The
go-fast boat is the
smuggling vessel of choice in many parts of the world in the
1990s and
first years of the
21st century. Built of solid fiberglass
?, wide of beam and with a deep "
V" hull form, the typical go-fast carries a ton or more of cargo, several fuel drums, a handheld
global positioning system, perhaps a
cellular telephone, and a small crew. With 250-plus horsepower engine, they travel at top speeds of 35-50 knots, slowing little in light chop and still maintaining 25 or more knots in the average five- to seven-foot Caribbean seas. They are heavy enough to cut through higher waves, although at a slower pace. With no metallic fittings, go-fasts are rarely detected by
radar except in a flat calm or at close range.
The US Coast Guard finds them to be stealthy, fast, seaworthy, and very difficult to intercept.