It all started looki g for cougar then stv please advise

[kellytheaker]

So I am very interested in buying a little hot rod .always wanted a tunnel. So had been looking hard at cougar 19s and 21. Then I read a thread on STvs and then I got a little confused with the somer and the triad hulls .I best get some input from some members . I WANT A GREAT PERFORMER. So what do I buy for a great hull ,currently looking at a 90 super comp hull. Where are the problem areas - stress cracking ,do they have a core or are they foamed and what year was best. Thanks

[catfish2race]

Try A LCB.
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[kellytheaker]

Not exactly sure what you mean by Lcb .please expand but cougar and svt are currently being discussed hopefully I will get some forum input on those hulls thanks

[dgscroggs]

Lcb is another tunnel hull I'm sure someone with more knowledge will chime in about them

[kellytheaker]

Thanks for the reply but certainly not going in that direction .I certainly feel its an exciting hull but I feel the 2 boats above are real close to the direction I'm headed.

[JPEROG]

Nothing wrong with an STV. They do have limited rough water capability in comparison to an LCB. The 90 Pro Comp that you are asking about is a great boat (I have had 2 of them in the past). They "Roark Summerford" changed the Pro Comp in 89 and angled the sponsons up slightly which made them less prone to stuffing a fork. A lot of them will have stress cracks in the deck (near the top of the rear seat flange) its not structural and is easy to have a glass guy grind and repair so that it looks new again. The boat is almost 30 years old so look it over and take someone that has a good general knowledge of boats with you for inspection. You didn't mention power but they will run low 90s with a 200 and up to 120+with bigger power. You will not likely ever see that type of performance with a cougar.

The pictures below are of my current STV (River Rocket) next to my current LCB. I don't think that I need to explain the size difference.

Joe








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[kellytheaker]

Thanks for the reply ,the usual stress cracking area is helpful info . This is rigged with a manual jack 300x running a worked 3 blade . I understand these hulls ,somerford are not bagged as the triad hull .The weight of the hull is an unknown to me - you may know .Anything else I should be aware of ? .This all started by thinking I needed a Cougar and a 19 was just an excellent piece . Just making sure I'm heading down a better path than the cougar . Your new cat looks outrageous but up her in Canada ,availability will be non existent in the used market for some time ,so no sense dreaming .

[JPEROG]

I have a 300X on the river rocket. The boat really pulls great with all of the torque. If this is your first performance boat, you are going directly to the "top of the ladder" with this combination. Please be careful and wear the proper safety gear.

The majority of those boats weighed around 750 lbs "new" but boats are like women, they always seem to get heavier as they age. It shouldn't matter what it weighs- with an X it will be fast.

Joe

[kellytheaker]

Thanks for safety advice . You are saying they take in water -foam or are they a balsa core . Thanks for the education - its important to me at this stage .I did understand this is a premix 32:1 and injection has been removed . I would have thought injection would have been bullit proof .

[dgscroggs]

^^^lol

[JPEROG]

I am saying that all boats over time hold some level of moisture due to the nature of their use and environment. Also every time someone adds something to the boat "bracket, handle, stereo, brace, wire or anything" it all adds weight. The same goes for repair or paint, everything comes out heavier in most cases. Oil injection is never bullet proof.

Joe

[kellytheaker]

Thanks appreciate the facts ,so its usual to run premix on these . Good to know.

[JPEROG]

Run premium fuel 93 octane minimum and a good outboard oil at 32:1 and you will keep your motor happy.

Joe

[David]

The most important thing with boats that old is to be sure there is no rot in the core, floor, and transom. Both the Cougar and STV are wood glass sandwiches.

STV will be faster with equal power.

[kellytheaker]

I am aware the cougar hull is balsa cored,so does the SVT also use balsa or is it just transom area that is the problem wood sandwiched together.