Marine

Minx 18V speedboat claims Corvette performance at a Camry price

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The Minx 18V can reach speeds of up to 80mph
The Minx 18V can reach speeds of up to 80mph
The aerodynamic gull-wing shaped sides and bow offer dramatic speeds
The four-seater craft fills a niche between jet-skis and conventional speed boats
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If your idea of a day out on the high seas is a gentle sail around the harbor, a few cold beers and perhaps a spot of fishing, then the Minx Model 18V Powerboat is not for you. We’ve already seen PWCs like the Samba hit 65mph but the Minx 18V, described as a ‘supercar for the water’, can reach speeds of up to 80mph (75mph without modification) and claims to be 15-20mph faster than any stock PWC or mainstream jet boat.

This is partly to do with a number of design and aerodynamic modifications that include ‘gull-wing’ shaped sides and bow to capture slip-streaming air, the ‘delta flair tail’ and ‘pointed droop-snout bow’ which work together to produce an extremely efficient high-speed ride attitude.

Unlike most other high-performance vehicles the four-seater Minx 18V is attempting to appeal to a broader market and with a starting price of USD$20,490 fills a gap between $12,00 jet skis and $30,000 current model speed boats.

The limited capacity allows for an efficient mix of high-speed and low-cost and since the boat rides so close to the water, Minx claims to offer a high-adrenaline experience similar to a go-kart or formula one race car, as well as solid turning, with no hopping or sliding, and a stable ride.

The basic package includes a Mercury 150 EFI two-stroke outboard motor and single axle trailer. For $1500 more you get a Mercury 150 OptiMax motor and trailer, while for $3700 more than the base price you get the added power of a Mercury 175 Pro XS OptiMax motor and trailer.

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3 comments
jerryd
This is a rip off of an old boat called the Hydrostream? from the 70's. Nothing new here.
Jonathan Hatfield
Yep Hydrostream. Good luck on anything but flat calm water. Good way to get someone hurt if you aren't careful. But as a river racer or other flat water boat it should be a wild ride.
DmanEfest
I know. At first I was looking for the \"knod\" to \"Live and Let Die\" as if this were a restrospective piece and the New boat was just below in the next picture. This is not a new design and bordering on dull. There are a limited number of shapes that will go over or through water with any efficacy. This one is from shortly after I was born.