LostinBoston

Width could also be a major factor there. A boat that is too narrow may have a tendancy to lean into or away from a crosswind, or angled seas. A widerboat with steps may be more family friendly that a narrow non-step boat. Stepped hull spin out when turning to hard and not properly balanced and trimmed and throw in some driver/throttling error. I usually dont push the limits of my boat with my family on board so i woudl never worry about it spinning.
In other words, get a cat.

audacity

todays stepped boats are faster, turn better and go faster in rougher water that the boats did 5 years ago....let alone 10 or 15 years back! it's about the same logic when people think a v is faster in the rough than a cat.

Catagory5

Steps create turbulence and reduce surface tension with the water so theoretically make the boat easier to push.

BajaIceBreaker

Not to get off track on this thread, but what's the issue with padded bottoms? I have never heard that before, and I have never had a problem with my boat. I have a 37 Baja with a pad. Handles great!!!
Maybe because its so heavy and slow. I would imagine that if it was lighter and faster, the boat would be on the pad, and only on the pad. Is that the issue?

JS232

Uhh? A Baja with a Pad??? Maybe they did in the vintage Hulls? Are We talking about the same thing?

Have a look:

Hydrocruiser

Here is my take...

It's not just the STEPS but rather a combination of changes vs. Old School:


Steps..(how many and design that entraps air etc)..pad...x-dimension height increased....weight reduction....staggered engines/balance....more efficient drives and props...reduced freeboard....beak for aerodynamics

..the above combo can give a great straight line boat...and watch the h*ll out during turns...last summer going 95mph with a friend I learned how to swim in a hurry...he took a turn a bit too fast

audacity

hydro...again modern day boats are not only better going straight line, they turn WAY better than older conventional hulls too.

hydro, you got ejected at 95mph! wow most would not be alive....what boat was this? how much damage was done?

jpclear

Hell, you haven't even begun to have fun till you take that unexpected swim at 90+. Try it upside-down and backward with an open cockpit when your helmet buckets and try's to rip your freaking head off. Now that's REAL fun. And the boat WAS destroyed! --- Jer

rouxsterre

Just a question . . . . I read about a lot of different step-hulls spinning out, but very few seem to be Fountains.
Is this correct ?

RJBBC

Thanks for the illustration. I have always wondered what a padded bottom looked like.