http://www.bassmaster.com/slideshow/inside-elite-boats-mike-iaconelli in this article/photo collection.. Mike says his boat gains 7MPH on tournament day because he reduces the amount of tackle he carries. How plausible is this? Obviously weight is a big deal when it comes to maximizing speed. But can tackle really make that big of a difference? Do pros really carry that much more tackle than most of us weekend guys? I have one completely full storage box and my two rear compartments filled with tackle. Never thought to take stuff out to make boat run faster. And one more thing, I though cats were supposed to be 75-80MPH boats 68MPh with tournament load sounds really slow. The skeeter I run is 10 years old a runs 64-66mph with tanks filled and tournament load.

Well, not sure about the 'Pro's', but I sure found out a good lesson.
My rig would not 'trim' out like it did after adding Talon....and new transducer for new HB unit ??
Found most of my problem was : (1) full fuel tank, (2) full live wells, (3) one fouled spark plug!
Combined with a 'few' unnecessary items I found in the rear storage compartments, i.e., extra anchor, etc. all adding bad weight distribution...made a world of difference.
Many thanks to my marine mechanic! Discovered the problems almost immediately!!
God Bless

I didn't read them all but it said he does 75 mph.

1st pic says 76 loaded

A pro saying tournament load compared to most of us weekend anglers is a big difference I would imagine. I am guilty of carrying way to much tackle in my boat probably 200-300lbs and that will cost around 3-5mph right there. So if they are really loaded down with tackle and I don't know if he is counting camera man or their gear it could slow you down fairly quick.

Any added weight up front keeps more of the hull in the water. More forward hull in the water the slower you go.

Mikes one says 68 in practice then 75 when he gets rid of tackle that he doesn't need for tournment. Maybe I need to buy more tackle... Hahaha

I added bigger batteries, noticed a difference. I've also noticed a difference as additional tackle, especially soft plastics, has found a way into the boat. I routinely cull gear I'm not using and need to do more....
I just had my boat detailed and they took everything out of the boat. I found 25 unopened spinnerbaits in a bag, countless bags of soft baits that I "might" someday need and a ton of other miscellaneous items. Do I really need to carry 4 rainsuits?

Not to mention that I've found my clothes have shrunk immensely in the last 4 yrs...

So yea, weight matters..

I don't know about top speed, but when I sight fish shallow water I think every pound counts- I remove all non essentials and keep tackle minimal- higher floating boat is better in shallow water plus quicker trolling motor turns and batteries last longer. I guess top speed would be altered as well but not sure how much difference 10-20 lb makes there- guess it depends on the boat.

I resemble that remark!

My boat has a top speed of 38mph so I never worry about speed. I'd rather be the last to get there but have everything that I might ever need.

With the RIGHT boat
You can still be the first to get there and have everything you might ever need.

In all seriousness -- 7 mph sounds like a lot for some boats.. But a boat that is right on the verge of getting up on pad and running strong.. To much weight especially in the front can make a big difference..

Until you sit in his boat after a practice day you don't understand how much he carries haha. It's alot more than 99% of us carry. And during ththe TTBC his boat ran mid-high 70s consistently.

Man I would of loved to be there during that tournament. And that's more of the speed I was thinking.