jb

I agree with you. Especially a custom shop like Advantage. I looked at that test at 89 mph (and was immediately wondering why it was so s-l-o-w (well, not that 89 is slow). I could not believe the set up is that off from the factory. Thats something you expect from Baja or some mass produced boat. Too bad because those things get you noticed or passed over. I some guy from the east sees this left coast boat running so fast on mild power , he will inquire!!!
I cant believe your 32 didnt even have the best prop!?!?
you should not have to do all that testing for them. Now take a guy like me who probably wouldnt test anything... I would never reach my boats optimum set up. Merc motors should be tested as well. I might mess with props but thats it.
Remember the old 28 obsessions, that was one of the few boats over 80mph with t502's. Advantage does that with a 32. i cant believe they are not more popular back east.
not to change the subject...but i would like to see a better swim platform/ transom on the 32. thats one thin the wife did not like.

Advantage_Rob

The swim platform is fine I think, b=uilt in ladder, trim on the transom, The sun pad is kind of short, but not really much less than most, and it still get's full of people all summer, so I really dont notice it being smaller in the real world, but the cockpit space more than makes up for it. I guess they could add a big tail for a longer sunpad, call it a 35, and charge 50 grand more like everyone else does... Sorry I am an engineer and always deal with how things are designed, and I always think in terms of "how could this be improved".
Hey diveboy, that's my place on M-29. just wishing I had 500efi's too!!I hated seeing that test at 89mph, it's depressing to see other manufacturers do tests, on boats that you know they got it tweeked to max speeds before to testing crew got thier hands on it, then Advantage, being low volume, not having all this extra time and resouces like the big volume guys, well lets just say I think they could do alot better job, without much effort, but Its not my business to run so we'll leave that for those the do run it. Maybee they're lurkers!! I'll tell you this much, I cant wait to get out there again!! My good friend has a 32 fountain same power, drives ect, it's alot more of a handfull to drive, due to being such a shorter bottom, plus there id no room on it, not in the cabin or cockpit, I mean no big deal, but I still get him in the calm, and if it gets snotty, out there, he's in the air the whole time, where I'm in the water pulling on him, big time. I just love when there's good slop out there to run in. It's all for fun and any boat that get's you out there to enjoy boating is a good one, we've all got our own preferences.

Jassman

Cool boats guys, trick paint looks good as well, I like the 4 bolsters and the headroom as well, see you guys at some poker runs, take care

Hey, post more pics

diveboy

Hey Rob,

Cool place out on M-29!!!! What's the water level like out back, can you get a boat in/out there? I agree with you on the topic of testing. It seems like alot of these manufacturers have the boat completely dialed in before they let someone run it. I guess if I was them, I'd want my product to be 100% also before I gave it to a test driver to rip on. After all, those articles and reports help sell boats!! I think you're right, Advantage could do a better job in this respect, I just don't think they have the resources. Did some of Michigans finest ladies put on a descent show at Boyne? I would have loved to have made it up for the party, next year!

Jon-

Advantage_Rob

Boyne definitely had it's share of popped tops and bottoms, and there was only one that got snowballed for Too much everything.
Thanks on the house compliment. The view is awesome, that's what sold me, despite the houses condition when I bought it, it was pretty trashed, and in the middle of addition and remodeling when the former owner passed away. The water behind my house is just under 5 feet deep right now, so it's good for boats, but I dont have a hoist, YET!!! I really lucked out on the water level where my house is, if I go 1/2 mile either way it's 2' deep off the seawall, but it drops to 8-10 feet deep thru the whole area by 100 yards out, with the exception of the point of munchee bay, (where The raft is), but this whole area is great water, and at that point is awesome, you can pull the boat up, and the waters 2-3 feet deep, and pure sand, and always really warm. I do alot of jet skiing, around there, and back further there are some decent crowds that gather, mostly family's. That's where I hide from my friends when I take out my parents, or sisters & bro-in-laws and thier kids. It's a nice area, and it hasn't become a itiot festival like muscamoot bay and gull island are. If you have family and you're looking for a nice spot, that's more laid back, this is it. Not sure if you know this area by water, but here's a pic The point I was refering to is at the lower right corner, then it goes into munchee bay as you head left in this picture, from that point, and that's the north channel on the far left side, and grassy island in the center of the bay.

Wass up Jassman!!!

Jassman

Hey Rob, where is boyne, never heard of that lake. Looks real nice and calm.

Advantage_Rob

Boyne Mountian Jassman! skiing, crazy days, it's a michigan thing...lake St clair...calm...usually, but when it gets rough and there is no pattern or spacing between anything, you'd be wishing you were back in the ocean. That picture is just the bay, about 5 miles across, the main lake is about 30-35 mile diameter. It's a fun playground between Lake Huron and Erie.

Jassman

Rob, whats the water like , compared to lake Michigan. I really enjoy the gulf down here, couldnt stand Lake Michigan, very confused waters in all directions, compared to nice rollers with a few 3-5 ft choppy waves. Are some of you guys going to CUMBERLAND, thats half way.

Advantage_Rob

St clair's is never too horrible, just confused, don't get me wrong, I've had 10' cresting swells from every direction coming over the bow in my friends 35 cigarette where you couldnt even think of getting on plane, but thats rare, in comparison, like comparing the gulf, and lake michigan. I haven't been out in michigan, but I do run in lake huron and erie, there is somewhat of a pattern, confused, but still a pattern to it, and alot more span between the waves than st. clair usually, but not nearly as confused. St clair is shallow, average about 10 ft deep, and when it gets chopped up it's a mess, and there is no pattern what so ever and no span between waves, they are just all over one after the other in no direction, and they often hit each other and spalsh up. I'll have to get some pics from my place to better explain it, I get 4-5 rolling in hitting my seawall with a thunderous wall of whitewater, and head right back out into the waves coming in, and when they hit each other they just climb, and make a wall of whitewater. The entire coastline along the american shore is seawall for 30-40 miles, and everything reflects back out to further confuse the waves, plus this is the most crowded waterway in the world, so add the boat wake chop to it. Given a normal day is 2's with an occasional 3, but they come from every direction, and you never can get in a groove, but still, normally nothing you can just run right thru without a thought most of the time, when they are 4-5's it no fun at all, and everything crests, due to the shallow water, it's just retarted. The confused 2-3 chop is just perfect for my 26 cat, it loves confused water, and just skips over all of it as if it were calm out. I've done atlantic, and pacific ocean boating as well as the gulf, havasu, mead, cumberland, and I still really like this area. This memorial day I'll be trying out LOTO!!! Take all things concidered, and it rocks around here. Lots of different places to go party, on the american or canadian side, nice restaraunts all over the water on both sides of the border, tons of sandy bays with waist deep water that draws hundreds and hundreds of boats rafted up every weekend, Some for partier's, and some more family oriented, there are islands for partiers, and familys too, lots of poker runs, and fun runs, and and 3 races every year, plus to the south thru the detroit river, put-in bay is 1 1/2 hour trip, or cedar point, cleveland flats, pelle island in canada, or to the north, you've got port huron, tons of cool spots all along the st clair river, and grand bend is just as nut's as put-in-bay, but in canada, where the legal drinking age is 19, and topless just for a bonus, and a real nice key west like set up of bar after bar, and sand dunes to climb, a dragway, marina's campsites. Just a good boating area all around, well except this time of year. all winter long it's usually bar hopping by snowmobile, for 20-30 miles along the U.S. shoreline, one bar after another. This time of year the lakes not frozen so the snowmobiles are put away, and it's way too cold to go boating.

TuckerDog2

Here is my new boat.......I am pretty excited to get it in the water!