Speed Rails - fact or fiction?
 

So, what do you all think? Anybody tried them, or is this snake oil?

http://www.thunderoffshore.com/roca.html

Interesting results...5-18% speed gains.
I rack my boat and they have problems without those things.

Canada Jeff, you bring up a very good point, seems most bunks(trailer or lift) lift right where those are mounted.

Also, so who will be the first guinea pig to try these things. Probably...........no one?

By looking at the picture I would agree that a tralier, rack or lift might do damage. I would also tend to think that there are boats out there that would not benefit form those things. My velocity rides on a pad which means I am already on top of the water. Warlocks and Fountains do the same thing so I would think that these are meant for older more deep v hulls.

An example of that would be an older Scarab vintage 1986 or so. These boats have no pad nor do they have a stepped hull, at that time, so they ride deep in the water. By using these speed rails they force water down pushing the boat up out of the water creating less drag and faster speeds. Remeber this only makes sense in theory. I think they would work well for some people and not well for others and the application needs to be looked at closely first.

Although Mark your Sonic is a true deep v hull maybe we should put some on and try it. After that you might not want to sell it:D

Oh yeah sorry for calling so late last night.

I have speed rails integrated into my batboat and believe they are part of the reason my boat runs so extremely well in calm and rough water. I posted positive comments about them on OSO when I noticed the ad and requested info from thuderoffshore. They never even returned my email. Seems like a waste of ad dollars to not even follow up on prospects.

I contacted Ocke mannerfelt who invented them www.ocke.se and he got back to me right away. Anybody interested in boating should visit ocke's site as he has designed everything from huge ships to ribs to batboats.

I had thought about the trailering problem, but they would not hit my bunks. The strap issue is something I had not thought of.

Would you have to screw those things on to your nice water tight hull? Not sure I like that! :eek:

I asked them the same thing. I'll post the response when I get it.

I was looking at these as well. My hull has a rounded keel (92 Four Winns Liberator )and large strakes. I can see where the rounded keel would push water out to the sides more. I would want to mount them with 3M 5200. From what I have been told, you would not need screws with 5200 but would damage the hull if one got ripped off.

Speed Rails were or still are a
product that Volvo Hi-Performance
came out with in the Mid 90s I
beleive, I was involved in the
Early Bat Boat and Volvo during
that time.
The Boat was the Rain-X A-50 and
te speed rails were added to the
bottom but I did a full inline
Canopie at the same time so the
Boat rode a lot different.
At This shop Speed Rails were
added to a 29ft Scarab but were
Scuffed off in the Rough SoCal
Water and never put back on.
The Rain-X boat went to Florida
for a season and returned to SoCal in 1996 for a APBA race in
Ventura and I noticed the Speed
Rails had been removed.
Hope this answers some of the
Questions.
Mike J.