was wondering if anyone ever heard of scattered engine parts rods etc every gone through the engine bay floor of the hull? was wondering as i've seen rods end up in unusual places on drag cars.

Rat, I thought you were going to show us some pictures of some marine engine Carnage!! You have to figure.....if your twisting something in the 6K RPM range and something goes seriously wrong......It's possible.

This should dredge up some interesting stories...

And you guys thought that 'Diamondplate' option from some of the boatbuilders was for looks!

I've seen it through the side, not bottom. I have also seen prop blades come clear through swim platforms. Had an 8 (? I think) blade Rolla come apart and send a blade through the SP of an 80' Baia last summer and one on a 42' Fountain. That's some some wild stuff at 80 MPH (Fountain).

how did the boats react to losing a prop blade? did they get real outa shape?

I have patched the bottom of a few G.P.Inboard Hydroplanes that suffered from shrapnel.Of course the engines are dry sump and the crank sits about 3" from the bottom of the boat.

Rob

Had part of a rod cap miss a fuel tank in a staggered engine 32' Cobra race boat by an inch!
Could have been a real bomb.

do many of the racers use engine diapers to prevent this?

We wear helmets and lifeline jackets for our protection not for the motor, only race fuel and race tell it breaks...........