This 2000HP European drug runner boat was used to run cocaine across the English Channel. It was finally caught by helicopter! On board, 300 kgs. of cocaine.
No wonder they could afford all those Yamaha outboards.
I harbor grave reservations as to the vessels handling characteristics, if not it's general seaworthiness.
Are you sure this is a legit pic, because that transom... hell, the entire stern, don't look right.
Packing that many motors that close together would end up causing more cavitation then propulsion; and I'd imaging all of them at full throttle would make the boat founder not go faster.
can you imagine syncing the throttles on this thing? TRimming the steering? trimming the plane?
I would like to know more. Cannot find anything on snopes. Would like a who/what/where/when and how. Not just a picture. I tried to find some clues about a photoshoping, but I cannot. This boat seems not quite right, the old JDLR.
Chris may be right about the configuration. 2,000 hp and it will only get to 70 mph? Must be some cavitation or missynchronization with that load of motors. I expect it would reach the same speed with half the motors (only 1,000 hp) if it were tuned. Mark
i was going to ask how the blazes they steered that thing, but i see smarter folk than i have already addressed that. i guess all that's left for me to do is note that drug runners are among the classical examples of people with more money than sense...
Don't know about the problems caused by spacing several props that close together but the synchronization of throttles could be accomplished using computer controlled servo motors. This would also allow steering by using different power output from the various motors and completely avoid any mechanical connection to the motors for control purposes. This type of control would simplify mounting the motors also -- solid mount with no left/right movement needed.
The setup might also confer high reliability -- if a motor fails, just shut down the matching motor on the other side of the boat and carry on. This could also be incorporated into a computer control system.
Note that the above is pure speculation -- I have no idea at all how they actually controlled the boat.
8 Comments:
Yeah, but how could they pay for the gas?
Mark
I harbor grave reservations as to the vessels handling characteristics, if not it's general seaworthiness.
Are you sure this is a legit pic, because that transom... hell, the entire stern, don't look right.
Packing that many motors that close together would end up causing more cavitation then propulsion; and I'd imaging all of them at full throttle would make the boat founder not go faster.
can you imagine syncing the throttles on this thing? TRimming the steering? trimming the plane?
I call shenanigans.
I would like to know more.
Cannot find anything on snopes.
Would like a who/what/where/when and how.
Not just a picture.
I tried to find some clues about a photoshoping, but I cannot.
This boat seems not quite right, the old JDLR.
Snopes says "True"
http://www.snopes.com/photos/boats/drugrunner.asp
Thanks, I must have had a brain/bottom inversion not being able to find that.
Chris may be right about the configuration. 2,000 hp and it will only get to 70 mph? Must be some cavitation or missynchronization with that load of motors. I expect it would reach the same speed with half the motors (only 1,000 hp) if it were tuned.
Mark
i was going to ask how the blazes they steered that thing, but i see smarter folk than i have already addressed that. i guess all that's left for me to do is note that drug runners are among the classical examples of people with more money than sense...
Don't know about the problems caused by spacing several props that close together but the synchronization of throttles could be accomplished using computer controlled servo motors. This would also allow steering by using different power output from the various motors and completely avoid any mechanical connection to the motors for control purposes. This type of control would simplify mounting the motors also -- solid mount with no left/right movement needed.
The setup might also confer high reliability -- if a motor fails, just shut down the matching motor on the other side of the boat and carry on. This could also be incorporated into a computer control system.
Note that the above is pure speculation -- I have no idea at all how they actually controlled the boat.
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