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1969250789|
Title: Fun power for snow and water Pages: 40 - 43    
Author: George Rosie Text: Fun power for snow and water For Canada's summer lakes and winter snow a Quebec firm, Bombardier Ltd. make the Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo fun vehicles, Both are powered by versions of an aluminium two-stroke engine and have many basic parts in common. Lydia Ferrabee describes them. The development of Ski-Doo effectively began in 1936, in a small village in Quebec that was cut off every winter, when Joseph Bombardierstarted making vehicles he called "snow-mobiles." Steered by skis and pro palled by a wide rubber track, these were used locally by taxi companies, delivery services, doctors and priests. Today, ten yeas after the machine went into full production, half a million snowmobiles have been sold throughout the world's snow belts, 40 per cent of Bombardier's production being to export. The vehicles~are used for everyday transport, for pleasure and for racing. The Ski-Doo is a lightweight sports version of the snowmobile. It has a yellow reinforced firbeglass body (material supplied by Monsanto Canada Ltd) with a lightweight aluminium two-stroke engine in the nose; two heavily sprung steel skis are used for steering, and to take the shock of landing from jumps, but the vehicle actually moves on a tank track principle using a wide rubbe belt under its rear which is reinforced with nylon and steel. This belt has rubber ribs on the outer surface and two rows of sprocket holes. It runs on 14 independently sprung rubber wheels and is driven by polypropylene sprocket wheels by a chain drive from the engine. The belt is 15 in wide and on the ground for 50 in, so that the weight of the Ski-Doo is spread over a large area of snow and it can travel over a soft surface without sinking in. In racing events a Ski-Doo has travelled at 86 mph and jumped 108 ft. It has a drum brake, a full lighting system and can have manual or electric starting. All the components can operate in severe cold - the brake and accelerator cables are lined with nylon to prevent them jamming, and the windscreen is made of polycarbonated plastics that stays pliable at -40øF. Ten different models of Ski-Doo are available, and also a Ski-goose ski trailer to double the carrying capacity. Last year four Ski-Doos pulling special trailers, were used by the first expedition to reach the geographical North Pole on the surface since Admiral Peary 59 years ago. It was also the first to reach the pole overland by motorised travel. The Ski-Doo comes in enthusiast and family versions seen, top, in convoy. Opposite right the Alpine. Right: the Olym pie. A hove: rear view, with power tracks. The effect of air rushing past the snowmobile can greatly reduce effective temperatures, and to cope with this Bombardier also sell a range of special clothing for use on their vehicles. These include fleece-lined waterproof nylon suits and fleece-lined nylon rubber-soled boots. But these vehicles are a seasonal product and therefore in 1968 Bombardier went into a new area with the launching of the Sea-Doo, designed to sell in the warmer seasons. This is an aqua scooter also yellow, also made of Monsanto glass fibre reinforced plastics. It is available in two models, the larger of which is less than eight feet long. A flat bottomed craft, drawing only 3 in of water, it is waterjet powered by a turbine driven by engines similar to those used in the Ski-Doo. Floating high in the water it can be brought into the shallowest beaches. Its top speed is about 25 mph, and it can turn and twist on its axis at full speed. A wrap around rubber bumper absorbs all shocks. Atthe rearthere is atip up engine cover, and under the lift off seat, which floats, there is a compartmentto hold a long range petrol tank. The wide, flat Bombardier's Sea-Doo is a motorised water ski capable of turning on its axis at full speed, opposite right. Its flat bottom draws only 3 in of water. bottomed design makes it almost untippable and its built-in buoyancy chamber makes it unsinkable. It is intended purely for recreation, as a sort of self-propelled water ski, and has been very successful in its first year. Since Sea-Doo uses the same technology and many of the same parts as the SkPDoo but is used in the summer instead of the winter, it fits perfectly into the slack period for Bombardier's manufacturing plant and distributing network. Both vehicles were designed by Anselme Lapointe and the Bombardier staff designers. |
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