How Fast is too fast? Ever see a Ski2001 do 50+

Ok, over the last 6 months my bro and I have been getting ready to do a motor swap in our 1988 Nautique 2001. Well, all is done. (Even after our problem at the Delta Hangtime Event) Went down to Lake Anderson last week and broke her in right.

My question, is how fast is too fast? This thing is too fast. I'll let the pics speak for themselves-





Yes, the last pic the needle is buried!!
(The speedo on the right is broken, the one on the left registers the speed)

The prop is a 12.5x15.5, so no it isn't due to me running a 2 blade high speed racing prop.

I've seen the BF Nautique version doing 60+ with the 454

NO WAY,

I know the 454 are supposed to be faster, but 60+? I am just sooo impressed that this boat will do 50 with the lowest prop we could get. Any other will just increase the top speed.

That's fast, but I'm not sure I'd be winding it out that much during break-in.

There's a guy on themalibucrew.com that has some crazy motor in a Response, and it goes close to 70 IIRC.

My VLX would go 50 unloaded on smooth water with the factory 14x18 OJ. It will still go about 46-47 before it starts bumping the rev limiter, but now it'll do that with crew and ballast.

That is one of the sweetest looking 2001's i have ever seen.

take a Handheld GPS out with you next time and make sure you are really going that fast!!

Luke, yes, the boat I speak of is set up for barefoot endurance racing. Also, I think the engine is a new 6L or something, not the old 454.

and i also need to say that your boat is very, very nice!

on the malibu crew's site,

it was "GalaxyToad"'s sportster with like 450 hp. gps with 3 people in the back seat was close to 69mph.

my 2001MC Maristar 210VRS with the 330hp LTR motor, triple KGB ballast, 350sac, 3ppl and a 1/4 tank gas will do 46mph on smooth water...

and I have seen a SAN with the 454 do 55+ with ballast and 4 ppl!

speeds like this are not uncommon...

My stock 89 ski does 47MPH with only 240HP. The 89 came with the 1.23 tranny and started using the lighter AME5000 resin hull.

LUKE: HYJACK ON Show a pic of your tower box. I saw some pic's from a far but nothing I could makeout.

so if the speedo is buried, does it get stuck? This isn't a pic of the boat actually doing that speed.

the oil pressure's up and so is the temp and the tach

My old 96 Malibu Echelon would do 52 on a GPS, with an empty tank, no gear, and just a driver.

I rode in a 97 sanger DXII that'd do 55 on a gps

How did you get the water to stand still in that 50 mph picture?
Looks more like the right speedo is more accurate!

"How did you get the water to stand still in that 50 mph picture?
Looks more like the right speedo is more accurate!"

Heh... the EXIF from the image shows a 1/160 second exposure. Seems there should be some motion blur on that water if you're focusing on the dash.... especially at 50mph!

BUSTED!

Wow, I thought my shop skills were way better. Guess I forgot to add in the blur effect to the water.

I have two others I took while holding on to the pylon like a freakin bull rider. I will shrink them when I get home and post em up.

I guess its just the super highquality Sony cybershot that takes really good pictures without blurrrr.

GRANT- Only when it is done, right now far from it. And I may even change it......

All that effort with the motor swap and the steering wheel is upside...and I like your 'ready for anything' hold on the spoke @ 55 mph!

awesome work luke!!! fwit i believe you

(Message edited by mendo247 on October 02, 2006)

My old MB Sports 190 Plus did 51 MPH on GPS redlined at 6900 RPMS...I ended up blowing the motor.

Somewhere online is a direct drive with a super charger and there is another with dual turbos, both motors fit under the stock motor hatch. I think they are posted on Hotboat.com, but can't remember. The dual turbo job ran in the 70's with over 900 HP, it was used by some speed skier/barefooter down in Havasu, I think it was a Nautique Barefooter.

The turbo job was owned by Paul Goldsmith's son Ronald, they were both speed skiing champions.

Luke's boat is way sweet

Alright, alright,

Heres another, but still no blurry water in any of the pics. Maybe you guys want to trade your fancy Nikons/Cannons for a Cybershot???

RED-

6900 rpms? That is way high, was it a stock motor? You can see in my pic above that it was doin about 48mph at about 4700 rpms. 6900 is crazy, most boats redline around 5K.

Just for reference, our stock 88 will top out at ~42-43 (gps verified) with the stock 13x13 prop. Luke, again...congrats on the swap. Your boat is saweet.

terrafirma, maybe your sn should read jack455.

nah, it was a chevy 302 that I built out of a 68 camero, it was built to go that high it had the 1.23 trans, which come to think of it I blew that too..

Dont know of any sbcs in ski boats that redline at 6900rpms unless u have a full roller 327 in that th ing.

r u the same guy wtih the nautique drive train on clist? dang dude good job on the swap that •••••••••• better then factory good job! ill look for you on anderson!

we roll an old stars and strips mc wtih the boss pro series. looks good with the swoop too btw!

Yeah, that's a sick looking boat. Nice job. I just saw a 2001 in Tahoe last weekend for $2K. Have no idea if it ran or not, but it looked like it'd be a fun project. I kinda wish a company would resurect a boat like that. Nothing like a small boat that gets great mileage and makes a kickin wake.

BTW, my X2 with the MCX motor will do 52 bone stock and un-loaded or about 46ish with 1k worth of lead and people, and man does it burn gas fast doing it.

Andy, a chevy 302 will redline at about 9000 RPM if built right, that is what it was designed to do. It's got a 4.00" bore and a 3.00" stroke which lets it get really wild! I put it in the MB just to see how fast I could make it go. The 302 is most likely the most under rated, obscure production chevy engine built.

http://www.holisticpage.com/camaro/camaros/302.htm

ANDY-

Yeah, that is our motor on Craigslist. It is honestly fine, thats why we held out all summer to change the motor. That motor has some serious power, more than a certain X9 that I know of....

It would be a good deal for anyone wanting to upgrade their older boat.

Took my 2001 Nautique out the other day. We had 11 people in the boat plus 800lbs of ballast. Lets just say we had to sit 2 people on the closed bow so it would plane. Not very safe, but you have to make do without the 542 prop. Anyways, at 23 mph the wake was huge. I know it still doesnt compare to a 210 sacked, but was damn close.

Leo, did you take a picture??? Would love to see the size of that wake

Damn, I get frustrated with people when we have 6 people on the boat. 11?!!??!!

Than again, I have personal space issues.....

Our '88 Barefoot will do 50mph with the 454HO. But it's serious fast for a 2300lbs boat. With just accelerating you can trow people out of the seats.

Serious nice job Luke!