new inflatable...

[tomcat rio]

[DougSea]

I'd love to know the story behind that beast. Unlike most things I see like this it doesn't appear to be a "Photoshop" picture. Looking at the cabling and such on the transom it looks real. Crazy, but real.

[tomcat rio]

vy

[DougSea]

Can't find any good specific information - from sketchy details on another forum it appears to be a specialized drug runner. More shots:



So it's real...but I still don't know just what it is.

[Mariner]

I, for one, do not think, for one second, that the pictures are real.

For starters, there's just no reason. That kind of horsepower can be derived more efficiently and effectively from a turbo diesel inboard. I highly doubt you could engineer propellers with a high enough pitch to effectively push that boat to it's speed capability.

Secondly, in the first picture the engines are way out of scale. The fenders hanging from the sailboat next to it must be four feet in diameter. It just doesn't look right.

The second picture is grainy and easily faked.

The last picture, which appears to be in a production or storage facility, conveniently hides the most difficult part of the image to fake, the propellers and lower units.

It was done by a good chopper. I'm impressed by the attention to detail by dropping the transom on the center engines, and by extending the lower unit on the inner of the two outer engines. But it's not that good. There are too many coincidences that point to a chop.

[DougSea]

I, for one, do not think, for one second, that the pictures are real.

For starters, there's just no reason. That kind of horsepower can be derived more efficiently and effectively from a turbo diesel inboard. I highly doubt you could engineer propellers with a high enough pitch to effectively push that boat to it's speed capability.

Secondly, in the first picture the engines are way out of scale. The fenders hanging from the sailboat next to it must be four feet in diameter. It just doesn't look right.

The second picture is grainy and easily faked.

The last picture, which appears to be in a production or storage facility, conveniently hides the most difficult part of the image to fake, the propellers and lower units.

It was done by a good chopper. I'm impressed by the attention to detail by dropping the transom on the center engines, and by extending the lower unit on the inner of the two outer engines. But it's not that good. There are too many coincidences that point to a chop.

Hey Mariner - I'm going to accept the challenge of finding this thing. I've looked long and hard at the first picture in particular and I think it's real. Too many details which 'fit', engine cabling, etc. And the fenders on the sailboat look no bigger than the engine cowls, 24" at most. I'll be burning up Google to find 'proof'!

[Mariner]

There are details that are cleverly done to make it look real. The reflections, the height of the engines, etc... All of which can be done relatively easily by a skilled chopper. But overall, the aspect and perspective are just not right. Think about the fact that the engines are considerably closer to the camera than the fenders. I suppose that sailboat could be a 150' long and hanging 48" fenders over the side, but it just doesn't look that large judging by the rigging, etc... The cowlings on a V-6 260 are massive. The engines stand nearly 6' tall.

But perhaps most damning of all, is the closeness with which they're mounted. Steering clearances dictate that the engines need to be farther apart than that.

[tomcat rio]

a little off topic but its wintertime.



...
http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstre ... 52,00.html

[DougSea]

There are details that are cleverly done to make it look real. The reflections, the height of the engines, etc... All of which can be done relatively easily by a skilled chopper. But overall, the aspect and perspective are just not right. Think about the fact that the engines are considerably closer to the camera than the fenders. I suppose that sailboat could be a 150' long and hanging 48" fenders over the side, but it just doesn't look that large judging by the rigging, etc... The cowlings on a V-6 260 are massive. The engines stand nearly 6' tall.

But perhaps most damning of all, is the closeness with which they're mounted. Steering clearances dictate that the engines need to be farther apart than that.

Best I could do so far:

Boatbuilding firm supplied 'uncatchable' boats to smugglers, court hears
by RAY MASSEY - More by this author » Last updated at 22:00pm on 18th January 2007 (From the Daily Mail online)
uncatchable speed boats

Behind its respectable facade, Crompton Marine was making boats like this one with eight engines.

For nearly a decade Richard Davison and girlfriend Ellen George built an enviable reputation in the boatbuilding industry for their high-speed inflatables.

But in court it has been claimed that, unknown to customers, the respectable front of Crompton Marine hid an undercover business supplying "uncatchable" boats to international drug smugglers.

Managing director Davison, 39, and his partner George, 41, were suspected of making secret cash deals on boats costing up to £350,000, each with eight 250-horsepower engines strapped to the back.

Ranging between 30ft and 60ft long and capable of producing 60 knots (about 70mph) at sea, they could out-run any pursuers. Similar sized boats normally have one or two outboard motors.

Their low profile also made them virtually invisible to radar and many were painted grey or black, making them difficult to spot with the naked eye.

The couple were even believed to be designing a 108ft version that could be used by criminals running contraband between northern Africa and Spain.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how customs officers who raided their £350,000 home near the business in the sleepy seaside resort of Lowestoft, Suffolk, found £1.2 million in cash hidden in holdalls and cupboards.

A further one million Euros (around £656,000) and £39,000 was discovered by Spanish officials in a property used by Davison in Malaga, southern Spain.

Showing a photograph of a boat to the jury, prosecutor Simon Draycott QC said: "At full power it used 900 litres of petrol an hour and had capacity to hold 15,000 litres of petrol. (NOTE FROM DOUGSEA - Same pictures as above)

"This boat was tested in the sea off Lowestoft. The gentleman who took it out loaded it with six tonnes of shingle, it had five people on board and it was still able to travel at 50mph.

"This was such a powerful boat it could carry a lot of drugs, a lot of contraband and still go so fast it could outrun any maritime craft.

"The ribs were built, sold and transported to southern Spain, north Africa and Morocco.

"Davison, George and Rush knew those buying the boats wanted them for one reason - to transport drugs and contraband from north Africa to southern Spain.

"They also knew the money used to pay for the boats was coming from the proceeds of crime."

An email sent to potential customers boasted of "high-speed, uncatchable craft that have a low radar signature", he added.

Details emerged during the trial of Ian Rush, who allegedly carried on the illegal trade under the name Nautexco Marine when George and Davison were arrested in 2004.

George has already admitted possession of criminal property and money laundering and is awaiting sentencing. Davison is on bail in Spain where he faces drug smuggling charges.

The jury heard that Crompton Marine made deals with the criminal underworld between 2000 and 2004.

The illicit trade was concealed by only accepting cash payments which were placed in personal and overseas bank accounts.

George and Davison were arrested after British customs officials put them under surveillance when Spanish authorities reported seizing a number of their boats during anti-drug smuggling operations.

The raid in Lowestoft also uncovered designs for the giant speed boat as well as forged ownership and insurance certificates.

Rush, of Butterwich, Lincolnshire, a former haulier who delivered boats for the couple, was charged with arranging the retention of criminal property.

His barrister, Philip Hackett QC, said Crompton Marine was used as a "money laundering" outfit which transferred £16 million across international borders and generated £2.7 million in assets between 1998 and 2004.

But Nautexco, he added, was run "entirely properly".

Davison was charged with drug trafficking, tax evasion and money laundering.

Ellen George pleaded guilty to two money laundering offences.

The trial continues.

[DougSea]

Check out: http://www.cromptonmarine.com/list_uk.html

And look at the bottom of the list. 20 meters, 60kn, 8 250's, a million Euros.

I'm going with real...

[Veebyes2]

Do the math on the fuel figures. This thing can burn more gallons in 1 hour than many Albin owners burn in an entire season. The numbers come out pretty close for OB fuel burn. For OBs WOT fuel burn is approx 10% of rated hp making this boat 200gph at WOT.

Diesel is about 5% of hp rating at WOT.

With the motivation & enough money amazing boats can be built.

[tomcat rio]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/3480 ... 9277ed.jpg

[Pitou]

A follow-up to DougSea / good report by the way.

August Soundings just arrived. "uncatchable 8 outboard RIB"
$700K and 240 gallons/hour loaded.