Hydrofoil "Flying Kayak"
Group Project
Motivation
Hydrofoils generate lift as they move through water, raising vessels above the surface to dramatically reduce drag and increase efficiency. Motivated by this principle, we set out to design and build our own large-scale hydrofoil craft, and chose a kayak as the platform.
Design
The hydrofoil system uses submerged airfoils to generate lift at sufficient velocities, raising the kayak above the water. We calculated hydrodynamic forces, lift, and drag to size the foils appropriately, ensuring stable takeoff and operation. All onboard electronics, including motor control, are operated remotely.
Personal Contribution
I designed the buoyant kickboard–foil interface at a fixed angle, enabling passive height stabilization. As the vessel rises, the angle of attack and moment arm relative to the center of mass decrease, reducing lift until equilibrium is reached at the target ride height.
Future Work
Manufacturing inaccuracies introduced instabilities that prevented sustained, stable flight. Ongoing repairs and refinements aim to correct these errors