2002 Eliminator 33 Daytona

Testers Notebook: 2002 Eliminator 33 Daytona      Location: Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA      Test load: Light load, driver and cameraman, 70 gals fuel, safety gear.      Test day conditions: Overcast, waves one to one and a half feet, wind gusting to 20 knots.      Synopsis: Achieving a top speed of over 103 mph in a 33 foot boat that weights over 7200 lbs is no small accomplishment.  It's even more impressive considering the stock horsepower of the Mercruiser engines.  Value, efficiencies and awesome speed - this cat has it all.

By: Mark Rotharmel
     Catamaran designs have come a long, long way in recent years, and through ongoing R&D efforts, the performance boater has been the benefactor.  The striking custom water rocket we tested at Lake Havasu, Arizona known as the Eliminator 33 Daytona represents a joint project between Mercury's Mercruiser Division and Eliminator Boats of Mira Loma, California. 
     From the pickle-fork bow to the crisp interior of the cockpit, this Eliminator's connection with
speed is obvious. The seven passenger seating arrangement is supportive and luxurious, a comfort for the driver focussed around a very functional helm.  Highly visible analog gauges share the limelight with "Smart Craft", Mercruiser's revolutionary electronic control system that monitors 64 internal functions and displays self-diagnostic engine and boat data. For a performance cat, there's a spacious and cleanly appointed cabin. Inside and out, little has been compromised.
     Our test boat was powered by twin stock 496 Mag H.O's rather than Mercury Racing standard high-performance 502 blocks.  Both Eliminator and Mercruiser are looking for triple-digit speeds.  And that's a tall order for a boat this size.  Below is my  transcript from the actual test of this boat we did for PowerBoat Television. Come along on board with me as I put this cat through its paces.  Click to see the streaming video (you'll need Real Player) of the test: Dialup Modem or Highspeed.
 
     "We're at Lake Havasu, Arizona, for a test of the 33 Eliminator. Now, this is a big boat. It's 33 feet long, has a 9-foot beam, and weighs 7200 pounds.  It also packs lots of air. Fortunately, we've got some wind out here on the lake right now for our hole shots, so here we go.
     Bow picks up. Back off at 3,000, until the props catch, then hammer it down. So it planes in 7.2 seconds. It really drops down in 8 to 9 seconds. These big boats take awhile to get up and running, but once they do, they pack the air fast. Now, this is a new design, about a year old, but it has two steps: the forward step a little bit deeper than the aft step, and there's a strake on each sponson, to give it some lift and directional stability.. and I'll tell you what, it seems to be working very well right now.
     We've got a XZ drive from Mercruiser.  A Good, robust drive swinging 15 1/4 by 34 inch pitch Bravo 1 Lab props from Mercury. These seem to have lots of punch. We'll do an acceleration test right now. See how fast the boat goes from 40 to 70 miles an hour. Nail it. Climbing, climbing. 15.41 seconds. Some other data… The Daytona accelerates from 0-50 mph in 19.51 secs, 50 to 70 in 11.23 seconds, and 70 to 100 mph in 30 seconds.
     These big cats take awhile to get them to level out, but once they do, you find that sweet spot, and they really come on. Now, the best way to turn this boat is just let it coast down and trim in the drive. When you see 30 miles an hour on your "Smart Craft" monitor, you start to turn the boat. At 40, you still have a little bank. At 30, it turns absolutely flat. As soon as you start to straighten the wheel, trim the drives out, and it picks up real nice and flat. For faster turns, you want to be ruinning over 70 mph, then sweep the corner with a wider arc. The Eliminator responds well, and mimimal bank will be felt.
     Now we're going to set up for our high-speed run. Here we go. This boat's riding nice and flat, …..trimming it up. Packing lots of air right now. 94,  99,  99.9 miles an hour. Here we go! 101! 103.2! 103.2 mph @ 5000 rpm..Beautiful run!. WOW! 496 Mag H.O Mercruiser motors, with 5 year warranties. 103.2 miles an hour on a 33 foot, 7200 pound boat. Isn't that impressive! 
    Now, before we run out of light, I'd better call it a day, but this has been one very interesting test. The fact that the 33 Daytona ran over 103 miles an hour with stock Mercruiser power is a testament to Bob Leach and his design team at Eliminator boats. Now, generally speaking, to achieve triple-digit speeds takes a lot more horsepower, and that usually drives up the cost on a package like this. So with value, efficiencies and awesome speeds, this cat has it all."

To see the rest of the 2002 Eliminator Boats lineup, visit our Buyers Guide.

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

Eliminator Boats
10795 San Sevaine, Mira Loma,
CA 91752 U.S.A.
(909) 681-1222
www.eliminatorboat.com