CB-BLR

I am considering the purchase of an 08 open bow Heat, and have heard that the wood-free boats are lighter and faster than previous years. Can anyone confirm this? Probably going with the standard 496HO package because of cost. What kind of speed can I expect?

Chris

Southocg

Speed.......... Depends on who you talk too.

There certainly are some advantages to the wood free design.
I'm guessing there's a couple, 3 miles an hour in it.

If you've got someone telling you it's going to run in the low to mid 70's, I'd had them a GPS and tell them good luck.

My guess, you'll see 68ish.

Nordicflame

iTrader: (4)

Chris,
I got a hunch that the 496HO won't be living in there too long...
Seems you have a motor that would work very nicely for that setup Get the XR.

Great all around boat / Southcog is pretty much spot on I believe. The older ones ran 63-66 so if the new hulls are lighter then 68 sounds reasonable.

(IMHO low-mid 80's is possible with your new motor)

Dave

Rage

Is a weight reduction reflected in any of the Nordic spec sheets for the wood free versus the old wood based hulls?

CB-BLR

I could not find anything on their website reflecting the weight. When I called Nordic, they said that the 08 heat averaged 400 - 500 lbs lighter depending on the options. I would be getting an open bow, so I am guessing that it would be around 400 lbs lighter than an 06 or 07. Just not sure that going with the 08 is worth the extra coin in the long run. I can pick up an 06 for mid 60's, an 07 for mid 70's or a new 08 optioned out the way I want for about 90k. I am planning on running my IMCO Extreme outdrive on it immediately, and then probably switching out the 496 for my 548 over the winter.

Chris

Steve Zuckerman

I drove a new '08 hard deck Heat with a 496 at the East Cost Nordic Regatta. Very nice boat. Fit, finish and improvements over my '01 were all nice.
We ran the the boat in a small section of the lake (don't ask me why) so I was running out of real estate to get a good top end #, but I did see 66/67 (analog GPS) with it still pulling. The boat felt lighter than mine.
I think it would turn on with some HP.
Regards,
Steve

Southocg

You may want to look into the new mer power coming out too...

I don't know much about it, small block I think, in the 450hp range and possibly a savings over the BB. One thing I do know, much lighter. Between the 4 hun in hull and the 4 hun in the motor, you could be looking at shaving close to a thousand.

Who knows though... If all else fails, I know where there is a 710 Heat the can be had..

Southocg

Steve,

I think that's a different bottom all together isn't it?
Faster?

Rage

I called Nordic. Their current wood free spec weight is 3700#/Rage, 4600#/Heat & 8400#/Flame. I do not know what the spec weight for the wood version Heat and Flame was but the Rage was the same 3700#. Nordic explained this as the wood versions were actually heavier than the 3700# spec weight but now the wood free Rages are 3700#s. Nordic says that they are now weighing every hull they make. For what ever it is worth. Probably not much.

Steve Zuckerman

Don't think so. It was in the water so I couldn't give it an exacting once over, but appears to be the same as mine.
The major changers were mostly deck related. This one had the new cleat arrangement, an anchor locker. A new see through hatch (mine's opaque) that I liked, power bolsters, a fiberglass floor, and a few cabin updates. The dash is very nicely blinged out with new Livorsi gauges and bezels and shifter/throttle. This boat also had full silver gel with some nice stripes and fades.
I've got a picture but the damn thing won't load, even after I resized it.
I'll try again. Finally!
Steve