Active Thunder or Sonic
 

Looking for some info. I am traveling to Ft. Lauderdale over Thanksgiving to visit the Sonic and Active Thunder factories. We plan on taking rides in each and touring the factories. At the end of the trip we plan on making a descision and purchasing either a 386 or a 37 Active Thunder. I know the Thunder will kick the Sonics transom, but speed is only part of the picture. We have two very small kids and like to use our boat as an RV. We spend weekends and take week long vacations on the boat so creature comforts are also important. We have the boats equipped equally with gen-set, A/C, fridge, microwave, etc., along with 500HP EFI's. I want some speed. Any comments, opinions would be appreciated. :)

The boats look alike. I have been on a few Sonics and I like them. Good rough water boat for the kid factor. I wish I was comtemplating between the two.

Active Thunder! Both are nice boats but the Active Thunder is much more unique, a little more custom and a hell of a lot faster. They'll work with ya a little closer and really make sure you get everything you want, and then some!

If you want some speed and a great rough water boat, I would go with the AT. The attitude the boat carries while riding is one of complete stability and safety. Definitely able to handle whatever mother nature is willing to throw her way... My .02 :) :cool: :rolleyes:

I received some literature from Active Thunder and they have designed a new cabin layout with some really cool features. Never been in the 37, but EVERYONE raves about it's performance and solid ride. With the new stuff they are doing, they just may be the best value.

Again, I can offer you six months of research. I am currently having a 37 designed, so....here we go. They are truely a unique boat, the new cabin style with amenities can not be beat, and these are standards. By far the best boat bang for the buck. Air/tv,vcr, vac u flush head, leather interior, refrig, etc..standard. A guarenteed 86 mph with hp 500 efi motors, you will not get that speed with 500's in a sonic- maybe low 80's. Sonic USED to have the advantage over the Thunders only in one catagory, the cabin. No longer, plus AT now offer a lifetime warentee on the hulls, talk about someone who feels confident in their product. I have changed the graphics 40 times on my boat, added and deleted options almost daily and PAt and steve have been great, always making whatever changes I asked for. They are truely a great company to work with. They build truely a great boat, I always describe my Thunder as built like a brick chit house capable of doing close to 90mph I think that you are looking at two great boats, but i felt that Thunder was a better boat and fit my needs better :D Please feel free to e-mail me with a phone # and I will call you to discuss my research...

Oh yeah, we are you from? My boat will be done in Feb and you are more than welcome to come to Jersey and go for a ride and check it out for yourself.

Dan

and one more thing, I also have two kids and those things, comfort etc are important to me as we do a lot of overnighting, all of those features are standard, except the generator, on the new 37, that is why one of the many reasons I went with thunder. Now you got me thinking,,maybe I so look at the generator, must go e-mail Pat and Steve about adding the generator nowwwww. :D :D

I received a new brouchure from AT also and I did not see any pics of the new re-designed cabins on the 32 and 37. Only a small note saying that they have redesigned cabins.

Someone also mentioned to me that AT now has a kick ass CD that they send out. Anyone see that and does it indicate the new layout?

I too have three small kids and the changes they claim mean alot but I would like to see for myself.

Thunderdan, did you opt for the hp500's in your boat? boxes?

Thanks Jeff

Thanks for all the great input. Keep it coming. hp500efi I have the Cd and it is very nice. Good music and great action boat shots with the occasional Boat Babe thrown in for good measure. You can see the new intierior on actives website activethunderboats.com. As Thunderdan said, they seem great to work with. For instance, I prefer a center access cabin but AT's new cabin is side access. I told Dan I wanted a center access cabin and he said "no problem, whatever you want". Thats why we are going to visit the factory and weather permiting go for a ride. :D

love my Sonic thats all I can say!!!

Jeff,

I did get the 500efi, nixed the boxes, with the step hull design I felt it was unecessary. The only thing that I am still kicking around is possibly going with the new merc ITS design. I am looking at it for the looks not really any performance increase especially because it only has a 7 inch setback.

Were do you guys live?

Dan

stopped by the Active Thunder shop today...wow, wait until everyone sees this new cabin layout. Looks like they put a lot of thought into it. They have my vote!

Screamin-

You are correct, the new cabin is going to look great, and they are begining to laminate it soon. As soon as it is all together, and in the boat I am sure AT will post some pictures on their website. Come on February

Thunderdan. If you were asking me where I live, its Peoria IL and we boat most of the time on Lake Cumberland in Ky. I assume from your posts that you have ordered a 37AVH. Are they telling you you will not get the boat until February ?

I am looking forward to seeing the cabin. The picture on the website looks great. :)

H2OWarrior, All I can tell you is The right and only choice is AT. I have done over 12 mos of research and narrowed it down, like you did, to 2 boats Sonic and AT. I have been on 2 Sonics a 386 which my best friend traded in for a 42SS Sonic, super boat, and I thought I was a 100% convinced, I have driven this boat 6 times , Sonics are great boats, they are great in the rough stuff, awesome cabin and cockpit, great freeboard, BUT Top Speed the 386 was only 75-76 and the 42ss is 71-72, this winter he is going to whipple it or procharge it, I told him whipple it, but he never listens to me, after all he bought a Sonic without looking at Active Thunder. I am having my 37AVH built along side Active THunder Dans, he is about a month ahead of mine,(for 100. Im sure I can get that switched around) they are both equiped pretty much the same, mine does have the a/c/heat gen set as well and I am seriously thinking of going with xr drives and Whipplecharging the 500EFIS. I am a very hard person to please, almost say borderline anel retentive with attention to details, and Steve and Pat have been awesome to deal with (Im not as anel as AT DAN, What the hell 40 times to get my fricken paint straight). Price wise they are very comparable, we went back and forth, I just feel, (All of what AT DAN stated) with the revision of the new Millenium leather tech interiors along with all the trick and special things that AT does they cant be beat, not even in speed, Patten Pend on the bottom single step design,86-88, lifetime warranty, is that balls or what. In a nutshell, the guy backs his **** up, no excuses, not to anyone, check out a Outerlimits, Active Thunder is just as good Quality wise, and soon will be in the same league resale wise, buy now save 100K, you will be able to sell the boat for what you paid for it in 3-4 years. In 96 Outerlimits was 165k now they are 300K Plus, the 96 used ones are selling for more than 165K. This is better than the stock market, enough said. Call me if you have issues that you want to discuss, I will always give you the straight up and up, no sugar coating it with me. 228-255-3400 office 228-216-0900 cell 7AM to 5PM :D GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!

H20,

Feb is correct. But remember, they are building the cabin molds in my hull and that takes time, from making the plugs to the final product is a timely process. Plus it is going to take em a month :D , to do my paint(just kiddin).

Dan

SONIC all the way!

Did the guys at Active Thunder tell you about the two 37 AVH Thunders that rolled over??
One in Baltimore two years ago (test run - they were only going 40 mph - made a normal turn and the boat rolled over)
The second rolled over off of FT Lauderdale last year on a test run!

The detail and gel work on the Sonic is much better and Sonic never had a hull problem.
Re-sale the Sonic will be much better!

Sonic has been building boats for over 25 years, Active Thunder 7 years!

When you go to the factories abd see how the boats are built - you will go for the Sonic.

:D

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I didn't know about that!

I wonder if Pat could fill us in on that!

:D :D

He's not telling a great deal of things!

The roll over was in the Pompano Beach newspaper!
The incident in Baltimore happened first and they were only cruising around 40 mph.

They run straight - just don't turn!

AT also has gel problems and fit/finish!

I wouldn't trust my family in those boats!

As I have stated in the past, please attack us face to face not hiding behind an alias screenname. That is the problem with the internet.

Ed, You know nothing about our step-bottom boat. You've never riden in one.

When asked by anybody including existing or prospective customers I openly admit that the 37 AVH requires more intelligent driving skills and I demonstrate the techniques needed to corner the boat at any speed to all of my customers. Drives need to be at least parellel to the running surface. A step bottom boat has an angle of attack to deal with. The optimum angle of attack is about 1 degree. So you have 2 running surfaces working in harmony. Add in an adjustable third running surface. Then comes the average guy with no education (me included in the beginning) and having always tucked the drives in going around a corner, tucks the drives in.... If you tuck the drives in, pull back the throttles and turn the wheel bad things are going to happen. Trust me. We learned the hard way just like everybody else has. Remember, the step is relatively new to most of us despite how long it has really been around. Do we feel it's dangerous? No. Not as long as the driver has been shown how to operate the boat correctly and understands the theories related to it. You want to go around a bouy at 70? No problem. I will show you. But the drives will be parellel or even up a little and you will throttle through the corner like you would in your rear wheel drive BMW or Corvette. I build both the 37 V-bottom and the step. You have a choice. We are not stuck building step bottom boats so if I felt it was a bad thing, I would stop. In life I try to do the correct things.

But the 37s cornering abilities has nothing to do with this, does it?

Putting your family in one? You never thought twice about it when you bought your second Active Thunder. You knew the boat would be built safe and I would stand behind it. And it was, and I did.

If you have a problem with me or my boat, feel free to air it out here or on the phone but use your real name and tell the entire story. Don't just throw a bag of Motherf*@*ers at me from behind a curtain and walk away.

We took your boat back and sold it for you to help you out and made nothing off our time or efforts. It's not our obligation to buy back boats because you discover the engine package is a turd or you don't care for the paint. I tried to get you to put the HP500 in the thing but you saved money instead. That was the critical thing at the time.

But, ending on a positive note, the guy that bought it loves it. Runs with the big dogs even if he's only going 65. It makes me smile to know that he is enjoying something we built. That's why I enjoy doing it.

I apologize for your distaste. We try to make it as enjoyable as possible but we have learned, as hard as we try, you just can't make everybody happy.

Well, PAT, thanks for clearing that up. Sounds like it is a disgruntled old customer that obviously has a beef about something. Ed, John, or whatever your REAL name is, I can tell you that I am a sucessful individual who cares very much about my own personal safety as well as the safety of my own family and I can tell you that I did take into consideration the additional seat timke required to propely learn how a step bottom handles. It is like anything else in a boat or car, you need to get comfortable with something before you push it. I am aware of the incident you mention in your post, but again I would say that it is possible to create a dangerous situation in any boat, stepped as well as a v.

Ed, I live in Medford and I would be more than happy to take you out for a ride in my 37avh, when it is done to show you how safe it really is. If you are in Cherry Hill, I live in Medford as well as grew up in Cherry Hill maybe we can get together and have a few drinks and talk about boating. Where do you do your boating, what type of a boat do you have, do you belong to the NJPPC? If so I may have met you at one of the gatherings, maybe the D&B gathering last April.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I respect that. But I wish that people would stand up, give their real name or at least an e-mail address. I have to wonder what someones true motivations are when the post something so slanted within thier first few posts. Anyway feel free to e-mail me I would love to grab a few and just shoot the breeze. :D

And as a previouis thunder owner I can attest to the fit and finish as well as gelcoat on the thunders and they are up there with the best.

Pat stands behind his boats, show me someone else in the industry the offers a lifetime warentee on the hull.
c-ya

Dan Lawler

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: thunderdan ]

Hey Thunder Dan ,I wouldnt waste any more time with that 5 post piece of ****, he is an alias, how you doing B.B. remember me, you patted yourself on the back so many times last conversation we had you turned me right off of Sonic, I could read right through your bull****,(grew up in Newark) Get a life ******* :p :mad: :p

Let me also shed some light on this subject. I have owned several offshore race boats and just won the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in my 30' Skater ( BODYGUARD )..
I own a 37' Active Thunder with the step hull and HP500 EFIs as my pleasure boat... I love my boat , and even with the experiance of racing at speeds up to 140 MPH , I took the time to get to know the boat before I got too aggressive with it in turns. People have to take the time to learn how a boat handles , because each one is different ... You need to take it slow at first , until you get use to it.
I have owned mine since July and I am very happy with it , you do have to pay a little more attention in the turns though. Like you would any step bottom boat or any cat. There is a trade off for that extra speed. Use common sense and you won't get in any trouble.
I live in Virginia , if anyone is serious about buying a 37 and has concerns, I would be glad to demo my boat and let you see how well they handle....
Mark House ( BODYGUARD )
email : [email protected]

:) :( :D :confused: :eek: :rolleyes: After reading all of this I could not descide which graemlin fit best. this is exactly why I asked the question (I knew OSO would provide good information :) as well as entertainment :D ) and we are traveling to the factories and going for a ride. Jay is taking us out in the Sonic and Steve will be taking us out in the AT. We're leaving the kids with grandma so we can let it all hang out. I will probably give you guy's a call after I get back. I will be more educated on what questions to ask after the trip.

Hey Active Thunder,
What made you guys start making boats? Did you work for another manufacturer before starting Active Thunder? I think you guys are doing a great job and have heard lots of praise from your owners. Keep up the great work and I hope I can afford one of those bad boys some day :D
Hey, on a side note, your 37avh has a DDC hull? How is that different from Challenger Offshore's hull? They claim theirs is a DDC hull as well. How are they different if at all or is it the same technology in a larger boat? (Challenger's DDC boats are 26 and 28 feet)
Thanks in advance for the information :D
Todd

People just never stop amazing me. :D Hey Mark congrats on your victory. :) Shoot me an e-mail about how you rigged your boat, speed etc if you don't mind.

H20 warrior-have a great time next week, and remember how lucky you are to be test driving 2 great boats-enjoy and please post your findings...

[ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: thunderdan ]

Hey thunderdan & Jassman your graphics on your boat are awsome looking. Can't wait till Feb to see them. :)

baja27,

Thanks for the complements. You are hitting it in Feb at a great time, my boat hould be almost ready by then. :D

Mark hit it right on the head with this statement...
"you do have to pay a little more attention in the turns though. Like you would any step bottom boat or any cat."
Fact is, ALL step bottom boats handle turns differently than the old traditional V bottoms.
I too know about the incidents this "Ed" character brought up. He left out some details that would drasticly change the context he described.
Ask anybody who races factory 2 about step bottom boats. I think you will find ALL of the top teams have a great respect of the step bottom hulls in a hard turn, regardless of what brand they race.
By the way, Congrats Mark on the World Championship! :D

C'mon gentlemen....can't we all just get along. Let me tell you my story! We live in Minnesota and would consider purchasing an Active Thunder. Their customer focus, salesmanship, and continued support are impeccable. I believe this comes naturnal to Pat and Steve. They are emphatic and equally excited about their products -- they believe in their boats! I have not experienced this level of genuine emotion in any industry. Keep up the great work AT!

I don't know what you are talking about "alias" or whatever. I have no beef with anyone. I never owned an Active Thunder.
I just read about it in the paper and the boat did roll over "Fact". This site is for information. I have a 31 Sonic and love it.

Ed

:D

crazyed,

maybe you can answer some of the questions I asked in my previous post to you? :D


Also, you must have seen some Thunders before because you commented on the fit and finish and gel coat issues? :confused:

Tell us about your sonic. What power do you have in it? Where do you boat? Where do you keep your 31 sonic? Do you belong to the NJPPC? Have we met?


Where in Cherry Hill do you live? I grew up in Cherry Hill, Point of Woods development.

[ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: thunderdan ]

crazy ed,

I think the confusion must be in that back in September you posted on OSO,

CrazyED
Junior Member
Member # 1238
posted 09-20-2001 01:11 PM

Hi,
Did anyone just buy a 2001 28 Active Thunder
with a 496HO from the factory floor in August?


Riddle me that one batman?

[ 11-16-2001: Message edited by: thunderdan ]

Ed,

I really am not trying to bust your stones, If this post back in September was just coincidence and Pat is drawing an incorrect assumption I apologize, but I think not.

If you do not feel like responding I understand and let your silence speak for itself. I still don't mind buying you that drink to shoot the breeze. :D

You ask the question on the active thunder room but not the Sonic room. Sounds like you want a bias opinion to me. Sonic has been around for a long time and that says something. I own and run around on multiple Sonics and would not change to a thunder. The reason is the support from the factory. I have toured the factory and hung out with a few guy's from the factory and have all been great. I have delt with Dano on my first boat and am in the process of custom ordering another with him. Dano has worked with us and made buying a Sonic comforting and easy. The boats speak for themselves. Sonics quality is # 1. I personally did not like the thunder as much.

Cliff, HELLO...wakeup! It is on the Sonic post as well, but seems that the Active Thunder thread is more popular and keeps it at the top!

Sreamin Deamon It did not show on my computer until about 5 min. after I replied so I was wrong about that part of my statement. My computer is a real piece so I opologize.

Hey Cliff, its ok, I understand, your computor is as slow as your Sonic. :p Just kidding, my buddy who owns the Sonic that I mentioned earlier in this thread, AT Dan and I, will catch up with you guys hopefully at some poker runs next spring, also congrats Mark on the WORLD CHAMPIANSHIP. BAJA 27, tHANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT, Steve and Pat put alot of time in that(though not nearly as much as in Active Dans 40 drawings) they are creative and attention to detail was impeccable, thats why I chose them over Sonic, nothing is generic, my AT will be like no one elses. Crazyass Ed, If you would have stopped at your first few paragraph and didnt continue with all the verbal bull**** as to quality in their gelcoat, and wouldnt have my family ride in one, It sounds to me you work at Sonic, Its the same old saying when I was talking with Sonic before I bought AT. I dont want to say anything bad about AT but, but your going frickin tell me anyways and slam the other guy in this case AT, just to get the sale. Thats bull****, and I didnt think that was very cool of Sonic. I would rather have a boat comp. who builds 30-40 total customized boats a year than 200 generic great boats a year. I dont knock their boats, they are great for certain individuals. So when you pull your head out of your ass and hear that big plopping noise, you will be able to take a big breath and realize what a stupid **** I have been and apologize for the wrongful things that you said :p Have a good night- then you will have 7 posts.