VERY COOL!
1600 HPs at 3k…..
Holy hell!

Thanks for sharing.

I was a huge fan of Unlimited Hydroplane racing until they switched to turbines.
Havent watched a race since.

Agree. Loved the sound of the Merlins as they thundered by on the Ohio River in Madison, IN. Last race I saw in person was in '88 and if memory serves Miss Budweiser and a few others had already switched to turbines and the Merlins/Allisons just couldn't hang with them.

It was attrition.

Parts we’re getting too expensive and hard to come by.

A few yrs ago I saw they were trying to factor in the V-12s to be competitive w/the turbines.
Basically slowing down the turbines.

The last incarnations of the V-12s were the well funded teams running twin turbos.
I think I heard 3 - 3500 HPs when they could keep them together.

Damn, you `re pretty old .

The one and only hydroplane race I attended was the 1987 Evansville race. The piston boats were definitely having a difficult time, but there was also the Arcadian that year, with 8 outboard powerheads, I believe. Was pretty amazing to see the whole thing, though I was only 12 at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNrRJVn1O8A
"Here is a test of an engine that I worked on from 1996-2002. It was an 859 cubic inch V12 that was designed for high performance marine use. This particular engine was the 1150HP version. It was naturally aspirated, running on 93 octane unleaded. Torque Engineering was a small company in Elkhart, Indiana that was formed to develop the V12. At its peak, there were 20 employees. A total of 12 engines were sold, then the company went bankrupt. Even though it ended in heartbreak, we had a lot of enthusiasm for the project. Not enough resources, in people and funding, was what doomed it."



https://www.boats.com/first-look-tor...ineering-v-12/

I never knew. Maybe reach out to the person who posted the video, it says he worked on it.

Holy crap one of those in a boat would be incredible!!!

Never knew they were in Elkhart, IN.

Growing up around Evansville, I went to Thunder on the Ohio many times for the hydroplane races. It wasn't very many years ago that a local boat "Master Tire" who was running a piston engine, I believe an Allison, was always competitive. One year he had the entire field covered and broke a prop with a lap or two left in the race. I remember them interviewing the eventual winner and he said something to the effect of "I am going to look into getting one of those piston engines"

In this Thread, post # 10, 11, and 12 there are some brochure scans posted in 2003.
You said several months ago though.
Did you see some posted on this site or elsewhere more recently.
PDF's of them would be nice to see.