78+ mph boat

What’s a list of bass boats (20-21ft) that can hit 78+ consistently with a 250, also if it’s rated for a 300 can.
My previous fx20 was a 74.5 mph boat. Ranger 520L is a 71mph boat.

A Ranger bested 70?!?!? WOW. That's rare.

Not really. Just parrotted so often from Ranger haters that some think its true.

the list is long actually, ballistic, bass cat, allison, bullet and others. pretty sure that any of the newer (2000 and on) boats over 20' can run a 300 as well, should be unlimited for hp rating.

the charger 210 may with a 300, champion 210 hull with their cap.

oh, c'mon mark! we all know it was being pulled by a skeeter being pulled by a basscat being pulled by a bullet being pulled by an allison.

and they all had 450 shos!

Allison, Bullet, Ballistic, Basscat, Phoenix, Blazer, Gambler are a few that are currently being made

Basscat Erya is one that most ppl don't realize. theres one on Tawakoni that can hit 84 with a 250R

All depends on the tow vehicle. Tundra's are hard to beat.

My Eyra is capable, rated for a 300, but I’m running a 4 blade Bravo XS so it’s a 74-76 mph boat depending on which pitch I’m running with the Bravo. These speed are summer, heavy boat that is loaded plus with dual console, stereo, Ultrex, mega 360, etc.

Most of the major brand boats can hit 70 with a light load and an experienced driver when the weather is cool like now- Yes even the big Z520 Ranger. There are several 21’ Tritons than can exceed 75 with a 250 if the driver knows how to drive it.

Load distribution, water temp, air temp, prop, engine height, driver skill are all major factors in how fast a boat can run on a given day. I have met a dozen boat owners at the lake to give them driving instructions. They were amazed at how their boat was 5-10 mph faster with the right driver and a few minor tweaks to engine height. This is not a boast. It is just years of owning hi perf rigs that demanded driver input to stay on course.

The first hi perf rig I owned was a 17’ Hydra Sport rated for a 115. I put an Evinrude 235 on back. I figured a good formula for calculating max HP for my boat was to take the manufacturers recommendations and double it. It took me all summer to learn how to drive it. I knocked all the water out of Lavon multiple times in doing so. 😂

I would say 80% of the boat owners on here cannot achieve maximum speed of their rigs. If you need some help shoot me a PM.

Ok. That’s how the Ranger got over 70. Makes sense.

78 consistently narrows it a lot. Most boats now will top around 75 consistently. If you really run light the Phoenix, caymas, and tritons can do it but you have to be light. The others listed will hit more easily with loads but a 300 helps the cause on any of them and they can all get 300s on them. Phoenix doesnt come with that rating from the factory but all you have to do is order one with a 300 or call them to get the rating plate

Mine does every time I trim it out. Not rare.
But it don't hit 78!

I never had any trouble with my Z520 hitting 70 with tve Etec HO or the Opti XS on it.

Xpress aluminum with a 250 SHO. CHEAP and fast!

Maybe behind my duramax .lol

It’s a joke guys. Relax. Just having fun. I own a Ranger. Relax.

you know what happens you hit the water going 71mph? lol let that sink in

I ran a 29 pitch bravo on my Allison and 70-75 was like cruising speed. Once you got much north of 80 you had to drive it. That was a fun boat. In a Phoenix PHX now and love it but I find myself trying to push the peddle through the floor. 74 is about it.

I had my Cajun with a 150 Johnson up to 85 mph! when I was coming back from California.

But when it’s off the trailer and in the water I only get it up to about 55mph. Fast enough for me! Lol

Running empty and light on fuel they will scoot but loaded down and its just another 70mph rig. Still fast for a Naddy Light hull.

I can surely agree with you on the 80% number. No doubt you or someone with high perf experience could get more out of my BassCat. Been driving it for several years, different props, engine heights, new steering system, etc. Chine walking monster and It's just no longer worth the effort to get it's true potential. Starts walking bad around 67-68. Too damn old to go high speed swimming anymore.

Are you asking because you want to buy one? If so, it's your business but do you really need to go 78mph?

My Champion hit 91 or so one time. Tahoes are pretty good as well

Yes... Dan

Not 100% positive but I am pretty sure the top speed is more or less governed around 74 for insurance reasons.

If Phoenix did that at one time, they will not do it anymore. The boat has to be ordered with a 300 to get the plate, they will not just ship you one. That according to Tim Throckenbrot (sp?) as of a couple months ago.

My Phoenix hits about 45 tops with me driving and that’s all it’s going to do. It and I will be in good shape to do it again tomorrow. If it’s on plane I’m good to go. All of us drive to the lake in a pickup that will hit right at 100 mph so why the fascination for doing 70 plus in a bass boat? My kid’s Suzuki street legal motorcycle from the factory ran 197.3 mph at the Texas Mile half mile time trials. To many unseeable floaters hanging around the lakes. Can you see yourself hitting a big floater at 40 mph.. That could tear up something in a hurry and end your fishing trip. 70 mph is not remarkably fast unless you are driving with your eyes shut.

I'm running mid 70's with a 200 on a Triton .

Why the need to go in the high 70s? A better question is what bass boat handles rough water the best.

The need to do 70 on the water is the same as the need to do 90 on the highway. The best handling one is the one YOU can drive the best in rough water.

Lol

I'm able to get my 115hp nitro 17 foot up to 56MPH on dash or 54.4MPH on Lowrance by myself with equipment. Having this shorter boat in rough waters is crazy and couldn't imagine doing 70+MPH. With second or third person I only lose a couple MPH. I bet if I had a 21foot boat it wouldn't be as bad doing 60-70MPH. But, I agree with not trusting these lakes with floating logs or other debris floating in the waters.

Nope but nice first post and welcome aboard.

Nope, not here. Fastest I've had the FX is 75.6mph GPS, and it was in optimal conditions.

Thats flying for that size boat bro

There's that word "Need" again...

There is nothing on this entire website that has anything to do with "Need"

Because it's fun

>78 mph is a hard number to hit for most production bass boats. Bass Cat Eyra, Ballistic, Bullet, Triton (older models), maybe a Phoenix are the models that I see on the elite trails that have the capability do it but it’s usually not out of the box. Tweaking is required. I don’t think many of the pro’s are getting top speed since they run with so much equipment. I’ve hit 76mph in my ZX20 with very lite loads and 1/4 tank of gas.
. Now and I’m trying to tweak my unit to hit low to mid 70’ consistently with lithium’s, prop work, weight distribution, maybe an ecu flash. 70-73 is fun in optimal conditions but the pucker factor jumped up 100x when I crested the 75 mark. Truth is with the wind and lakes in North Texas I don’t get to make that many long runs that is makes a difference. So my quest is just for my own satisfaction....

This rig will run 78

FYI: ALL boats that exceed 20 feet are NOT rated by the Coast Guard but rather the manufacturers. Insurance has NOTHING to do with it. The manufacturers do so because most have Lifetime warranties on the hulls which is big bucks to them, so they rate them to reduce the number of claims! Until a few years ago Bullet, Allison etc.. owners had trouble finding insurance and paid a higher premium when they did. Now it is about the same as others but we always want to have an "Agreed Value" policy mainly because the resale value is much more than book value!

Guys I've been running Bullets for almost 30 years, my first one would actually break triple digits when stripped down runnin alone. I am on the 3rd motor of my current 20 footer that on a cool day may hit 83-84. Many have asked here "Why" do you want to run that fast. The answer I will give to everyone is because I can! To each his own and it is that person's business. Just as it is with guys who ride crotch rockets capable of 200 mph or a Corvette owner who can also hit 200 mph. Yes there are dangers associated with running that fast but on the side of safety you mitigate those factors as much as possible. Do I run at WOT all the time---of course not neither does the bike or the Vette previously mentioned. Most times I'm around 4500 RPMs or so but still outrunning most boats on the water. And getting better fuel mileage than most all others while doing so because a light-weight boat is extremely fuel efficient compared to heavy cookie cutters (As us Go-Fast Guys call them). Can it handle rough water?? You would be surprised how well but is it as good as a heavy Ranger--Of course it isn't! Do I need to worry about getting out and running in 4 footers like an Elite angler does---NOPE, cause I keep my buttt at home if it's that bad!!

Bullet, Allison, Ballistic, Stroker etc. do not rate their 20ft plus hulls because their business is producing High Performance boats. How "High" is a 20 ft boat if it were limited in HP??? In the Mid-90s Bullet and Allison added this statement to their plates (Adding a 3.0L motor or larger motor will void the warranty) This was done because the transom was not designed/capable to hold the added weight. In 1996 Bullet added a third stringer and beefed up the transom to accommodate them. However, I now know of many pre-96 Bullet owners who have them on without any issues! Many don't even know that Stroker and Ballistic (and a Bullet or two) are running a 400R!! Go-Fast boats are only limited to the weight the transom and hull can withstand and extremely expensive HP props ($5K--$10K). Most will run out of prop before hitting the motor limiter. Are these hulls tough?? Tougher than wood-pecker lips!! These manufacturers use different resins and leave them inside the molds for much longer periods of time which creates a more rigid hull all while creating a much lighter hull. Mine actually has kevlar mat instead of fiberglass along with AME 4000 resin which cookie cutter manufacturers don't use simply because of cost.

Several have also mentioned boats running 300s! I can say for a fact that a cookie-cutter boat rated for a 300 will still rarely break 80 mph. Trust me I've made several of them believers!

My favorite line is: You can't catch a fish doing 80 mph---You can't catch one doing 55 either!!

I've got 21'-10" of fiberglass running a consistent top end of 78 with a stock 250 ProXS ..... and only because my prop is getting old and pretty dinged up.

The new Gambler line (Both Models: 20'7" & 21'9") out of S.C. will run in the mid 80s & low 80s with a stock 250 SHO. They are not mass produced so they you don't see them very often, but they're very nice boats with a comfortable ride. https://www.gamblerbassboats.com/

Lord that's running. I think the best the 921 has run was 75 when it was cold with very light load. Normally its a low 70s boat with the two stroke.

Do you really need to go 40, 50, 60? If a boat won’t go at least mid 70’s I’m not interested in it. The faster the better.

If you aren't limited by one of those rare tournament trails that cares, why not just go with the 300? There's beauty in a V8 300 mounted on your transom.

In the Ballistic 223, I rarely run 78 but is sure is nice to know it's there if I want it. I applaud your efforts!

Jackson

These threads are always entertaining.

rating plate says "any v6", I can change it to unlimited if I wanted. 200 on it now I can do 63 or so loaded out on a hot day.
looking to repower with a 250 or 300 xs or a sho 200 or better (flashed).
nuff said!

I always liked the Champion bass boats. Champion and Ranger have been my favorites.

I run a 16 Eyra that still has the original 250 Pro XS. I can hit 80 pretty easily by myself pushing around 5900 RPM's. In the summer two guys I'm around 75-76 tournament loaded, live wells full with plenty of gas in the tank.

The guy I bought it from told me he could get 83-84 out of it but I've not been able to quite get there. I'm much more comfortable now driving at these speeds but I don't really make it a point to try and squeeze those few MPH out of it.

Eyras are rated for a 300 and that would definitely put you consistently at 78. You can go to Bass Boat Central's site to the Bass Cat thread. There's a gentleman by the name of Elwood that recently bought an Eyra with a 300R and he's constantly pushing it to the limits and posts his findings.

I didn't necessarily buy the boat for speed... I was looking for a 20' boat with a 250 that would fit in my garage. I knew I wanted a Bass Cat and really thought I was going to end up in a Caracal but after looking closely the Eyra would fit. I did look at other brands just to see but I could not find a 20' that would fit in my garage. The breakaway tongue on Cats doesn't extend past the nose of the boat, unlike most other manufactures.

I'm very happy with my choice and it's a pure joy to drive. It's very responsive to the driver's input and wastes no time getting up to speed. Just a fun boat drive and fish out of...

Basscat Lynx with a 300 can hit 82-83 with a good driver. Myself, best I have done is 81. I also threw my wife out going only 60 mph so don't take much advice from me. When i'm fishing winter time, I will use my speed prop fury 3 blade worked by ronny gilbert. horrible hole shot and rough water is a little sketchy at top end with 3 blade. When I fish my little club tournaments or a media here or there, I will put my bravo 1 fs 4 blade and best I can get is 78 but the mid range and rough water ride is crazy good. doesn't get to walk until after about 78-79. I hear people say all the time "why would you want to go 80". 95% of the time Im going mid 70s. Sometimes, its nice to just let it eat. A slight rush to it. same reason people buy corvettes and all those when clearly the speed limit is tops 75. sometimes you just want to push it.

Glad to see Gambler is back up and running---Very well built boats with innovations other builders still aren't using, but they come at a "Hefty" price-tag as well!!!

Just visited their website and watched the video----Sorry, I'm not buying it--I was born in Missouri so they would have to "SHO" me (No Pun Intended--LOL). Numbers simply don't add up to their claims. Prop slip calculator says 4%-5%---On a 2100lb hull---Yeah Right!! Most hulls I am familiar with at similar weights can't even turn a 27P prop, when and if they can get on plane, prop slip would be in the 15%-20% range! Matter of fact, they are saying they get a lower slip % than I can running a hull nearly 1000lbs lighter!!! There will be those of you that say they have a better hull design---it is different but it still takes HP, TQ, and RPMs which mean the ability to push all that weight and the numbers simply don't add up! "EVERY" prop become less efficient as weight goes up no matter the hull design 2000 lbs is still 2000 lbs. Allison builds the most efficient hull in the bass boat market, this is so simply because of weight and hull/pad design. Because they are lighter they can turn a much bigger wheel. Because they run on about the last 2 feet of the pad means less friction. Because of these 2 factors alone makes them faster and more efficient. For Gambler to say they can turn a 27P prop on a 2100 lb hull at 5900 rpms @ near 82 mph, when other boats of similar weights would be lucky to turn a 25P prop at the same RPMs is a big mouthful!! Everyone of you knows that when you add a person or 2 to your boat what happens to your hole-shot and top speed??

Gamber's concave pad and reverse chines pack a lot of air under the boat. This helps with lift and reduces friction. Yes they go that fast weather you believe it or not.

[quote=Mayo] The breakaway tongue on Cats doesn't extend past the nose of the boat, unlike most other manufactures.

Yes...in MOST cases. I've also been looking for a 20' boat that will fit in one bay of my garage and also narrowed it down to either a Caracal or an Eyra. Eyra is going to win out because A) it's faster, and B) I can put a 250 or 300 on it. However, not ALL Basscat tongues fold in equal to the nose. I went to look at an '18 Cougar this morning who swore it would store at 22'4". When he unhooked it from the trailer I told him to look at the tongue. 4" beyond the nose of the boat. Won't fit. Eyra is the one. And it's fast enough for me!

I'm not really a Bass Cat fan but that one is sharp! Really like the colors on it!

I guess I should have been more specific--I am aware they are a fast boat, been around many of them. My issue is believing they will run that fast with a stock 250 and a 27p prop

I can personally attest that the 21'9" Elite boat will run what the manufacture claims with a stock 250 SHO w/27P prop.

I've been running a 300 on the BCB 203 Hybrid for a year now and like it. Mid to high 70's loaded ready to fish. Touching 80 by myself in cool weather. Tournament HP rating are silly. You should be able to run whatever your hull is rated for. Out a 250 on X brand and then Y brand and Z brand and most will have varying top ends. Some will run faster and more efficient. Some are lead sleds. To each his own.

Sweet boat Mosher. Like the color scheme!

Very interesting... I thought they all were inside of the nose. You'll love the Eyra!!! Congrats!!!

Since we're sharing pictures, let me share a few of mine...

Nice Kitty

I’m calling BS on the 2100# Gambler running 82 with a stock Yam 250 SHO with a 27 pitch prop. The numbers don’t add up. I really like Gamblers and Yams. I’ve owned two Gamblers over the years. They are relatively fast hulls for their weight but not as fast as the Bullets and not even close to the Ally’s. Add a 1 in front of the 4.86% of slip for a 2100# Hull, no matter the brand and that’ll be more realistic.

Mine runs 80.3 mph with a 28 Bravo (worked by Josh at SCP) at 12% slip in perfect conditions with 450 lbs of people and full tackle and half a tank of fuel (25 gallons). Mine is an inter-costal model so it is approximately 180lbs heavier than the carpeted model according to the manufacturer.

Dang Mayo...I ain't much for green boats...but that is a very sharp Eyra. Just enough green but not too much! Awesome boat!

Where in Arkansas are you from Jay??

My 17.5' 361v hits 60, that's fast enough for me. It has been up to 75, but that is on the Interstate.

That's funny! I say the exact same thing.... Thanks man! You'll love the Eyra!