Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:00:44-2:01:18

Can modern outboard boats outrun an Abdiel?

Some small modern boats may be faster, but they are not moving four thousand tons, 156 mines, six 4-inch guns, and armour at the same speed.

Abdiel Class MinelayersDisplacementHigh Speed CraftNaval ArmamentNaval EngineeringOutboard MotorsPower To Weight Ratio
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Question

Do modern outboard-powered boats go faster than the Abdiel class?

Short answer

Some may be slightly faster, but not while carrying anything close to an Abdiel's displacement, mines, guns, and protection.

Notes

A viewer asks whether modern outboard-powered boats can exceed Abdiel-class speeds. Some probably can by a small margin. The missing scale comparison is that those boats are not displacing about 4,000 tons while carrying 156 mines, six 4-inch guns, smaller anti-aircraft weapons, and armour. Speed figures should be compared alongside displacement, payload, and military capability.