28 Active Thunder vs 28 Pantera vs ???

[Uncle Dave]

Yeah no kidding Jass-

AR - Tell me thats your sister and your going to introduce us.
If shes yours maybe shes got a sister!


UD

[Uncle Dave]

Here is a cockpit pic. Lots of storage underneath the seats in the cabin. None in the gunwale. I will dig up some more pics tonight. Mold work is perfect in the cockpit.

Love to see them.

Cool boat that thing must really rock with twins.

Is that an anodized/powder coated piece of aluminum across the dash?

I agonized for months on my dash layout and ultimately had a completely custom dash boards made, but still had to compromise on what went where because I dedicated a majority of the space to a really high end top dollar nav/radar system that cost more than a small car.

What I ended up with is a fusion - "glass/analog hybrid" dash, ultimately Im very happy, but it would be nice if I had the space to do both completely.

Im thinking about adding a lexan winsdhield extender like was shown earlier.

UD

[ar15meister]

Yeah no kidding Jass-

AR - Tell me thats your sister and your going to introduce us.
If shes yours maybe shes got a sister!


UD

definately not my sister..lol..

not mine either just a great pic I found thought u guys would like it

[RLJ676]

Can, or does PowerpPlay allow the exhaust to be routed under the step?

tradeoff here is having the exhaust above the steps intrudes one the versatility of using the step and pad somewhat (Id imagine) probably not as big a deal in the ocean, but as lake boat to sun and swim with, I'd imagine many would wish to route this differently.


- but It looks killer!!

UD

I believe mine was actually built to be a race boat, so the swim step was done later. It wasn't completely rigged (interior) by PP from what I have gathered.

I like the high exhaust, and if you look close you can barely see some dumps that are below the exhaust for water, so the wet exhaust isn't too wet. It is a LOUT setup.

My only complaint about that setup it is the soot on the swim platform is a constant battle, but it doesn't kill too much space or get too hot back there.

There are only 3-4 singles, and 13-14 total 28's. Great boats, and rare.

[Uncle Dave]

I believe mine was actually built to be a race boat, so the swim step was done later. It wasn't completely rigged (interior) by PP from what I have gathered.

I like the high exhaust, and if you look close you can barely see some dumps that are below the exhaust for water, so the wet exhaust isn't too wet. It is a LOUT setup.

My only complaint about that setup it is the soot on the swim platform is a constant battle, but it doesn't kill too much space or get too hot back there.

There are only 3-4 singles, and 13-14 total 28's. Great boats, and rare.

cool pedigree, and a really cool looking rig, Id love to go for a ride in it.

Ive fought the transom soot problem ll my life, well all my life up to last year.

My demon 850 on my small block runs really clean way cleaner than the Holly it replaced, but the transom still soots up.

The Ilmor 710 though.... pretty amazing, never seen a spec of soot on the transom as well there shouldn't be for what this baby set me back.

Its a relatively small engine just 505 cubes/ 8.3L so its a little light on the bottom compared to the blown guys, but this thing revs like a 2 stroke dirt bike, and its all aluminum and closed cooled so all in all a pretty neat part.

Ive got a real disadvantage against a true 28 in that Ive only got 100 gallons But the boat is relatively light and the aluminum block shaves off about another 150lb.Part of the payback of this mill is that it gets pretty incredible mileage. 2.4mpg on my last 150 mile trip from Marina Del rey to San Diego.

Or 33-5 gallons to and from Avalon from Del Rey- ( around 100 bones)







UD

[RLJ676]

cool pedigree, and a really cool looking rig, Id love to go for a ride in it.

Ive fought the transom soot problem ll my life, well all my life up to last year.

My demon 850 on my small block runs really clean way cleaner than the Holly it replaced, but the transom still soots up.

The Ilmor 710 though.... pretty amazing, never seen a spec of soot on the transom as well there shouldn't be for what this baby set me back.

Its a relatively small engine just 505 cubes/ 8.3L so its a little light on the bottom compared to the blown guys, but this thing revs like a 2 stroke dirt bike, and its all aluminum and closed cooled so all in all a pretty neat part.

Ive got a real disadvantage against a true 28 in that Ive only got 100 gallons But the boat is relatively light and the aluminum block shaves off about another 150lb.Part of the payback of this mill is that it gets pretty incredible mileage. 2.4mpg on my last 150 mile trip from Marina Del rey to San Diego.

Or 33-5 gallons to and from Avalon from Del Rey- ( around 100 bones)

UD

Thanks for the kind words.

I saw some of your posts on your build, and it is top flight all around. I think you have about everything top of the line, and pretty big turn key power.

If you're 505 710 is "small", what's my 502 HP500?

I don't have the fancy computers to figure my mpg, but I figured it to be $50 an hour of running I think last summer, but that's with idling around, etc.

[Uncle Dave]

Thanks for the kind words.

I saw some of your posts on your build, and it is top flight all around. I think you have about everything top of the line, and pretty big turn key power.

If you're 505 710 is "small", what's my 502 HP500?

I don't have the fancy computers to figure my mpg, but I figured it to be $50 an hour of running I think last summer, but that's with idling around, etc.

Thanks!

I think the HP 500 is a really reliable set up.
Then again I really like just about everything Mercury builds.

The 700HP is relative in that a majority of my running mates have 800 HP and up, so Im down on HP compared to my buddies, but they all need blowers to get there and I like my engines Injected. Big difference in complexity and maintenance, and annoyances like belt dust all over the place.

Unfortunately for me, although I have an epic state of the art nav system I have no electronic attachment to the engine itself other than the analog gauges.

The 710 although a superb mill(it really is) ,
It lacks the NMEA 2000 output the 725 has.

If I had a 725 I could get a completely digital set of gauges to read out on my nav system that would give me all kinds of useful information like GPH etc. along side my analog ones.

Right now its fill it up.
Burn the juice.
Fill it up and measure the GPH against distance traveled supplied via gps.

In the meantime -I watch the gauge like everyone else.


UD

[Uncle Dave]

While were still comparing these bad boys, Im curious as to how each of the builders actually secure the seats.

When I see pict of the seat connected to the interior I wonder hows is the connection on these various models?
I know this can be an issue in certain setups but I dont know how much it is or isnt an issue with each of these setups.
I dont expect and issues, Im just curious how each does it.

One time in a ride in a Wellcraft the seat bases ripped out in a hard turn so I know Wellcraft didnt have it covered! (at least in that model)

The way my rig is setup is that seats themselves are freestanding in that they arent connected to the gunwale. Lavey puts a sheet of hardened aluminum in between the mold pieces then taps each hole for the seat mounts.

The guys told me its so solid you could hang the boat upside down from them and implied that they actually did once.

UD

[Uncle Dave]

I think the rubber floor covering in the Pantera 28 is a great idea, providing you can snap it out or snap a carpet over it. It would get too hot out west on the big lakes, but it would be fine in the ocean.

One detail thats annoying and I find important is an angled footrest for the driver and passenger. On a quick trip no biggies, bit on a 150+ mile haul in the ocean it becomes a big comfort factor.

I know the Nordic haven't historically had them, and are adding them- but whats the setup on the AT, Pantera PP etc?


UD

[Dude! Sweet!]

One detail thats annoying and I find important is an angled footrest for the driver and passenger. On a quick trip no biggies, bit on a 150+ mile haul in the ocean it becomes a big comfort factor.

I know the Nordic haven't historically had them, and are adding them- but whats the setup on the AT, Pantera PP etc?


UD

Pantera has them. I'll see if I can find a pic.

[RLJ676]

I think the rubber floor covering in the Pantera 28 is a great idea, providing you can snap it out or snap a carpet over it. It would get too hot out west on the big lakes, but it would be fine in the ocean.

One detail thats annoying and I find important is an angled footrest for the driver and passenger. On a quick trip no biggies, bit on a 150+ mile haul in the ocean it becomes a big comfort factor.

I know the Nordic haven't historically had them, and are adding them- but whats the setup on the AT, Pantera PP etc?


UD

My PP has them.

My ergonomic complaint though is that my stand up bolsters are "too deep" from the wheel. When standing I can't lean back and hold the wheel, gotta brace my feet. Whoever rigged it musta been 6'6".

[Uncle Dave]

My PP has them.

My ergonomic complaint though is that my stand up bolsters are "too deep" from the wheel. When standing I can't lean back and hold the wheel, gotta brace my feet. Whoever rigged it musta been 6'6".

Although Id have to see it, I had several discussions about this and I dont believe your ergonomic issue a result of the guy being 6'6 but more of a simple tradeoff issue that PP and all the other builders have to deal with equally.


I was told that the builder has to optimize the seat base distance for either standing or sitting, but you really cant do both without some sort of compromise.

Or in your case they may have done it to line up with an internal support or they may have simply done it wrong. (prolly not the latter)

Unless someone develops a way to slide the seat that is uber secure, unobtrusive, and easy to operate- its fixed.

Whats your guys take on back seats? (we know Ar's take)
I really like the way buckets look, but they kill the usefulness of the backseat when Lounging

Whats under your guys back seats? (we know Ar's answer)
The lavey has 2 ice chests and a perko switch with an electric passthrough jumper- in a molded piece between the ice chests.






UD

[Bill N]

My PP has them.

My ergonomic complaint though is that my stand up bolsters are "too deep" from the wheel. When standing I can't lean back and hold the wheel, gotta brace my feet. Whoever rigged it musta been 6'6".

Thats funny I thought it was just mine. If I sit I can reach the wheel fine.

[Uncle Dave]

Thats funny I thought it was just mine. If I sit I can reach the wheel fine.

Sounds like the 28 pp was optimized to sit, with the option to stand.

UD

[Wardey]

[QUOTE=Uncle Dave;423691]While were still comparing these bad boys, Im curious as to how each of the builders actually secure the seats.

We did a 1/4" backing strap under the glass floor in the 29 Extremes. Many rough races and never a problem.

[cowisl]

Thats funny I thought it was just mine. If I sit I can reach the wheel fine.

I put a hub extension on mine. Makes it much better. And no, i like standing in our 28.

[cowisl]

Although Id have to see it, I had several discussions about this and I dont believe your ergonomic issue a result of the guy being 6'6 but more of a simple tradeoff issue that PP and all the other builders have to deal with equally.


I was told that the builder has to optimize the seat base distance for either standing or sitting, but you really cant do both without some sort of compromise.

Or in your case they may have done it to line up with an internal support or they may have simply done it wrong. (prolly not the latter)

Unless someone develops a way to slide the seat that is uber secure, unobtrusive, and easy to operate- its fixed.

Whats your guys take on back seats? (we know Ar's take)
I really like the way buckets look, but they kill the usefulness of the backseat when Lounging

Whats under your guys back seats? (we know Ar's answer)
The lavey has 2 ice chests and a perko switch with an electric passthrough jumper- in a molded piece between the ice chests.






UD

We put a hub extension on it which puts the steering wheel right within your reach. Remember our PP's are middle to late 90's boats, so ergonomics, helms, etc have changed quite a bit.

As far as a back seat, i have a bench with raised armrests on the side with cup holders. I love the look of bucket seats, but they are not practical for the type of boating we do in New Hampshire. Underneath are the battery switches (3), anchor holder, shore power charger, and access to the fuel tanks. It also has battery terminal posts in the event that everything is dead and you cant open the hatch. Thats about it. I like lavey's idea of a built in cooler.

[Bill N]

I put a hub extension on mine. Makes it much better. And no, i like standing in our 28.

Thanks I thought with the extension it would hit the bolster.

[Dude! Sweet!]

What back seat?

[Uncle Dave]

What back seat?

Hilarious! Very consistent of you....

Rather than coopers boat I could get this....
The half canopy seems a better compromise that a full one and its got a full molded interior.

This is about as impractical as I think Id go,
Very cool, this one has a 710 as well, but is ultralight and runs 107.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apWZkv_f4bc


UD