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Half the time they're not even in the water.

v-hulls (40'+), usually around 145 mph top speed, obviously not quite so fast traveling in 8 foot seas.
the big cats (usually 42-46' in open-class) up to 200mph.
Most are piston, however the turbines are running open class as well.

Unlimited Hydroplanes (turbines- Lycoming T-57 turboshafts; same as Chinook helicopter) 250mph+

...up to 200mph? Well, I guess that's between 4mph and 500mph, somewhere.

Thanks that makes more sense.

I having driven I-15 in Utah once while pulling a boat, I agree. Our portion of I-15 is more sedate.

Unlimiteds- Detroit Gold Cup. During the glory years of the Cup, this used to be the largest single-day attendance event in all of sports. They've been racing there for a century.
Gotta love the roostertails; we always sit in the 'Roostertail Turn'- these guys come into this turn in turbine-powered hydroplanes flat out at well over 200+

Might believe 200 mph for an offshore rig - the rigs that are purpose-built for top speed on water barely get past 300 mph.

Anyone ever see the Ferrari offshore rig - ? - special trailer for carting it around on public roads -- two blown 12-bangers making 1500 hp each.

I saw a major offshore race in the early '70s - the Hennesey Cup IIRC - run out of the Key West harbor and out around the Dry Tortugas. Most of the boats then used piston aircraft engines, Allisons and such, and the pack blasting out of the harbor sounded like a squadron of WWII fighters taking off. Good stuff.

Rocky, I just came back from a trip in and around SLC, part of which unfortunately involved I-15. Scary stuff, sort of like a CA freeway with less experienced, angry drivers. Lucked out and was able to do part of the southbound shot on the Bangerter Highway.

just like this. nothing else sounds like it.....

well i watch indy and formula 1 as main racing ohh yeah nhra drag racing too.For me nascar is a sport to check in on rather then watch anymore.While i still watch some f1 is my main must watch form of racing.


The lemans 24hr is really a great race i love these endurance races.Sorta more real life to me then the 500 mIle 4.5 hour nascar race

May not be a race in Detroit this year.

On Now!!

that would be truly sad- the Gold Cup has been thunder on the Detroit River for a century.

The hot pits, Gold Cup, with downtown Detroit in the background...

Dayum I love that picture. It means thunder is coming.

Thanks for sharing!!!!

The Monte Carlo Rally and the Paris to Dakar Race were pretty wild...

when I was a kid in Europe I also use to love to follow the East African Safari.. I don't think they do that one anymore..

What would really be wild also, is a Baja style race across Australia, for all 3000 miles, off road!

Those were used in PT boats in WW 2.. each PT boat had 3 Allisons or 3 Packard built Merlins...

I am sure that technology exists to power something up to that speed, but I would doubt that technology exists to all a boat hull to take the pounding that speed on water would produce...

I've watched the boat racing on Lake Washington up in Seattle years back.. and they were not getting anywhere near those speeds..

I may be wrong, but I'd have to see it to believe it..

Australia's Ken Warby holds the world record on water at 317mph. He's currently shooting for 400.
"With an approximate fatality rate of 85% since 1940, the record is one of the sporting world's most hazardous competitions".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_speed_record

I wish him luck. Excessive speed on the water kills.

a couple more of the Detroit Gold Cup Unlimited Hydroplanes-
wife with the Miss Bud- we had hot pit and roostertail passes for years, a good friend drives the 'O Boy Oberto boat. Those trailers hydraulically tilt the boat to a 45 degree angle so the boats are legal on the highway. $200k+ a copy, just for the trailer. The boats cost considerably more.....



another shot of an Allison- there is usually only one, maybe two piston-powered boats left racing Unlimiteds... they sound so nice



another shot of 'Warpath', a 42 Apache, catching some VERY serious air in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. The throttleman has a very busy job in big water... this particular boat is one of the most famous v-hull race boats ever built



Don Aronow, the founder of Cigarette, (and earlier Donzi, Magnum, Formula) He was murdered outside the Cigarette factory on Thunderboat Row in Miami in 1987 while sitting in his Mercedes. The hit was ordered by the man driving 'Warpath' in the previous picture, Ben Kramer. This was during southern Florida's infamous drug years, and offshore boats were (and somewhat still are) a part of that illicit industry. "The King of Thunderboat Row" is an excellent, but hard to find book if you're so inclined....an unbelievable time in Florida history..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Aronow


This is Don in one of his original Cig designs. He loved offshore racing- back in the day they used to run to Bimini and the Bahamas- the guys were so broke up after the race they needed help getting out of the boats.

I'm kinda partial to Moto GP for my racing fix.220 mph on a GP motorcycle, dragging elbows in the turns. Nothing else even comes close.

So that's why I see hydroplanes titled 45 degrees on trailers as they travel on the road. Never knew that before and always wonder why.