Human Powered Hovercraft :: Steam Boat Willy

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Somerstown 2005

Steam Boat Willy went forward under its own power for the first time on Sunday 26th June 2005 in the Somerstown Sports Hall. Simon Ward was the crew for the first performance. He was followed by our Secretary Katik Shah and others. Everything worked. But we all found control very dificult. No-one has taught any of us how to control a pedal hovercraft, and we are having to find out for ourselves. So far, none of us have. The best we can say is that in some of the attempts, there was a measure of correlation between the intended manoever and what actually happened.

Simon Hovering forward. This is one of the very first runs.

You see that at the end of this clip Simon can straighten the craft up unaided.

Since taking these video-clips, two friends of the cameraman lost their lives in the July 7th London bombing. We should have done more to stop the war.

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