Are cats really that dangerous?
05-10-2008, 09:09 AM
#171
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Comanche:
There is no doubt that there are far more vee manufacturers and vee hulls on the water. Vees were introduced almost 20 years before cats and had a heck of a head start. This has created a rather tilted marketing structure based primarily on the obvious numbers and, secondarily, on the better living quarters in most vee hulls versus Cats. The safety, rough water, and speed issues are simply baloney subtly supported by the golf shirt wearing vee bottom marketing types and frequently ill informed barside discussions among vee owners (" I never been in a Cat, but I hear they flip!"). Couple that to the fact that a number of guys with little more than big checkbooks and egos have put themselves into the 120 plus MPH club without any experience or skill set, and most have done this in cats....sometimes too small and sometimes simply too fast.... but too many with disastrous results.....and Voila!.... the insurance companies ran for the hills.
The truth is that this is like comparing a Ferrari and a Lincoln with the argument that far more people get killed in Ferraris at 150 mph than in Lincolns......and then claiming that, based on these "facts", Lincolns handle better at high speed.
This whole issue is, was, and always will be short ( no reference to Reggie implied or intended
) sighted and a haven for subjective thinking.
T2x
There is no doubt that there are far more vee manufacturers and vee hulls on the water. Vees were introduced almost 20 years before cats and had a heck of a head start. This has created a rather tilted marketing structure based primarily on the obvious numbers and, secondarily, on the better living quarters in most vee hulls versus Cats. The safety, rough water, and speed issues are simply baloney subtly supported by the golf shirt wearing vee bottom marketing types and frequently ill informed barside discussions among vee owners (" I never been in a Cat, but I hear they flip!"). Couple that to the fact that a number of guys with little more than big checkbooks and egos have put themselves into the 120 plus MPH club without any experience or skill set, and most have done this in cats....sometimes too small and sometimes simply too fast.... but too many with disastrous results.....and Voila!.... the insurance companies ran for the hills.
The truth is that this is like comparing a Ferrari and a Lincoln with the argument that far more people get killed in Ferraris at 150 mph than in Lincolns......and then claiming that, based on these "facts", Lincolns handle better at high speed.
This whole issue is, was, and always will be short ( no reference to Reggie implied or intended
) sighted and a haven for subjective thinking. T2x
As for a v turning harder than a cat, I too used to believe that (even after I had bought my cat) until I had the pleasure of running a 28 Skater stock class outboard with Kirk Dunteman - he taught me how to make that boat do things I didn't believe it would do... and safely at that.
05-10-2008, 07:47 PM
#172
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I could not agree with you more. There will always be this debate, however, because (i) many "v-guys" will never get an opportunity to ride in a cat that is being driven by someone who knows what they are doing; and (ii) even if they do, they will be too proud to admit that a cat hull is better. I switched from v to cat 3 years ago and have not looked back. For performance and ride, at high speeds, the cat is without equal.
As for a v turning harder than a cat, I too used to believe that (even after I had bought my cat) until I had the pleasure of running a 28 Skater stock class outboard with Kirk Dunteman - he taught me how to make that boat do things I didn't believe it would do... and safely at that.
As for a v turning harder than a cat, I too used to believe that (even after I had bought my cat) until I had the pleasure of running a 28 Skater stock class outboard with Kirk Dunteman - he taught me how to make that boat do things I didn't believe it would do... and safely at that.
Too cool ! You can see some of the guys doing it on the class 3 race video over in dubai .
05-10-2008, 08:28 PM
#173
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Hey Stainless you must go back quite aways...willie diaz in elboss...the guy who built the motors for him back then builds our SUPERCAT motors NOW. Chuck Cice from United racing in Miami..He is now in Ohio.
05-10-2008, 11:24 PM
#174
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hey tony how's it goin' i met you a few yrs ago when you were racing the old don q skater with terry. My 328 skater was right next to your 388 when they were getting rigged out at skater
Last edited by stainless; 05-10-2008 at 11:27 PM.
05-11-2008, 10:30 AM
#175
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T2x
05-11-2008, 10:36 AM
#177
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One last point on cats' turning capability, watch a Champ Boat race in person and tell me cats can't turn. They are the fastest turning racing vehicles....of any kind....on the planet.
T2x
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05-11-2008, 08:16 PM
#178
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Unfortunately I think its the speeds they are capable of that is the potential factor in the eyes of the insurance companies. Also typically with the same power, a cat is usually much faster of a hull.
There have been so many unfortunate incidents/accidents where guys were WAY over their heads in boats they had no right driving in the manner that they had. Several lost their lives, killed others or did significant damage. Both in cats and vees.
We had several incidents on our little inland lakes with guys in step bottom V hulls over the past couple years. I know of several guys whos first boat was a thirty plus something with big HP.
More money than brains I guess. Whatever the reason it sucks for the responsible boaters.
There have been so many unfortunate incidents/accidents where guys were WAY over their heads in boats they had no right driving in the manner that they had. Several lost their lives, killed others or did significant damage. Both in cats and vees.
We had several incidents on our little inland lakes with guys in step bottom V hulls over the past couple years. I know of several guys whos first boat was a thirty plus something with big HP.
More money than brains I guess. Whatever the reason it sucks for the responsible boaters.
05-11-2008, 08:35 PM
#179
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There were no vee's within a half mile of the Skater Freedom US1 and my 368 Skater in the Chicago 07 PR. 3 helicopter vids and numerous entrants will confirm the water conditions. Lots of modern big power 47+ and canopied race vee's were there. We had two girls LOLing in the boat too. Cat baby. 
Last edited by BLee; 05-12-2008 at 08:41 AM.
05-12-2008, 03:00 PM
#180
There were no vee's within a half mile of the Skater Freedom US1 and my 368 Skater in the Chicago 07 PR. 3 helicopter vids and numerous entrants will confirm the water conditions. Lots of modern big power 47+ and canopied race vee's were there. We had two girls LOLing in the boat too. Cat baby.
