Hey Lapse, not to jump off topic here but I was thinking about a trip to the salt flats this year. Perhaps you might be interested in grudge match with my 4 wheeler vs your 2 wheeler? :)

Roby

What an all out top speed run?

well
 

I havnt heard any mention of stuffing .. Granted the conditions are usually harsh but ive seen far more cats stuff than vee's.. And before canopies , stuffing a boat at speed was a deadly occurence..

Depends on the driver. If he/she has no level of experience in a vee then he/she would be dangerous in a vee. Conversely, if he/she is inexperienced in a cat, then he/she would be dangerous in a cat.

Bottom line: To run these speeds one needs to KNOW THE BOAT and HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DRIVING IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. It is foolish to jump into an UNKNOWN BOAT OR DESIGN and push it to the limits. People get hurt that way.

Im going to say 36 Skater. The cat is a steadier platform for the average boater. In changing water conditions the V bottom is going to be all over on the chines. Im more worried about the rolling of the V from side to side running that type of speed. Im not sure I would feel safe in a 37 Outerlimits at 110 in changing seas. If the seas were steady running into a clean wind chop, no problem. The Skater would still be smoother.

Again this is my opinon - the average boater. Not the words of a true professional.

A 2-way flying mile, I will race you from a stop but will need to bring a new clutch so I can get home. Only rules: no aero packages :D

Roby

Thanks KiloKat for the response, thats what I was kinda wondering. I don't have much experience with cats so I'm just going off what makes sense to me. If there is anyone I wouldn't question about knowing their chit about cats its you. I just would like to get some seat time in a couple so I can fully understand what you guys are talking about.:)

Put another way, I've personally been driving boats for 21 years. I have several thousand hours of driving and/or throttling experience. About 40%-45% at speeds of more than 65mph. But, only about 100 hours has been at speeds of 100mph or greater and only about 10-12 of that in catamarans at 100mph or greater. I would thus consider myself inexperienced in high speed catamarans and would approach any driving opportunities in cats at high speed with caution.

It just makes sense to learn first and then gradually push the boat and oneself to ever greater levels of challenge in my opinion.

miller

P.S. And, listen to people with more experience. Luckily I have had the ability to pick the brains of many, many people who are smarter (but then again everyone is) and more experienced than I. It helps to limit the mistakes I have had to make on my own.

36 Skater with big power cruises at that speed.

I'm starting the hot air popcorn machine....... :p