"Fly" is just a term used in the performance boat world. Those boats like that are around 4-5 million $$ or more investments. Those teams have engineers and engineers techs on staff.
Those cats already have movable surfaces underneath the rear aft of the hull that they are controlling as they move down the course. Those surfaces control the load up of the air in the tunnel and control bow and stern lift.
In addition to those surfaces, the outdrives themselves are Arneson Surface Drives and they are hydraulically adjustable to control the angle of attack of the hull. (Up and Down trim).
Over the years there has been much experimentation with various types of canards and control surfaces.
There is a lot of nautical factors that come into play when setting up and running performance boats. To discuss them here would take a book or two of info.
The greatest challenge is the fact that the boats are driven by multiple props that have to hold the water to provide propulsion…and those props are surfacing props….they are running half out of the water. Totally unlike moving air with a prop driven aircraft.
Any movement of the front or bow area changes the stern and aft movement and the reverse also stands true.
So in simple terms, when you push the bow down the stern lifts, when the stern lifts your props come out of the water, when the props come out of the water you lose all bow lift and the bow falls and you are now out of control and bad things happen.
There has been thousands of dollars spent on various experimental canards, wings, spoilers, etc over the decades of performance boats. So far none have worked satisfactorily.
TAMU Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Boat racing is like a beautiful woman.......expensive, high maintenance, but well worth the fun!
