Some Fast Glass (with very little class?)

[Ross M]

So, I am heading out of the hotel here Friday morning. Whot's this?

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture4001c.jpg

Why, it's an offshore race boat. More specifically, it's an offshore raceboat with a light standard draped over it.

Based on the absence of storms, I suspect the culprit was whomever parked this one:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture4003c.jpg

I notice there are a couple of others in the parking lot. Hmmm...

By the time I get home from work, the parking lot is a full blown carnival of Big Dirty Powerboats, enormous pickup trucks (Kodiak based?) and motorhomes.

First was this one:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5002c.jpg

(Note - I suspect that "gentlemens club" is a euphemism for "strip joint")

Under the hatches:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5003c.jpg

So down to the marina I go...

[Ross M]

... where I find well over two dozen more. I think this one must have been pushing 50 ft:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5007c.jpg

And these ones:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5011c.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5014c.jpg

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/picture5013c.jpg

(sorry about the picture quality - it was getting pretty dark)

[Paul Pless]

There must have been close to 40,000 horsepower sitting at those docks.:D

[Ross M]

I noticed that at least 6 of these boats were powered with by a pair of the Mercury Racing 1075 SCIs shown above.

Impressive engines. Dry sumped; twinned Lysholm superchargers; aftercooling; EFI, etc. 1075 HP on only 91 octane with a 90 day warranty!

From Mercury Racing:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/large_hp1075sci.jpg

HP1075 (802 kW)Full Throttle RPM Range: 5600-6000Displacement Liter/CID9.1/557Bore & Stroke (in)4.50 x 4.375Bore & Stroke (mm)114 x 111Compression Ratio8.00:1CylindersV-8Alternator Amp65Alternator Watt917Ignition SystemPCM 03 DistributorlessFuel SystemSequential Fuel InjectionFuel Requirements91 Posted Octane (R+M)/2 (96 RON) International TransmissionBAMDrive UnitDry-Sump Six DriveGear RatioApplication dependent. Contact Mercury Racing for additional informationLength (in/mm)55/1397Width (in/mm)40/1016 (w/CMI Exhaust System)Height (in/mm)30/762Weight (lbs / kg)1720/782Warranty90-Day Ltd. for Recreational Boating

[Ross M]

An installation photo from Popular Mechanics:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tb_lg_enginelead-lg.jpg

[mmd]

Lordy! It looks like the beginnings of a poker run! Cool toys - I've had a couple of outings in the type, but none of the size and power of those 'uns. Sure are fun to ride, but I sure as heck don't wanna pay the fuel bill for even a fifteen minute run.

Hmmmm... Originally posted at 8:00 pm I wonder how long before the first indignant insult about gratuitous fuel-guzzling penis-boats?

[Paul Pless]

1075 HP on only 91 octane with a 90 day warranty!



That is pretty impressive. I had a friend that used to race outboard hydro's on the oval circuits. I remember him showing me a certificate for a race prepped Mercury Outboard that he had bought from Mercury. It was gaurenteed to crank once!!!:eek:

[Meerkat]

I think it is more accurate to call these "bloats". Calling them boats insults all real boats... ;)

[James River Rat]

Looks like a good day to casually ask which way they are heading...then go the opposite.

More power to them...but not my idea of a good time.

(although I would like about a 20 minute ride...I'll put it on my things to do before I die list.)

[Ross M]

It was indeed a "Poker Run" - $25K to the winner, I understand.

About 9:30 Saturday morning I heard a few fire up. I wandered down to the marina to watch the start. By 10:25 it sounded like two dozen Pro Stock cars on the starting line all at once. I counted some 32 boats that I thought were participating.

Say what you will, but these things are damn fast in real world conditions. Down to West Palm on the intercoastal, back to Ft Pierce out on the ocean, and back down to Hutchinson Island on the intercoastal - in about 5 hours.

Oh - and the quality of the rigging is frequently little short of unbelievable. I really should have taken my camera down for the start...

[Meerkat]

Rigging - where do they hide the mast? ;)

[Phillip Allen]

I think he's talking about rigging the race

[Ross M]

Rigging - where do they hide the mast? ;)

Well, that became quite obvious when a very cute blond changed into her light blue I-dream-of-jeannie sheers over thong bikini thingy, stuck her hand out to me and said "whats your name - I am Rosemary" :D

Ross

[Wild Wassa]

They are nice looking surfaces. I bet HMC has had something to do with those surfaces? ... and to me 'Mystic' is the world's most affordable colour changing paint. Everytime some one here writes Mystic, I do a double take. Speaking as a mulimedia boat boy that is.

Top post. Well worth the look. Prismacoat and Spectra FX is nice on the eyes ... so why did they go for flat paint on those boats?

Warren.

[Ross M]

I think the "flat paint" thing is probably an artifact from the less-than-optimum software I am using to downsize the pics for display, coupled with the post-sunset light level in most of the pictures.

Although I will say the boats do not seem to be as fair as the best of the wooden variety (or any of Warren's patients :D )

Ross

[Stiletto]

Amazing!

Interesting that one has scoops facing forward and another has them facing aft.

[mmd]

Meerkat wins - posted at one hour & twenty minutes in.

[John Hastie]

I realize these boats are not what we usually see on this forum, but I remember as a kid one day seeing a PT boat open up on Lake Michigan. WOW!

Gas was cheaper then.

I also heard that boat burned up at Rowe boats storage yard later. Kind of a shame.

[htom]

Is tipping the boat on its side a display thing, or to reduce the width on the trailer? Great post, Ross, it's been a long time since I've seen such a collection. I suspect that you don't have to use them like giant jet-skeet, which makes them worth while. It's the behavior, not the boat, that's the problem.

[Stiletto]

I like the fact that they are quite different from each other in a time when there is often a sameness about competing vehicles, in motor racing for example.

[Woxbox]

Here it is, a 155 mph boat ride.
Who needs to spend a couple of million and risk permanent spine and hearing damage?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nb-Jhkrgh4

[Ross M]

MMD: I though the pre-emptive title might help, but I doubt it did :D - might have made it worse :o

Htom: The big cats in particular are pretty wide. I'm thinking about 10 ft or so. So mostly trailerability, but it does have something going for it display wise.

Stiletto: I agree completely. I think that is the beauty of the "poker run" concept.

I thought that Mercury 1075 was a big 'un. But my new boss's raft is powered by twin C32 Cats - as in 32 liter V-12s rated at 1652 BHP each :eek: :eek: :eek:

Ross

[shark_ef]

eh, put an egg in their gas tank

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Here it is, a 155 mph boat ride.
Who needs to spend a couple of million and risk permanent spine and hearing damage?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nb-Jhkrgh4

Well that was 2:40 min of my life, watching the ass end of a speedboat I'm never going to get back. :rolleyes: :D

[JimD]

If there's anything more satisfying than going nowhere fast it's got to be sitting on your ass watching someone else go nowhere fast.

[brad9798]

Cool boats ... and those are the REAL ones ... not the assembly line penis boats that prowl the coastlines of America ...

They are not insulting at all. Incredible machines, really ... that take abundant skill from at least two folks to even run safely at speed.

Folks, that is NASCAR on the water ... look at it that way, and it makes sense.

Used to go down for the offhsore races in Key West in Novembers ... quite a site.

I grew up and went to school with the Seebold family of BUDWEISER racing fame! Those things are nuts!

[brian.cunningham]

Which issue of WB had the wooden power catamaran on the cover?

:cool: boats BTW

[brad9798]

I remember that, Brian.Cunningham ... I'll have to look it up.

[Stiletto]

Ah yes the 71 coats of varnish lovingly laid on the specially imported teak......Oh! not that one:D

[mmd]

WB #73, pages 86 - 95; "Good Guys in Outlaw Boats" featuring the wooden offshore racing cat "Jesse James" designed by George Linder and built by Kenny Adams at Quest Marine in South Carolina. It was owned and raced by brothers Mark and Chris Lavin. IIRC, shortly after the article was published, the boat stuffed into the back of a wave at speed during a race and one of the brothers was killed.

[brian.cunningham]

Thanks for the info, sorry to hear about the brother :(

[Ross M]

Which issue of WB had the wooden power catamaran on the cover?

:cool: boats BTW

http://www.woodenboatstore.com/images/200073.JPG

That issue messed up my way of thinking about things for a good while :D :D

[Paul Pless]

That issue messed up my way of thinking about things for a good while :D :D


this one did it for me...
http://www.woodenboatstore.com/images/200102.JPG

[Ross M]

Hey, Paul - what issue was that and what can you tell me about the boat?

Years ago Woodenboat (I think) published an article on a new build 19 ft Hacker step hydro named "Duende".

I thought it was in a special publication (as opposed to the regular magazine) but I could be wrong. Can anyone remember this?

Ross

[Paul Pless]

Ross, its issue number 102, it was the very first WoodenBoat magazine I ever read. IIRC its a stretched Hacker design based I think one of the Little Miss Canada boats. Built by a guy in Seattle named Havlsoe. I'll dig the issue out and get you more details shortly.