The Gratton Twins-P1

[Wahoo 214]

Has anyone ridden in both one of these boats, and a One Design Batboat? I had always heard that the One Design was a pretty "forgiving" hull. It seems like the racing platform is pretty similar to the One Design of a few years ago.
I don't mean to stir anything up here, just asking.

I owned and raced a 24 bat. They are extremely forgiving. The wings tend to be self righting and many very experienced racers race them all over the world for many years. Many rookies have raced them too with very few issues.

[Wahoo 214]

I have witnessed and heard of many larger high sided Bravo boats spin, roll and get out of shape. Like many 38 Cigs and a number of Fountains with Bravo's.

Jim, which Bravo Fountains did u see roll? I have spun mine, laid it on it side and everything else, but never rolled it. Same with R Rated, Wazzup, and Strictly Business. I did accomplish the roll in my Cat.

[Buoy]

I owned and raced a 24 bat. They are extremely forgiving. The wings tend to be self righting and many very experienced racers race them all over the world for many years. Many rookies have raced them too with very few issues.

That's what I've always heard. I knew Chris when we both lived in Cincy, and that was something he always promoted about the 24's.
I know Paul raced with you, and I know Glassdave essentially got his start in a batboat.
I'm just wondering how the ride/handling/characteristics compare between the P-1 boat and the batboat?
I never got the opportunity to run a bat, but given the chance, I'd rock one without a second thought!

[XtremeRacing]

I helped Chris a while back in Orland when he had a demo section, and the boat is awesome . I think it would near impossible to roll one....we tried lol.

[Ratickle]

The biggest difference between a bat boat and a conventional vee for stability is that the wings on the bat boat are the chine. So where a boat like the Chief, where Bobby designed the agressive reverse chine to make it corner hard is apparent when looked at. On some Vees the chine is flat, or 3 to 5 degrees reversed, the Bat Boat has no chine and the wing itself becomes the chine. That's why, like in that one pic where we are racing in St Clair, the wing is under water just as the chine would be in a normal Vee design.

I don't know if you could get a Bat Boat to roll. But Dean and Dave can tell you about stuffing one.......

[XtremeRacing]

Might be something P1 should look into, they would be a lot safer and you r under a lid.

[Wahoo 214]

The biggest difference between a bat boat and a conventional vee for stability is that the wings on the bat boat are the chine. So where a boat like the Chief, where Bobby designed the agressive reverse chine to make it corner hard is apparent when looked at. On some Vees the chine is flat, or 3 to 5 degrees reversed, the Bat Boat has no chine and the wing itself becomes the chine. That's why, like in that one pic where we are racing in St Clair, the wing is under water just as the chine would be in a normal Vee design.

I don't know if you could get a Bat Boat to roll. But Dean and Dave can tell you about stuffing one.......

We didn't just stuff it, we ran it into the bottom of Lake Erie! There was actually mud in the bow light! That boat has seen alot. It even took a deer out with the wing!

[Ratickle]

Dave said you still finished the race, with the dash and windshield held in your laps.....

[Buoy]

We didn't just stuff it, we ran it into the bottom of Lake Erie! There was actually mud in the bow light! That boat has seen alot. It even took a deer out with the wing!

I remember seeing pics of that after the stuff. And, Daves quote "Oh great, I'm dead! My Mom is gonna be pissed!!" HaHa.

[Dunbar 104]

Maybe it's just the rental car theory. Buy the extra insurance, and drive it like you don't own it.

[Bilgerat]

The biggest difference between a bat boat and a conventional vee for stability is that the wings on the bat boat are the chine. So where a boat like the Chief, where Bobby designed the agressive reverse chine to make it corner hard is apparent when looked at. On some Vees the chine is flat, or 3 to 5 degrees reversed, the Bat Boat has no chine and the wing itself becomes the chine. That's why, like in that one pic where we are racing in St Clair, the wing is under water just as the chine would be in a normal Vee design.

Now bat boats don't have chines ? What ?

I even saw a bat bite, took a nip right out of the bottom of the Smith Brothers ole class sixer.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Jim, which Bravo Fountains did u see roll? I have spun mine, laid it on it side and everything else, but never rolled it. Same with R Rated, Wazzup, and Strictly Business. I did accomplish the roll in my Cat.

I personally rolled a 38 Lightning when I slid it across a wake in a turn. There were numerous 38 Cigs that have spun and sunk. Some of them put their undersides up in the process. Many Fountain SV Bravo boat raced has spun and or has gotten really out of shape. The UTZ boat even spun in a straightaway in Orange beach '03.

My point was only to say many boats have similar issues and race boats take bad hops, do stupid things, and go upside down. It doesn't necessarily mean the boats have issues that need to be corrected its usually the driver pushed them beyond their limitations.

[Bilgerat]

Friend of mine hooked a Cigi 38' step boat and flipped it going extremely slow. Ironic part was shortly after that there was a test of the same boat in Powerboat Mag, and there was a big long section of text where teague says don't trim down turn and back out of the throttle at the same time. And if you looked closely you could actually see Vinyl letters of a similar warning written accross the lens of the mechanical trim indicator. By the way I drove that boat well over 90 MPH myself , and have to say it was the spookiest feeling the way it rides and rolls around on the front step. Only spookier was a ride ( not driving ) i took in my buddies 42 Fountain stagger boat big steps, that thing is bow steering all over scared the poo poo out of me and I was just stuck in there trying to get him to slow down.

[Pete B]

Bat Boats Have gone over, in a turn Zero Cavity, went over in Ft Myers in 2001, and lets just say the canopy doesnt hold the water back too long!

[Bilgerat]

Chine .

[Bilgerat]

I do think Bat boats are cool by the way, maybe not quite the safest piece of machinery as is but could be bolstered a bit to be a good safe ride. Assuming something like Miss Geico doesn't swallow you whole while running 100+ they are kind of hard to see.

[Ratickle]

The chine on the Bat Boat is exactly the same as the strake. It rolls over on the wing in the turn.

I'll dig up my sequence where the big boys are passing Rick and I in St Clair on each side. They were barely going 70mph faster than us.....

[Buoy]

The chine on the Bat Boat is exactly the same as the strake. It rolls over on the wing in the turn.

I'll dig up my sequence where the big boys are passing Rick and I in St Clair on each side. They were barely going 70mph faster than us.....

So you were going about 15???

[Ratickle]

So you were going about 15???

We were going about 80......

[Ratickle]

Here we are