Best Deep VEE boat made today

[Top Banana]

I saw this thread on another site and it seemd to provoke quite a bit of comment, so let's see what the Serious crowd has for opinions.....I will start.


After the deep vee hull, the next most important design advance was the step. I know there are some people out there who think the step was inveneted a few years ago by............Name your favorite designer or boat builder.

Of course that negates the truth. In 1908 a gentleman by the name of William Henry Fauber of Chicago took out a patent on the step design. The race boats of that era were called hydroplanes and they did not look like the hydroplanes of today at all. They were single hulled boats that had a slight vee shape bottom and then Mr. Fauber added his steps on.

His design was incorporated into the build of a race boat called MAPLE LEAF IV. This boat raced in 1912 - 1913 era and was the first boat to break 50 knots. The dimensionson the boat are very interesting when compared to modern day boats.

Length 40 feet / Beam 8 feet 5 inches./ Weight 5,25 tons /Single engine producing 800HP / Propeller diameter 25 inches / Propeller pitch 47.5 inches / Propeller speed 1,100 rpm.

In the 40 foot length, the boat had 5 steps spaced along the bottom. It was not exactly like Faubers design which had many steps like a modern day Outerlimits.

So, back to the discussion at hand.....Which deep vee design is best today?

Taking into account the various types of water the modern boats are used in, adding in my own experience racing various deep vee designs, I would come up with two.

First the best open ocean racing boat for speed and ride would be the new 42 Chief.

Second for all out speed, but not as good in real open ocean racing conditions would be the 43 Outerlimits.

One may be better than the other in some areas but the main thing they have going for them both, is the actual builders are real racers, guys who know what it means to put together a boat that will run very fast and safe and get you home at the end of a day no matter what.

Bobby Saccenti who builds the Chief has decades of experience in what works and what doesn't, but is still open to trying the new ideas that technology has made available today. Most of his experience has been on open ocean racing circuits and that is what he thinks of in building a boat today.

Mike Fiore has most of his expeience in close to the shore racing and he has tweaked evey ounce of speed out of his designs to be used on those type of circuits. He is not afraid to buck the trends and build smaller styles as he did with his new 29 footer.

[BBB725]

Hands down Dragon

[old377guy]

Charlie, may I assume that you mean production hulls? If that's the case, then we have to put aside cosmetic and aesthetic elements such as interior design and components, paint, deck hardware, accessories,and even powertrains. And we might also assume primary rigging areas such as stringer placement, transom design, bulkheads, topside structure, hull/deck seam and tanks are critical to "best" ever honors. With this in mind, I would also give the nod to the 42' Chief......and I wouldn't care if if came with a straight, non-stepped bottom.

[Top Banana]

Hey, whatever you personally think. This is not a thread about what I think, I am merely expressing my opinion and that is worth no more or less than the guy who puts up the cash and buys what he likes.

I am only hoping that this might lead to educating potential buyers of the future what makes a good design and what doesn't.

[jetcruzr]

It's hard to argue against Charlie's picks. Hands down 42 Chief for Open Ocean Racing. Probably have to go with the Outer Limits for the "Shootout" and "Beach Races".

Great thread idea, by the way!

[fund razor]

I am merely expressing my opinion and that is worth no more or less than the guy who puts up the cash and buys what he likes.

I respectfully disagree. I think that your interest and involvement, invested over many years has yielded an experience dividend for all of us, yet earned by you.
It can't simply be bought.

[Ratickle]

Hands down Dragon

This Dragon?



Or this Dragon?

[Ratickle]

Tough decision to make. As for Charlie's two choices, tough to argue with. However, when comparing apples to apples, the old 39 Skater Vee would be a tough one for me to say there has ever been anything better before or after. The races that boat won, with all of the penalty weight they added to it, was nothing short of amazing. And we know it was with the exact same power as the other boats that raced against it, so there was no gray area as if there were secret issues.

[Ratickle]

I'm really curious as to the turning capability of the old Skater, Spiderman especially after it was finished being dialed in, versus the new Warpath/Checkmate/First Mohican. Everyone I've spoken with who has driven one of those three boats have said they have never driven a Vee boat with it's turning capability. Not even an old conventional Vee, let alone a multi stepped Vee. However, as I said, the Spiderman Skater was a phenomenal race boat against identical boats in every way except hull design.

[Ratickle]

As for straight line speed, this boat is a tough one to beat. Hard to believe in 10 years no one has beat this record yet. Especially with the power they currently put in some of the new boats.

[Kohiba]

talk about grey areas, Spiderman by far is fifty shades of grey! it will spank and dominate all & leave the competition with a red a$$

[Kohiba]

i would however love to convert the 43 into a raceboat w/it's chine design a great hydro driver said it's like two turn fins

[Ratickle]

talk about grey areas, Spiderman by far is fifty shades of grey! it will spank and dominate all & leave the competition with a red a$$

[Offshore Ginger]

This Dragon?



Or this Dragon?

Ha ....Ha ....Ha Charlies choices , and not to mention how much fun i really could have with this thread , and yes like mentioned above post # 8 the old 39 Skater would be a tough one to beat considering Peter / Skater has been a leader or pioneer in the industry for many years utilizeing all composites in there build from using Epoxy , S & E glass , Carbon Fiber , Kevlar , and vacum bagging .........................

[Offshore Ginger]

Once again like mentioned in post # 10 as for straight line speed that boat was a tough one to beat considering it was most likely built with one purpose in mind ( speed ) and could or would it really with stand the vigorous challenges of offshore raceing ?

[old377guy]

Tough decision to make. As for Charlie's two choices, tough to argue with. However, when comparing apples to apples, the old 39 Skater Vee would be a tough one for me to say there has ever been anything better before or after. The races that boat won, with all of the penalty weight they added to it, was nothing short of amazing. And we know it was with the exact same power as the other boats that raced against it, so there was no gray area as if there were secret issues.

Paul, I'm reading the thread title as "Best Deep Vee Boat Made TODAY", otherwise some of the "one off" Douglas Marine built boats would be in the running

[poncho]

Just by going by what I've read various places, Id have to say the Chief. A deep V to me means being able to handle the ocean when it gets rough. Seems the Chief's handle rough water well.

[Ratickle]

You may know Artie, like Oldguy is questioning, can't you still go out and order up a 39' Skater Vee like Spiderman?

[Bobcat]

1986 V20 Step Lift......hands down....I might take it out this week....IN THE DEAD Of WINTER...that's how confident I am in this hull.

[Ratickle]

I am very curious about the speed in a straight line of the Vee's out there. The Fountain ran over 175 with 1500's. The latest and greatest out there are running just over 150 with 1750's. Is it the weight, the design, or ????? Opinions?