Ultra Boat with Barracuda Jet and Marine Power 454 330hp

[DarkHorseRacing]

Year 2000 Ultra 20' jet boat with Marine Power 454 N/A engine package making 330hp with a Barracuda Jet. Was this the value/volume option for a jet boat craze in the early 2000's? Boat only goes like 45mph tops with low gas and a couple people in it. Has a Place Diverter but the intake seemed to have the standard rock grate and nothing like a real loader grate.

Was Marine Power an OEM or did someone replace what Ultra put in? It seems odd that Marine Power has a jet boat line of engines with more power but whomever decided to go with a different line from Marine Power. I also have never heard of a Barracuda. Looks like a Berkeley. I tried to look it up but I didn't see a website. Was this a blink and you miss it pump company?

Boat would barely plane below 3000 and run about 30 at 4K. I think it tops out like 5K. Definitely gets the job done if you want a jet for lakes/rivers, but the performance wasn't what I was expecting when I drove it. Boat porpoises almost regardless of the diverter setting. Is this just a common experience among mass produced jet boats?

For the record, I've driven a 20' Eliminator v-bottom with a 1200hp TT motor and a Jack McClure race prepped Berkeley Jet and Place Diverter which ran like a scalded cat and handled perfectly, so maybe my prior experience with a setup race boat is negatively affecting my perception of this Ultra?

 

[ultrajet]

I have a 2000 Ultra with Marine Power 454 , 390hp, set back Dominator Jet, place diverter , 2* back cut shoe with ride plate and boat runs like a champ. Does low 70s in good water .

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

That's a nice ride. What Marine Power engine do you have specifically? The SportPac 7.4L/454? It shows only 330HP but I see you have some better exhaust headers on yours, is that the bump in HP?

I think for the jet I was in, the pump itself is probably the limitation on the performance more than the engine.

 

[ultrajet]

That's a nice ride. What Marine Power engine do you have specifically? The SportPac 7.4L/454? It shows only 330HP but I see you have some better exhaust headers on yours, is that the bump in HP?

I think for the jet I was in, the pump itself is probably the limitation on the performance more than the engine.

Yes , 454 7.4L . I’m definitely not an expert but it definitely sounds like your pump is the problem . You should definitely be going much faster than 30 at 4000rpm . I’ve never heard of the pump you have . Seems like most jets that Ultra manufactured in the late nineties were AT Dominator jets or Legends.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Apparently Barracuda is a Berkeley knock-off. One other forum inmate said he bought a Berkeley rebuild kit from CP performance and had no problems using it on his Barracuda pump. That being said, I wish the boat had something legitimately mainstream like a Berk or AT/Dom, then it would be easier to check out some loader grates and maybe a droop snoot for it.

My original post was wondering when these Barracuda pumps were popular and why. They no longer seem to exist as a company.

 

[guest hs]

This Ultra had a Barracuda jet drive. Nothing wrong with them just a copy of most mixed flow jets most Berkeley parts interchange with them.

 

[jetboatperformance]

This JBP "repower" is replace the original MP 330 HP , we estimate HP around 600 , now also the Barracuda is getting a `17-4 shaft , inducer and stainless Impeller