Jets, Jet-Setting with Half the Calories

Aviation has always been a great interest of mine. As a child I spent countless hours putting together plastic models and pouring over the glossy illustrations of sleek jets and old prop planes that appeared in whatever books and magazines I could get my hands on. During college I got my private pilot ticket from Hill Aviation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, aboard the very same Cessna 172 Skyhawk that appeared in the movie Golden Eye.

Back then I couldnâ€™t wait to get my ticket so I could fly cross country with my friends and relatives to exciting destinations where commercial jets didnâ€™t venture. I soon discovered that the reality of general aviation is quite different. Even if one has a private ticket, it is hard go anywhere or get enough flight time for advanced ratings unless you own your own plane. Renting is expensive and, if you want to keep the plane overnight for a weekend trip, you typically have to pay for a minimum number of flight hours even if your trip does not require such a long flight. On top of that, weekends tend to be booked up so owners may be reluctant to rent their planes out for longer rides and most places will require expensive check rides before they allow new pilots to rent from them unless the pilot was trained at their academy.

As if this wasnâ€™t enough, the places were one can go on the average light plane are limited by the slow speeds these birds typically fly. Most certified general aviation designs in production today date from as far back as 50 years or more. The reason for this is that the risk of liability in producing a new design is rather high so it is not profitable to produce new designs as the projected costs for possible litigation may far exceed the cost of development and production. The fact is that the most prevalent cause of general aviation accidents is pilot error rather than mechanical failure. Besides that, the leading â€œmechanicalâ€ failure is running out of fuel, which can many times also be attributed to the pilot.

Given all this, it makes more sense to fly commercial if you really need to go anywhere; however, this is not without its pitfalls. The current system of hubs employed by the airline industry is ridiculous. Why do I need to fly to Chicago just so I can catch a connecting flight to the Caribbean? Connections are a hassle and can turn into a nightmare if only one of the flights is late or if there is a problem in just one of the airports. Additionally, with the poor service most airlines offer and the way in which amenities have been cut to save money, it makes sense to minimize flight time if possible. Finally, new security restrictions make it necessary to be at the airport hours ahead of oneâ€™s flight. Since most people live up to an hour away from a major airport (without traffic), short hops come out to about the same time as driving.

Recently, Iâ€™ve been reading about some new developments that promise to open up the skies not only for private pilots but also for passengers. The first is the advent of Very Light Jets (VLJ). These jets are smaller and cheaper to operate than traditional business jets thus making them viable for air taxi operations and even for private pilots with fractional ownership agreements. Almost every town in the US has an airport that can handle these jets so it is a much more efficient way to travel for short hops than traditional airline travel.

The first VLJ to be certified was the Cessna Citation Mustang. The Mustang can fly at an altitude of 41,000 ft and a speed of 340 Knots, which makes it more than twice as fast as the typical general aviation plane. Additionally, the higher operating ceiling means that pilots can use the jet stream to achieve much higher speeds â€œover the groundâ€. (Ever wonder how come your flight to Phoenix arrived early even though it left late? Itâ€™s because the pilot â€œhitchedâ€ a ride in the jet stream. Most times this still doesnâ€™t make up for airline screw-ups, though!)

The Mustang has a maximum range of around 1100 miles with full fuel so it wonâ€™t quite make a coast to coast trip but I doubt that anyone would want to do that anyway given the relatively sparse accommodations onboard. (Not that the coach cabin of the average airliner is much better, but at least it has a bathroom!) Despite this, VLJs promise to make short hops by air more palatable than the current system of hubs. Other companies such as Eclipse Aviation and Adam Aircraft have jumped on the VLJ bandwagon and, all in all, the technology seems very promising.

With all those new jets flying around, it is bound to become more difficult to coordinate air traffic in already crowded skies. This is where the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) comes in. For years I have been reading about how the FAA and NASA are trying to create a â€œhighway in the skyâ€ using new technologies like GPS and data links to create precise pathways in which air craft can fly without the need for coordination via radio with Air Traffic Control. In theory, a system like this could be used to design airplanes that virtually fly themselves. While this is still a far off dream (and a lot less fun), SATS holds the promise to revitalize general aviation and break the back of the hub system.

The crop of newly certified VLJs will undoubtedly be equipped with the latest avionics and glass cockpit technology that will enable them to fully take advantage of air control systems like SATS. This not only means that passengers will be able to fly safely in and out of more airports, but will also lighten the load for amateur pilots so that they can enjoy flying themselves around even more.

Personally, I canâ€™t wait for these technologies to come to market. I am sick and tired of long rides to the airport, long lines at the security counter, late flights and rude flight crews. Besides, what could be cooler than jet-setting around in your very own VLJ!

Posted by camuyano on 15 Aug 2007 at 2:32 pm under Airplanes, Navigation, Travel | 1 Comment

BMW Ring-Taxi, a Taxi with Attitude

One of the few things that was left undone during our 2005 European odyssey was to visit the NÃ¼rburgring. This legendary track in the Eifel Mountains of Germany, 70 kilometers outside of Cologne, was known as â€œThe Green Hellâ€ during the early days of the modern Formula 1 championship when â€œRingmeistersâ€ like Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart literally risked life and limb to win the German Grand Prix.

Today the North Loop of the ring is considered too dangerous for Formula 1 racing and the European Grand Prixâ€”held this year during July 20 through 22 and by far the most eventful and entertaining race this yearâ€”takes place in the more sedate new NÃ¼rburgring. (Starting in 2008, the European Grand Prix will be held in Valencia, Spain and the German Grand Prix will alternate between the NÃ¼rburgring and Hockenheimring.) As for the â€œoldâ€ NÃ¼rburgring, anyone can experience the thrill and beauty of the siteâ€”even if they drive a Yugoâ€”as the track is open to the public on some days. There are also some more exciting car hire alternatives.

Another way to experience â€œthe ringâ€ is through an exciting new service offered by BMW called the Ring-Taxi. Now you can ride shotgun in a BMW M5 as an experienced driver demonstrates how to handle the 73 curves, 300 meters altitude change and 20.8 km in less than 10 minutes. Just be sure to bring a change of underwear just in caseâ€¦

Posted by camuyano on 08 Aug 2007 at 1:10 pm under BMW, Motorsport | No Comments

Vehicles

Video: Airline Food, Maglev & Arrival in Shanghai

Boats: Buy one get one free…

Scout 145 Hybrid Boat

Targa Newfoundland: Everymanâ€™s Rally

Honda to produce revolutionary light jet

Verdier Westfalia Diesel-Hybrid Camper Concept

Island Pilot DSe Hybrid Yacht

â€œYour Porsche is ready, Mr. Bondâ€¦â€

Very Light Jets, Jet-Setting with Half the Calories

BMW Ring-Taxi, a Taxi with Attitude

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Vehicles

Video: Airline Food, Maglev & Arrival in Shanghai

Boats: Buy one get one free…

Scout 145 Hybrid Boat

Targa Newfoundland: Everymanâ€™s Rally

Honda to produce revolutionary light jet

Verdier Westfalia Diesel-Hybrid Camper Concept

Island Pilot DSe Hybrid Yacht

â€œYour Porsche is ready, Mr. Bondâ€¦â€

Very Light Jets, Jet-Setting with Half the Calories

BMW Ring-Taxi, a Taxi with Attitude

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â€œYour Porsche is ready, Mr. Bondâ€¦â€