This is an excerpt of a 2002 test report of a 14000lbs., 1800hp Cig 46’. ‘Boating’ is a reputable Magazine, Eric Colby a reputable writer
but I can’t believe that 1 3/8” make such a difference at that relatively low speed. What do you think:

we missing a link?

wow

I remember this test report...It has always made me think every boat out there has another 5+mph with simple set-up adjustments and fine tuning. It also takes a guy who really knows how a certain boat reacts to small changes. I am spending this season (when it gets here) trying to get 4-5mph with props, tuning, and minor tweaks. Plus I have a guy who knows my boat way better than I do that will be helping me.

Hmm, I just had 2 water pickups removed from the hull on my boat. Each one was about the size of a half of a baseball. One was for a generator and the other for an a/c, neither of which I used. I wonder what that will do?

amazing....

Perhaps engines with out of thermostats?
In this case mean 35 psi to much cooling water and cool engines with out of efficiency. Engine work like car engine with chock, when you start you car in winter time.
15 psi mean optimum engine cooling and standard power.

That figures... There's not a whole lot of people who can afford 46' Cigs, but those who can don't have to spend any money to gain 12mph. The average Joe with the average boat has to spend a lot of there hard earned money just to see a few extra mph, unbelievable.

We had a customer with a 26 Checkmate raise is drive 1/8 of an inch and find 8mph. We also found that a low hanging speedometer pickup on a 24 Skater was 6mph

Your question was "what do you think"

To me reading the words that are there, it says this to me:

We took the boat out and ran it up to about 98mph BUT the water pressure was to high and we stopped. Then shortened the pick-ups and ran it again, stopped again water pressure to high and did this 3 times in total. After the 3rd try we were able to push the throttles up to 5,800 we were now going 112 mph and only had 15psi of water pressure so no engine damage would occur.

I don't think at any other time does the article say this was all the speed the boat had, it says the water pressure was to high, so by cutting down the tubes I could run the boat faster and be safe. We now could go 112mph, I think the article makes you believe 3 things:

1) the 1 1/2" on water pick-up slowed the boat down

2) the people at Cigarette at that time had no experience rigging boats, have no history of how to install the simpliest of things like pick-up tubes and as manufactures of fast boat they are not very good at making them go as fast as they can

3) Customers need a good dealer like Phil to straighten out what the factory can't do themselves

I don't know if the tubes made the difference or not, I know they make some difference but you asked what I thought and I take away from this it was a great marketing article for Phil.