http://freep.com/article/20090921/NE...-Detroit-RiverThe latest weapon in the war against terrorism and smuggling is on the Detroit River today, a sleek 43-foot boat with a quartet of 350-horsepower engines. That’s the most horsepower that can be run with the 20,000-pound boat, given the effective power-to-weight ratio, said Thomas Norton, director of the National Marine Center under the Department of Homeland Security.
The boat, called an Advanced Concept Demonstrator Vessel, is a $900,000 prototype, here to test what could be coming in the next generation of border patrol boats.
It has about 500 more horsepower than the current generation of 39-foot patrol boats, with top speeds close to 75 m.p.h., compared to a top speed of about 62 m.p.h. for the current boats. The boat is a delicate balance of racing versus maneuverability and this morning, the crew demonstrated that by doing donuts at nearly top speeds, heeled over so far, the rail was nearly in the water.
Bookmarks