What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

With all the talk about Kilo's, Merc 525's, 600's, 700's, step bottoms, step placment, drives and from reading boat tests, what will the speed be tomorrow?

Offshore go fast performance boats of the 70's-80's cruised at 50 and top speed was around 60-70. If you had a 33-38' offshore boat that could do that you had the best there was at the time. The 80's saw speeds move up a little and in the 90's the same type of consumer offshore go fast performace boats would cruise at mid 60's and top out at high 70's to around 80.

Today we are seeing these consumer offshore go fast boats cruise at yesterday's race speeds. Most 35-39 foot twin engine boats built in the last year or so will go around 90-100 and cruise at 70-80 with ease.

This is simply all due to better built engines and boats brought to you the consumer through manufacture testing in it's various forms. The engines are more powerful and reliable than ever. The boats are being built with better workmanship, composites, balance and hull design.

Your thoughts? I can't wait to buy my next new boat!:D

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

At this rate, offshore boats will be cruising in the 170 to 190 range about the time I am ready to buy one.

Mike

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

I wish you would buy one! Where the hell have you been? Did you get my messages on your cell and at home? Happy Birthday my friend...you're still my friend aren't you?:D

So, I guess no one has anything to say about my post? Do any of you think boats will hit a ceiling with speed?

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

I don't think boats will gain as much speed as they have over the years. You can only do so much with power and lay up. So to answer the question,yes I think they will hit a ceiling.

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

yes maybe another 10mph and thats it:D

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

Good question....

Given that the speed envelope is constantly expanding...the biggest limit will not IMHO be of a techological nature but rather a legal or insurance based limit. If we see consistent speeds in excess of 130-150....and these numbers are embroidered into enough boating news stories, look for your friendly neighborhood Pelosi to organize an attack.

If we dodge that bullet......look for high performance, retail boats and cars to share the same speed maximums......limited by price.

T2x

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

I believe it is more about the power than the hulls. Yes the hulls do make a diffrence but I just repowered an 89 hull with twin 1100's and all of the previous asumptions that I made about the speed of the boat went out the window. That boat would have never done the speed back when due to the motor technology. Plus we are rapidly progressing past piston power into other means that are just now starting to blossom. Imagine what the turbine technology will be likre in another decade. Look how much piston power changed in the last 10 years once the motor builders saw the oportunity to sell the higher hp they went for it. If people are willing to pay more than the bar will undoubtably be raised even higher.

Paul

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

427, yes more and better power is a great argument to the speeds today over hull technology. However I believe that hull tech (hull design, composites) are playing a big part.

T2X, brought up a great point about legal and insurance based limits. It is in man's genes to go faster and this will not slow any of us down though. I am all for a boating license and the insurance industry will find a way to insure anything on the water.

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

Another few MPH average is probably the limit. Yes technology is advancing but it is still pushing a hull through water. By the time the monster HP motors are introduced we will be out of fossil fuels!


The next big jump will be in diesel performance boats. Jassman has the idea now, several thousand hour motors, low gpm cruise and a modest 80 MPH top end. If I had the money to build whatever I want I think an 80 MPH, 40+ footer with diesels would be in the running.

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

People back in the 70 or 80's were saying the same thing about speed...they thought that they were at the limit.

I like Jassman's idea and how he picked out his boat. Adib Mastry did something very simular with a CC Nortech and diesels. His top end was 80 and his cruise was just a few mph less but at 5mpg!

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

I think this is a great question Mike. I feel from the input from greats like Reggie Fountain, Tomlinson, and David Scott that it is coming down to pure physics, meaning how do we go faster with no more boat in the water??? This will apparently continue to be the safety issue that will arise as a result of this, but Tomlinson's run in the Cig/Skater kilo came down to no more hull. David Scott with his new turbine cat in the shootout at loto last year said it was not dialed in because it kept "taking off on him" and was a safety issue to keep it in the water. I think it is great to see people and technology continuing to push the envelope, i just hope safety stays a priority.

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

"By the time the monster HP motors are introduced we will be out of fossil fuels!"

monster HP is a relative term..think back a 10 15 years...if someone told you merc was going to be making an off the shelf 1075hp motor with warrenty, you would have laughed them out of the bar... and a 1075isnt that big of a motor anymore, theres a lot of 1500+ running around.

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

I agree that hull design and power are key but lets not forget prop technology.The same hulls today can run with much less power at the same speeds as 10 years ago because of the props.Just a thought.

Wil

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

More than likely" regulation" will step in before we hit the ceiling,much the same as "regulation " put an end to the muscle car wars in '71.

I am sure the powers to be have noticed the jump into Big horse power the last few years on our local waterways. It is just a matter of time till they put a lid on it.

Even in the Boat Racing world , many more than you would think, would like to see speeds drop back a little ,or at least keep the class speeds (except PX )where they are now .And work more on parity ,such as the Kat-lite class seem's to be doing .

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

Yes! I did not even mention props...excellent point!

Re: What's the Speed Tomorrow?
 

Poo you are so correct with your statement that speeds in the racing world are fine or could be a little slower but that parity need to be worked on.