"newsmctado" (newsmctado)
04/21/2015 at 16:48 • Filed to: None
1
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"newsmctado" (newsmctado)
04/21/2015 at 16:48 • Filed to: None | 1
| 15 |
I was driving back from the gym yesterday and saw this monstrosity/Franken-machine next to me. I have no idea what it is and the tow vehicle pulled off onto a side street before I could ask the driver. It looks like a homemade cross between a jet-ski (impeller) and snow mobile (see front skids). Considering it’s made out of hand-welded aluminum or steel, I can’t imagine it floats. But how would it function on snow with the impeller?
Also, if you look closely, it seems like the front suspension is all custom C&C milled work (which is kinda sweet).
(Sorry for the potato pics).
Seen in Grand Rapids, MI.
ACESandEIGHTS
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 16:51 |
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No idea, but if you’re putting that on snow riding that in any manner whatsoever, you’re risking your life and health.
CB
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 16:52 |
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Could that be a small jet engine?
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newsmctado
> CB
04/21/2015 at 16:53 |
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I appeared to be a plastic housing, which is why I’m 99% sure it’s an impeller from a jetski.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 16:56 |
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I think most of us have seen a snowmobile crossing water - it’s possible. This appears quite clearly to be a custom quasi-jetski designed to operate like that. I don’t doubt it *does* float, it just won’t float well until it’s up to speed.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 17:10 |
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Let’s do a little math here. Or meth, possibly. The front skis are roughly a quarter cubic foot each, at the smallest. Between the two of them, they will float ~31lb. They will, then, support their own weight and some of the front steering rig, and little more. The rear deck, up to the footboard level, is about 4” deep average by 2’ x 3-1/2’, which is another 140lb+ of flotation. The jet drive displaces maybe another 10lb worth minimum. Is this enough to float whatever engine is in there, plus the weight of the tig welded aluminum body? An eight horse Briggs engine weighs 30lb, and the jet drive weighs as much as another 30-40, while the body (if it’s ~14GA aluminum) isn’t much more than about another 30lb. Thus, the body floats with 80lb-ish surplus buoyancy relative to that level, and a rider adding 100lb would only push it low in the water about another 4”. That could go away in a flash once it picked up a few knots in speed to plane with.
Of course, riding it is totally suicidal, but the math checks out.
MonkeePuzzle
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 17:17 |
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these pointy corners oughta be fun in an accident
1.21 JIGGA WATTS!!!
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 17:20 |
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Actually, it looks like an SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge built by some engineering students. I believe there is a big engineering college in Grand Rapids. The premise is to build a snowmobile that uses electric batteries instead of an IC engine. Here is the link. The students utilize an existing snowmobile and can modify certain portions of the snowmobile.
doodon2whls
> newsmctado
04/21/2015 at 19:09 |
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This appears to be a home grown Wetbike. Google it.
The front suspension is lifted from a modern snowmobile.
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newsmctado
> 1.21 JIGGA WATTS!!!
04/22/2015 at 08:08 |
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I would agree with you, if not for the impeller motor. Yes, there are lots of engineering students in GR (Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State, GR Community College, etc). The driver looked to be fairly young (early-mid twenties), so that wouldn’t surprise me.
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newsmctado
> doodon2whls
04/22/2015 at 08:10 |
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I think we have a winner. Definitely fits the images on google. Still, that’s a lot of pointy metal to crash into.
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newsmctado
> doodon2whls
04/22/2015 at 08:13 |
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My only comment is that none of the “wetbikes” on google have the double front skid set up. Everything else seems to fit the bill.
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1.21 JIGGA WATTS!!!
> newsmctado
04/22/2015 at 08:15 |
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Damn... totally missed the part about the impeller. The idea of a “watermobile” makes much more sense in that case. I just wouldn’t understand the need for a custom designed CNC milled front end then...
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newsmctado
> 1.21 JIGGA WATTS!!!
04/22/2015 at 08:24 |
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Someone else said it just looked like the front suspension set up off a modern snowmobile. I am not sure. Even though I live in Michigan, I’m from the south, hate the snow, and have never even been on a snowmobile.
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doodon2whls
> newsmctado
05/15/2015 at 17:12 |
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BOOM !
http://gizmodo.com/a-snowmobile-t…
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newsmctado
> doodon2whls
05/17/2015 at 20:24 |
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Awesome. Thank you!!!