Went for my first ride on a 24 Pantera yesterday, I have always loved the 28, ever since my first ride on TimG's 28, but it will be a LLLOOOOOOOONNNNNNG time saving my pennies to get a 28, even an older one is out of my reach.
I met ScottB at his house Sunday Morning, and we checked the boat over to get it ready for Deerfield next weekend, all looked good, so we topped off the fluids, and launched the boat, all eyes at the ramp were staring at the beast(Headers and Big Dry Pipes tend to grab attention
). We idled up to the inlet, and Scott showed me where to hold on in the sit downs, We put our vests on, and ripped out of Jupiter Inlet, seas were running about 4 feet, and kinda mixed up. The Boat, and Scotts driving are AWESOME!!!! The boat is a Sit Down, which is new to me, but it is actually quite comfortable, We were getting a little
air, and as we were coming down, I was thinking "this is going to Hurt", But it didnt, the boat lands great, tracks straight, Just land, and set up for the next one.
What got me hooked, and convinced that I NEED one is, we came back to the ICW after a little bit(wanted to save the boat for the race next weekend
), and Scott wanted to get it up to speed on Flatter water to check all of the guages, and make sure pressures, and temps were going to be OK for the long run. We idled thru the No-Wake Zone, and after we got past the bridge, Scott opened it up, we were approacing a good sized cruiser that was putting out a decent wake, Scott Just got alongside the wake, and turned into it, one hop, smoooth landing, and Bye Bye Cruiser
. Now if that were my Wellcraft, I would have been picking my teeth up of of the floor after hitting that wake at speed. We ran South a bit, and cranked it back around, and made another pass coming North, then put it back on the trailer, and brought it home, and had a few :beers: while talking boats, and racing.
I do most of my Boating along the ICW, heading to Party spots, sandbars, regular bars, and Islands, but also like to run outside every now and again. I have to say, this boat handled the Ocean Like it was MUCH Bigger than 24', and was an awesome ICW Boat, I can see getting to the sandbars, and Peanut Island in a Hurry, and not getting Beat up as bad as I do Now.
Thanks A TON for everything Scott, I owe ya some beers in the pits this weekend!!! We'll all be wearing our Kean Shirts!!! And let me know when your going to work on that addition, I'll come up and give you an extra pair of hands.
Rick
