Funnily enough, that would probably make the aerodynamics worse for the same reason round parachutes have a hole in the top. Without a hole, the air has nowhere to go, so it just fills the cavity with stagnant air and the drag is roughly equivalent to just a flat shape. With a hole in the bottom, now the air has an escape route to take, but it takes a lot of effort to push that much air through the smaller hole, meaning the drag is incresed significantly
This is the only issue with drilling holes in the boat
It's even possible that the boat adds basically no additional drag, and it's even remotely possible that it decreases drag. Mythbusters proved that a flatbed pickup truck actually gets worse mileage when driving with the rear door down instead of up, even though it seems like driving with it up would create a big wall that would constantly smash into the air.
Aerodynamics isn't nearly as intuitive as people assume.
There's like a 90% chance you're right, but aerodynamics gets especially messy with stuff like this that has a more or less flat wall at the back. A significant portion of the drag comes from the turbulence behind the vehicle, rather than cutting (more "plowing" in this case) through the air in front. When you change the geometry of the back, you change that drag.
So, if I were to bet, I would bet that turning the boat around would help. But I wouldn't bet my life on it. Some wacky interaction with the geometry of the rear could somehow cause it to get worse.
I'm not so sure it is. If the leading surface was completely bluff, the length of roof were shorter than the protruding boat and it was moving very fast then yeah, maybe.
In reality, the nose of the RV plus the length of roof surface along with non-Mach speeds will virtually guarantee the bulk of the airflow will remain coupled to that roof until a radical change in geometry such as the boat.
Well, there are a lot of these boats going around the world all the time, and very seldom does anything like this happen. I just don’t want people thinking that skiffs aren’t safe.
you kid, but if that thing got to highway speeds, it would put some very specific stress on the bow of the boat.. I don't think it would amount to anything since it looks like aluminum, but wood or fiberglass could end up with stress fractures at the hinge point around the roof of the RV.. which over time might make it so the front does fall off.
For a camper that probably already gets like five feet to the cubic meter? It matters. The exposed area is probably like 1/5 the size of the front of the vehicle, and most of the driving you're doing with one of those is highway.
You are all getting it wrong. That boat is obscuring the rear window. The driver has a creative air scoop for airing out the stench of the rotting hooker carcass in the back. Ingenious, if you ask me.
RVs also have shockingly little weight capacity on the roofs. The walls are super thin, mostly foam, and there's no structural support in the middle because that's where the people go.
joke's on you, the air that boat collects goes straight to his air intake. pushing 50PSI in that puppy
BOOST
he's got a supercharger so big the boat acts as a vacuum, pulling the van even faster!
Inspired by 1975 F1 cars.
It's like I'm watching a MuYe beamNG video!
spiiiiiiiid
Just drill holes in the boat, let air through. Easy fix.
Funnily enough, that would probably make the aerodynamics worse for the same reason round parachutes have a hole in the top. Without a hole, the air has nowhere to go, so it just fills the cavity with stagnant air and the drag is roughly equivalent to just a flat shape. With a hole in the bottom, now the air has an escape route to take, but it takes a lot of effort to push that much air through the smaller hole, meaning the drag is incresed significantly
This is the only issue with drilling holes in the boat
A roll of Flex Tape® would fit in there, you could then tape the holes up to improve aerodynamics!
I JUST SAWED THIS BOAT IN HALF!!!
Make sure to get the life preservers too, so they don't clog the holes.
Fun fact: this also makes the boat move through the water faster.
The whole thing is a brick wall... don't think the boat is making matters much worse.
Jalopy is fun.
It's even possible that the boat adds basically no additional drag, and it's even remotely possible that it decreases drag. Mythbusters proved that a flatbed pickup truck actually gets worse mileage when driving with the rear door down instead of up, even though it seems like driving with it up would create a big wall that would constantly smash into the air.
Aerodynamics isn't nearly as intuitive as people assume.
Okay but there's no way the flow separates from that roof enough to clear the boat
I would guess the same, but for a wacky shape like that rv it's pretty hard to say
Okay but if they would just at the very least, turn that boat around 180°, I'm pretty sure the aerodynamics would improve.
There's like a 90% chance you're right, but aerodynamics gets especially messy with stuff like this that has a more or less flat wall at the back. A significant portion of the drag comes from the turbulence behind the vehicle, rather than cutting (more "plowing" in this case) through the air in front. When you change the geometry of the back, you change that drag.
So, if I were to bet, I would bet that turning the boat around would help. But I wouldn't bet my life on it. Some wacky interaction with the geometry of the rear could somehow cause it to get worse.
You're going to make me learn OpenFOAM aren't you
Do it! It's great fun to play around with!
I'm not so sure it is. If the leading surface was completely bluff, the length of roof were shorter than the protruding boat and it was moving very fast then yeah, maybe.
In reality, the nose of the RV plus the length of roof surface along with non-Mach speeds will virtually guarantee the bulk of the airflow will remain coupled to that roof until a radical change in geometry such as the boat.
I loved Mythbusters. It was a much happier time. Evil was not quite out in the open as it is today.
I watched that episode and they didn't prove shit. Those tests were terrible. That shit was about as scientific as The Big Bang Theory.
Relevant XKCD
It was 100% correct.
Here's the white paper using CFD. big words.
Yeah, that’s not very typical. I’d like to make that point.
The front fell off!
Well, there are a lot of these boats going around the world all the time, and very seldom does anything like this happen. I just don’t want people thinking that skiffs aren’t safe.
you kid, but if that thing got to highway speeds, it would put some very specific stress on the bow of the boat.. I don't think it would amount to anything since it looks like aluminum, but wood or fiberglass could end up with stress fractures at the hinge point around the roof of the RV.. which over time might make it so the front does fall off.
That thing doesn't go fast enough for that to matter.
If that thing is going fast enough to mater there are other problems to worry about.
For a camper that probably already gets like five feet to the cubic meter? It matters. The exposed area is probably like 1/5 the size of the front of the vehicle, and most of the driving you're doing with one of those is highway.
It can't go 50kph?
Ever tried to hold a boat vertical at 50 km/hr? Good luck with that.
"Wanna see my camper pull a wheelie?"
That ladder isn't rated for that kind of load.
You gotta warrant?
No, but your mom is.
Yours too but nine months later yours makes a joke.
I can't understand why my gas mileage is so bad!
Ford 460 don't care. It gets the same mileage whether it's in that thing, a dump truck, or a Lincoln.
What a drag.
50 yards to the gallon! Lol
6 rods to the hogshead and that's hows I like it.
That’s where the vampire sleeps vertically
The mother in law 🥁🥁
You are all getting it wrong. That boat is obscuring the rear window. The driver has a creative air scoop for airing out the stench of the rotting hooker carcass in the back. Ingenious, if you ask me.
It's just a giant cinder block rolling down the highway with ZERO aerodynamics anyway. What's the difference at this point?
I would have strapped it to the top, point forward, but I wouldn't be kidding myself that it would help.
They might not have been able to do that because of the aircon vent on top, or potentially if they're concerned about height restrictions
Or, they aren't physically able to get up on the roof. Not everyone is a monkey.
I don’t think that’s going to help…
RVs also have shockingly little weight capacity on the roofs. The walls are super thin, mostly foam, and there's no structural support in the middle because that's where the people go.
Dries floor of the boat out.
This is a special kind of weird.
The bathroom window is behind the boat, they're just making sure the crapper is well ventilated.
Fishing trip sucked, no fish, lost the outboard to the lake, it rained.
Fuck it, I ain't climbing up on the damn roof.
Spoiler makes it go faster!
I like how that pic is taken right in front of a gas station.
That's as far away from a gas station it can get before it has to turn anround and go back to fill up again
Depending on the wind, it's way faster in reverse.