Dude! Sweet!

Ah an honest inland boater!

I've often wondered about the 'need' for a really big V hull boat on some of the smaller lakes people boat on. If I was a Havasu guy, I'd have a 28 Skater with outboards! Not that there's anything wrong with a big water boat on a lake, just seems like a missed opportunity to go real fast in the right conditions!

TexomaPowerboater

Lots of different lakes. Texoma is the premier big lake close to Dallas so there are way too many rich guys out there in their cruisers. We also have two rivers that flow in and meet in the center which can make it pretty nasty. The storms can kick up in just minutes. I can't even count the number of times I've been caught out in 20mph winds and rain, day and night (thats a rough one). I've got a 24 sea ray for the really calm days and entertaining and its just not big enough on some days and either was the 24 python. Its going to be real nice when my dad says "its way too rough out there" and I can say nope - just some good pantera wheather.

jayhawk261

Yeah, we are most likely going to make a move. This time we are going to look a bunch of different stuff though. The 24' Super purchase was dictated by the budget my wife set. Now, if I had my choice, I'd run the Super for another year at least cause I love the thing! It's such a fun little hot rod, and nobody here knows what it is. I haven't gone out yet that someone hasn't asked me what kind of boat it is. Now the wife thinks the ride is too harsh on Grand due to all the traffic, and she gets scared when we go fast. The super handles it great, but it is a rough ride. She has demanded a larger, or better riding boat. We are looking at Cattitude's 28, and then we're also going to look at the Nordic 27 Thor, the RPM 26 Redline, and probably an active thunder. I have also been eyeing the 1994 Blue/White 36 Apache in the classifieds. I think they may be asking a bit too much for it, and I don't think the speed will be there.

Cattitude

I personally like both those cats, though I like the RPM better. I spent quite a bit of time on grand with my 25, thing is you need 55+ to get the ride, maybe a bit more on the 26/27 that has more weight. I loved it, wife did not, cruiser wakes and holes were fun if you're "into it" and vice versa. she thoroughly enjoys the Pantera on Grand at 45-55 including the occasional air time

PS, our lake is kinda large, 32 miles from the house to the dam, just not as much cruiser traffic, I've seen wind/storm chop 3's but that's about it. The canopies on the Daytona are smokin for coming home in the rain

jayhawk261

I really like the RPM as well, and it is a little less expensive than what I've been quoted on the Thors. The Nordics apparently have a bilge coat of gold. For a similarly equipped boat, the Nordics are $15k - $20K more depending on who you talk to.

The RPM looks hot, but I like the extra length of the Thor.

As far as ride, if you're running say 35 - 40 on grand in your 25' cat, how harsh was it? I think we're mainly looking for a much better ride at speed. That is where she gets freaked out. Would you think the lower speed ride would be comparable to to the 24 Super? We'll get you out in it some on The 4th and you can see for yourself how she rides.

Dude! Sweet!

I grew up boating on Lake Ontario, the St Lawrence and the Finger Lakes. I'm not bashing lake boating. Some of my worst beatings came on Oneida Lake and I'd bet it isn't more than 20 feet deep! Different kind of rough though, compared to the ocean.

Cattitude

sort of hijacking, but mostly relative to what's nice about the 28.....

If I remember right, the Thor has a molded in swim platform and the RPM does not, so the RPM is likley to actually be "more boat"

at 35-40 most any cat moves along ok, but essentially you are in a flat bottom boat, will be rougher than the V over anything more than 1-1.5' wind chop. some cats are mushy in handling at the lower speeds, My 25' Daytona was mushy south of 40even going straight- kind of hunted, my 30 is fine down to 30ish except slow turning/ corners. If you think you'll be spending quite a bit of time in the 35-40 range a cat is the wrong boat, for you and your wife. Boating has to be fun for both of you- so you both "get to go" boating

Even at 55-60 in the Daytona 25 on grand, I could fly her flat when we found some holes, but the landing was always very firm- because you use up the cushion margin and again are landing a flat bottom boat, the Pantera lands very soft. With the 25' Cat, more speed gave more cushion margin, but tended to scare anyone firmly latched on to the memory of landing at 40-55- make sense?? My buddy in his 42 Tiger still tells me how is GF/now wife permanently molded my handles in the boat tensed up at 55-60, all the guys /enthusiasts thought it was a blast (6 of us went on a daytrip in the 25' Daytona a few yrs back)

Even today.... my wife would rather keep the Pantera than the 30' Daytona, softer landings and the other thing is cats corner flatish rather than carving, to the weary, always feels like you're about to flip or fly out the side, to me it's like an aggressive corner in a vet or viper

Dude! Sweet!

You'll see it next week, but the difference in ride quality between the 28 Pantera and the 24 (Super or Pantera) is night and day. I wish I could explain it better, but even when I waste an hour telling my buddies over lunch, they still say "holy shet this thing is amazing" when they get in the 28. My wife was terrified of the 24 at speed and she loves the 28. Good luck!

By the way, that gold coated bilge comment made me spit my coffee! So many west coast boats are so freaking over priced!

jayhawk261

We're looking forward to it for sure. We are going to look at a bunch of stuff before making the decision. I'm going to get the most boat I can get so we aren't looking again in another year.

The Nordic boys are proud, but I think the Thors can be had for less than they are asking.

As Cattitude said, the 26 Redline is 26 W/O platform and the Thor is 27 with. The Redline is a deeper boat, and being roughly the same length, it will probably ride better. We've got lots of looking ahead. Our Super will probably go up for sale late next month. That way we can still use it for the rest of the season hopefully!

ziemer

Have you seen this 29 Redline for sale??? Looks like a pretty good deal.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forum...d.php?t=134128