liberator tunnel hulls

**lloyd47** · 10-20-2001, 06:30 AM

Am interested in their 19 foot O/B model. I would appreciate any genuine input from owners who own one of these boats or is at least familiar with them. Does not appear to be too many around, see very few used ones forsale My main concern is overall quality, fit and finish , gelcoat, and do they hold together?
Their 18 foot model looks just like a Mirage Riverracer. There literature is quite poor in info and quality.
thanks in advance.

**dennymac** · 10-20-2001, 09:58 AM

lloyd47....i've never owned a 19' liberator, but a few friends have and if you want my opinion, i'll give it to you.....the deck is too low...you get sprayed with water and sand and whatever else is on the deck the whole time you are riding...reminds me of most jet boats, where you feel like you're riding on top of the boat instead of in the boat...you just sit too high, and i'm not what you'd call a tall guy...fit and finish is average to good....pretty solid and pretty heavy....one thing i don't understand is why liberator doesn't finish off the holes in the rear of the boat where the drain plugs go....just holes drilled in the transom, no sleeve, no glass, no nothing....this has got to be a place where rot is going to start.....i think their main draw is they're cheaper than the other mainstream tunnel hulls.....my 2 cents......

**Sam Baker** · 10-20-2001, 10:01 AM

He's right. Essentially, it's a copy of the 19' Eliminator and it's just too low for realistic use. An STV, Mirage, Rapid Craft, or Allison would be a much better choice for you from a practicality standpoint.

Sam

**gtsmpuc** · 10-20-2001, 10:46 AM

I have one, I grew up relatively close to their shop so I've always wanted one. Got one and realized it wasn't exactly what I wanted. The are heavier hulls. I way 250+ and can walk around the hole top side of the boat. I think that is good in many ways but for going flat out it can be a draw back. It has plenty of room on the inside. My boat is very well constructed. The deck is flat and long. That's one reason I liked the boat because chicks can lay out on the front of it. But if you wet down the front deck and then go for a ride all of that water will hit you in the face. I would recommend this boat to anybody that wanted to go fast with not alot of experience. Mine was cheap and plain when I bought it so I could paint it and get wild and then sell it. I will probably wind up getting and Allison or Euro Ski. My transom holes are finished out.

**lloyd47** · 10-20-2001, 11:20 AM

Gtsmpuc- You have a nice looking rig, something to be proud of
I appreciate the unbiased input and feedback. One of the reasons I was considering them was that they have two models under 20 feet, as I prefer something not over 19 feet. I have had an STV and currently have a new pad V which I do not especially like. Plan on going back to a tunnel. Don't know much about Mirage, I know Sam sells them but what I see on varous sites is that their resale value appears to be lower than many others, although I could be wrong on that point. Rapid craft as we all know are no longer made, and I am not interested in a used boat anyway. Again gentlemen I thank you for your input.

**gtsmpuc** · 10-20-2001, 11:45 AM

No offense to Sam but I would go with the an Euroski. Awesome boats, but if you want to go fast I would look for an allison.

**Balzy** · 10-20-2001, 11:46 AM

That boat may have some drawbacks like you all said on the thread but wowser, that is great looking ride you put together there. Never saw a picture of it before. Unbelievable. Lookin good. Did you sell it? If you did you shoulda made a chunk of change !!!!!!!!!

**gtsmpuc** · 10-20-2001, 11:50 AM

if you're talking about the attatchment, that's not my boat. I posted the wrong pic, that boat is LakeTrash's. He should be doing the final testing on it for the Bye-u-Boyz rally nest weekend.

**Balzy** · 10-20-2001, 11:58 AM

of your comment about being white and the picture in your signature. Oh well, greta looking ride. Both of em.

**gtsmpuc** · 10-20-2001, 12:02 PM

where to start, is in aobut a million pieces and no time to work on it. Primetime for my bussiness. I was working on my lower unit and found out that the skeg is completely welded on. I'm going to have to find a gearcase now or jsut a complete lower unit. Also I'm in the middle of building a rear fairing to give extra covered room in the back and have some sort of intake like the allsions. I have a feeling this will be a never ending project until next summer.

**ShipBear** · 10-20-2001, 02:04 PM

My hull is alot like that..a 1984 Sterling Picklefork tunnel..
It sits way low in the water.I feel like I'm sitting on top of it, not in it..BUT..That's what these tunnels are about..Look at any of the Hydros they run in the 1/4....Some spray comes over the front now and then..No big thing..My hull is VERY lite..And I LOVE it..and all Hot Boats..!!!
Hey, gtsmpuc..I want to make a rear fairing for my hull.
I'm running it as a 2 seater..Let me know how you making yours.
And out of what, etc..

Thanks Larry

**lloyd47** · 10-20-2001, 02:25 PM

gtsmpuc
As I said in my earlier reply, have already had an STV, it was a euroski with a mod 2.5 drag.
Now I have a new pad V and not too happy with it so I don't think I would like an Allison either.
Also Ultra makes a trick looking 19 foot tunnel. Anyway I have time as I am in no hurry and have other hobbies that I spend more time at. I am glad to hear that you are happy with your liberator for the most part. thanks again

**gtsmpuc** · 10-20-2001, 03:33 PM

don't get me wrong. Just for quick acceleration it isn't perfect. Also I've been told not to break 100 with it b/c it gets scary. For a general purpose hot boat it is great. On my cowl I think I'm going to make a plug from hard foam seal it hten paint it. then make a thin one out of fiberglass. I'll start a thread when I start working on it to document what I'm doing.

**Sam Baker** · 10-20-2001, 09:05 PM

No offense taken. The Euroski is a great boat. The look of it isn't exactly my taste, but they are certainly a functional boat for the size. The Mirage is a cheaper boat to begin with, pricewise, so you'll see the resale amounts lower than other boats. However, the market is very good for all the boats - STV, Mirage, Allison.

**Propster** · 10-22-2001, 11:09 AM

I have a 19 Eliminator Daytona, pretty much the same as a Liberator 19. It does sit low in the water, but it is very dry once on plane. They have a very smooth ride over fairly rough water. The hull has set many records in the jet boat and v-drive ranks. They run straight and smooth.

I love the boat, but you do sit very high in the boat, it is very low in the water and there is very little storage space.

Here is a shot of mine in the water. As low as it is, I don't really take on that much water when it is sitting. The boat floats over most of the waves that hit it.