Does the hull shape of the Shannon 38 SRD lend itself to water jet power or surface piercing propellers?
While water jet propulsion has become a popular trend in the last decade, it is not a suitable system for a long-range offshore powerboat like the Shannon 38 SRD. Obviously, it is very inefficient to pump water to produce thrust, and jet boats always burn more fuel. And such large pumps are very complicated, making them difficult and costly to maintain. I expect the owners of the Shannon 38 SRD to go to faraway places, and not just to go on picnics. I also think that these places will not be anywhere close to factory authorized service representatives, so jet power doesn’t make any sense. Surface piercing propellers, on the other hand, are an intriguing possibility for the Shannon 38 SRD hull shape, and I anticipate speed gains and fuel savings of at least 25% from any of the units currently on the market. I designed the hull of the Shannon 38 SRD to accommodate surface piercing propeller units in either single or twin engine configurations, and would welcome the opportunity to try one
