The pros and cons of rotary engines tend to show up in the not-so-rare debates between fans of these Wankels and those who prefer the piston engine. However, the assets of these rotaries are usually put into a car-related context, but why not consider using this sort of brap-brap mechanical magic when speeding on water? Welcome to a standout long-tail boat that relies on a Mazda-design 13B motor.
Racing boats used in the U.S., Europe, or Dubai often involve ridiculous among of horsepower (think: four figures), with the financial side of such adventures being theโฆ watery eye kind. If, however, you’re seeking inspiration for an extreme boat build on a more conservative budget, Thailand’s long-tail tradition, which this vessel is part of, might just be the thing for you.
Named Rua Hang Yao (this is literally translated into “long-tailed boats), these vessels take many forms (not all of them are flat-bottomed as one might expect by browsing the web at first). However, they all owe their name to the propeller being fixed to a shaft extends far outside the back of the watercraft. For many of these machines, power comes from all sorts of engines that enthusiasts in the country have at their disposal. And of the often limited financial resources mean these motors are often borrowed from motorcycles, cars , and trucks.
The driver uses a pole to movee the engine and propeller shaft around. Controlling the boat this way means the handler gets to steer and adjust the submersion angle at the same time. However, especially in small crafts, the driver must use one’s body weight while handling the long-tail boat, while the placement of any potential passengers must also be taken into account (passengers are often asked to move around the boat).
Long-tail boats come in all shapes and sizes, but we have a particular one in mind here: the Thaitanic
Given Thailand’s water-covered nature, these boats have powered the country for over a century now. Their uses vary from transportation to giving tourists cozy rides and, of course, racing, which is where hot rodder motors come into play. Case in point with the craft we have here, which YouTuber CB Media has been planning for over a year.
On his real name Chad Burdette, the expat, who relocated to Thailand years ago, has invested some $20,000 in his boat up to this point (have you seen the incredible supercar replicas he filmed earlier this year?). And since the build has been affected by multiple delaysโhe’s depended on multiple shops for putting together the various bits of the boatโthe man has had plenty of time to crowdsource a nickname for the boat: Thaitanic.
The two-rotor 13B, which features an obviously-waterproof FuelTech standalone engine management system, works with an Ichiban Engineering 3582 turbo. And the output goal has been set at 500 horsepower. And, following the said postponements, we can now finally witness the first start-up of the Wankel engine.
As faith (or perhaps the social media gods) would have it, the current needed to bring the rotary motor to life is provided by another Wankel, this time powering an FD-generation Mazda RX-7 (this part awaits you at the 12:28 timestamp of the first vid below). We wonder what Kiwi pro drifter Mad Mike Whiddett, who’s building the world’s first five-rotor, would have to say about this…
Why fit a rotary to a boat?
Sure, rotaries are not the most reliable engines out there (think: apex seal issues), while they also have trouble coping with emission standards. But, compared to piston engines of the same power, they’re smaller, lighter and easier to work on, plus they offer a smooth power delivery, backed by an unmistakable soundtrack. And this is just what Chad was looking for when putting together a wicked long-tail.
Now, with the Thaitanic’s first startup making up the second part of the video below, you might also want to check out the rest of the vid. That’s because Chad uses this to showcase one of his land builds, namely an E30 BMW 3 Series coupe powered by an E92 M3’s S65 V8 and six-speed manual.
And if all that long-boat talk has gotten you into the mood for some canal sprinting, we’ve brought along a second video. This saw the enthusiasts attending a racing event that shows how locals in their early teenage years can handle these vessels like it’s nothing.