Kickstarter

Hello to my wonderful Kickstarter backers! 

As you may have seen, a video of me hovering on Crissy Field beach in San Francisco last Saturday went viral this week. One version of the video has over 558,000 views on Youtube right now and the version on my Youtube channel has over 27,000 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okwGzZbjZnc ). That hover session was even more fun than it looks, until I ran out of gasoline on the way back to the boat ramp due to a very strong current running against me. I had some extra gas, but couldn't get the engines started after I ran out because air got in the fuel lines. Fortunately, a power yacht called the Wanderlust was nearby and towed me back to the dock (Thank you!). Then a couple days later I was contacted by a National Park Service ranger who informed me that I could have gotten a ticket for reckless driving and for operating a hovercraft within 500 feet of a National Park. He was kind enough to only give me a warning. So now I'm home doing occasional repairs to the craft and continuing my job search (if anyone has a job tip in the Bay Area, please let me know!). 

A lot of people have been asking me for rides in the hovercraft lately, and I owe many of my Kickstarter backers rides. I have recently found out that the craft is a little too under-powered and heavy to carry a passenger on water. I tried removing the doors and carrying less gas to lighten up the load, and I was able to carry a passenger, but the craft was sluggish, we got even more wet than usual because the doors weren't there, and then we ran out of gas. I've been intending to upgrade the thrust engine from a 16 horsepower to a 23hp, which should give the craft enough power to carry two people. I'm planning on buying this engine: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Briggs-Stratton-Vanguard-23-HP-Horizontal-Engine-Electric-Start-NEW-/330847290222?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0809036e as soon as I can find $1300 in extra spending money. I also can get more thrust power if I replace the thrust fan with a custom propeller, but that would be another $300 at least. So to everyone whom I owe a ride: please be patient, it will happen! 

Sometime around the beginning of February the local ABC news station KGO 7 should be airing a segment on me that they filmed during a hover session on January 8th in Emeryville. I will keep you all posted about that. 

Love, 
Matt Riese
aka David Lorean

Last Friday night was a huge night for my Delorean Hovercraft project. I finally debuted it by hovering out to the cove next to the San Francisco Giants baseball stadium. That was the first time I had it on the water for long enough to start to learn how to drive it. At one point I just barely stopped short of hitting some rocks, then side-swiped a big rock trying to get away. The damage was surprisingly minor, but then a minute later the lift engine died. I'm still not sure why that happened, but I think some water got in either the air intake or the ignition electronics. The thrust fan still worked and I used it to slowly push the craft back to the boat ramp. Here's a video from the Giants game on TV that someone posted on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV2x3an3ia8

Hello everyone!

This is my first update in about a year. I was hoping to finish the hovercraft in a few months after the kickstarter fundraiser but, as usual, I radically underestimated how much time, work, and money I would need to finish it. The good news is that I have put the funds to good use and the project is actually pretty close to being finished! I spent a lot of time building new gullwing doors to fit the new, stronger frame. I perfected the shape of the body panels so that it looks as close to a real Delorean as I can get it. I even bought the interior door panels from a real Delorean, made latex molds of them, and re-cast them out of light-weight fiberglass so my hovercraft now has imitation leather Delorean armrests! The new steering system is working very well, too. I also got the first coat of paint on it recently, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. The main things I have left to do are: install the timing belt that drives the thrust fan, wire all the electronics (engine starters, lights, dashboard accessories), make the new skirt to trap the air at the bottom, the second coat of paint, and various other details. I'm still not sure when I will be able to finish it because I have to work and save more money so I can have the time off to work on it. Luckily, I got a job as a crab fisherman this season, which should be able to pay for the rest of the work (I hope!). I will try to post an update when I finish each stage of construction that I have left. 

Regarding kickstarter gifts: I sent out all of the cd's and ferrofluid soon after the fundraising campaign (let me know if there was a problem or you didn't receive yours). I'm waiting to do the photos (and drawings) until the craft is done. Same with the rides (obviously). I still have everyone's name and information on the site here, and I will make sure everyone gets their gift in the end! I really appreciate all the help and encouragement I got through kickstarter, I really needed it! 

-Matt

Hello everyone!
It's been a very busy week and a half for me since the end of my kickstarter run and I am excited for things to slow down enough for me to get back to work on the hovercraft. The standard two week hold on the funds will be lifted in a few days and then I will be able to put the gifts together and send them out. I'll be sending each backer a message about how how the gifts will be sent out, so look for that in your inbox soon. Many people have asked for construction progress reports and so I'm thinking about starting a blog to keep everyone updated. Stay tuned for that.

That's all for now.

Thanks again for a dream come true!
-Matt

wow! Thank you everyone who has made this dream come true! I'm so excited, relieved, and happy to see it end this way, with 90 minutes to spare! I will post more updates soon.
Thanks again,
Matt