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wharfrat
05-23-2005, 11:03 AM
I was going through a 1991 October issue of Pacific Yachting. Granted its primary focus is towards tupperware crafts however they do have some of the best articles on Allen Farrell. Also good articles on how to sail thorough the Gulf Islands. What to see and where to go etc.

Anyway on page 28 there is an ad for a “sculling outboard marine drive” The name on the unit that hangs off the transom is “Young’s Skilful Scull Marine drive”. Hanging from the unit are a couple of tube like cylinders similar to the weights hanging in a grandfather clock.

The ad reads
 more efficient than propellers
 forward/reverse/neutral changes at full power
 straight line thrust in both forward and reverse mode
 multiple units driven by a single motor
 continuously variable pitch sculls
 no unbalanced lateral torque reaction
 no gears required in drive
 no clutch or fluid coupling required
 no drive leg, bearing or other accessory required by a propeller that creates drag in the water
 sculls break away on grounding or fouling. They are instantly resetable at the top of the unit.
 Design adaptable to any horsepower rating inboard or outboard

The company was out of Nanaimo B.C. and the photo shows a guy in a 14 foot or so bathtub seated like he has hold of a tiller. The unit that is sort of a rectangular cube is about the same size as the top part of a 50 h.p. outboard.

Has anybody ever seen one of these units? Any ideas???

Alan D. Hyde
05-24-2005, 11:19 AM
bump.

John E Hardiman
05-24-2005, 12:58 PM
Something like this?

http://www.tailboats.com/propulsion_technology.html

P.I. Stazzer-Newt
05-24-2005, 01:07 PM
Or the Hobie mirage system
<a href="http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/miragedrive.html" target="_blank">
http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/images/mirage/addl_mirage2_anima.gif
Click The Image</a>

Tom Robb
05-26-2005, 08:25 PM
The tailboat gizmo looks like a direct "borrow" of Harry Brian's fin propelled kayak/decked canoe. I wonder if Harry bothered to patent it?
The Hobbie fin thing looks like a logical extension of the same idea.

[ 05-26-2005, 08:27 PM: Message edited by: Tom Robb ]

wharfrat
06-02-2005, 11:49 PM
sorry it took so long to respond.

sorry guys but not at all like the examples shown and I'm familiar with Harry Brians and it's not like it either.
Thanks for your efforts though.