It is my understanding that turbos have been banned from sanctioned offshore powerboat racing. What's the reason for this? I could see it for some of the lower end classes, just because supercharging raises the cost, but why for the upper classes, especially for the ones with "unlimited" in the class name?

Michael

if you allow things, progress could happen. that can't be good...

A simple answer is Fear of the Unknown. I would much rather use a turbo than an outdated roots type blower.

I remember back in the early 70's a turbine offshore boat was racing but it outclassed all the conventionally powered boats. Engine technology wasn't what is today. The turbine boat just ran, and ran. It didn't break (no out drives, used shafts and struts), could out pace the all the others. Guess the officials deemed it an unfare advantage. I belive it lasted two years before the ban.

Wonder if I can find a pic of it. I rememebr what it looked like. I'll look.

Because Mercury doesnt make a turbo motor.

A few builders are in progress.

Which is also the same reason that shaft drive/BPM boats aren't legal in most US offshore classes.


So is this question just about turbochargers specifically, because most offshore classes in the US have also moved away from blowers as well. I believe that had a lot to do with safety, getting the speeds down to something reasonable, and making sure that a large percentage of the boats in the fleet compete at every event and finish every event.

Turbos would still be legal in a PX class if anyone wanted to put the money into them.

Not sure if it was a joke or not, but saying that things won't progress with all the engine limitations isn't true in my opinion. Engines are great, but pretty much the only reason I have any interest in performace engines is because they are a necessity to get an offshore hull to go fast. If you could go 140 mph in a 40 foot offshore cat by powering it with twin small blocks, who wouldn't? By limiting engine power, I feel that hull design and the sport of offshore racing will progress faster instead of slower. Sure, there is definitely room for advancement in the area of marine engines, but I believe that improved hull efficiency will reap more rewards for everyone in the long run. Limit your engine options, and in a highly competitive field of boats, everyone will learn how to do more with less.

Besides, if we start running out of oil in 30 years, hull design advancements will still be applicable. Engine advancements may not translate into whatever we end up using for power after gasoline is no longer an option.

LMAO!!!

Simply put there is no way to police them.However in an offshore application I do not think that they would dominate like they do is drag racing.Basically because you are on and off the gas so much that turbo lag would be a major factor in the boats ability to come out of the corner and go.However once that thing got spooled up look out cause it will be gone.

Iggy, your memory is A Plus.One of the old turbine boats was owned by Randy Rabe / Rabco boats. In St. Petersburg, FL. The name of the boat was the Spirit of 76. It was like the energizer bunny. Kept going and going.Was only raced a few times. All good things must come to an end.