The REAL Reason SPEED BOATS Went Out of Style!
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- čas přidán 5. 10. 2020
- Speed Boats... Go Fast Boats... Performance Boats... The beauty in the sound, the beauty in the speed. My favorite type of boats. The industry of traditional performance boats are dying down. These are my reasons to why.
#HauloverInlet
#BigWaves
#QualifiedCaptain
#Outboards
#SpeedBoats
#GoFastBoats - Zábava
Pretty much everything has priced itself out of existence. Even the average family car is crazy expensive these days.
I worked on powerboat row in the early 80s it was awesome seen some crazy shit go down on the night shift
What wasn't priced out of existence was regulated out of existence.
Same difference.
Actually the price of an average family car has remained basically the same for over two decades if you account for inflation.
That’s because debt is cheap
@@prasad530 in the 70s u could get a new muscle car for 2500 brand new today it’s 70 grand so no
The economy.
Remember in the 70s when your average papper mill worker would have a cesna 172 with floats, snowsled, a 2 homes(home and a camp), 1 or 2 new vehicles, a boat,a motorcycle zero debt and still devolved a drug habit. Now, your average worker has a house, car and half a million in debt.
$150 cable + $120 cellphone $500 per month health insurance + $500 home/car insurance + $400 HOA + $150,000 college loan + 3,500 mortgage. Damn, who can afford to get high anymore ? . .
That was when when we had unions!
Youd have to have rocks in your head to buy a home in a hoa....
Do you think that he 1/2 m debt might be the result of all the previous? Just wondering.
Even in the 80s, in the town I am from, Millinocket, ME, people usually had 1 or 2 homes, airplane, cars, trucks, college fund for kids, savings, exc. Now, there are no toys. People work the same with less bennefits. They might have a house and a truck, both of which are nice but both are on loan. Forget about savings.
My point is....look how far our country has fallen in the last 25 years!
I was an avid “Cigarette” boat owner for 20 years - I was crushed when I sold my last one - a very fast 38 ZR Donzi a few years ago. I now cruise in a center console with twin Yamaha 150’s. I can run today for 7 hours on the same gas that I used to burn in an hour ... completely different experience. My observation is that the Cigarette boats took a tumble when the economy tanked back in ‘08. The banks were no longer willing to write leveraged loans on these boats - and this caused the struggle and ultimate demise of a good number of Cigarette boat builders - with several changing hands thru the years numerous times. As you pointed out - the outboard motor powered center consoles became attractive to buyers ... offering better reliability, and more economical performance and maintenance. In turn - the builders went into survival mode and smartly began building what the public was willing to buy. Some of the high end center consoles with big outboard power are absolutely beautiful ... but for me, nothing will ever get my heart pumping like the sound of big power under the hatch. I spent a lot of $$$ during those years and it was worth every penny. Lol glad I came to my senses because if I didn’t, I’d never be able to retire.
I'm still out there cruising a 1996 Baja Islander 27 running single IO Injected 454 Big Block 😁 just loving it 8 super comfortable 10 people no problem
I completely agree. For me at my age (46) it’s the maintenance. Rebuilding an inboard is so labor intensive. Now, I can take one or both off in my driveway. And the fuel consumption is such a difference.
Yes the economy, can grow or sink sales and companies.
I completely understand with fuel economy too....now that I’m running my 7.5 hp Sears/Ted Williams, I’m saving so much fuel compared to my 20hp Mercury. The boat still gets a lot of attention and hot women want to go for rides, they even wait in line for it. We just go a little slower than before...gives me more time for love makin’ ;)
@@MrThumper1440 LOL!
These boats were made expensive to operate for a reason, they knew their clients had the money to maintain them. "Rebuild at 50 hours", in any other machine that would be totally unacceptable.
Motocross bikes are similar 50 hour rebuild is the standard, the service manual says 15-20 on some
the first fighter jets had engines that could only last 5-10 hours before needing a rebuild
@@shredder_mang3211 I had to change my piston every 16 hours on my 125cc 2 stroke dirtbike. I did once 19 hours with a piston and it was full of cracks.
Top Fuel Dragsters burning Nitromethane are completely torn down and rebuilt after every pass.
Mountain bike suspension has 40h service intervals. Tones of things have short service intervals.
My dad owns the 39 ft criss craft stinger used in season 1 of Miami vice, he’s rebuilt the engines himself, you can probably see it in Erie for the poker run or the Niagara river in 2022 after he finishes restoring it
No way
Nice
I like the look of the Stinger over the Scarab
that's awesome
Sick, we live in the region, we'll have to keep our eyes open
The speed boat hasn't gone out of style . They just evolved.
The no wake zone hurt the business
Into?
@@FirstLast-uz6eq Bass boats. 200 hp outboard on a glorified johnboat . Or you can Google it >
@@randyfurness5588 I have seen those go down the lake at at least 90...no joke
@@Epck Yep . My Dad gave me a Tracker with a 200 hp mercury on it . It can hit at lest 50 mph . Haven't tried full out .
They haven’t gone out of style, they are just a headache to have run reliably compared to center consoles. I love my Donzi 43ZR but with triple 700’s, there is always something going wrong. Usually minor things, but they ruin the day nonetheless. My Nortech 390 CC has been 100% flawless for 400 hours now
czcams.com/video/MszYiJT76AM/video.html man, you’re so lucky , there’s nothing in the world like a good old classic Go Fast Donze
Get rid of the NXT drives it came with and run the M6 or even the IMCO SCX4.
Are you hiring? @KMT15
A bowrider with a Volvo Penta V6 engine is quite reliable only has a top speed of around 65 mph but they are still a lot of fun.
i agree in the 70;s , 80;s they were on top of the speed, game. and yes its was very expensive to run. the fuel and the maintenance . i ran a cigarette , 34", with twin 572cu.in. motor with twin turbos, 2000 hp each there was a problem with the v-ee boats, the fuel tanks were on each side of each engine i removed them and in the middle of the boat between the front bulkhead of the engine to the dash, where the ski locker was i installed a large 300 gal, tank vee shaped . doing this made the boat plane faster and gave extra 15 knots of speed. . yes i was crazy and dumb, but i had the love for speed in the race boats of the 70;s, 80;s. i was easy for me when my father owned a shipyard, i had my own crew, and entered many races winner most, in my class. now im into a 36" v-ee haul twin turbines, aircraft motor, , but i run the run from zadar,croatia to ancona, italy for the tourist. and a big pay back.
Let's be honest: it's all about the bikinis. A traditional go-fast boat has no room for babes to be twerking. If your boat has no room for babes, then why even have a boat? That's why the popularity died down. It's all about sex.
What bout the thrills???, plus you can still have a few bitches in a lot of 40’ +
I cant stuff 500 kilos in the front of my center console.
bingo. Why get one of these when you can get a quad outboard center console that looks just as flashy if you get the right brand (nor-tech, midnight express, MTI, etc) and have room for plenty of sunbathing women in bikinis
I'm sorry. Could you repeat that? I couldn't hear you cuz I was motorboating these -bikinis.-
You are wrong. You can fit a ton of women inside that cabin, all naked too. Go fast boats are better pussy magnets than center console. You got one of those, you got money. Lots of money. And chicks love bad boys with lots of money.
I always liked all kinds of boat racing but there is something about those offshore boats jumping waves at 120mph+ with outdrives coming out of the water that makes my heart start pumping. If I could afford it I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Buy two extra kidneys too. lol
There’s nothing in the world like a rumble of triple supercharged hot cammed V8s at WOT cutting through ocean waves like a hot knife through butter …
I don’t know. There’s no sound like big blocks running across the water.
IO is also more fuel efficient and faster than outboards!
@@charlieodom9107 there’s no sound bike blown 525s etc 1,000 hp motors. It’s not about efficiency at that point. Your not worried about fuel when you can afford a boat like that.
@@joejoe493 a 525 is not a forced induction motor. It is an efficient NA motor that runs on 87 octane.
The new ones are even better, I.E. 520,540,565.
If you were going to create a forced induction motor, then a 525 would NOT be where you start. You would start with a tall deck Big M block from Dart, which uses standard shelf parts. The extra deck height makes it a LOT easier and cheaper to build a low compression big cube motor without using custom pistons.
With a low compression forced induction motor, you can run it on standard octane fuels, like 87 or 89 and make serious power. The issue then becomes what drives to put behind it.
A more common route would be to build a bulldog style 540 cube NA motor in the sub 600hp range so you can run a Bravo drive and standard fuel. Twin 540s in a Velocity 322 will run over 100mph and get MPG rivaling similar sized bowrider boats, but capable of MUCH higher speeds! You are talking about a boat with cruise speeds ABOVE the wide open speed of those bowrider boats!
As far as running 1000hp motors, yes, it is NOT all about efficiency at that point, but there are very few boats running that high hp any more. The rebuild schedule of a 1000hp motor is not worth the trouble for most owners. For example: twin 1000hp motors would be more costly than triple 600hp motors by several orders of magnitude for only single digit speed gains. You would also have the extremely expensive outdrives to contend with on the big motors.
For this very reason, people tend to run more lower HP outboards vs Seven Marine 627s.
Triple 400s vs twin 627s.
Quad 450s vs triple 627s
The only reason to run a Seven Marine is to say I own a Seven Marine!!! Lol
@@charlieodom9107 huh? 525's are great motors for supercharging, primarily with whipples. In fact thats how mercury makes 700 sci's.The stock crank is fine with the additional power, although its a good idea to put blower pistons in em.
@@willjohnston3905 pistons would need to be changed to lower the compression anyway, unless you want to run premium gas.
I was on a dive trip with a wealthy attorney. He caught the bug when Miami Vice was popular. He said that if you think you're rich, buy an offshore powerboat and find out that you're not. Blown engines, torn up drives, and everything breaking from the pounding the boat takes will decimate your savings. Outboards like the Verado and it's successors did indeed change the math. Social pressure has also driven these boats from popularity. Most people who could actually afford one were prominent citizens, and followed closely. Post a picture of a 2000hp speedboat on Twitter and see how many haters come out of the woodwork, or rather, their parents' basement. So they buy a Tesla and put a few solar panels on the roof of their 10,000 square foot home to virtue signal.
Great post
With all due respect.......WHO in the right mind could EVER give a rat's ass about what any of those 'kids' on that pathetic, disgusting, useless thing called twitter think about ANYTHING!! I know I never have, and I never will..!!
Exactly what happened to our nation's reputation thanks to our tweeter in chief.
@@larryslemp9698 It is not only on twitter where people obey the hypocrite social correct god.....
@@budman9327 ,
And to think, if he learned to keep his fat mouth shut and listen to those around him who know politics and DC, he might have actually done well! After all, Trump had the lowest unemployment in decades before covid19 was unleashed by our communist buddies across the Pacific. I still cannot understand how a man in his place just could not learn to grow up and shut up!
Trump was the only US president with the balls to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Trump was the only US president in recent history to actually stand up to North Korea- they stopped testing nukes and testing rockets on Trump's watch. Trump was the only US president with the balls to directly orchestrate the killing of top Iranian terrorist leaders that sorely needed to be killed decades ago. For all of his faults, Trump did do a lot of good.
I just hope this new guy and gal have the guts to stand up to tyrants or we are all cooked. So far, all they talk about is stomping on our 2A rights and increasing regulations which will not bode well for us boaters.
Good perspective brother ! And it’s true , you can’t knock these high powered center consoles that can run 80+ with room for 12 and then do a little fishing . They changed the game. The only thing they are missing is that wonderful sound of the big blocks at full tilt!
Yeah, but you can't run a big block at full tilt all day. You can a pair of 450r's.
@@dannysdailys I mean, a 450 is technically a big block.
yes it's not always the speed -but the sound of power
Great video and I like your 2 thoughts on the reasons you think were the decline of Go Fast boats. I live on the water in Southern California right by a huge marina and I love the sound of the big power boats as they exit the channel and hit the throttle over open water. The sound carries and it always puts a smile on my face and is music to my ears!
Mate! You hit the nail on head , and the 3rd reason is insurance . If you get the boat wet im sure the insurance company won't pay lol great stuff mate. I love the old inboard speedboat, I'm not so keen on the fire that comes with them lol
Well done bro. And i think ur right. It’s also crazy how many outboards u can stick on these things. I remember when it was unheard of to have 3 engines on a boat. But now it’s not uncommon to see boats with 5 outboard motors......or even 6. It’s crazy man! And these center consoles are light, fast and practical. I must admit tho....they don’t have the same look or appeal as an old school cigarette or donzi, but still......they are tough to beat for the price......especially when you factor in the speed and practicality.
Straight to the point. Thanks for the succinct and informative video. Nowadays CZcams videos are getting too long with a lot of fluff in between actual content.
I remember watching the power boat races up in northern Michigan. It was very exciting. I also used to watch races on TV occasionally in the late 80's and 90's. I hope to see a resurgence soon. Miami Vice also helped drive up prices for the Ferrari Testarossa. Power boat racing is better than Nascar or ball sports. Thank you.
Yes I'm still ol school. I love the V Bottom.. cool vid
Awesome vid for 4.5 min, direct and too the point. Looking forward to seeing all your vids now.
I remember seeing boat races when I was a kid in Miami .. We would go to Bayside and watch these awesome boats 🚣♀️.... good memories
You had a childhood that most guys of my generation dream about.
I own a 38 foot Top Gun cigarette with twin diesel engines. With a pair of arneson drives I cruise at 65 knots 70 wide open I go from Miami to the Bahamas Bimini with a full tank I come back I still have fuel it's the best setup ever the most fuel efficient way to cruise around
How long does it take you to go from Miami to the islands?
Great choice of power and drives. I'd love to see a 38' Cat Deck boat with diesels and arnesens. Arnesens become even more efficient when they don't have to provide lift for the boat.
Lies.
@@aussieaussieaussieoioioi9135 asshat comment
Diesel power baby! Dont own a boat but I've got a diesel truck & car, I'm sure the torque helps the props shred the water
I grew up with 18',19' jet boats with big blocks in the 1970's like Kona, Horizon, Spectra, Tahiti..., still love them as they were fast, fun, safer than a typical prop boat. Sucked when you sucked up the ski rope but easily cut out from the inspection cover on top of the pump. Always enjoyed running at a good speed and throwing it in to reverse to bury the bow in the water and stop the boat. Great brakes. Good times!
Awesome video and new channel. Great history and facts here. Nice job.
It’s simple - Shade - without shade people are only willing to stay on a boat for a few hours max. With shade they can stay all day. Make a speed boat with shade and it will be competitive with the center console outboards.
Agreed. Especially if you live somewhere with a hot climate like Florida or Texas. The second you stop moving the heat becomes unbearable and you need to get under some shade.
Yup. Shade is king out on the ocean.
I don't see anyone buying cockpit style boats either - I would... But unfortunately these boats need to have open space for parties or have sex appeal.
A lot of those speedboats actually have a bed and small living space ahead of the cockpit
It's called a bimini top. As much or as little shade as you want.
Just bought a 35 ft. 1993 Cigarette Cafe Racer. The sound of those inboards revving blows my skirt up every time! #girlracer
Call me Carol, I'd like to be there for that!
Woooo-hooooo heck y'a !!
"Nice" I always had a facination with speed boats since I was a child!!!!! One day I hope to buy my own or share one with the women I see!!!!
@@chetfedoriii6917 yes and when you get divorced you can give it too her as well
Pictures PLEASE!!!!
Everyone just loves center consoles with 4 outboards on the back. Can't beat the sound a cigarette boat makes though.
I agree. Check my last name.
I got a 47 fountain
No room, constantly unreliable. CC are just as fast but can hold 20+ people all being reliable and filled with creature comforts
Cigarette boats are awesome
naah. v8 exhaust above waterline should be banned. so annoying inside the harbour.
Hey Brother awesome video I used to live in South Florida in Aventura back in 2000 next to Thunder Alley where cigarette and Apache got their start back in the 70s I could remember hearing those Big Blocks firing up it was music to my ears when they would go out of the channel you could literally hear them miles away.
I got a chance to ride a 30ft. Baja Outlaw. It is a lot of fun to go 70MPH on the water!👍
This is an Awesome video!!! DonJ at the helm sportin popped collar and dripping cool. Baddest boats!!
Tod Owen my Father, is in the back seat of the 47 Apache Lucky Strike boat at the end of the video! He was the navigator for the Lucky Strike 47 race team.
Good points. I was in boating 40 years ago when the offshore hobby boats wet taking off. I got out of the sport and only recently started watching boats on CZcams (wavy boats, boat zone). Right away I noticed and saw for the first time outboard driven Center Consoles and I wondered where that came from. It makes sense now.
Spot on... When the economy took a hit back in 2008 boats, especially performance boats got hit the hardest, when fuel prices skyrocketed in 2009/10 that didn’t help. Big performance boat builders like fountain went out of business. Around the same time Mercury came out with the 300 verado four stroke...(game changer btw). Boat builders like cigarette and Nortech started making 39 ft centers with triple Merc o/b’s and that was all she wrote.
Yeah, they still make Fountains boats but its just a high priced name now. No more Reggie F
Chad deans they still use the original molds that Reggie used when he still owned fountain. Fountain powerboats is alive and well,just owned by a larger company. They still build them exactly the same. I live 10 min from the factory,and hear them doing sea trials all the time. But if you order a new fountain,the interior,engines are modernized,but the design and hull are still the same
Quite a few of these boats have had the most popular Mercury motor ever produced which is the 525 EFI. Also the 525 block is used in the SCI series of engines produced. Top end jobs are roughly 6 to 7K for twins around 250 to 300hrs and full rebuilds at 500 to 600hrs at 25 to 30k for twins. That's quite a few years of boating to reach those run time hours. Also the V bottom inboard motor market has made a big come back this year. Used boat prices are through the roof right now. I wouldn't say they have went out of style just yet.
But how many POS Bravo $7k drives popped between between engine rebuilds??? (SSM 6 owner, lol)
@@ssoffshore5111 Many are from people not controlling the throttles correctly. Also spend the extra money and go with a drive guardian instead of the stock coupler if you are running bravo drives.
Apparently my local tax assessor agrees with you.
Bro, I do not comment or sub too often, but your energy and way of speaking got me hooked. Keep on the grind man! Hope to see new content soon!
You observation is spot on. Multi-use application isn't getting more bang for the buck...there are simply more options for having a good time.. The only controversy now is Jet or Prop.....I'm not looking for opinions on that.....just a personal option that I am having to consider....Running high speed up river rapids in a slot canyon is as much of a sphincter pucker as going fast in the open water.
Great Channel man just subscribed love it.. and yes I've been a big fan of the V bottom go fast boats since the 80s... cigarette Apache Fountain Scarab.. all the bad boy classics
Let’s hear it for the bad boys!! 🚤
I agree with your reasons. You can get everything from a go fast in a center console and dual console. Plus they not family friendly boats.
Think that you proved a great point because I was wondering why I didn't see many of these fast boats down in New Port R.I. during the summer time, miss seeing them.
Pretty much spot on, I would add one more factor. I owned a power boat dealership in the 90's and early 2000's. After 911 there seemed to be a shift away from the big, loud and obnoxious toys, at least in my market. Unfortunately for me I had gone away from ski and wakeboard boats and was out of business a few years later. I agree that the outboard is much easier to live with and center console style lets you bring all your friends with!
Not everybody is rich. Especially these days. I feel lucky to own a small rib. Quick enough for me, carries the whole family and cheap to run...for a boat. They are also good when the weather is rough, so i feel safe and so do the passengers.
@Jimmy Scott wow. Never had a boat that could do 60 plus. Usually requires ridiculous horsepower.
I've long thought that small boats can be big fun. Just as well cos I can't afford a big one!
IVE OWNED A FEW SCREAMERS IN MY PAST, STARTED WITH A 27 ft Avanti, then a 39 ft Formula and a few more. You hit the nail on the head, the new outboard motors along with the center console did a number on them. Nothing beats the twin IO With huge HP. LOVE IT‼️👍👍 Vinny 🇺🇸
Great video man !
Informative and eye pleasing.
I never knew these speed boats required maintenance so often and that they cost SO much !
Whats the reason for such often complete engine rebuilds ?
One Sunny Day while in North Bay Village overlooking the Biscayne Bay in Miami,FL i observed at least 20-25 boats go by center consoles, yachts, and then a 43 foot scarab came rumbling through with Triple Big Blocks making such a visceral and mind bending sounds.... The sight & sound of such a beauty immediately erased my recollection of all the previous vessels i had seen that day. Something truly special indeed.
I loved Miami Vice when I was young. Even dressed like Don Johnson 😆. But I will have to agree with you the upkeep on these engines would be mega $ .Love your channel
Mercury outboards are very reliable, even the 450s. It's the price that hurts. The Seven motors are just outRAGEOUSLY expensive in every way; ridiculous prices to buy, high maintenance costs and terrible fuel economy, all based on the supercharged GM 6.2L V8.
And now Mercury has the 600 HP v-12 outboard with 2 speed transmissions. Power heads are stationary while the gearbox and props steer. Badass!
Crazy world we live in
The weight is what? I saw a Pantera 36 CC with a 600 outboard, but they didn't like it because of the weight.
Good video, thanks for uploading! 👍
I like the video. It's all so true. Gas consumption is a factor for sure! I bought a 26' cuddy cabin with twin 350 magnums and it can burn it's tank in 3-4 hours without any problem. That tank of gas is approaching $3000.00!!!
My friend who owned it when gas was reasonable, used to use 3-4 tanks in a weekend and that wasn't running all out! Good luck with your channel!
One of the reasons why these beautiful boats aren’t used for smuggling is satellite surveillance, coastguard got faster, plus Homeland Security!
He’s definitely right about the maintenance and the cost of the upkeep vs. the new outboards out there!
Great video BTW! I still LOVE THESE BOATS!
I completely agree with this whole video but there’s one thing a outboard will never be able to do sound like a big motor exhausting into the water you cannot tell me you ever heard an outboard sound like a big motor in board the sound is just undeniable
@chris ryan Totally agree Chris. I wouldn’t go with I/O ever again.
WELL DONE AND WELL SAID.
I'm 77 years old and been a person with "Two FootItis" for my whole life. My dad and I built an eight foot hydroplane for me when I was 12 years old with a 10 horse Mercury, and I've never looked back. After about 10 different boats, I really don't know what I would buy next even if I had the $. I do know I'd buy another one just as soon as I can sell my current one!
Just getting into power boats, love them, you now have a new subscriber!
I think you’re 100% correct. I also think this is the reason center console boats are so expensive. This consumer (the former go-fast customer) is used to spending so much money. I believe the market is pushing the center console prices way higher than what is actually going into them.
To the people buying these huge ass center consoles, money doesn't matter. These type of people can't handle an equivalent go-fast boat, as the speeds would be insane and they want a party boat, not a go-fast boat.
A go-fast boat is designed for a purpose. A center console has a different purpose.
The people who have go-fast boats will never switch to a center console to do the same thing, because it can't. I have a 29' go-fast that will do over 80mph and burns less fuel than ANY equally sized center console designed for offshore! I also have AC, Generator, Enclosed Head, Kitchenette, V-Birth, etc! You WON'T find that on a 30' Center Console!
Nah man. Center console hulls aren't that much more than they used to be. They cost more when you start hanging 3, 4, or 5 Merc 400s on the back at $32,500 each!
Sounds alot like what's happened to pickup trucks. I'm old enough to remember when nobody wanted to drive pickups and they were dirt cheap. The cheapest thing to buy brand new was a pickup truck. They were cheaper than the family sedan. Now they regularly sell for close to $100,000 after finance charges are included.
@@j.thomas7128
Why are the off board engines so expensive? $32,000 can buy a whole car. Car engines are no where near as expensive.
@@charlieodom9107 Exactly. Plus try to use open bow center console in the rough seas. I live in Chicago and boat on Lake Michigan. This lake is always brutal. Waves are usually 2-3 and are coming from every direction. Hi side board and closed bow is the only way to be safe and do 80 plus mph runs in those conditions. Open bow party bow just doesn't make sense here. And nothing can beat rumble of the twin V8 engines. I will stick with my go fast addiction !
Did i miss it or did you, how about Fountain (Reggie)? Thanks for sharing.
Very informative and makes a lot of sense! Thank you - great video.
Great video!!! I love that someone has enough passion to make a channel like this
Who said high performance went out of style? Nah man. Just opposite. It got so big that they started to make all boats into performance boats. 100mph pontoon boats. 90mph center consoles. 80mph RHIBs. 70mph ski boats. 60mph rowboats. Even stock jetskis are blowing past 70mph. I love a deck boat that can hold 14 people with a porta potty, fridge, and grill, but can still do 130mph in a 3' chop when the load is light. Why does it have to look like a 40 year old Miami vice boat???
"Why does it have to look like a 40 year old Miami vice boat???"
For the same reason Aronow, and others who evolved the "Miami Vice boats," chose not to race
@@paulnorman8274 Right! There was more money in smuggling drugs than only in selling boats! Just ask Aronow... oh wait, ya can't. Rata-tatta tattared and all the smugglers splattered.
I’ve always loved the sound of a powerboat ever since I was a kid. I’d love to own one but they’re so expensive and not worth the investment unless you truly can afford it. A guy can dream though
I’ve watched this video 1000 times brother! I appreciate you keeping it real on here. I couldn’t agree with you more.
Excellent info bro. Loved every second of it. Off to watch your other vids. I wander if you have enough cash to have twin 350's on a 30ft
I am watching this knowing nothing about go fast boats and it was very interesting even for a non-boatguy pov. Thanks!
Yes its true modern outboards have changed the game, but the transition to center console boats started in the mid eighties , between 26 to 37 foot with double and triple outboards. These boats became more popular with drug smuggles, they were much cheaper, more reliable, quieter, used less fuel and were much easier to load and unload. The big loud go fast boats, were usually the toys of the smugglers, and raced them or just showed off with them with some exceptions . They still draw a lot of attention when ever you see or hear them.
Thank you for a well thought out post. All of us secretly dreamed of owning one, but never could afford one or even fuel for a long weekend. Like they say: 'Talk is cheap... it takes money to buy whiskey'. Couldn't afford stocking the bar on one either.
Nice video, I learned a little something and that's always cool.
In what few maritime experiences I've had with 'speed boats' all I really recall was the pounding headache from all the pounding by the waves. Wouldn't a hydrofoil design prove far less exhausting as well as fuel efficient?
No, rough sea is rough sea.
Just buy an airplane and learn how to fly very low.
Yes, check out the new Candela C8 hydrofoil.
Fountain Powerboats files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again Stick a fork in him Reggie Fountain he be done ! The company listed more than $53 million in liabilities and less than $50,000 in assets, according to court documents. A total of $53,605,987.16 is owed to First Capital
There's nothing like the beautiful sound of twin big blocks roaring across the water at 75+ mph, that's something that center consoles with outboards can't ever duplicate. And for that reason I will never change over
I'm still doing 70 with a single 502 motor . I Don't want to center consoled fishing boat.
Lol obviously OP hasn't heard of bullet or Alison's
@@pain_weaver seven, or merc 600s.
@@Barefoot-Bob there are centerconsoles that cruise at 70.
@@Eluderatnight yeah I've seen a midnight express with a 6 engine setup and it was beautiful.
Great video. I think your assessment is really credible. To me it is a matter of versatility. The buzz is close but you can do a lot more with the CC.
Thanks for the info!! Did not have any idea about those high maintenance costs with 60-hour overhauls!! I think Miami Vice was the first time I saw those boats and they were/are impressive!!
Great video! Center consoles are more versatile and more open like you said! The tech of outboards has gotten so good as well. Crazy to see 4 or 6 on the stern of a boat! I think go fast boats and center consoles is like comparing a Cessna twin engine plane
to a small passenger jet. Great video! Keep at it!
I had a 34 scarab. It was fast but kinda junky as it had been raced hard. I mostly used it to pick up chicks when waterfront bars were a big thing in Cleveland.
The good ol days of The Flats
Hahahah Cleveland here as well. Still got my little 454 nova!
Cleveland?????
I thought Cleveland was landlocked?
@@invisiblerevolution not so, on a Great Lake, beaches and all.
@@jackoff1826
Oh wow!
I'm from Philadelphia....
didn't even know, Cleveland Ohio was right next to water.
You guys are kind of like Chicago.... livin right on a great lake.
Very informative and an eye opener. I was looking to purchase an older Black Thunder... but not now. Thank you!
just amazing video!! subbed
Go fast boats are ok here in Michigan. Pontoons are definitely the new water party time vessel. Boaters are clickish and stay with their own kind
A former power quest boat owner I can still a lot powerquest boats around from 20 to 30 years ago, the horsepower is not insane like a cigarette, so the engines last longer, can’t beat the drone of a big block V-8 on the water. It’s about gas prices nobody feels good dropping a 1000 dollars filling up there 38 foot offshore boat no matter how rich you are!
Nice video ! Speed boats have a nice and very impressive look , they make statements but not for me . Good content pls feed us with more videos
Great video. Some pointers 90% of go fasts don’t need 50hr engine re build. The Big Mercury 1350 QC4V twin turbos are 200 hour re builds.
Most are 300 hr top end and 500-600hr full rebuild.
Rec 90 /91 is what most run on. Big supercharged motors are 93 or higher octane (few run race gas except who trailer theirs)
Glad there’s still a cult. I grew up on a 382 Fastech. Nothing more I love then big blocks
Yeah , the narrator made a typo , most Racing Mercs can easily last 500 hrs between rebuilds, sometimes it’s only high lobe camshafts that needs to be replaced and many can last up to 1000 hrs if you babysit them a bit and don’t run them at wot all the time…
4, 5 and 6 engines strapped on your 40 footer just looks awesome and you can have more guests and activities on board.
Center console boats have blown up on the popularity side big time!
Too funny cause it relates. When I was 25 I bought my first semi "go fast" boat a 29ft baja. Much as I loved dropping the bolster seats down and hammering the throttles. Most people who I invited or entertained were not fans of going "fast" girls getting their hair messed up. Everything inside flying out -towels - hats - bags and more. Then let's talk about the creature comforts you give up.... A bimini - a narrow beam boat with less room.. Planing speed for water activities too high.. The seating is limited and the room for gear to take along is more limited. Pros and cons. If your goal is to "go fast yes.... If your goal is to entertain people it's rather limited.
The 29' outlaw is a HUGE boat! It is heavy and takes a LOT of power to get it going. A pair of 525s in that thing barely gets it to 70!
Compare that to a Velocity 322 with a pair of 525s! It will do 90+!!!!
I still love the ride of a Baja compared to a lot of other boats though.
Dude, check out a Magic 28' Deck Boat. You can party with 9 of your friends and have built in coolers, grill, and even porta potty. When it's a light load, the large single can run in high 70s low 80s. The 30' with twins can party with 14 people or rocket through a 3' chop at 100+. Best of both worlds
@@charlieodom9107 Oh trust me when I say "literally thought I was Don Johnson himself" lol. At the time I absolutely loved it, least for the first couple years. Moved on to a new enclosed hardtop and having air conditioning and a generator is beyond anything I ever anticipated.
@@j.thomas7128 28 foot deck boat with 14 people 100 mph plus? Is that for real?
@@cleverusernamecl5532 Hey man. Reread my original post. Typically, the 28' cat deck boats with a single have a 9 or ten person capacity and when the load is light (not with ten souls onboard) it can run high 70s low 80s. The 30' cat-hull deck boats with twin screws have generally up to a 14 or 15 person capacity, but when the load is light (not fully loaded. (Not 15 people)), they can run 100+ in a 3' chop. But yeah, check out Magic Boats, Eliminator, Domin8r, Nordic, Skater, World Cat, and others for their "cat-hull deck boats". You'll be amazed how performance and party can go together.
Great insight into a subject I know little about...
Cheers.
Thanks for explaining this! I've been watching powerboat videos for a while, and I didn't understand the appeal of center consoles. Now I do!
Cool vid. I remember a quote in NZ Powerboat magazine in the late 80s about American Offshore Speedboats. "Your average run of the millionaire can afford to buy one. He just can't afford to run one."
Yep Miami Vice did make fountain and scarabs very famous it was the TV show that played up the fanciest clothes the biggest diamond rings diamond studded Rolex watches Ferraris and Lamborghinis and white Miami homes with a brown roof mansions huge huge swimming pools and Palm trees they really know how to dress and throw a party and the 80s
They are all considered "Go Fast" boats, the center console has gained popularity due to it having more utility as it can be a huge family hauler, fishing cruiser and can move pretty quick. But if you are looking to go 100 m.p.h and beyond, these boats will not be for you. I'm noticing larger high performance outboard cats now since the outboards are hitting 450 h.p, that can perform with just twins., I don't think Go Fast are dead, but I do think the power configurations will be different, some people will move away from the supercharged big blocks and go for the reliability of the outboards. .
As costs, including fuel, continue to escalate and downtime becomes a thing of the past, soon outboards will replace I/O entirely -- except in the most expensive machinery.
Fountain powerboats has started using turbos on their powerboats. The 38 lightning could barely hit 90 ,if that ,20 years ago. Now they are running over 120 on race gas. But they have also made huge advancements with their center consoles. The new v12 verado 600 hp is gonna change everything. That being said,I grew up on the pamlico river,only about 20 some miles down from fountain powerboats headquarters. Nothing will ever be as cool as watching them do sea trials at dawn or dusk when it's flat calm,or just a little chop,and watching them go by at 100+ mph! You could hear them for a couple min before they came into your sight,and you could hear them for 5 or 10 after they passed. Good memories! #Fountainpowerboats #APBA #PAMLICO RIVER
Spot on man. I know the new Mercury 1550 is like a 54,000 rebuild after 200 hours. I will always love my go fasts. Too much fun !
Definitely right about center consoles. The Tirranna was a game changer. I'm still stuck in the Scarab/Chris Craft era.
Spot on! Tastes and times change, Last month I noticed there were almost 100 Cigarette 32 & 38 cafe racers avaliable for sale. Many in the 75-90k price range.
As long as I can get on the water I am happy. If a 17 bass boat is all I can afford it is better than nothing! Someday I’d like to get a little 23’ CC and cruise the bays.
Good video and you make great points. I don’t really understand the 4 + engine outboard boat setups.. that’s 4 water pumps, 4 oil changes, 4 lower unit services and so on.. not to mention fuel for each engine. What’s the cost compared to 2 big blocks? I’ll always favor a I/o setup over outboard but each has its own purpose. I do miss true offshore racing. When you needed 3 crew members and the races would stretch for many miles.. now they just have a oval or triangle shaped corse right off the beach.
They probably changed it because straight line races aren't conducive to spectators. You set up and watch them go by for 35 second, then they're out of sight. Boring.
The reason are simple, the maximum speed of the piston is limited do to the lubrication capacity of the oil, means bigger engine less rpm. Means you need more pistons, than the engine gets longer/taller and center of gravity becomes a problem.
Also economy of scale, the development cost of a 500hp and a 1000hp engine are the same, but the 1000hp will be pretty rare a 500hp is more or less a normal size.
There’s nothing better than the sound of a couple straight piped big blocks. Still love it when I hear it today. The reason I fell in love with go fasts. Just don’t get that from outboards.
There will always be go fast people. My friend Dave has (at this time) has two. A DCB 36 AND DCB44 with twin 1500 Mercs. The 36 has hit 164MPH at the lake of the Ozarks run.
Not to mention these guys . . ✌😎
czcams.com/video/QUAJRv27r-0/video.html
A feeling you can't buy anywhere else.
Not everybody can afford the new 100k boats, at the Marina, we get just as many looks with my 1982 Wellcraft Nova 23 bought in 85' and still as new solid as a rock
Most people don't even know what that is. Wellcraft Nova, that was a household name around my house I grew up on a 25 ft 1977 model. We were on that boat every weekend from the time I was 6 months old till we sold it when I was 15.
Same sentiment here. We have an 88 Glastron Carlson CV-X 23 and draw total attention wherever we go! Paid for cash money. Gas and maintenance are our only costs of operating.
Agreed...I've been flipping older (+30 years) smaller ( around 20 ft.) boats for some years now. When I'm finished with them they are "head turners" plus I keep the one I like most. I found these to be the most fun, profitable and practical to own.
I follow Boyne Thunder in Boyne City Michigan and I've seen the trend move towards the center consoles there as well. I have several videos on my channel of this event
I really love my Brig 6,7 with 225Horses outboard meanwhile !!! After Having a 32 foot powerboat with750 hp from 2004 to 2017. it is a total other experience but we prefer it a lot now !!
Rib or center consol!!!!👍👍
I agree with the assessment, but there is NOTHING like the sound of an offshore racing boat.
Amen to that!!!
As a Californian, thanks for the perspective man! I have been watching so many Miami Boat culture videos this summer and man, what a life! I love the Haulover inlet channels and just seeing all the high performance, low performance, yachts etc. So cool. The cost of fuel BLEW MY MIND when I realized these boats were burning $5000 to go a few hundred miles. I've never heard of such a waste of money in my life lol but it's still cool to watch other people burn it
The haulover marina is unfortunately succumbing to corporate control due to new management and a company taking over. Not to mention the workers and staff are all feeling it as well. It's a hard job with little pay and above all horrible management.
It's not about miles per gallon. It's about smiles per gallon🥂
Very good video, I enjoyed it. Very good work.
New subscriber, great video, looking forward to more.
Don't forget "Thunder in Paradise" :)
Oh lord, I thought I was the only one to have ever seen that show. I was a teenager and thought it was so cool. Giant hulk hogan doing extractions on a tiny jet ski, shot out of a Scarab . Life was good
You hit the nail on the head. 100% accurate regarding the downfall of traditional go-fast boats. The third nail in the coffin has been the advance of Cats (catamaran boats). Power for power, they are faster than V bottoms and have more room in the cockpits. With the advancement of outboard power-plants and the extra room attained in the cockpit due to the motors being mounted outside the transom, many manufacturers have moved in the direction of outboard motor installations and have shied away from I/O powerplants.
This here, i spent a year on a modified (way bigger motors and some hull reinforcement) electric 55-footer that could comfortably house 6 people at sea for months at a time and still get up to ~55 knots (highest i got was 45, motors could go further but i chickened out) for maybe an hour or two if you wanted it to.
"Be a sponge and learn" : For someone walking into Marine Sport and coming from Motorsport Racing, this video gives great insight on the differences between then and now. Thank-You, Cheers.
Hrmmm. The last time someone told me to "be a sponge," he meant I should "suck it up, buttercup."
@@guardrailbiter I can see the interpretation of that! I meant it in the manner of absorbing as much information as I possible can on the topic. :)
That’s a good point. You made a lot of good observations. It’s like a sedan vs SUV. Power boats isn’t gone but people’s wants and needs are changing hence more power center console are in demand.
Because go fast boats are great. For a few minutes. Then you realize driving nowhere in a boat gets old quick. No room, no fishing, no overnighting, no tubing/skiing, etc., just loud driving and getting pounded while having 70 mile an hour wind ripping your face off.
My bass boat does well over 70, lower to the water, feels like 170! And then, after all the hauling ass, you get to fish. I still don't understand "pleasure boats" "yeah let's go drive around for a while" and do what? There's no point! Most of them are big turds that can't get out of their own way, just so their owners can drive around.
LOL!! So well said.
I live near big water.... ya the bass boat will do 75 mph but how does it handle an average day with 4 ft swells..... it won’t , that’s where the derp v shines
@@markdulmage2152 Sure. I have run in 4 footers. It sucks. I don't make a habit of it, and it doesn't matter what boat you have, fishing in that kinda water, on a lake, sucks. But any other time, I'll take my bass boat ;)