Marine Technology Group

Arneson Surface Drives

SURFACE PIERCING PROPULSION HISTORY

SURFACE PIERCING PROPELLERS

Shortly after the development of the marine screw propeller as we know it today, the partially submerged or surface piercing propeller was proposed as an alternative to the paddle wheel.  The first patent was issued to Mr. C. Sharp of Philadelphia in 1869 for a unit that incorporated many of the features found important in current surface piercing propellers, notably cupped blades for improved performance and multiple blades to reduce the unsteady forces of propellers operating on the surface.

The first surface piercing propellers were designed primarily for shallow water applications.  A variety of other inventors have been involved in the development of surface piercing propellers since the first patent was issued although the emphasis gradually shifted from the original shallow water applications to high speed applications.

Admiral D.W. Taylor ran the first known model tests on partially submerged propellers, showing that these propellers had low thrust and torque coefficients and high efficiency.

Albert Hickman, the inventor of the sea sled, used surface piercing propeller technology almost exclusively prior to 1920.

Starting in the 1950's, with the unlimited hydroplane Slow Motion IV, the surface propeller started becoming more accepted in the racing circuit.  This has progressed to a point where virtually all high speed racing applications use surface piercing propellers in one form or another.

ARNESON SURFACE DRIVES (ASD)

The development of the ASD started in the mid- to late 1970's with Howard Arneson desiring a faster and more reliable propulsion system, that would hold up under the rugged ocean racing conditions, than was commercially available at that time.  For many years, Howard Arneson pursued the path of fixed surface drives until the benefits of articulation became apparent.  The first commercial unit became available in the late 1970's.

In 1984 to1986, Howard Arneson won numerous races with his offshore race boat and went on to win the world's offshore championship in 1987.

The 1988 world championship held in Guernsey, England, proved that the surface drive concept was unbeatable and here to stay.  Arneson Surface Drive (ASD) equipped vessels were on 35% of the entrants with ASD equipped vessels taking second, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth place.  All of the open class race boats that used ASD's were tunnel boats.  This was one of the roughest offshore races held to date and no Surface Drive components failed.

Today the ASD system has owned just about every record on the offshore circuit.