V8 Dolphin goes on and under the water

from On the Water (257 articles)

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Next time you see a dolphin playing off-shore, take a careful look because it just might be a Bionic Dolphin, with a V8 motor and a human being driving it from inside. Currently only found in Northern California, the Bionic Dolphin or VASH (Variable Attitude Submersible Hydrofoil) will soon be sold in watersports stores, enabling adventurers worldwide to experience underwater flight! The Bionic Dolphin was conceived in 1974 by Thomas A. Rowe (Doc to you), though prototype development did not begin until 1988 and the first prototype, "Noland Won" did not make its first historic “flight” until September 7, 1992 at Oak Bottom Marina on Whiskeytown Lake in Northern California. It was, according to Discover Magazine, "the aqueous parallel to the Wright Brothers' achievement: underwater flight."

“Right now they're only being built in California by a few passionate technoartists, but due to the overwhelming interest in my little toy, we have decided to bring the Bionic Dolphin into full production.” says Doc.

“The inspiration for the Bionic Dolphin is far more complex than the technology,” laughs Doc. “Part of our idea came from going to boat shows and seeing the same old thing year after year, decade after decade, a new dash, a new paint scheme but basically the same OLD stuff.”

After several decades as an engineer in the aerospace industry, Rowe decided to try his hand at designing a machine for the water.

“After learning to build airplanes and spacecraft, I figured building something to mimic dolphins should be a reasonably simple project.”

The "Noland Won" design was actually fashioned more after penguins than dolphins according to Rowe. “I wanted something very light with enough built-in floatation to be unsinkable and at the same time, I wanted something agile and quick, like an aerobatic stunt plane in the water and when we built it, we found we had both.”

In an effort to advance the technology, Doc worked with other enthusiasts, which have each diverged in their designs, with varying results. “Rob went more with the full dolphin shape, which absolutely hauls ass underwater, but it has difficulty achieving the surface speeds we were seeking” said Rowe.

The entire operation suffered a major setback when the original prototype was stolen, but after a “regrouping”, Rowe told Gizmag that they were now “putting together the next generation of Bionic Dolphins” and would “now be bringing the production of the Bionic Dolphin into full swing.”

Design collaborators Innespace Design completed a 15 foot, 110hp dolphin prototype named "Sweet Virgin Angel" in 2001. Innespace is run by New Zealander Rob Innes and Californian Dan Piazza and they are working at creating another rotary-engine-powered two-seater .

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