Thermal Runaway: TVI 41 Twin Turbine

Gary Grant's design for a 41 foot [12.5m] sport boat built by Turbine Vessels Inc., of Naples Florida. The TVI 41 is powered by twin Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engines driving #6 Kiekhaefer stern drives. Our hull design incorporates twin steps for air lubrication of the deep-V bottom surface. We didn't invent stepped hulls for performance boats--we just incorporated them way before they became the must-have setup.

The fully marinized gas turbines look almost too small in the engine bay, but don't let size fool you. This bad boy will run in the mid 80-mph [130-kph] range with uncanny smoothness. Total horsepower? How about 1,600 [1190-kw].

Gas-turbine engines sometime look like a small shop-vacs laying on their sides in the boat's bilge!

With so much power on tap and a lightweight alloy hull with composite deck the TVI 41 is sometimes hard to keep from airing out big time. Passengers are encouraged to strengthen their grip muscles before taking a flight...er, ride.

Even with exotic power the TVI 41 is as easy to operate as any sport boat. A unique feature of gas turbines is the ability to go from startup to full power without any engine warming up required.

At cruising velocities above 80-mph [130-kph] wind noise makes communicating nearly impossible, so the TVI 41 is equipped with aircraft-type helmets incorporating built-in intercoms.

With an 8.5 foot [2.6m] beam and at about 10,000 pounds [4500 kg] the TVI 41 is trailerable with a standard civilian rig. And watch for development of a new 48 foot [14.6m] version to be built of lightweight composite materials! ↑Top