60 mph vs 80 mph vs 100 mph - index speed for Pleasure Craft Enjoyment.

[Lake X Kid]

I think the enjoyment level at, 60 mph in a pleasure craft is about the same, as doing 80 mph or 100 mph.

Going 80 mph is 33.3% faster than cruising at 60 mph, but it is not 33.3% more fun.

Likewise, 100 mph is 66.6% faster than 60 mph, but it is not 66.6% more enjoyable.

I think running 60 mph is near the maximum pleasure threshold were, you are traveling fast enough for the thrill
(and you have to stay alert to the traffic and environment you are motoring in).

Speeds above 60 mph are incremental small increases of enjoyment.

[Lake X Kid]

My Speed Index Chart of relative levels of enjoyment on a boat.

[Dave S]

2 factors you left out.....boat size/design.....beer drank. Really 70 is anuff for me.....3th factor.....are you driven or a passenger? 80+100.... things hurt more and happen quicker.

[robert jordan]

I would say your age has a lot to do with how fast you want to go also.

[aswaff400]

80 on a 40 ft boat is different than doing 80 on a 20 ft boat. recently sea trialed a 38 fountain, cruising 75 mph hands off the wheel, having a conversation with the client. ran a customers lake & bay, 80 mph you ain't letting go of the wheel.

[TraceF3]

100 in a Liberator 21 is a freakin' blast.

After a year of that, 60 in a 24' v-hull is like sitting on the sofa watching TV.

[aj06bolt12r]

I recently acquired an Allison xb2003.... I only have about 3 hours seat time so far... Weather and work sucks... Anyway, I have virtually zero interest in traveling at 60mph. I'm currently obsessed with becoming competent at running on pad (not there yet) and in this boat 60 ain't cutting it. Really 60 feels quite slow in this thing.

[sharpeye Mike]

I actually get a good thrill from driving fast. How fast? Well that all depends on the size of the boat, water condition and I will not put my passengers in danger. But I still enjoy cruising at a lower speed.

[Instigator]

Couple points to a great post:

1. A man way smarter than me, once told me similar.
At the time I had a 90 mph Vector that I was trying to break a 100 with.

He told me that:

To go 60 is easy and fun. (This all in 16’ - 20’ OBs)

To get to 70 ain’t too tuff or expensive and more fun than going 60.

To get to 80, your now spending money and more time in the shop and less time on the water than you did at 70 and less.
(This begins a paradigm shift)

80 to 90 is double the work and money it took to get to 80.
And half that time on the water.
Now your planning your boat trips around weather/wind, bodies of water w/little or no traffic.

90 to 100 is double again what it took to go from 80 to 90 and half that time on the water.
Add to the above issues, a chase boat in case you break or go for a swim.
And your not near as happy overall.

His advice was to learn to love 70.

He didn’t and neither did I ��

2. Speed is relative.

Ive been 68 mph in a 100 lb (360 w/me in it!) 10’ B Stock Hydro kneel down boat, and I was flying the boat.
I moved my body, the boat moved.
I moved back, the bow came up.
I moved forward the bow came down.

Ive been 120+ in a tunnel boat but the satisfaction of a BSH at 68?
It tops them all.

An important, expensive lesson is, speed is relative.

[Turborr]

My most fun boat was my 21 challenger that I loved to run 70 in. Absolutely loved it. Have a 33 powerplay. Cruising at 55 with a drink in my hand, fingertips on the steering wheel...pure bliss. Got a ride in a 35 cat with a pair of 750's. Cruising at 100 in 3's and I am taking a video of another boat with 2 hands.....I am FRICKING ADDICTED.

[David - WI]

Haha... 80 in the Checkmate took both hands and a borrowed power head I couldn't afford to replace; 80 in the HST takes no hands and maybe a nap if it goes on too long. LoL

[Whaaaaat]

You logic is nonsensical. A lot of boats on this site are so boring to drive at 60 that some will fall asleep. Fun is subjective. If it's too fast your too old!

Does bacon get less tasty because you have more of it? I didn't think so! Same for smiles per hour. Speed doesn't get less fun because there's more of it.

[SS Minnow]

You logic is nonsensical. A lot of boats on this site are so boring to drive at 60 that some will fall asleep. Fun is subjective. If it's too fast your too old!

Does bacon get less tasty because you have more of it? I didn't think so! Same for smiles per hour. Speed doesn't get less fun because there's more of it.

Definitely throwing some points your way for bringing the bacon analogy into it. I am proud of you (wipes away a small tear).

Now matter how fast I have gone in or on anything, eventually I got used to it and it was boring if I did not make it faster. Might it kill me one day? Very much indeed a possibility. Will I have a smile on my face seconds before my death? No question.

[Dave S]

Bottom line is have fun.

[tnelsmn]

I think there is more than just the "enjoyment" of driving fast. There's bragging rights involved. When the guy at the gas station asks how fast does it go? You can proudly say 96.7 is my best, but working towards 100, etc.

I think that the guys fighting for 100 get as much or more enjoyment out of the time in the shop tinkering, tweaking the set up, trying different props, etc.

Just like the guy with a weekend bracket racing car fighting for the last .010, I mean drag racing defines that to a tee. Spend hours working on a car, most that aren't street legal, tow it to the track and make what, a dozen 10 second passes down the strip? Its not about the 10 seconds on the track, its everything else involved.

I think going for that big number is no different.

Also, thats why I like taking my car to road course track days, I enjoy the heck out of driving it fast and want more than 10 seconds at a time.

Here I sit with a 85% completed Hydrostream restoration thinking to myself I can't call it completely finished until I click off 100 myself. But who knows if I'll ever get to that point seeing as I've never been over 55 in this thing and that was when I was 14. Maybe I'll be content with 75, but I doubt it...