Mercury Performance Report - 36 Invincible/triple 350 Verados/220 gallons fuel/81 MPH

[Cosgrove]

Yes, it was with John Litjens..the man knows his stuff. But believe it or not a Key West Capt named Steve Lamp has taught me a lot about props. He gets WAY too technical for my small brain but it's fun never the less.

Here's the problem with a race to Bimini and back. Boat no. 1 has 4 350's and clearly blows everyone else away but goes into guardian mode 1/2 way to Bimini. He whines that IF he didn't go into guardian mode he would've won....duh, he had 4 350's.

Boat No.2 doesn't have a t top and is powered with 4 300XS Mercs but instead of being 36, it's a 38

Bt No. 3 Has triple 300XS and doesn't feel it's fair because he's got only 3 engines.

Bt No. 4 says "No fair, I'm running Yamaha's and can't get larger props"

Bt No 5 Has hot chicks on it and says "Who cares, I've got hot chicks and you don't"!

Whether the race is for 10 miles or 110 miles the better boat/driver should win. I was amazed that the Deep Impact with Yamy's was anywhere near the front. It broke a motor mount and that was that.

OSPREY- FYI the first triple engine boat I ever rode on was a ProLine

OLDSCHOOL- Some people can't understand me defending a company I'm no longer with but I do. Are there things I'd change, sure but that's part of the fun with fishing boats.

My perfect race.

36 Invincible with stock 300 Verado's

36 Deep Impact w stock 300 Verado's

35 Sea Hunter w stock 300 Verado's

38 Fountain (open) w stock 300 Verado's

33 ST Contender w stock 300 Verado's (Loa is close to 35.6 ft I think)

36 Yellowfin w stock 300 Verado's

T tops/windshields would be optional b/c one boat has a Key West style while the next boat has a full t top and once again the but but but's start.

Fountain got a lot of praise for winning. Invincible got a lot of praise for placing second w only triples. Deep Impact got praise for showing up with Yamy's and the girl in the bikini got praise cause......she showed up.

Have John Litjen there to certify that the engines are stock and have a boating magazine do a story on the "Put up or shut up race".

Funny thing is that even if you win, you don't sell boats because of it but it does look good on video when you're out in front! lol

Believe it or not, the helicopter has plenty of time to film everyone in the race and even if you don't win, the camera guy gets some GREAT shots of everyones boat that he sells dirt cheap so you can use in your advertising.

Enough jabbering from me.

Edited January 12, 2010 by Cosgrove

[Cosgrove]

PS, I want to drive MIKEs Boat if that race ever occurs. PLEASE MIKE, I promise to be good.

[DJWILLIAMS]

Yes, it was with John Litjens..the man knows his stuff. But believe it or not a Key West Capt named Steve Lamp has taught me a lot about props. He gets WAY too technical for my small brain but it's fun never the less.

Here's the problem with a race to Bimini and back. Boat no. 1 has 4 350's and clearly blows everyone else away but goes into guardian mode 1/2 way to Bimini. He whines that IF he didn't go into guardian mode he would've won....duh, he had 4 350's.

Boat No.2 doesn't have a t top and is powered with 4 300XS Mercs but instead of being 36, it's a 38

Bt No. 3 Has triple 300XS and doesn't feel it's fair because he's got only 3 engines.

Bt No. 4 says "No fair, I'm running Yamaha's and can't get larger props"

Bt No 5 Has hot chicks on it and says "Who cares, I've got hot chicks and you don't"!

Whether the race is for 10 miles or 110 miles the better boat/driver should win. I was amazed that the Deep Impact with Yamy's was anywhere near the front. It broke a motor mount and that was that.

OSPREY- FYI the first triple engine boat I ever rode on was a ProLine

OLDSCHOOL- Some people can't understand me defending a company I'm no longer with but I do. Are there things I'd change, sure but that's part of the fun with fishing boats.

My perfect race.

36 Invincible with stock 300 Verado's

36 Deep Impact w stock 300 Verado's

35 Sea Hunter w stock 300 Verado's

38 Fountain (open) w stock 300 Verado's

33 ST Contender w stock 300 Verado's (Loa is close to 35.6 ft I think)

36 Yellowfin w stock 300 Verado's

T tops/windshields would be optional b/c one boat has a Key West style while the next boat has a full t top and once again the but but but's start.

Fountain got a lot of praise for winning. Invincible got a lot of praise for placing second w only triples. Deep Impact got praise for showing up with Yamy's and the girl in the bikini got praise cause......she showed up.

Have John Litjen there to certify that the engines are stock and have a boating magazine do a story on the "Put up or shut up race".

Funny thing is that even if you win, you don't sell boats because of it but it does look good on video when you're out in front! lol

Believe it or not, the helicopter has plenty of time to film everyone in the race and even if you don't win, the camera guy gets some GREAT shots of everyones boat that he sells dirt cheap so you can use in your advertising.

Enough jabbering from me.

I agree!!!

David

[Madpoodle]

HORBA is running the Miami - Bimini race again this year, I think in June.. Good opp for some folks to strut their stuff in an organized event...

Nice to see a real world test by the way. Make me sick to read the tests some manufacturers do with one guy, freshwater river and 15 gallons of fuel...

[Chisox]

OSPREY- FYI the first triple engine boat I ever rode on was a ProLine

The old 34 Super Sport. Too bad 300 Vrods weren't around in her day...

OLDSCHOOL- Some people can't understand me defending a company I'm no longer with but I do. Are there things I'd change, sure but that's part of the fun with fishing boats.

I do a lot of "informative" posting on Classic Aquasport. Cut my boat building teeth at Wellcraft when they were building AS. Still love the boats I built there and continue to support them. Sometimes, although one may have left the company, the boats, and the people, stay with you...

John Litjens does indeed know his sh!t. Although, when it comes to the DTS/Smartcraft system behind the helm, him and I have spent many an hour trying to figure out why triple Vrod/dual station installs just do not want to work sometimes...

[Propbender]

The performance reports were supplied to Mercury by the manufacturers. It was not an independent test. The Mercury performance report for the Fountain was generated from a copy of Fountains standard performance report they do for every boat. It is a 2 way run average that is rounded down. This Fountain report was with the prototype engines. The only production model trip 350 verado 38 Fountain (On The Brink) ran 82 mph at the Fountain factory. The 36 invincible and 38 Fountain are very fast boats and they are the fastest in their class. I have ran them both and the 38 Fountain is faster in my experience.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Propbender

[Propbender]

36 Invincible with stock 300 Verado's

36 Deep Impact w stock 300 Verado's

35 Sea Hunter w stock 300 Verado's

38 Fountain (open) w stock 300 Verado's

33 ST Contender w stock 300 Verado's (Loa is close to 35.6 ft I think)

36 Yellowfin w stock 300 Verado's

Enough jabbering from me.

I am gonna stir the pot a bit and give my prediction of the results of your perfect race:

1) 38 Fountain

2) 36 Invincible

3) 33 ST Contender

4) 36 Deep Impact

5) 35 Sea Hunter

6) 36 Yellowfin

[team oldschool]

It is amazing how far boats have come in the last 5 to 7 years. I started fishing SKA with a 1979 scarab that I rebuilt from the stringers up. I repowered her with twin 250 e-tecs and boy did she fly. She would run 42 knots at 4200rpms and would top out 56 to 58 knots. That was screaming for that old boat! She acted like a bass boat trimmed out tailwalking.

Now look at what the boats of today are doing. AMAZING! I fish a 35 TE Wellcraft with trip. 250 e-tecs and she is great, but the speed and the comfort of some of the boats mentioned are fantasic!

Still have the old wellcraft and can't part with it yet.

Richard

[Blue Bayou]

36 Invincible with stock 300 Verado's

36 Deep Impact w stock 300 Verado's

35 Sea Hunter w stock 300 Verado's

38 Fountain (open) w stock 300 Verado's

33 ST Contender w stock 300 Verado's (Loa is close to 35.6 ft I think)

36 Yellowfin w stock 300 Verado's

Enough jabbering from me.

I am gonna stir the pot a bit and give my prediction of the results of your perfect race:

1) 38 Fountain

2) 36 Invincible

3) 33 ST Contender

4) 36 Deep Impact

5) 35 Sea Hunter

6) 36 Yellowfin

I've run them both as well and I would flip numbers 1 and 2, but that's just me. ;)I've run a 34 Fountain with triple 275 Verados and light fuel vs. me with trip 300 Vrods and full fuel and I blew him away, he topped at 64.5 and I saw 70 flat.I do know, however, the 38 hull is a bit faster than the 34.

That's why these boats need to be run with the same power, same day, side by side, just to end the debate.

[Propbender]

36 Invincible with stock 300 Verado's

36 Deep Impact w stock 300 Verado's

35 Sea Hunter w stock 300 Verado's

38 Fountain (open) w stock 300 Verado's

33 ST Contender w stock 300 Verado's (Loa is close to 35.6 ft I think)

36 Yellowfin w stock 300 Verado's

Enough jabbering from me.

I am gonna stir the pot a bit and give my prediction of the results of your perfect race:

1) 38 Fountain

2) 36 Invincible

3) 33 ST Contender

4) 36 Deep Impact

5) 35 Sea Hunter

6) 36 Yellowfin

I've run them both as well and I would flip numbers 1 and 2, but that's just me. ;)I've run a 34 Fountain with triple 275 Verados and light fuel vs. me with trip 300 Vrods and full fuel and I blew him away, he topped at 64.5 and I saw 70 flat.I do know, however, the 38 hull is a bit faster than the 34.

That's why these boats need to be run with the same power, same day, side by side, just to end the debate.

Have you personally run a 38 Fountain with trip 300 verados? The one I ran hit 76 mph swinging labbed 26" Bravos

I have fished and actually prop tested a 2009 36 Invincible with trip 300 verados with the lightest load imaginable(stripped boat and we actually ran out of fuel) We tested several different props. The best we got was 72 mph with 25 Rev4's and labbed 26 Bravos. The rev's were actually 0.3 mph faster (72.1 vs. 71.8). I realize you own one of, if not the fastest invincible built so it makes since that your boat will run 74 mph with 300 verados

Also, you can't compare a 34 Fountain with a 38; especially a 34 with trip verados. Trust me, I have now owned a dozen of them. In my opinion, trip verados do not belong on the back of a 34. Trip verados are too much weight on the transom and the boat rides bow high and its slow and thirsty(COG is off and steps aren't doing their job) With trip opti's, the 34 is perfectly balanced. Its a totally different boat and has no problem running 73 mph with trip 250 opti's. While the best you will ever get out of trip 275's is 66-67 on a perfect day. Having said that, the 38 actually seems to prefer the weight of the verados on the transom. Especially if its a TE(cuddy). Opti's and verados both run about the same speed on the 38, with the opti's having an edge of maybe 1.5 mph on an open bow and the same speed on the TE.

I am in no way bashing Invincible. Its a fantastic boat. I had the question myself which one was faster. I even thought that maybe the Inv was a tad faster. But, after spending a good bit of time on both hulls I have to give the 38 Fountain the edge in top speed.

Blue Bayou, if your 36 is a little faster than the average 36 Inv. then your boat is probably neck and neck with a 38 Fountain that has the same power as you. If thats the case, then you don't ever have to worry about any cc with trip 300 verados or less ever passing you.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Propbender