WHEN SPEED IS THE PLEASURE

No one knows exactly why humans revere speed. Yet, ever since the days of cave dwellers, people have sought ways to move faster in everything they do—especially when traveling, whether out of necessity or for sheer pleasure.

The same applies to boats; in fact, the market now offers mass-produced vessels—both powerboats and sailboats—that deliver excellent performance.

The trouble is, high-speed boating carries risks and demands careful attention. The sensation of speed on the water is twice as intense as on land, compounded by the fact that boats, as everyone knows, lack brakes. A boat slows down primarily due to hull friction against the water; reversing the engines to spin the propellers in the opposite direction is only feasible when the vessel has already nearly come to a halt and the risks are significantly lower. Even when reversing the engines, powerboats with shaft or V-drive propulsion—which stop relatively quickly—still travel a distance equal to half their own hull length before coming to a complete stop.

Other boats and sailboats generally take three times longer to stop completely. Furthermore, regardless of the vessel type, the stopping distance in rough water increases by 50% due to wave action. Clearly, before accelerating a boat, one must understand how and when to bring it to a stop.

Even so, many people spend small fortunes trying to make their boats go a little faster. Depending on the hull design, gaining just one extra knot of speed can cost as much as a whole new boat. A supercharger kit capable of doubling a jet ski's engine power can cost as much as a basic, brand-new jet ski. On a 22-foot pleasure boat, swapping the propeller for a faster one costs approximately 3% of the boat's price.

WHEN EXCESSIVE SPEED ISN'T WORTH IT