Interesting piece of Sonic history.....
01-25-2012, 07:00 PM
#11
Driver-441
Racer
Yep. Would be an absolute turd IMO.
I am on my 2nd 24' Sonic twin O/B and the hull is in deed from a Donzi. It's a liner boat though and the stringers are glass box's and part of the liner. Hull and deck are foam core. When Mr. Ross was building these boats he did a hell of a job. I've been all over the inside both of mine and the glass work (even under the liner!) is A-1.
Only mistake they made was glass the aft seat base to the inside of the transom to act as knee's for the loading from the O/B's but they tabbed them in to the foam which de-lam'd from the base and let the transom's flex. Every O/B will have cracks where the side decks transition to the transom cap due to this.
There was another one in Northern Ohio w/twin TRS's and big blocks I think. Was for a sale a couple yrs back. I sent the guy a message to ask him how it ran but never got a reply. Very well done version though.
Here's a picture of how well they fly w/twin O/B's and can't see one with I/O's being much fun based on C. of G. and weight.
I am on my 2nd 24' Sonic twin O/B and the hull is in deed from a Donzi. It's a liner boat though and the stringers are glass box's and part of the liner. Hull and deck are foam core. When Mr. Ross was building these boats he did a hell of a job. I've been all over the inside both of mine and the glass work (even under the liner!) is A-1.
Only mistake they made was glass the aft seat base to the inside of the transom to act as knee's for the loading from the O/B's but they tabbed them in to the foam which de-lam'd from the base and let the transom's flex. Every O/B will have cracks where the side decks transition to the transom cap due to this.
There was another one in Northern Ohio w/twin TRS's and big blocks I think. Was for a sale a couple yrs back. I sent the guy a message to ask him how it ran but never got a reply. Very well done version though.
Here's a picture of how well they fly w/twin O/B's and can't see one with I/O's being much fun based on C. of G. and weight.
01-25-2012, 07:33 PM
#12
Registered
Thread Starter
No doubt about that.
Don't think I've seen one done proper though??? Don't get me wrong, I think about jumping ship every time one of my motors pisses me off which is quite regular. Always ends the same though.
I do home work, math, look at logistics, talk to I/O running friends check finances and then remember why I run O/B's.
My old 24' Sonic ran dead nuts on 80 GPS w/stock twin 250 V-6 O/B's with warranties and I didn't have to give up the aft 6' of the boat for them.
It would probably take 700 HP's or more to run the same with an I/O in this boat? You'd have 5 times the money in that drive train than what I had in my motors and less boat to boot.
One of the smartest things I did when I bought my 1st 24' was to do the math. For what I wanted to do I kept ending up at 24' - 25' and twin O/B's. I knew any bigger and the O/B's would stop working (speed wise), I'd need a bigger truck to tow with, more PIA to single hand which I do a lot of, stops working at the smaller/inland lakes etc, etc.
I can see a twin I/O 30' in my future at some point but while I can build motors (O/B's) from scrap parts at next to nothing ......that's tuff to walk away from. I think I might have $2K in these two motors that should make 260 - 270 HP's per and turn 7500 when I want them to and have box's of spare everything. Remember too, that $2K is drives and transmissions too.
Charlie I think you're right. I just saw pix's somewhere of you on the ground with Yamaha guts scattered all around you
Seem to remember something about an exhaust can being opened up w/a hammer
I do home work, math, look at logistics, talk to I/O running friends check finances and then remember why I run O/B's.
My old 24' Sonic ran dead nuts on 80 GPS w/stock twin 250 V-6 O/B's with warranties and I didn't have to give up the aft 6' of the boat for them.
It would probably take 700 HP's or more to run the same with an I/O in this boat? You'd have 5 times the money in that drive train than what I had in my motors and less boat to boot.
One of the smartest things I did when I bought my 1st 24' was to do the math. For what I wanted to do I kept ending up at 24' - 25' and twin O/B's. I knew any bigger and the O/B's would stop working (speed wise), I'd need a bigger truck to tow with, more PIA to single hand which I do a lot of, stops working at the smaller/inland lakes etc, etc.
I can see a twin I/O 30' in my future at some point but while I can build motors (O/B's) from scrap parts at next to nothing ......that's tuff to walk away from. I think I might have $2K in these two motors that should make 260 - 270 HP's per and turn 7500 when I want them to and have box's of spare everything. Remember too, that $2K is drives and transmissions too.
Charlie I think you're right. I just saw pix's somewhere of you on the ground with Yamaha guts scattered all around you
Seem to remember something about an exhaust can being opened up w/a hammer
01-25-2012, 07:56 PM
#13
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I seem to vaguely remember a power cord and multiple power tools. That boat ran well at the drags.
I so agree...inexpensive for a 200 Johnson, big carbs, shave heads, port timing and throw a few useless parts away and presto 300 hp for next to nothing in a 400 lb package.
I have more money in one drive than I did in all my outboard boats combined.
I so agree...inexpensive for a 200 Johnson, big carbs, shave heads, port timing and throw a few useless parts away and presto 300 hp for next to nothing in a 400 lb package.
I have more money in one drive than I did in all my outboard boats combined.
01-25-2012, 08:03 PM
#14
Gold Member
Gold Member
01-25-2012, 09:51 PM
#16
Driver-441
Racer
Don't think I've seen one done proper though??? Don't get me wrong, I think about jumping ship every time one of my motors pisses me off which is quite regular. Always ends the same though.
I do home work, math, look at logistics, talk to I/O running friends check finances and then remember why I run O/B's.
My old 24' Sonic ran dead nuts on 80 GPS w/stock twin 250 V-6 O/B's with warranties and I didn't have to give up the aft 6' of the boat for them.
It would probably take 700 HP's or more to run the same with an I/O in this boat? You'd have 5 times the money in that drive train than what I had in my motors and less boat to boot.
One of the smartest things I did when I bought my 1st 24' was to do the math. For what I wanted to do I kept ending up at 24' - 25' and twin O/B's. I knew any bigger and the O/B's would stop working (speed wise), I'd need a bigger truck to tow with, more PIA to single hand which I do a lot of, stops working at the smaller/inland lakes etc, etc.
I can see a twin I/O 30' in my future at some point but while I can build motors (O/B's) from scrap parts at next to nothing ......that's tuff to walk away from. I think I might have $2K in these two motors that should make 260 - 270 HP's per and turn 7500 when I want them to and have box's of spare everything. Remember too, that $2K is drives and transmissions too.
Charlie I think you're right. I just saw pix's somewhere of you on the ground with Yamaha guts scattered all around you Seem to remember something about an exhaust can being opened up w/a hammer
I do home work, math, look at logistics, talk to I/O running friends check finances and then remember why I run O/B's.
My old 24' Sonic ran dead nuts on 80 GPS w/stock twin 250 V-6 O/B's with warranties and I didn't have to give up the aft 6' of the boat for them.
It would probably take 700 HP's or more to run the same with an I/O in this boat? You'd have 5 times the money in that drive train than what I had in my motors and less boat to boot.
One of the smartest things I did when I bought my 1st 24' was to do the math. For what I wanted to do I kept ending up at 24' - 25' and twin O/B's. I knew any bigger and the O/B's would stop working (speed wise), I'd need a bigger truck to tow with, more PIA to single hand which I do a lot of, stops working at the smaller/inland lakes etc, etc.
I can see a twin I/O 30' in my future at some point but while I can build motors (O/B's) from scrap parts at next to nothing ......that's tuff to walk away from. I think I might have $2K in these two motors that should make 260 - 270 HP's per and turn 7500 when I want them to and have box's of spare everything. Remember too, that $2K is drives and transmissions too.
Charlie I think you're right. I just saw pix's somewhere of you on the ground with Yamaha guts scattered all around you
Seem to remember something about an exhaust can being opened up w/a hammer 
01-26-2012, 05:28 AM
#17
Registered
Thread Starter
No worries Mate : )
Didn't take it personally. I just find that many do not know the advantages that O/B's have in certain situations and if taken advantage of.
On twins in small boats, I have been impressed w/the older 24' Formulas I've looked at. Mostly small blocks of course but tons of room for a small boat. That's one of my *****es with I/O's in the small boats I can afford to operate. Have to pull the motors to do much of anything.
On twins in small boats, I have been impressed w/the older 24' Formulas I've looked at. Mostly small blocks of course but tons of room for a small boat. That's one of my *****es with I/O's in the small boats I can afford to operate. Have to pull the motors to do much of anything.
01-26-2012, 08:42 AM
#18
Driver-441
Racer
I think the main advantage of a big block (other than reliability if your comparing to a 2.5 ) is rough water balance. For example, in the class i race in theres a 30 foot Superboat with 2.5s right on the transom. In calm water hes just about unbeatable, he turns and accelorates better than any of the big block boats. But in rough water he cant keep the boat in the water. Nose points straight up. But your certainly right on the use of every hp, a 27 Kryptonite with 280s on it ran just over 100 if I remember right. With a good setup it takes around 800 HP of a big block to get ya there.
) is rough water balance. For example, in the class i race in theres a 30 foot Superboat with 2.5s right on the transom. In calm water hes just about unbeatable, he turns and accelorates better than any of the big block boats. But in rough water he cant keep the boat in the water. Nose points straight up. But your certainly right on the use of every hp, a 27 Kryptonite with 280s on it ran just over 100 if I remember right. With a good setup it takes around 800 HP of a big block to get ya there.
01-26-2012, 09:54 AM
#19
Registered
Thread Starter
Yep, agreed.
C. of G. of a single I/O being farther forward helps it stay more level when it drops Vs 800lbs of motors hanging on a stick w/the O/B's.
I punish tabs on both my boats to compensate. The new one has Keikhaefer's but I exploded two Bennett rams on the old boat. Second one was even their dual ram, "Sport Tab".
2.5's get a bad rap for their longevity but most are modified to the 9th degree.
My thing is what you can do w/stock power on a smaller V compared to an I/O. Everything I looked at (meeting my needs) comparable, in my price range ended up being 65 mph boats and were boring to drive. I like being rewarded for my driving
Biggest allure for the Sonic to me though is the cabin as we weekend on ours
