SS Top speed

[racerx]

What is the max speed anybody seen in a ss I remember in hot boat years ago they claimed in the 120s does anybody remember what they got out of the test boat and what prop and what motor??

 

[whipper]

Dru Rabell in the owners page says his does 124 with a drag and juice 14 inch setback 12 inch mid. Yammers says 126 28 lab cleaver 9700 rpm..

 

[racerx]

Thanks whip anybody have the magazine test with those high speeds??

 

[mikesufka]

I do

 

[racerx]

Mike I would be curious about that test??

 

[mikesufka]

Ask Gilmore - he's owned a shitload of SS's and he ran a ton of different motors on them.

 

[mikesufka]

Ok - I'll dig up that article and make you a copy. Text me your address.

 

[racerx]

scleinmark@sbcglobal.net

 

[Lotus 50]

The Hotboat article was John Tiger. May 2000.
1994 nearly stock Mariner 260 SS, JC modified Bob's nose cone gearcase. 1607 lb
Performance propellers cut 32" chopper 119.5 @ 7750 rpm
Mazco cut 31" chopper 117 @ 8000
28 Triton 115 @ 8500 (best all round prop, could pull a skier)
26" Mazco RE4 109 @ 8800
30 Mazco RE3 118.5 @ 8200
Mazco offshore cleaver, 117.5 @ 7900 (hair raising handling)

As it turns out, this boat wound up in the hands of a couple of guys (sequentially) in Ontario, neither of whom managed more than low 100's. One of them loudly proclaims that the high speed claims are bogus, but then he told me my speeds were imaginary too. At the time I was running high 80's with a lightly modified XR4. That's faster than I've managed with my 225 PM, but seat time in calm water will cure that. I'm a slow learner. It took 10 years to get that fast with the XR4.

 

[racerx]

That ss must of been the fastest on the planet must of been one of those Hot Boat Magazine radar guns...

 

[Honda92]

If the cops use that same radar gun maybe I was not speeding all those times???

 

[whipper]

If the cops use that same radar gun maybe I was not speeding all those times???

haha

 

[whipper]

That ss must of been the fastest on the planet must of been one of those Hot Boat Magazine radar guns...

Thats like Shook and an 02 with 300 drag. He can run over 120 with his eyes closed one handed on a windy day. Others have a hard time busting 110. Fear of hooking with the engine height required for max top speed will get 99% of us from ever reaching the ultimate top speed our boats will achieve. Nothing wrong with that though. Humidity, water temps, and air all play into this as you know . A very healthy engine doesn't hurt also.

 

[whipper]

i think Jay promanjay said hes in the 115 range with his. I often wionder about some years seem faster than others? i know there have been some slight differances in the pad dimentions also. Driver weight and fuel used when your talking those speeds must play a major factor. Props also. That 27 Alli cut trophy I bought off you Jeff was a real special prop for instance. Thats the one you went 100 in a GS with a promax with. So when ya think about that there is very few XS03 promax combs with any prop ever to bust 100. Most of us after lots of seat time settle for low to mid 90,s on a good day. I got that prop to 93 but it had way more in it!! it was insane how it would all of a sudden start winding up and pulling from 85 up. i backed out because it was just an odd feeling for me. That prop felt like it had a turbo built in it and no limit. i wish i could remember who i sold it to to see what they could do with it?

 

[racerx]

sponsers always play a part in magazine test like politics, always somebody greasing the palms..lol

 

[Lotus 50]

I think a big number is possible. My SS2000 with my lightly modified XR4, Bobs cone XR4 gearcase, went 89.7 and I'm far from a set up expert or the best driver. 8" setback, propshaft close to even with pad. If we assume speed proportional to square root of HP, and that my motor made 175 HP
300 HP yields 117.5
280 HP yields 113.5
260 HP yields 109.3
225 HP yields 101.7

This assumes someone can actually control the boat at those speeds. If someone got a few mph more, it would not surprise me. As noted above, I'm not the fastest driver or best at set up.

Highest claims on the front page of this site
Yammer 126 w/260, Titus coned 200 case, 28 lab clever (8% slip)
Dru Pobell 124 w/300 drag w/NOS, 22 drag, 10000 rpm (-11% slip)
Dondi Pratt 121 w/280, 31 Triton, 9400 rpm (18% slip)
Dock Boy 120.7, 280, no prop or rpm
John Joachim 120 w/280 30ET 8000 rpm (1% slip)
Scott Gilmore 115.9 28 Triton 30 ET, slight mod 260
Roy Roach 110, I think he said he got more in posts on the board
Mark Smiley listed at 97 with a 150 Promax. I think he changed the tuner. Torquemaster gearcase

 

[John Tiger]

Loser, what "sponsors" would I have had for that story?

 

[racerx]

Hey John I know how magazine test relate to sponsors maybe your prop guys put a few in the kitty..lol Tell you what bring your 30 pitch mazco to my place I have two ss boats siting hear and show me 118.5 or 119 and if it does it I will pay for your trip...

 

[John Tiger]

That assumes I want to go to your place...why would I want to do that? You're talking apples and oranges. Who the F knows what your two SSs are like, weigh, rigged, powered, etc.? I don't care if you can hit 118.5 or 119, I know I did in my boat and wrote the notes to prove it. I gotta laugh, this was done in 1999, 16 years ago, and you're still debating it. There are many who have witnessed firsthand the testing we did that was printed in HB and BWB--just ask the Bucknells, Wayne Worthy, Tony Brucato, Jerry Jaco, Rick Mackie, Tom Mielke, John & Jack Litjens, Paul Nichols, Lee Sanderson, Darris Allison, the list goes on--they'll tell you we did not fudge numbers then and have never done so.

 

[racerx]

Was this test a true test or calculated with air and temp ect to get to those speeds,,i would love to see a 26 pitch 4 blade Mazco go 109 on a so called nearly stock 260???