Mike, When you say "right" setup, what does that include? I'm looking at a 530HP (at the crank). I know the Smith Brothers boat with a carb HP500 and an extension box hit 81mph. You removed your box right?

Correct. After ALOT of testing with a lot of different drive heigths/props/balance/etc. we found we had gaind maybe 1 to 1.5 mph, but the thing handled terrible. Carried the nose like a bassboat, a lot of chine walk, and wanted to launch the nose to the moon every time we hit a roller @ 75+mph. That's where we realized what the ole old-school racers meant by sometimes it's not how fast you go, but how you go fast
We took the box off and never looked back.
We could run 83.1 in APBA F1 legal weight and setup with the carbed HP500.

600sc=80mph.

I think the key to Gordo's statement is " F1 legal weight". What is/was that weight? and was it a special labbed 30 or 28?

So I guess loading all the crap(coolers,clothes, coolers, food, coolers) in for a weekend out on the bay isn't F1 APBA legal weight and setup huh?

Mike, what is the weight of your boat? Light layup no doubt.

Light layup, and Very strong.
At the end of the race the boat had to come out of the water at least 4000 #
Pat built my boat to weigh very close to that.
In fact, if we ran out of gas at the crane, we were gonna have to "fall" in the water to get as soaking wet as possible and leave as many clothes in the boat as possible (without getting arrested).
As for props, we used to take a truckload with us to each race for various water conditions.
Our best rough water prop was a 26 Hydromotive.
Our favorite top end prop was a 28-29 (ish) Bravo 4-blade

Hey Gordo your memory is getting pretty good.

Your 83.1 number is right on. I think I remember 84mph with the "A" set-up before the lights went out.

600 SC should run 85+ if the engine is healthy. That boat hit just a tick under 87 when new.

That would be the boat where the chopper caught a picture of the keel, you blew the balsa core out of the bottom and twisted your bolster into a pretzel? That boat? Oh yeah, and broke half your ribs?

What!? Didn't the Smith Bros. launch there 25 in a race and the engine mounts broke and the throttleman busted a bolster and landed in the back seat?