Qatar Mystic Sticking With Turbines In 2014

Despite a rough run during the 2013 Super Boat International Key West Offshore World Championships earlier this month, the Spirit of Qatar team will continue running twin turbine engines—1,800 hp for offshore racing and 3,000 hp for special events—in Al Ada’aam 96, the team’s 50-foot catamaran from Mystic Powerboats. That’s the official word from the Qatar team, which saw the 50-footer break down three times, with a mechanical issue that led to an engine compartment fire in the final race, on its way to the Turbine-class world title.

For the 2014 offshore racing season, the Qatar team plans to stick with turbine engines in its 50-foot Mystic cat. Photo courtesy/copyright Andy Neumann/TDC.

“It came to our attention that there are rumors that Al Ada’aam 96 will be converted to piston engines for the 2014 season,” said Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Athani in an official statement from the team. “That ‘news’ is not true whatsoever. The boat will be repaired from the fire damage and will have the turbines back in, and we welcome any challenge from other turbine or piston boat.”

At present, the Spirit of Qatar Team, also plans to field its other two boats in domestic offshore racing next year. The team’s 42-foot Marine Technology, Inc., Spirit of Qatar 20 catamaran, which took third overall in the Superboat category, will continue to compete in the growing class. And its 41-foot Victory cat, Spirit of Qatar 613, will continue to run in the Superboat Unlimited class in which it claimed third place overall in the 2013 SBI Key West Worlds.

Related Story: Qatar’s Sheikh Hassan Still ‘Committed’ to Domestic Offshore Racing