Worlds Fastest Lobster Boat Engine

[Bill]

have a look

[youtube]Br5ntaTUYSw[/youtube]

 

[enginecom]

That supercharged big block is a modified dragster engine. Not something that a fisherman can use in a lobsterboat. How about a 900hp Mack V8 or some other high output diesel that CAN be worked in a lobsterboat. The races have been straying away from their roots.

 

[SORTIE]

agreed, since when do lobster boats run gasser powerplants???

 

[Bill]

agreed.. just saw it on youtube and had to post it

 

[Downeaster]

I'm not with you on this. These are the 'funny cars' of the lobsterboat race series. If one is looking for some tips on efficiency or just a bit more speed for their own boats, there is a great deal to be learned - take a close look at the propeller aperture on Underdog and note the clean water her wheel is getting (Tumblehome's post on another thread). Beyond the learning experience, they're just plain exciting to watch. What's next? 1200 hp too much for the Starlight Express?

If you don't get goosebumps from the footage below, lobsterboat racing may not be for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLQMW6N1emU&NR=1

 

[Scharf]

That video is intense! How fast was the Starlight Express going? I'd guess over 70. Have to get up there this year.

 

[Tumblehome]

I appologize for the poor video quality, but the audio makes up for it-

 

[CEShawn]

I just thought I would post this as I was going through some old pictures. This was our Mack E9-900HP engine that failed after 2500 hours. I really believe at one point in her life that she was over propped. I believe that only 13 were marinized of this engine and I know 3 weren't sold. This is just coming from the mechanics at Mack, who did the service work for American Marine Diesel.

I believe the one thing that really ended up hurting this engine was a poor design in regards to a coolant jumper between the exhaust manifold and engine block. It blew off the engine on more than one occasion and finally at one point cooked an exhaust manifold. When we went to order it, they said it was the last one, never makes you feel comfortable. This little jumper was silicone hose, really knarling looking thing, it was so short that a normal hose couldn't be used, almost like two 90 degree elbow's connected sort of 90 degree's out form each other. I think think that a custom pipe should have been put in here even if one side had a flex joint on it. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Engine ran really dirty but man did it have a push, boat had a true 24kt cruise. Ended up replacing her with a Cat 3406E - TWICE.

I miss the boat.

 

[Twin Fins]

Shawn,.All three down here smoked like a freight train.Sounded great. I also believe that they were putting out more than 900hp. We met with Mack and at the time they were going to buy AMD's tech and figure out the smoking problem and introduce the Mack Marine engine.It never happened.

 

[CEShawn]

That was truly sad because I think the engine had great potential. From what I heard only 13 900HP were ever marinized and in 2002 when we bought the boat one was sitting on the shelf still and two of them were in McDevitt's Hatteras I think. I know there was a good article a few years ago in National Fisherman about the engine. I would have liked to keep the engine but when we called to get parts and they said oh yeah, this is the last one, etc. That never helped...

 

[tunamojo]

Gasser !!!

 

[El Mar]

Do I spot a V drive install?

 

[F/V First Team]

where are the photos of that chief engine puking out fire after going up against the packard and swapping pullies???

 

[tunamojo]

I dont know but , "Find Them' LOL

 

[BillD]

Do I spot a V drive install?

Yes, no engine box to stub your toes on.

Nice high walk around box in the cockpit to put to use!

 

[F/V First Team]

Yes, because no boat is complete without a 42" box to set stuff on in the cockpit...

 

[Raider Ronnie]

My 28 BHM has topped out @ 80 mph a bunch of times since I bought it in 2008.

 

[Badlatitude]

only making 1000hp with a blown big block is a joke.

 

[blackdiamond296]

My 28 BHM has topped out @ 80 mph a bunch of times since I bought it in 2008.

My dad's old line before we repowered, "last time this boat did 25 kts was on the truck from the factory, and it won't do it again unless you drop it off a cliff!"