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clayman
07-10-2002, 01:36 PM
I am up in michigan having a pretty good trip, and my buddies and I have been running my Classic on whitmore lake, Orchard lake( 40 mph speed limit), St. Clair River ( Awesome) and the last couple times on Cass lake. We were out on Cass lake on monday floating around when a boat went by hauling ass and was clearly a 18" classic. He came around, and we talked for a while. It was 2001 Python, 350 /bravo turning a 25 pitch mirage. He said he maxed out his 80mph speedo, but when I asked if he ever checked with GPS he said no. But he really pulled away from me. He said he looked at the Donzi's but went with the python because it was only $30 g's and the guy garantee's 80 plus mph. Interesting. I read the old post about this boat and other copies. It just goes to show us how great our boats our, when someone can create whole new companys just ripping off and making replicas of the real thing.
James

Ranman
07-10-2002, 02:41 PM
A 350MAG Bravo turning a 25 Mirage will not go 80. Even if it is a 1.5:1 Bravo wound out to 5000rpm, theoretical speed is only 79mph. This is with 0 slip. With a 1.65:1 Bravo @ 5000rpm, theoretical speed would be 72mph with 0 slip. I would be willing to bet that at max it is a 70mph boat and that's being generous. My boat runs 66-67mph at 5000rpm. That's 7-9% slip which is excellent.

I'd bet that even the 377 scorpion package at 350pshp would not push that boat past 72-73mph.

Anyone else agree? Randy

clayman
07-10-2002, 02:56 PM
If I had my Gps, I would have asked for a ride. anyway, its is just a replica of my real thing.

Ranman
07-10-2002, 03:41 PM
I agree with you Clayman, "Python Vyper" just doesn't have the same ring to it as "Donzi Classic". I doubt the rigging is superior to a Donzi too. What do his friends say. "Nice knock off"? "Close, but no cigar"? No offense to anyone who owns one, but to me it's like owning one of those Fiero turned Lamborghini deals.

RickSE
07-10-2002, 04:06 PM
http://www.pythonboats.com/18'%20Vyper.htm

HOTBOAT Performance ReSults

Top speed (radar): 82.0 mph
Planning Time: 3.36 seconds
Maximum rpm: 4,950
0-30: 5.60 seconds
0-40: 7.12 seconds
0-50: 9.42 seconds
0-60: 11.63 seconds
0-70: 15.81 seconds
0-82.0: 24.12 seconds
Speed at 3,000 rpm: 44.4 mph
Speed at 4,000 rpm: 58.1 mph
Test conducted in Fort Myers, Florida

Greg K
07-10-2002, 04:12 PM
Failed to mention..this taken from the same article...

"Unleashed by the available 500 horsepower cranked out by one of Grimes Automotive’s (Alpharetta, Georgia) Winston-series NASCAR small-block power plants...Python came to its first Hot Boat test event appropriately armed. The Vyper supported the Grimes armor with the specialty Alpha SS drive with 1.36:1 gearing, an extremely low-drag unit available only from Mercury High Performance. The crescent-shaped Alpha which is about $3,000 more than stock, is about five inches shorter, has a cast upper end and runs the same lower unit as the racing outboard..The drive whipped a 23-inch three-blade Mercury cleaver."

Woodsy
07-10-2002, 04:13 PM
Those figures were with a custom 500hp small block and an Alpha SS... It doesn't look like they offer that combo anymore... I seriously doubt the base motor can propel the boat to 70mph....

Woodsy the Skeptic :D :D

Chummy
07-10-2002, 04:55 PM
I live here where Pythons are built and have had a lot of experience with them. They are poor quality and terrible riding boats. A buddy of mine rode in the 18' vyper with the Grimes engine and said that it was the most out of control boat he had ever ridden in. Also they are a copy of a Donzi,they copy everyone look at the new 33'9" offshore looks like a Baja doesn't it. The 24' is a poor copy of a Pantera. Just ask the owner of Python when he's drunk he'll tell you. eek!

RickSE
07-10-2002, 05:20 PM
Thanks Greg, I was unsure if the speed info was for the engine/drive combination stated.

HP 600SC
07-10-2002, 06:45 PM
I agree with Ranman, the math with slip is 73.4 max.

Boat_Mon
07-10-2002, 07:51 PM
Clayman are there many informal gathering organized around Michigan? I've seen one up in Cheboygan but not to much in the lower lakes area or East Side.....let me know if you get a second.

Scott Pearson
07-10-2002, 08:32 PM
What a bunch of crap! 500hp through an Alpha SS. I dont think so. At least not for very long. Is this boat builder serious?

(NJ)Scott

mattyboy
07-10-2002, 09:22 PM
Sounds like some hulk hogan gin talk to me brotha what you gonna do when the vyper unleashes the pythons on ya brotha :p :p :p

no snakes for me

matt

Rootsy
07-10-2002, 10:52 PM
500 hp and the alpha SS... this is an interesting topic.... Mr. Lovins would you like to chime in on this??? wink

GEOO
07-11-2002, 05:28 AM
I have a friend with a Viper. Nice boat. It's a copy of an 18 Classic. Same Bottom, same top.. Of coarse Donzi does a better job... They ran that Alpha SS with a Grimes Twister 500hp for a few years with no problems!!!That boat had a high X-Dim set-up and I believe the prop (cleaver??)didn't hook-up well getting on plane, (much like my boat), this would reduce a lot of the heavy load on the drive caused from jack rabbit starts. I can't see the Viper's speed being any different then the Donzi with the same set-up.

Scott,
Bring a stop watch. You can hold the radar Gun, watch the stop watch and record the numbers while you ride in the back set this weekend...
I think I have a head Cam figured out!!!
Look's like some thing out of Back to The Future....

Scott Pearson
07-11-2002, 05:35 AM
George,
Back to the future huh? Sounds more like that show that was on MTV called "Jackass".
Should we call the producers?

Cant wait for this weekend. Look for a big red Peterbilt dump truck and trailer. I will be comming in with that this Saturday. I have to drop some equipment off a little south in the morning. Hitting Waters Edge on the way back.

(NJ)Scott

Tomahawk
07-11-2002, 06:26 AM
Scott - so, you got a new Peterbilt. Uh, well - never mind. wink

GEOO
07-11-2002, 08:34 AM
Well Scott, you know, I have that special front passenger restraint seat system installed. eek!

harbormaster
07-11-2002, 08:54 AM
George you need to name your boat "Fear Factor"...

blackhawk
07-11-2002, 09:41 AM
Geoo,

These look like some nice head cameras. Very small and very light!

http://www.rfconcepts.co.uk/helmet_cameras.htm

Doug L.
07-11-2002, 11:18 AM
Hi
500 HP with HD shafts and gears shouldn't
be a problum I don't know about the 1.37
gears.
Doug
PS Jamie found 400 missing RPM with a $10.00
coil. still a bit shy,but better

Rootsy
07-11-2002, 11:29 AM
so you are spinning that alpha SS and ZZ4 at what? 5600 now? that is just incredible... hope the ocifer didn't getcha at 70ish+ eek!

Barry Phillips
07-11-2002, 04:02 PM
Give me a break he would need 5 to 600 hp to run 80 with that hull, GEOO knows better than anyone. With a 350 mag and a good setup he might run 70 on a good day but I would not bet on it. The only cool thing about a Viper is that it looks like a Classic 18, I would rather have the real thing. Why have a replica of a boat that is in current production and so close in price?

SO-SLO

Greg
07-11-2002, 05:12 PM
It would be interesting to know What the "X" was on that 18' and if they filled in any of the built in hook. Anyone have any input on this. that is kind of the way I am setting up my boat, different motor though. The article says the SS is 5" shorter, I always thought it was more like 1 1/2" or 2 1/2" shorter.

Sam
07-11-2002, 05:48 PM
Clayman, give me a shout the next time you go out. I live very close to Cass and Orchard lake. I also keep the Donzi right off the St Calir River. I am there every weekend. Just a word of warning there are speed limits on both Orchard and Cass lake. Ask Doug Lovins, he found out there is one on his lake as well.

Sam

clayman
07-11-2002, 09:08 PM
Orchard Lake had a posted 40 MPH limit, but I didn'tsee any on Cass lake. So I assume it is the state law 55mph on inland lake speed limit. But, there are a lot of boats on Cass lake doing well over that. Yeah, I think there was a little shame in the kids eye when he was looking at my boat. I could almost hear him saying to himself , "so that is what the real thing looks like" kind of like if you built one of those AC cobra replicas, and the real thing pulled up next to you. I would be alittle embarrased too.