RingProp: a revolutionary breakthrough in marine propulsion further details below.

Also please note on September 3, 2003- Yamaha settled out of court for $6.8 million following a propellor strike which left Michael Davies of Alexandria, Virginia totally paralysed.

RingProp - Represents a revolutionary breakthrough in marine propulsion. The technology is the result of a 15 yr research program applying computer modelling from the aerospace industry to the old craft of marine propeller design.The result is a propeller that looks like a conventional prop with a ring around the blades, but is actually a technologically complex & highly advanced new propulsion system.

RingProp "Provides superior overall performance, generating more thrust, greater pulling power, & less steering torque. The result is increased engine efficiency & a distinct reduction in vibration and noise".
RingProp "Fitted boats handle better and are more manoeuverable. Because of the protective ring, there are no exposed blade tips to mutilate swimmers or wildlife".
RingProp "Is the first successful practical application of the old idea of a ringed propeller. The "ring" is actually a scientifically designed hydrofoil integrated with a special blade design. The unique geometry concentrates the flow of water onto the blades and controls vortices. The effect is reduced blade turbulence which degrades propeller performance in open-bladed conventional props".


The dangers of open-bladed propellers and the likely legal implications were spelt out in a December 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling which overturned the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971. The Act in effect vested boat safety in the hands of the U.S. Coast Guard which determined there was no need for guards to be fitted to propellers.

This decision was used by the major outboard engine and boat manufacturers to successfully defend the personal injury and death lawsuits resulting from prop-strike. That was until the Sprietsma case. Jeanne Sprietsma died when she fell overboard and was struck by a propeller in 1995. Her husband sued Mercury saying the propeller was inherently dangerous because it had no propeller guard, and Mercury was ultimately responsible. The case was dismissed in Illinois with Mercury successfully arguing that the state law was pre-empted by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971.

However, the December '02 Supreme Court decision has thrown the case back to Illinois, ordering a jury trial -- a scenario that has to raise major concerns with the OEM's such as Mercury, Yamaha and Honda. The likelihood that a sympathetic jury will decide in favour of Sprietsma will open the floodgates of litigation - both past and future. The resulting damages suggests major increases in insurance rates to the engine and boat manufacturers and to the millions of pleasure power-boat owners.

Yamaha settles out of court for 6.8 Million September 3, 2003- Yamaha has settled out of court for $6.8 million following a propellor strike which left Michael Davies of Alexandria, Virginia totally paralysed.

Thirty six year old Davies who was thrown from a bass boat into the Red River in October 2000, had originally claimed $63 million.


The solution to the danger of the lethal cutting tips of open-bladed propellers is to fit a propeller guard or fit a RingProp.

The former is costly, cumbsersome and serverly inhibits the boat's performance whereas the RingProp enhances performance while costing no more than a standard open-bladed propellor.

The benefits of the PDX system still look better except for replacing an existing prop.

Existing prop is the area where ringprop has an advantage, not sure about a cost comparison.

Hi apple

Ringprop is a simple replacement of the existing propellor for a RingProp (you dont need a new engine) and you get all the advantages. It will cost about the same as a convential propellor.


The PDX product requires the developmet of an ultra compact steam generator so it cannot be used with the engines used on todays boats.

RingProp last year signed a joint venture agreement with one of the world's leading aluminium die casting companies. The propellors go on sale this year.


JL French UK Ltd will manufacture tooling and produce propellers designed to
cover a range of outboard motors up to 250HP. In return, RingProp can issue
equity (up to a maximum of 330,033 shares at a price of 151.5p per share), to JL
French in accordance with the roll-out of tooling production over the next
eighteen months.


JL French has plants world-wide: in the US, Mexico, Spain and three in the UK
(Presteigne, Witham and Cheshunt).

This is an article from MoneyAM from last year

-suggests market for US outboards is 400,000 a year
-and assuming the prop needs replacing every three years, is massively more than that
-anyone any handle on the every three years bit?
-tend to think that doesn't happen myself, but I really don't know.
-I don't know what market RingProp are aiming at, but a % of the 400,000 US market would seem more realistic to me?

Ringprop (RPP) - 317.5p Buy

Ringprop has developed a marine propeller with a ring around the outside of the blades. This stops them chewing up swimmers, marine mammals and fish.

Last December the US Supreme Court cited estimates from Johns Hopkins University that 2000 to 3000 people are injured or killed by propellers each year in the US. The Court ruled against Mercury Marine, a big outboard manufacturer, and allowed the widower of a prop victim to have a jury trial against Mercury. A successful outcome in that case is expected to trigger the usual flood of litigation.

There have been various solutions, such as guards or cages, but these seriously reduce performance. Ringprops big claim is that it only lowers top speed by 8% and even boosts acceleration. Other companies charge 100 to 200 for a guard. RingProp is likely to put them out of business.

Three weeks ago the company signed a supply deal with JL French, a leading US aluminium die-casting firm, which currently supplies the car industry. French will develop castings for a full range of propellers. Previously RingProp intended to use composite materials. But these only have 4% of the world market, versus 82% for aluminium.

How big is the market? Each year around 400,000 outboards are sold in the US. The world figure is probably twice as large. There are around 20 million pleasure boats in the world. Assuming the prop is replaced every three years, this suggests a global opportunity of at least 1 billion.

RingProp chairman Denis Mulhall expects to sign global or regional marketing deals in Q1 of 2004. Until now the marine industry has enjoyed fat margins. Far eastern firms only sell locally. If they attack western markets, there may be trouble ahead. RingProps designs will give manufacturers patent protection, so a price war may speed its progress.

Serious sales will not begin until the year to September 2005. Meantime most shares are held by directors, designers or tax-locked investors. The overhead is less than 600,000 and there is over 2 million cash. Forecasts are pure guesswork, but a 2% market share would giv

This is one i've had on my watchlist for a while now (and bought a few only to watch it go down!)and I don't for a minute doubt it's ultimate potential >my only reservation concerns timing. Is it too early to buy in at the present time when news isn't expected until the summer and there are any number of shares with more 'immediate' storeies to tell. One to buy into in a couple of months methinks.

all that i have researched is already well documented above by the excellent previous posts ... this is most def high risk / high reward share..

the shares are tightly held... hard to get hold ..just try to buy some u know aht i mean ..almost every transaction has to go the market.. what does this means ..small buying or selling can send this wild in the according direction..

the market at the moment is highly illiquid ..those who hold are not letting go..

the proposed coomercialisation on the last official RNS was for the summer ..to me that's not far away in investment terms.. i believe for those who believe in this now is probably the best time to have a look at these .. if they are bought then put them away for the coming weeks and months.

once the news begins to flow and if it goes to plan as suggested by the company, and no reason why it should not as JL French are no amateurs, then the current price could be a distant menory..

good luck ..this is strickly for those who are prepared to expose themselves to a degree of risk ... risk of further delays in production .. risks of not getting enough sales in the market place ..etc etc..

Hi everyone,

This could be ready for a bounce tomorrow as investors pick up this rare stock. Seems to have support at this level.

RR

Long Beach California 20 May 2005. Following the last Red Hot Penny Share Weekly Alert. My local 2 West Marine outlets had not heard of this product allthough it's on the WM website, asked if they had ever sold any - no, are they on the shelves - no. As I am in the peripherals of the marine industry, 10 years for a new product is quick.