Single Engine 33 Footer
 

What do you guys think about an '88 Fountain 10 meter with a single 1200hp engine? I know docking would be compromised but what about top end and handling. Speed ?
Merc #6 or Arneson? ... I've heard Fountains run level, so the Arneson might push the bow down a bit much, anyone ever use those Arneson rocker plates on a big V hull with no steps? Let me hear what you think about this... I have the boat and I have a 1200 hp turbine engine I want to install in her, but I don't want to build something that will only do 75 mph... Anyone know the weight of that hull?
Thanks ,Eric

About 15 yrs ago, Arneson had a 32-36' with a T55
turbine and it did about double that. Don't know the hull make but it only had 2 seats controls engine and fuel
tanks.
Sounds like you will have a cool project, plus you can roast hotdogs on the fly.

Controls? what flaps, tail rudder and elevators! :D

Somewhere I remember seeing an article about a boat Arneson put together with a single just like that with a shaft drive. Did over 200 mph. Dont know what ever happened with that project.

There was a british company (Liberty Turbine) that rigged a boat that size with a T55? connected to a splitterbox and 2 Bravo drives. How about that for an option?
Gary

There was a test race on the Colombia river to see what
the waters were like. About 30 boats showed, one being
Arneson's. When the race was started they went up river 25 miles and back. If i remember right it the Arneson boat was gone for 22 min. and the next boat to arrive was 30 min later.

Arneson would be an excellent candidate to answer your questions. They've done several turbine boats in the past. Also consider talking to Fountain. I'd be interested in the change of cg.

I am more concerned with how a big V hull will do with one drive????? any help???

well superboat makes a 30' with a single engine and drive. But its much narrower than a fountain.

There are a handfull of single engine 32 Sunsations ou there. My good friend has a 2003 500efi with ITS box that does 72 to 75 and he is adding a 3.3 Whipple this winter which should see high 80s. With 1200 HP turbine you have the power. I just dont know about the best drive to most efficiently make use of it.

My fear would be that 1200hp would have a lot of torque, and the prop to transfer that much hp would be pretty large. This could result in a lot of that torque twisting the boat resulting in a poor riding boat with a lot of chine walk. Most of the high hp single engines applications I've seen were on cats. Maybe the wide sponson placement minimizes these effects compared to a V hull. But I guess you can always experiment.
BTW, do you need a crash box? I've got a a spare one.
Gary

Excellent point, thats the kind of info im trying to learn.
What crash box do you have??
email is [email protected]

i'm think maybe a twin drive setup wiath splitter box might be the way to go. Get two smaller wheels in the water driven by one big ole turbine.

The only downside to a splitter box is that if one prop came out of the water, all the torque would be transferrered to the drive still in the water. A bravo wouldn't survive long with that kind of hp. A staggered 18" drive spacing would minimize that though (hopefully).
But a turbine, brake, splitterbox, twin bravo installation would be a relatively practical, lightweight setup for that hp. And with the exception of the turbine, fairly affordable.
Gary

BTW, Eric. I sent you an Email about the crashbox.
Gary

i though turbine produced torque graduatually and make HP by spinngin ridiculously high RPMs???

and becasue of that they arne't quite as abusive to drives as say a 700cid 1200hp blown big block

Biggest problem is governing power turbine rpm when prop comes out of water or else it'll go bang quickly. Arneson ASD8 can handle the torque I think, (assuming about 6K on the output shaft). You could easily forget having a box at all, just direct couple, and use twin electric motors for maneoverability in the dock. That way you'll also keep the turbine installation as simple as possible, not compromise maneoverability when docking, and have a get you home backup (albeit slow and not too far, but hopefully just far enough to get you out of the sh*t. You'll have some really big batteries on board anyway to start the turbine).
Been waiting for you to get started on this project :) and have been researching it myself. Unfortunately doing a decent marinisation on the turbine is out of my price range for now.
Cheers
Matt

P.S. Forgot to say Good Luck!