(Poll) How fast does your Boat go?

[Paradox]

I had a 25 Eliminator Eagle XP with a 502 / Imco -2" lower unit, would consistently do 74MPH at sea level (salt water) lightly loaded. Fastest I have been in a boat was Howard Arneson's Mississippi Burning turbine power Skater back in 89. IIRC, the joy ride hit around 160? No helmets, goggles / sunglasses or anything to break the wind buffering, felt like 200MPH. This was at a Delta boat show. Sitting in the back seat adjacent the intake for the turbine was surreal, it was sucking in so much air it was hard to breath and the air hitting my face got under my eyelids and I couldn't see shit. A full face helmet would have made the experience much more enjoyable. The main thing I recall from that joy ride was how well behaved that hull was, big chop and washing machine waves had zero effect on it.

Howard A was a true gentleman too, wish I got to spend more time talking with him.

Our 2nd boat was a 25 foot Eliminator back in the 90s. It was a 79 and they called it something other than an Eagle. I think maybe a Trans Am? Anyway, it came with a twin turbo Gale Banks BBC setup and a Bravo. Huge turbo lag but did pretty good once spooled up. It eventually granaded and Teague built us a small blower BBC for it. Super Chiller and all. We camped at two Harbors in Catalina one week end and left at 6AM on that Sunday. It was glass all the way back to Long Beach. I didn’t have a GPS at the time but, we certainly saw 85ish. The trip was roughly 20 minutes break water to break water.

 

[Blue Oval]

As posted early, I took a 38 PQ and turned it into 4 small boats. The wave runner will do 70 mph, but I don’t consider that a boat. 3 outboards and a wave runner is still less maintenance then a 38 PQ.

 

[Cray Paper]

I’m new to this kind of boating. My boat was sold to me as a 60 mph boat. The fastest I’ve ever seen is 54. I’m not totally sure about how the trim should be set, but I can see it makes a difference. Should I be doing anything with the trim tabs? I’ve never had less than 1/2 tank. (90 gallon tank) Also, never ran it by myself. Would the weight of one person and some fuel make much difference?

Also, there seems to be opinions on whether you make a top speed run on glass or slight chop?

It depends on the boat. Slight wind chop usually unsticks the hull and you get better MPH. Especially if it has a flat pad near the transom, water has a " stiction coefficient", the old adage is get as much of the hull out of the water and it will go faster.
My 99 Eliminator felt like it shifted gears once it got on the pad and accelerated hard from like 50 - low 70's with stock MC power. It takes brute power to get an old school hull to run big MPH, but those old school deep V bottom hulls provide a much better ride in nasty chop and if MPH and bragging rights are not your biggest concern and you boat in rough water, old school tech still has it's place today.

 

[HNL2LHC]

Zero to 63 mph dead stop start to top speed with in 75ft it's a Sprint racer. 13 ft long with a 350 small block Corvette motor. And can make 90% turns at that speed. That's with two people and full tank of gas

️

I have a customer/friend in Kaneohe that has been looking at these little boats. Saw one today…..

 

[Willie B]

I don't know how fast my '67 Howard went. Probably 75ish. I never held it wide open for more than a mile or so, didn't want to hurt the 50 year old '63 427 low riser. I was confident in my rebuild, but I didn't buy the boat to go fast. The period correct restoration was my focus, and it turned out quite nice.

View attachment 1498614

… That did turn out beautiful… 75-ish would probably be pretty close to correct as I got 70 out of my 63 Hallet flatty with a 406…Ford……slight chop and following the flow of the water..:

 

[oldman]

I have a customer/friend in Kaneohe that has been looking at these little boats. Saw one today…..

View attachment 1499080

A kid just showed up in our park with one, the thing looks crazy on the water, it rips around like crazy, not sure what power, but its a jet.

Him and his chick had head sets on like a SXS.

 

[oldman]

It depends on the boat. Slight wind chop usually unsticks the hull and you get better MPH. Especially if it has a flat pad near the transom, water has a " stiction coefficient", the old adage is get as much of the hull out of the water and it will go faster.
My 99 Eliminator felt like it shifted gears once it got on the pad and accelerated hard from like 50 - low 70's with stock MC power. It takes brute power to get an old school hull to run big MPH, but those old school deep V bottom hulls provide a much better ride in nasty chop and if MPH and bragging rights are not your biggest concern and you boat in rough water, old school tech still has it's place today.

This 100% the family boat on dead flat glass is a 60-65 MPH boat tops, it will not break the suction, give me some chop, and a headwind to break the seal and you can feel it free up, suddenly the boat lost a 1000 lbs, it just suddenly gets light and gains another 10 mph.

Even the flat bottom likes some ripple on the water

63- 427

22' Placecraft- stock 496

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I have a customer/friend in Kaneohe that has been looking at these little boats. Saw one today…..

View attachment 1499080

A kid just showed up in our park with one, the thing looks crazy on the water, it rips around like crazy, not sure what power, but its a jet.

Him and his chick had head sets on like a SXS.

My buddy bought a weld together kit and built one several years ago. 280hp rotax in his. I ran 58mph with me and the wife. It does around 63-65mph with one person. There are quite a few around here. 300hp rotax are common and a few with 330+hp Kawi engines. They are a blast!

My buddies

The group he ran with here before he moved to Alaska..

 

[oldman]

My buddy bought a weld together kit and built one several years ago. 280hp rotax in his. I ran 58mph with me and the wife. It does around 63-65mph with one person. There are quite a few around here. 300hp rotax are common and a few with 330+hp Kawi engines. They are a blast!

My buddies
View attachment 1499082 View attachment 1499083 View attachment 1499084

The group her ran with here before he moved to Alaska..
View attachment 1499085

It looks crazy, and whips around faster than a jet ski or see doo, probably because its a bunch more HP.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

It looks crazy, and whips around faster than a jet ski or see doo, probably because its a bunch more HP.

They are all ski/waverunner engines

Torch Craft Marine is right next to the new storage facility we are building
A few pics I took in front of their shop

Their website- https://torchcraftmarine.com/

 

[Mini Kat]

I have a customer/friend in Kaneohe that has been looking at these little boats. Saw one today…..

View attachment 1499080

I've seen those before they're pretty cool they just don't stick to the water very good when you're turning they're more of a sliding turn but you can beat them up

 

[Boatymcboatface]

MasterCraft ProStar?
My manual says 44 mph@wfo and it goes 44 mph @WFO.

I’ve got a 95 prostar with powerslot 4 blade prop and 42 is the fastest I’ve seen on my perfectpass GPS. Thats early morning on glass. Friend has a 96 with LT1, three blade prop and a 1:1 transmission and it hits 44/45 mph on the GPS.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I've seen those before they're pretty cool they just don't stick to the water very good when you're turning they're more of a sliding turn but you can beat them up

That is because most of them have 1/4"-1/2" UHMW on the bottom for sliding over rocks, logs, sand ect.

 

[Mini Kat]

That is because most of them have 1/4"-1/2" UHMW on the bottom for sliding over rocks, logs, sand ect.

SEND IT LOL

 

[maliaspop]

anything over 60 makes my cheeks flap these days so I'll call that my top speed

 

[draggin904]

Appears to be just about fast enough...haha
Nice hike of the lt. sponson on the hit. That must be quite the rush. How different is the sensation being in a capsule vs. Open boat?

Thanx.. Super Rush and Super fun.. The sensation is different because your in a much faster boat and your strapped in super tight, but both open and closed boats are still a hoot no matter what class . IMO

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

That is because most of them have 1/4"-1/2" UHMW on the bottom for sliding over rocks, logs, sand ect.

They also have "stomp grates" to release the rocks when you suck them up. Also the center section of the pump, that contains the impeller, are removable incase you trash an impeller or get a rock stuck. 8 bolts and you can swap another center section on the water.


That is what is sticking out of the swim step is for the stomp grate

 

[rrrr]

I’ve got a 95 prostar with powerslot 4 blade prop and 42 is the fastest I’ve seen on my perfectpass GPS. Thats early morning on glass. Friend has a 96 with LT1, three blade prop and a 1:1 transmission and it hits 44/45 mph on the GPS.

Those mid 90s ProStars are great boats. I was never going to be considered an excellent slalom skier, but my '95 model helped mask my ineptitude.

 

[85RiverRAT]

The 240 is a rock solid 65 MPH boat, not a tick faster.

I rode in a DCB Mach 26, 500EFI, saw 78 MPH, at the Monster Bash shootout down at the Springs.

The fastest boat we have ever been in was with Jerry Barron (RIP) in a 290 MCOB, with a Teague 825. We saw 85 MPH with more to go.

 

[havasuhusker]

Mine goes as fast as the loud, audible wife alarm allows. Varies from trip to trip and wife's cocktail intake

 

[mobldj]

fast enough the 10 adults,2 labradors, 3 coolers and the hot dogs dont roll off the bbq.fk going fast on the water.grow the fuck up.lolol