28 Skater info

[Tantrum]

Im contemplating going to look at a 28 Skater that I know of for sale. Im completely brand new to the whole "cat / outboard" thing and have a question about the hull.
In doing some light reseach I was told that I want to buy an "Epoxy" Hull. The race lay-ups in '93 where Epoxy but Im trying to find out when they made the switch to Epoxy for the pleasure line. The hull I may look at is a '94.
Any information about what to look for and what to avoid in a used 28 would be greatly appreciated.

[SKATER241]

NOT SURE ABOUT THE WHOLE EPOXY THING.ONE THING I DID LEARN WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR MY SKATER IS THAT THEY ARE SAID TO BE PRONE TO HAVING A SOFT TRANSOM IF LEFT IN THE WATER OVER EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME(SEASON LONG)THIS CAN BE CHECKED BY PULLING A BOLT OUT OF THE ENGINE MOUNT THROUGH THE TRANSOM AND LOOKING FOR WET WOOD.ANOTHER WORD OF ADVICE.IF YOU ARE GOING TO FINANCE YOUR PURCHASE OR ARE PAYING CASH BUT WANT TO INSURE IT FIND INSURANCE BEFORE YOUR SPEND YOUR MONEY.THESE BOATS ARE GETTING EXTREMELY HARD TO INSURE!!

[Tantrum]

Thank you
Thats the kind of info Im looking for.
I know the insurance is nuts on these things. I havent gone out for a quote yet but Ive have been told it will be 2-3 times what my current 25' Active Thunder is. Ive come to terms with that but I have big concerns as to resale value. Yep history has proved the Skaters can hold their value very well "BUT" the cost of insurance to run it for a season might push some people out of the cat market......

How about stress points on these hulls. Im expecting normal wear on a 10 year old boat but again Im new to cats. Where are the stress points I need to look at?

[SKATER241]

YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE SOME CRACKS ON THE NOSE AT THE TIPS OF THE SPONSONS.ANY CRACKING IN BETWEEN AND I'D SHY AWAY FROM IT.I BOUGHT MY 24FT SKATER IN NEWYORK(DROVE FROM WISCONSIN TO PICK IT UP)IT HAD BEEN RACED IN THAT AREA.I COULD TELL FROM WHERE ALL THE DECALS HAD BEEN REMOVED.I HAVE VERY FEW STRESS CRACKS ON MY HULL.A FEW AT THE TIPS AND AND A COUPLE AROUND THE REAR LIGHT SOCKET.MY BOAT WAS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT ABUSED AS IT WAS RACED AND THERE ARE VERY FEW CRACKS(STRESS CRACKS)
THESE BOATS ARE EXTREMELY SOLID!!IF YOU GET THE HULL NUMBERS TYPE SKATER POWER BOATS INTO ANY SEARCH ENGINE AND PULL UP THEIR WEB SITE.THEY ARE EXTREMLY COOL TO WORK WITH AND MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME HISTORY ON THE HULL.FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THEY DONT BUILD THAT MANY BOATS AND TEND TO KEEP TABS ON THEM.AND YES THEY HOLD THEIR VALUE EXTREMELY WELL.ONE KNOCK ON SKATER IS THEIR UPHOLSTERY JOB.I FOUND THE STOCK UPHOLSTERY IN MINE SUB-PAR AT BEST.COST ME TWICE WHAT I HAD BUDGETED TO RE-DO IT.I CONTACTED SKATER ABOUT BUYING NEW SEATS AND THE COST WAS ASTRONOMICAL!IF YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH DRIVING A CAT TAKE MY ADVICE AND TAKE YOUR TIME LEARNING.THESE BOATS PORPOISE LIKE HELL BETWEEN FIFTY AND SEVENTY WHILE THEY PACK AIR BUT ABOVE ABOUT SEVENTY THEY FLATTEN OUT AND THE RIDE CANT BE BEAT.THEY TURN WELL WITH NO HOP AND PLANE OUT VERY QUICKLY.THEY LOVE HORSEPOWER.I HAVE SPENT TWO YEARS LEARNING MINE AND WORKING THE BUGS OUT.ANYTHING COMES TO MIND JUST ASK AND I WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.I RAN A THREAD A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT SETTING UP A TWENTY FOUR AS MINE WAS SET UP BY A LOCAL STV DEALER WHO HAD NEVER DONE A SKATER.YOU MAY WANT TO READ THAT AS IT HAS SOME GOOD INFO.BEST OF LUCK.ANDY

[LaserModVee]

Andy has some good points!

If it's been a pleasure boat all it's life, there should be no stress cracks at all on the boat.

On the 24 they tend to stress crack on a bulkhead running behind the back seat. The bulkhead stands about 10" tall and cracks in the center. It's no big deal to have some stress cracks there, but I would look for anything past a stress crack.
The floor will stress crack at the very back, just under the front part of the back seat. This does not affect anything since the floor is non-structual. It's a piece laid in on top of the business piece.

The above post is the first I ever heard of rot in a Skater. As with any boat, take a plastic mallet and bang around the hull listening for soft spots. (You'll probably get laughed at like I did when I bought my Skater.) I doubt you'll find anything.

These boats are solid as hell.
My 24 is an 87 model and spent it's life on Lake Michigan, Atlantic Ocean, Lake of the Ozarks, and now the Gulf of Mexico. It has zero stress cracks on the hull, deck, transom, and bulkheads.
Stress cracks on sponsons sound like a stuff or trip to me, (no big deal, just goes to show you how tough these boats are).

Follow Andy's advice and call Skater...they know the history on their boats.

[Liberator25]

You are getting some straight info from these guys. In particular be aware of the insurance thing. I have a similar boat and I pay $3,600 per year. It blows my mind that it costs so much, but if you lie you really don't have insurance, and if you tell the truth, you get smoked. All in all they are worth it, but that's really a personal decision.

Regarding the porpoise deal. They do hop - a lot, but this can be overcome with a tunnel tab. Try this link to explore this subject.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29305&highlight=tunnel+tabs

Good luck on your quest. I will tell you that the Skater 28 is a naturally fast hull - possibly the fastest that Skater makes. You'll be in the middle to high teens (maybe low 20's) with two merc 300x motors, assuming you get the boat properly set up. Good Luck:cool:

Here's a pic of my tunnel tab

[Rocco]

liberators25,

I noticed you have a ski pole on your boat. Who the mfg. ? and how is it mounted ? I was thinking of buying one , but I was concerned about flexing.

[Tantrum]

Thanks for the link
I read the whole thread. Saturday Im going to look at 1 or 2 28's out on LI that are not for sale but will give me an idea of what a properly set-up boat looks like, as I said, Im brand new to the cat thing. It will also give my girlfriend the chance to sit in a 28 and see if she will go for the, no cabin, low freeboard ride.
The feedback and links are much appreciated.

[SKATER241]

YOUR GIRLFRIEND WILL LOVE IT.FOR SOME REASON CATS ARE A CHICK MAGNET.

[Tantrum]

Originally posted by SKATER241
FOR SOME REASON CATS ARE A CHICK MAGNET.
:p excellent, Ill have to tell her that :D
She loves the Active Thunder and and loves going fast, been several occations when Ive gotten smacked because someone was trying to overtake us in a poker run and apparently I was being a little lite on throttles for her likeing :p
I told her if we get the Skater there wouldnt be too much of that going on and even though we wont have a cabin we should be able to get the best rooms and good dock space if we are the first ones there.

[SKATER241]

I HAVENT MET HER BUT I ALREADY LIKE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[T2x]

Tantrum:

A word of caution.... The porpoising problem is a none issue with properly set up 28's.... I can't speak for the 24's....which are a very different boat...designed 10 years earlier.

Do not fall into the trap of lumping all cats..... much less all Skaters.......... into a single box.

T2x

[Tantrum]

T2X
I just left you a message on your cell. Id like to take you up on your offer to meet you in LI on Saturday. Im finding alot of interesting posts here on the 28 and am trying to familarize my self with the hull.
T2X please give me a call with an address of where to meet you, my cell numbers on your phone
Thanks
Tantrum

[jerry]

jerry heard that t2x was going to eastcoast marine on sat and buying lunch for anyone who shows up ................

[Liberator25]

Tantrum

YOUR GIRLFRIEND WILL LOVE IT.FOR SOME REASON CATS ARE A CHICK MAGNET.

Skater241 is right - My wife and I were shootin' along about 80 or so (good smooth cruise) and as we were passing a Baja, the blonde chick on the boat felt the need to pull her bathing suit top off and flash us. My wife was unimpressed and said to me "what was that all about?" I smiled and said "I think the troops were just at attention and needed to salute someone":D She didn't think that was funny either!!

Rocco

My pole was made by Eddie Marine. Easily mounted and NO FLEX. It's most useful just to have something to grab on to when walking around by the motors when the boats bobin' up and down. Made out of powdercoated billet. Nice piece.:cool:

[Tantrum]

Originally posted by jerry
jerry heard that t2x was going to eastcoast marine on sat and buying lunch for anyone who shows up ................

I havent been here very long but Im thinking jerry is a bit of a freak :eek:
;)

[Tantrum]

TTT
Still looking for comments, pictures, for sale,ect.....anything on the 28.

[SKATER241]

DID YOU TRY TRADER ON LINE?THAT IS HOW I FOUND MY 24.
IF YOU ARE NOT FAMALIAR WITH IT JUST TYPE WWW.TRADERONLINE.COM AND SELECT BOATS.TYPE IN SKATER AS A MAKE AND IT WILL FIND THEM FOR YOU.YOU CAN ALSO TYPE DOUGLAS BUT WILL GET A LOT OF STUFF TO SORT THROUGH.I DOUBT YOU WILL GET MANY MORE COMMENTS AS THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF BAD THINGS ANYONE CAN SAY ABOUT A SKATER.THEY ARE AN AWESOME BOAT AND I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY!

[T2x]

Originally posted by Tantrum
I havent been here very long but Im thinking jerry is a bit of a freak :eek:
;)

No.................. Jerry is a LOT of a freak...........

T2x;)

[blkmtrfan]

Also check yachtworld.com allot of brokers use it for perfomance boats too, check out this one:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_full_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Feet&currencyid=100&slim=quick&boat_id=1170380&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=32224&url=

[skatermike24]

Theres at least 3 on Trader, check OSO. There out there!

[blkmtrfan]

There are also so good pics of used ones on skaters site:

http://www.skaterpowerboats.com/used-skaters.htm

[Tantrum]

Originally posted by blkmtrfan
Also check yachtworld.com allot of brokers use it for perfomance boats too, check out this one:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_full_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Feet&currencyid=100&slim=quick&boat_id=1170380&units=Feet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=32224&url=

Thats gotta be the hottest one out there but outta my league in the price range. Even still it helps to see them all so I can figure out what the going prices are.

[jerry]

jerry is a freak , but t2x is buying lunch !!!!