Agents test out new 75 mph interceptor boats

[Rich McVey]

06:12 PM PDT on Monday, August 24, 2009

By ROB PIERCY / KING 5 News

http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories ... ffb09.html

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - At first the engines gently purr. Then the driver opens up the throttle. Within a couple seconds, we're zipping along at more than 70 miles an hour.

Impressed?

Maybe I should mention we're not on the road, but riding in a boat on Bellingham Bay.

Monday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed off its prototype for the next generation of its high speed interceptor boats.

More than 40 feet long and 1,400 horsepower, the Customs and Border Protection prototype is a vision of the future.

"The bad guys are getting better, and we want to stay ahead of them period, point blank," said said CBP Air and Marine officer, Joshua Johnson. "So as they get better, we have to get faster, we have to get more technologically advanced."

These are the boats used to chase drug smugglers, human traffickers and other bad guys.

The current fleet of so called "Midnight Express" boats are aging and need to be replaced.

This prototype of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's new interceptor boat can go up to 75 mph.

CBP officers are testing a prototype boat in Bellingham to see what works and what could be improved. When the testing is complete, CBP will draw up a final blueprint and put the boat out for bid.

The test boat is powered by four 350 horsepower engines, allowing speeds of up to 75 miles an hour.
It also has a high-tech camera with infrared. Officers can look at a boat from miles away to determine its threat level.

Last week, officers used the camera in the hunt for Ryan Jenkins, the reality TV star suspected of murder, who was later found dead of apparent suicide in a British Columbia motel.

"Some of the things that the other boats don't have the ability to do, we were able to do," said Johnson.

The boat's speed also came in handy a few days ago when two people in the water needed rescue.

"And we ended up being the first boat to the scene, even though we were the farthest boat away from the location," said Johnson.

With CBP operating under the Department of Homeland security, the boat is also equipped with a machine gun to thwart terrorist threats.

[Sounguru]

Sweet i wonder would a wedding ring work trolled behind that boat.

[Anonymous]

Nice...Where do you mount the downriggers?

[G-Man]

Seattle has a fast toy that they scream around in on Lake Washington. You can't see the motors on this pic but there are 3 250's on the back of this thing!

[kevinb]

This will have to go on my Christmas list. I've been good this year

[Rich McVey]

This will have to go on my Christmas list. I've been good this year [-o&lt]

Thats not what I heard