Cat vs v hull...

[McScrewy]

Ok guys, Im trying to get as much input as possible regarding my next boat purchase. I want an open bow or deck boat, however my experience is limited regarding the safety and handling of the cat vs v hull.
All I've owned have been v hull, and what riverbound would call my progression to manhood.
I started with a seadoo(Don't judge me), then a 19' dana and last was a Hallett 210 closed bow.
Now that my family is growing and doing more atuff I'd like to have a boat that s easier to get in and out of, and safety is a big concern.
Your input is appreciated...

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[Wizard29]

Oh boy, here we go...

 

[JD D05]

Where do you boat, how do you boat?

 

[DrunkenSailor]

Where do you boat, how do you boat?

This and Budget?

 

[McScrewy]

Normally boat in havasu and or parker.

Where do you boat, how do you boat?

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[Slats]

I have owned only v bottom boats. I really wanted a cat when I found my current boat. Advantage 28 victory. I'm very happy that I got the victory I like the way it handles the rougher water when the family is out enjoying the lake. I reall think you can go either way. Just depends on how much you want to spend. Good luck coming with the the decision.

 

[relaxalot]

Depends on where you boat.. How many do you typically have on the boat.. do you want to do wakeboarding etc?

 

[Rbcconst]

Ok guys, Im trying to get as much input as possible regarding my next boat purchase. I want an open bow or deck boat, however my experience is limited regarding the safety and handling of the cat vs v hull.
All I've owned have been v hull, and what riverbound would call my progression to manhood.
I started with a seadoo(Don't judge me), then a 19' dana and last was a Hallett 210 closed bow.
Now that my family is growing and doing more atuff I'd like to have a boat that s easier to get in and out of, and safety is a big concern.
Your input is appreciated...

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What is your overall goal in upgrading the boat? Any idea of the size you want? How fast do you want to go? As someone else mentioned how much are you looking to spend?


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[McScrewy]

This and Budget?

I'm looking at something 24'-28', avg power (496-525ci) not trying to break speed records, just trying to get something safe and stable for the family.

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[McScrewy]

Depends on where you boat.. How many do you typically have on the boat.. do you want to do wakeboarding etc?

Only having closed bows before ice been limited to persons on the boat. I don't want a pontoon, RD says their boring as F* to drive. Guess 7-10? As far as speed, I don't have to 100+ just don't want to be last...

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[ONE-A-DAY]

For me and everyone else in my boating circle of friends, once they get a cat they wish they had made the change sooner.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Cats never handle rough water as a deep v


Cats are typically faster then Vs. But that isn’t always the case either. Fastest V is the outerlimits at 180 plus mph average kilo speed which means they actually went faster on one of the two runs.

 

[Blackmagic94]

And you will never match the space of a full cabin v vs a cat.

 

[Dkahnjob]

My experience is mostly with V-Hulls, but I currently have a 270 Hallett and a 26 Daytona. I have only had the Daytona for less than a year. So I am sure other will chime in with a lot more experience than me. My take is when the water is smooth or just a light chop the Cat is wonderful, but when it is really rough like Memorial Day the V-hull is much better. Also like already mentioned the room in the Cuddy of a V-hull is much better.
So I guess it all depends on what you are going to be doing.
hth

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

V Hull
Nice 270 Hallett for sale at M.O.M. right now for $43k. Rides better than any cat out there.


Deck boats are nice and practical for families, but they are very windy.

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[McScrewy]

I've seen it on the web, and on here...not totally out of the question.
Looking at the M.O.M. 26' shockwave deck and the 270..

V Hull
Nice 270 Hallett for sale at M.O.M. right now for $43k. Rides better than any cat out there.


Deck boats are nice and practical for families, but they are very windy.

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[DrunkenSailor]

I prefer V Hulls for ocean work that being said my favorite decks are:

Howard

E-Ticket

Nordic with twin outboards.

The new Barron boat deck looks pretty cool too.

For V Hulls depending on budget a Nortech CC or Flyer are pretty high on my list.

For more down to earth stuff I would be looking at:
Howard Bullet

Lavey 2750 with outboards

Nordic Heat

Hallett 270T with CTS-V motors.

I am a huge fan of the new outboard power and everything that I would be looking for would have outboard power or could be rigged accordingly. The exception being the Hallett 270T. I would really like to see what one of these could do with twin LSA's.

My vote is for V Hull.

 

[fmo24]

I had an Advantage 27 Victory. If the weather gets stormy or windy you can go down below and kick back out of the weather. Can be a pain in the ass for some to get in and out of. You could very easily pull kids or adults on a ski or wakeboard. A deck boat is super easy boarding from the beach or water but can be windy ride and always exposed to weather. Plus can be tough to yank kids around as they don’t plane quite so easily.
Tough decision. You just need to ride in a bunch of different hulls.

 

[NicPaus]

Kids plan on doing water sports? If so a V 26' range is ideal for Parker and Havasu. Any bigger will not plane slow enough.

 

[Rbcconst]

Can’t speak much for the cats but would say if your looking for a V bottom I would be getting a 26’-28’ with an aggressive bottom and V angle. There is an extremely wide range of different V’s out there, meaning not all equal in the equivalent length. You could find some 24’s that would ride better then some 26’s.


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[steak&lobster]

I'm looking at something 24'-28', avg power (496-525ci) not trying to break speed records, just trying to get something safe and stable for the family.

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43k

 

[Uncle Dave]

I have a V and a Tunnel which works like a center pod cat.
I love them both, I find the V a more practical choice more often -for me - and I boat in the Cal/az/neva/ lakes and rivers.

The V rides softer in the rough but harder in smooth, and has tons of room and usability.

My tunnel has some but limited space it rides great across light chop and smaller water.
You can get by with medium sized chop for a while with them - As the wave period gets longer you can speed up and carry the boat to the next crest - until you run out of speed. Lots of the time 70 feel better than 50 or 60 when you are up and running on top it.

The second you cant carry the sponson to the peak of the next wave the boat falls into oncoming the wave face - you are in for a beating and are going to get wet.

Got a really big high power cat - all that takes longer to happen or may never happen depending on conditions but if it goes south it usually happens to be much more dramatic event to the boat crew than a guy in a V plowing through a wave face.



UD

 

[River Lynchmob]

I have a buddy that just signed up for a new Nordic 29 deck and has a 2009 Hallett 255 open bow with a 525 and 145 hours that will be foe sale in the next 2 to 3 months. It is showroom perfect.

 

[mjc]

I went from a 29 fountain to 28 magic deck. the fountain was more fun to drive especially when it got rough out. I haven't had the magic in that rough of water yet since I can go any day now, but it is much easier to get in and out of.

 

[4Waters]

I prefer V Hulls for ocean work that being said my favorite decks are:

Howard

E-Ticket

Nordic with twin outboards.

The new Barron boat deck looks pretty cool too.

For V Hulls depending on budget a Nortech CC or Flyer are pretty high on my list.

For more down to earth stuff I would be looking at:
Howard Bullet

Lavey 2750 with outboards

Nordic Heat

Hallett 270T with CTS-V motors.

I am a huge fan of the new outboard power and everything that I would be looking for would have outboard power or could be rigged accordingly. The exception being the Hallett 270T. I would really like to see what one of these could do with twin LSA's.

My vote is for V Hull.

This boat is flat-out sexy

 

[Spot]

V Hull
Nice 270 Hallett for sale at M.O.M. right now for $43k. Rides better than any cat out there.

OSB, You read my mind as I was reading the OP‘s first post. Buy this boat and call it a day. Plenty of room for a family, very comfortable, and the MCOB allows the wife and kids to get out of the sun.


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[ductape1000]

I have a buddy that just signed up for a new Nordic 29 deck and has a 2009 Hallett 255 open bow with a 525 and 145 hours that will be foe sale in the next 2 to 3 months. It is showroom perfect. View attachment 653792 View attachment 653793

There's going to be a bidding war for that... [emoji41]

Sent from a van down by the river. [emoji111]️[emoji41]

 

[boatnam2]

Loved my 255 but love my Cat also. Probably would of keep my 255 if it was a open bow and saved myself a lot of money.

 

[TexasJet]

A V hull will never blow over or hook a sponson and flip.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Loved my 255 but love my Cat also. Probably would of keep my 255 if it was a open bow and saved myself a lot of money.

Sawsall

 

[Jonas Grumby]

I’ve been looking at V’s myself, I want to be able to step down into a cabin, and I have slowed down in my old age.

 

[Icky]

A V hull will never blow over or hook a sponson and flip.

 

[HB2Havasu]

Only having closed bows before ice been limited to persons on the boat. I don't want a pontoon, RD says their boring as F* to drive. Guess 7-10? As far as speed, I don't have to 100+ just don't want to be last...

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If your regularly hauling around 7-10 people in Parker & Havasu I would look for a Deckboat. Going to be a little crowded with that many people in a v-hull. Whatever you get make sure your putting some HP to the prop. That’s a lot of weight to haul around!

 

[milkmoney]

Schiada [emoji202]

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[2FORCEFULL]

A V hull will never blow over or hook a sponson and flip.

but it will stick a side and pitch you out....lol

 

[2FORCEFULL]

damn... you beat me to it...

 

[Bigbore500r]

V-hull
-Planes better, especially with heavy loads / lots of passengers
-Stays on plane at lower speeds
-Better for water sports
-Less fussy about driver input / trim settings
-Turns better for the average Joe
-Make sure the big girls spread out, dont want it sitting crooked when you cruise the channel

CAT
-Cuts wind chop and thru boat wakes like a hot knife thru butter
-USUALLY faster for same given power
-Chicks dig em
-Minimal rolling / pitching when negotiating parallel wakes
-Line up the big girls on one side of the boat....it'll stay level

 

[Uncle Dave]

Theoretically that guy was supposed to be "very experienced."

Never seen an experienced guy throttle like he did smacking the sticks all the way open and closed trying to recover from running out of talent.

Id say a V is on the whole safer but you can still get into all kinds of trouble with high performance V hulls.

Such a bummer - boat full of friends and cute gals all trusting this guys judgement and to have a good time.

Instead of driving the skin boat to tuna town the drive he ends up making is with his passengers in an ambulance to the hospital.

He's really lucky it didn't stick and roll like Steve mentioned. Guy probably would have drowned as he was knocked out cold.

 

[rvrrun]

Schiada [emoji202]

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...but they want to go boating, not trailering.

 

[Done-it-again]

There's going to be a bidding war for that... [emoji41]

Sent from a van down by the river. [emoji111]️[emoji41]

Looks like a possible 80k starting price. The bidding war could be short.

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/2009-hallett-255-open-bow-coming-up-for-sale.184953/

 

[throttle]

I know lots of peeps caught by surprise at the cost of insurance for a cat. Be sure to look at that angle. I don't like putting a cap on the price of fun, but you gotta keep it real at the same time. I think a v bottom would fit your needs well! Hope you find something you can enjoy for years to come.

 

[Uncle Dave]

I know lots of peeps caught by surprise at the cost of insurance for a cat. Be sure to look at that angle. I don't like putting a cap on the price of fun, but you gotta keep it real at the same time. I think a v bottom would fit your needs well! Hope you find something you can enjoy for years to come.

Yup.

This is tricky as some deck boats are charged insurance rates as cats - others not

If the model is based on a cat with the front cut out you can bet it will be insured like a cat.

If the model is a dedicated design as a deck boat its more likely to carry the lower rate.

Better make a call to your insurance company before purchase - or dont be surprised to see a 3-5K bill depending on ones experience.

UD

 

[SJP]

7-10 people - you are looking at a pontoon. The new ones are really nice. Cat boats are really good at a few things and being a primary family boat is not one of them.

 

[Q4mtxUS]

If youre looking for brand new, check out Cobra. They've got a new 230 Razor MCOB ready for power and a new owner. Good looking boat, lots of room.

 

[Cole Trickle]

I would be looking at a 26' walk through open bow V.

Nothing wrong with a cat but they don't like a ton of weight up front and they can get a little spooky when the water is rough/soupy.....they like some wind chop but when it's coming from all directions I'm just not a fan. (I think a 32' DW with twin 400's would change my mind on this...haha)

I drove a new 565 Fundeck over the Desert Storm weekend and what was a 80 mph boat with 4 people turned into a 62 mph boat with 12 people on board. I honestly would have rather been in a hallett 270 in those water conditions. Boat did fine but it is no where as forgiving as a V when loaded up with that many loved ones.

Another thing going from a 70+ mph 210 to a 62 mph deck boat is going to feel like you just traded in your corvette for a school bus from a driving stand point.

 

[Englewood]

I went from 21-23' V Hulls to a 27 Ultra Cat to a 26 Ultra Deck, then a 28 Magic Deck.

For water sports, throw the deck idea right out the window...While some do it, its not ideal.

I can say that on busy weekends we can go up and down the river and pass almost every V-Hull with ease. When you learn how to drive a cat and perfect the trim/turning, you will be amazed at the difference.

Our 28 Magic with a 525 is a 75mph boat in perfect conditions. You load that thing up with 12 people for a bar run, you might see 60, prob less.

Edited - Since some people can't read, my comment about passing V-hulls is for comparably sized or smaller boats.

 

[Blackmagic94]

You aren’t passing a big v on a rough day in a magic lol

 

[Uncle Dave]

I would be looking at a 26' walk through open bow V.

Nothing wrong with a cat but they don't like a ton of weight up front and they can get a little spooky when the water is rough/soupy.....they like some wind chop but when it's coming from all directions I'm just not a fan. (I think a 32' DW with twin 400's would change my mind on this...haha)

I drove a new 565 Fundeck over the Desert Storm weekend and what was a 80 mph boat with 4 people turned into a 62 mph boat with 12 people on board. I honestly would have rather been in a hallett 270 in those water conditions. Boat did fine but it is no where as forgiving as a V when loaded up with that many loved ones.

Another thing going from a 70+ mph 210 to a 62 mph deck boat is going to feel like you just traded in your corvette for a school bus from a driving stand point.

Yup - other deck boat subtleties come into play as well

Many react poorly to uneven weight distribution in the front and start nose steering.

Watch your tape measure when its time to buy - Lots of "swim step" enthusiastically labeled as " Boat" in this market space.


UD

 

[Englewood]

You aren’t passing a big v on a rough day in a magic lol

Might want to re-read my post. I said "almost every". Last I checked there wasn't many 28'+ V's in Parker.

 

[farmo83]

To me if any kind of water sports are involved I would go V hull.