Go-fast boat: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:gofast.jpg|right|thumb|A "go-fast" is a preferred boat for smugglers]]

A '''go-fast boat''' is a small, fast [[motorboat|powerboat]] designed with a long narrow platform and a [[planing (boat)|planing]] hull. Depending on definitions used, it is either a speedboat (synonymously) or a certain type of speedboat.

A '''go-fast boat''' is a small, fast [[motorboat|powerboat]] designed with a long, narrow platform and a [[planing (boat)|planing]] hull. Depending on definitions used, it is either a speedboat (synonymously) or a certain type of speedboat.

~~During~~ the [[Prohibition in the United States|~~United States~~ alcohol ~~prohibition~~]] ~~era~~, these boats were used in "[[rum-running]]", transferring illegal liquor from larger vessels waiting outside US [[territorial waters]] to the mainland. Their high speed enabled them to avoid interception by ~~the [[United States Coast Guard|~~law enforcement]]. The present conception of such boats is based largely on designs by [[Donald Aronow]] for [[offshore powerboat racing]] in the 1960s. During this period, these boats were also used by drug smugglers to transfer drugs across the [[Caribbean]] to the United States.

When the United States [[Prohibition in the United States|banned the sale of alcohol]] in the early twentieth century, these boats were used in "[[rum-running]]", transferring illegal liquor from larger vessels waiting outside US [[territorial waters]] to the mainland. Their high speed enabled them to avoid interception by law enforcement. The present conception of such boats is based largely on designs by [[Donald Aronow]] for [[offshore powerboat racing]] in the 1960s. During this period, these boats were also used by drug smugglers to transfer drugs across the [[Caribbean]] to the United States.

==Name==

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==Construction==

[[File:USN sailors run a suped-up modified cigarette boat at full speed through narrow river channels.jpg|right|thumb|[[United States Navy|US Navy]] [[Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen|SWCCs]] train with a modified go-fast boat during a training exercise in Mississippi]]

A typical go-fast is [[Fiberglass#Construction methods |laid-up]] using a combination of [[fibreglass]], [[kevlar]] and [[carbon fibre]], using a deep "{{mono|V}}" style offshore racing hull ranging from {{convert|20|to|50|ft|m|order=flip}} long, narrow in beam, and equipped with two or more powerful engines, often totalling more than {{convert|1000|hp|order=flip}}. The boats can typically travel at speeds over {{convert|80|kn|km/h mph|lk=on}} in calm waters, over {{convert|50|kn|km/h}} in [[choppy waves|choppy waters]], and maintain {{convert|25|kn|km/h mph}} in the average {{convert|5|to|7|ft|m|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Caribbean]] seas. They are heavy enough to cut through higher waves, although slower.

A typical go-fast is [[Fiberglass#Construction methods |laid-up]] using a combination of [[fibreglass]], [[kevlar]] and [[carbon fibre]], using a deep "{{mono|V}}" style offshore racing hull ranging from {{convert|20|to|50|ft|m|order=flip}} long, narrow in beam, and equipped with two or more powerful engines, often totalling more than {{convert|1000|hp|order=flip}}. The boats can typically travel at speeds over {{convert|80|kn|km/h mph|lk=on}} in calm waters, over {{convert|50|kn|km/h}} in [[choppy waves|choppy waters]], and maintain {{convert|25|kn|km/h mph}} in the average {{convert|5|to|7|ft|m|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Caribbean]] seas. They are heavy enough to cut through higher waves, although slower.{{clarify|slower than what?|date=December 2025}}

==Use==

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==Illegal use==

[[Image:USCG pursuing gofast boat.jpg|thumb|A helicopter from the US Coast Guard's [[Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron]] pursues a go-fast boat during training]]

These boats are difficult to detect by [[radar]] except on flat calm seas or at close range. The United States Coast Guard and the DEA found them to be [[Stealth technology|stealthy]], fast, seaworthy, and very difficult to intercept using conventional craft. Due to this, ~~Coast Guards~~ have developed their own high-speed craft and use [[helicopter]]s equipped with [[anti-materiel rifle]]s used to disable engines of fleeing boats. The US Coast Guard go-fast boat is a [[rigid-hulled inflatable boat]] (RHIB) equipped with radar and powerful engines. The RHIB is armed with several types of [[non-lethal weapon]]s and an [[M240 machine gun~~|M240]] [[General purpose machine gun|GPMG~~]].

These boats are difficult to detect by [[radar]] except on flat calm seas or at close range. The United States Coast Guard and the DEA found them to be [[Stealth technology|stealthy]], fast, seaworthy, and very difficult to intercept using conventional craft. Due to this, coast guards have developed their own high-speed craft and use [[helicopter]]s equipped with [[anti-materiel rifle]]s used to disable engines of fleeing boats. The US Coast Guard go-fast boat is a [[rigid-hulled inflatable boat]] (RHIB) equipped with radar and powerful engines. The RHIB is armed with several types of [[non-lethal weapon]]s and an [[M240 machine gun]].

==Media portrayal==

In the 2006 film ''[[Miami Vice (film)|Miami Vice]]'', go-fast boats are used to smuggle drugs for cartels.<ref>{{Citation |title=Miami Vice (2006) - Plot - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430357/plotsummary/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 1990s TV series ''[[Thunder in Paradise]]'', starring [[Hulk Hogan]], two mercenary heroes use a high-tech go-fast boat to fight criminals and villains.

==See also==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 [[Image:gofast.jpg|right|thumb|A "go-fast" is a preferred boat for smugglers]]
-A '''go-fast boat''' is a small, fast [[motorboat|powerboat]] designed with a long narrow platform and a [[planing (boat)|planing]] hull. Depending on definitions used, it is either a speedboat (synonymously) or a certain type of speedboat<!--hyponymously-->.
+A '''go-fast boat''' is a small, fast [[motorboat|powerboat]] designed with a long, narrow platform and a [[planing (boat)|planing]] hull. Depending on definitions used, it is either a speedboat (synonymously) or a certain type of speedboat<!--hyponymously-->.
-During the [[Prohibition in the United States|United States alcohol prohibition]] era, these boats were used in "[[rum-running]]", transferring illegal liquor from larger vessels waiting outside US [[territorial waters]] to the mainland. Their high speed enabled them to avoid interception by the [[United States Coast Guard|law enforcement]]. The present conception of such boats is based largely on designs by [[Donald Aronow]] for [[offshore powerboat racing]] in the 1960s. During this period, these boats were also used by drug smugglers to transfer drugs across the [[Caribbean]] to the United States.
+When the United States [[Prohibition in the United States|banned the sale of alcohol]] in the early twentieth century, these boats were used in "[[rum-running]]", transferring illegal liquor from larger vessels waiting outside US [[territorial waters]] to the mainland. Their high speed enabled them to avoid interception by law enforcement. The present conception of such boats is based largely on designs by [[Donald Aronow]] for [[offshore powerboat racing]] in the 1960s. During this period, these boats were also used by drug smugglers to transfer drugs across the [[Caribbean]] to the United States.
 ==Name==
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Construction==
 [[File:USN sailors run a suped-up modified cigarette boat at full speed through narrow river channels.jpg|right|thumb|[[United States Navy|US Navy]] [[Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen|SWCCs]] train with a modified go-fast boat during a training exercise in Mississippi]]
-A typical go-fast is [[Fiberglass#Construction methods |laid-up]] using a combination of [[fibreglass]], [[kevlar]] and [[carbon fibre]], using a deep "{{mono|V}}" style offshore racing hull ranging from {{convert|20|to|50|ft|m|order=flip}} long, narrow in beam, and equipped with two or more powerful engines, often totalling more than {{convert|1000|hp|order=flip}}. The boats can typically travel at speeds over {{convert|80|kn|km/h mph|lk=on}} in calm waters, over {{convert|50|kn|km/h}} in [[choppy waves|choppy waters]], and maintain {{convert|25|kn|km/h mph}} in the average {{convert|5|to|7|ft|m|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Caribbean]] seas. They are heavy enough to cut through higher waves, although slower.
+A typical go-fast is [[Fiberglass#Construction methods |laid-up]] using a combination of [[fibreglass]], [[kevlar]] and [[carbon fibre]], using a deep "{{mono|V}}" style offshore racing hull ranging from {{convert|20|to|50|ft|m|order=flip}} long, narrow in beam, and equipped with two or more powerful engines, often totalling more than {{convert|1000|hp|order=flip}}. The boats can typically travel at speeds over {{convert|80|kn|km/h mph|lk=on}} in calm waters, over {{convert|50|kn|km/h}} in [[choppy waves|choppy waters]], and maintain {{convert|25|kn|km/h mph}} in the average {{convert|5|to|7|ft|m|adj=on|order=flip}} [[Caribbean]] seas. They are heavy enough to cut through higher waves, although slower.{{clarify|slower than what?|date=December 2025}}
 ==Use==
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 ==Illegal use==
 [[Image:USCG pursuing gofast boat.jpg|thumb|A helicopter from the US Coast Guard's [[Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron]] pursues a go-fast boat during training]]
-These boats are difficult to detect by [[radar]] except on flat calm seas or at close range. The United States Coast Guard and the DEA found them to be [[Stealth technology|stealthy]], fast, seaworthy, and very difficult to intercept using conventional craft. Due to this, Coast Guards have developed their own high-speed craft and use [[helicopter]]s equipped with [[anti-materiel rifle]]s used to disable engines of fleeing boats. The US Coast Guard go-fast boat is a [[rigid-hulled inflatable boat]] (RHIB) equipped with radar and powerful engines. The RHIB is armed with several types of [[non-lethal weapon]]s and an [[M240 machine gun|M240]] [[General purpose machine gun|GPMG]].
+These boats are difficult to detect by [[radar]] except on flat calm seas or at close range. The United States Coast Guard and the DEA found them to be [[Stealth technology|stealthy]], fast, seaworthy, and very difficult to intercept using conventional craft. Due to this, coast guards have developed their own high-speed craft and use [[helicopter]]s equipped with [[anti-materiel rifle]]s used to disable engines of fleeing boats. The US Coast Guard go-fast boat is a [[rigid-hulled inflatable boat]] (RHIB) equipped with radar and powerful engines. The RHIB is armed with several types of [[non-lethal weapon]]s and an [[M240 machine gun]].
 ==Media portrayal==
 In the 2006 film ''[[Miami Vice (film)|Miami Vice]]'', go-fast boats are used to smuggle drugs for cartels.<ref>{{Citation |title=Miami Vice (2006) - Plot - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430357/plotsummary/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |language=en-US}}</ref>
+In the 1990s TV series ''[[Thunder in Paradise]]'', starring [[Hulk Hogan]], two mercenary heroes use a high-tech go-fast boat to fight criminals and villains.
 ==See also==

Go-fast boat: Difference between revisions

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