New 42 DW wide body with 450s

[JPEROG]

I agree, Skater has fallen behind with the o/b cat market. I have owned 3 Skaters in the past. I can say the MTI's and DW's are in another league right now. These brands have the fit, finish, design and no fiberglass gas tanks. I would never order a new Skater with a glass tank. I do not care what coating they put in those tanks. Still an issue for me.

The use of balsa core is mind boggling as well. We now have closed cell multi density foam core available that is consistent in every square inch. Balsa is a natural product that varies in density from one area to the next, it absorbs moisture, and breaks down with water intrusion. The blow cycle testing with new high density core Vs. balsa is also a different league. There are two advantages to balsa 1. Its readily available and 2. Its cheap. When my 97' 24 Skater was built, (my brother who bought the boat new), paid Pete extra to try "this new foam stuff" in the sides of the boat--Pete refused to use it in the running surface. The results 20 years later are this:

Foam in the hull sides is still perfect.Balsa in the running surface, not so much....

When the Balsa either pounds out to powder or gets wet, it allows the outer skin to flex and eventually break open. Then running surface gets peeled back at the break with hydraulic pressure (hope you are close to shore and the boat doesn't do something stupid if and when this occurs). We caught this on inspection during some modifications we were experimenting with and ended up cutting the entire running surface out of the boat. A normal guy would have scraped it.

Joe

[Charli]

The use of balsa core is mind boggling as well. We now have closed cell multi density foam core available that is consistent in every square inch. Balsa is a natural product that varies in density from one area to the next, it absorbs moisture, and breaks down with water intrusion. The blow cycle testing with new high density core Vs. balsa is also a different league. There are two advantages to balsa 1. Its readily available and 2. Its cheap. When my 97' 24 Skater was built, (my brother who bought the boat new), paid Pete extra to try "this new foam stuff" in the sides of the boat--Pete refused to use it in the running surface. The results 20 years later are this:

Foam in the hull sides is still perfect.Balsa in the running surface, not so much....

When the Balsa either pounds out to powder or gets wet, it allows the outer skin to flex and eventually break open. Then running surface gets peeled back at the break with hydraulic pressure (hope you are close to shore and the boat doesn't do something stupid if and when this occurs). We caught this on inspection during some modifications we were experimenting with and ended up cutting the entire running surface out of the boat. A normal guy would have scraped it.

Joe

That's amazing. I have experienced it first hand when I purchased a used 40 Skater. "Nicest in the country" Right....every big Skater is wet and rotten, people just don't go far enough like you did to see it. My deck had to be removed and replaced. A nightmare that took me out of boating for years.

[CUDA]

GOLLY

I remember when a 22 footer was big for a outboard

42 golly ...

I'm holding out for the 50 with Todd's HP kits

Just how fast does one have to go ?

I've been looking at trawlers to beat around the east coast with a mod 11 inch pad Hydrostream open bow 17 foot with a cut down Laser 200 dinghy...

140 MPH here we come

I'm good for 120 then I start thinking

what If...

[Will hedrick]

Finally got the boat out today Joe, man that thing is a power house, I got through 1 1/2 hours of break in, I can't wait to strip this thing one time

[Capt.Insane-o]

The use of balsa core is mind boggling as well. We now have closed cell multi density foam core available that is consistent in every square inch. Balsa is a natural product that varies in density from one area to the next, it absorbs moisture, and breaks down with water intrusion. The blow cycle testing with new high density core Vs. balsa is also a different league. There are two advantages to balsa 1. Its readily available and 2. Its cheap. When my 97' 24 Skater was built, (my brother who bought the boat new), paid Pete extra to try "this new foam stuff" in the sides of the boat--Pete refused to use it in the running surface. The results 20 years later are this:

Foam in the hull sides is still perfect.Balsa in the running surface, not so much....

When the Balsa either pounds out to powder or gets wet, it allows the outer skin to flex and eventually break open. Then running surface gets peeled back at the break with hydraulic pressure (hope you are close to shore and the boat doesn't do something stupid if and when this occurs). We caught this on inspection during some modifications we were experimenting with and ended up cutting the entire running surface out of the boat. A normal guy would have scraped it.

Joe

Years ago.. when I did my first stream recore I used foam core and all the experts told me the boat would turn to dust... hmm... that was 1996.