I'll agree.

It also has less hull in the water a.k.a running surface; which provides for reduced drag.
A 26' boat and a 28' boat with like bottom designs that weigh EXACTLY the same; down to the ounce, with IDENTICAL power... Which one will be faster?
The one with the least drag.

Ditto. Good comments, but a few.
A long winded explanation, (no offence intended) for the "suction" comment I made earlier. However. Steps been around for decades, back in the early PT boats. Actually the "hydro foils" originated the idea. Lifting heavy boats out of the water. No question, steps work for the intended design, but one of the reason for diffeernt steps and numbers is Pattents, and the location and size of the steps. The AT steps came from the Challanger Offshore boats by Harry L. Schoell. Singe "huge" step, designed for the Merc. Black Hawks. It was Pattented and Harry designed the AT steps, thus almost the same. Now, to get on the bandwagon, boat designers wanted to add steps to keep up with the marketing need. A builder can't just put a step in an copy some existing steps so new designs and ideas surface. If steps are the greatest thing since sliced bread and the more the better,? (based on some posts and theories) boat bottems would look like a saw blade.
In all reality, you put enough horses behind a log, steps or no steps, that log will outrun any cats, steps of "v" s. (no handling remarks please.. :) it's an example.) With all the motor options and competative pricing, hull designs is evolving left and right. And I think that's great. While I don't make a judgement what is better, all this gives us boat nuts a wider selection for a boat purchase. However, in my oppinion, all this comes down to personnal preference, compromise and $ to spend. I seen boats, (not HP) with so called "steps".
Looks good. a notch in the hull. (no elevation difference) but it can be "marketed" as a step hull, and the avarage boat buyer may have no clue that it doesn't do anything. (avarage may be a wrong choice of words). Steps cost more, period. New mold, etc. May get away using less horses. Consumers have a great diversity to get a migrane buying a boat. (just like I been taking bottles of Tylenal lately) :evilb: but I just love it...

did somebody say sawblade?

Sorry, I see where you have Active Thunder Factory Rep. on your screen and assumed you were wooking for them in some way. I don't think I was insinuating I just want to know who else uses a single step.

I agree. I wanted good, useful information -- not a pissing match. I can happily say that the thread has been very informing.

I help people get into boats, but I'm not on a payroll.

Cigarette, Outerlimits, Fountain, and others, used single steps in the past, but moved on to other things. They never spent a serious amount of time dialing them in.
AT has chosen to stick with the DDC hull designed by Harry Schoell, and tune it to exactly what the boat AND owner likes/wants/needs.

Reggie Fountain never spent time working on the shape of his running surface??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Not really on single step 38+ footers. How long did he keep them; a year? Two?
That is, before moving on to multiple steps... where he has spent a plethora of time dialing in.

First-off...Time is not quantified in "plethoras"; and Fountain made a 42 single step, not a 38.