Gladiators in Havasu!
 

Here are a couple of pics of my Gladiator and my buddy's new Gladiator preparing to head to Havasu and also some shots taken on the water. Enjoy!

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And one behind the H2. Consequently, it towed the Gladiator like it was a 20' bowrider.

Is the other Gladiator the one from DSM?? What speeds are you seeing?

Awesome camera work Jeffery. I like the angle in the first pic.

The blue Gladiator is the one from DSM. My good friend Mike bought it. We delivered it to Havasu for its maiden voyage.

In most cases you will lose 2-3 mph on fresh water versus salt water due to the buoyancy factor. My Gladiator with the twin 500EFIs side by side saw 86.8 on the GPS in Havasu. Mike's Gladiator with the twin 525EFIs staggered ran 89 on GPS in Havasu - 2.2mph faster.

I have yet to find ideal water on the ocean to really trim the boat and run it flat out. I suspect that it will run close to 89mph on the ocean. Mike's boat should run in the low 90's - maybe 91-92.

More pics ...

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You know Trout ... why did I know you would be the one to ask for that? :D

I'll think about it ... :D

Go ahead Jeffery. I want to see the lucky lady too :)

I know ... very rare! :)

Both boats were set up with the drives turning inboard. Most of you who have ever tried docking with this setup versus outwards know the difference. If you don't know ... there is a BIG difference!

Most would automatically assume that the staggered setup with the props turning inwards would be an absolute nightmare to dock. Believe it or not - if you use one drive to maneuver it is almost like having a single screw. The drive - being staggered - is much more centered where it can actually move the boat around quite easily.

The non-staggered setup (like mine) is a bear to dock. The drives - spaced apart - and turning inwards don't want to respond to any input like you would expect. It takes some getting used to but eventually you determine what works and what does not.

I question the advantage - in terms of top speed - of this setup. I plan to test top speed with the props tuning outwards at some point.

In terms of running - my boat is more stable in nasty water simply due to the drives being spaceded further apart. We determined this in the Poker Run when we were running together in nasty water created from all the big cats ahead of us. Step hulls boat don't like other boat's wakes to begin with but I think they like them even less when they are in a staggered formation.

It is hard to determine the actual performance advantage. In most cases you would expect the staggered 525 setup to leave the side by side 500EFI setup way behind. But the advantage was a mere 2.2mph. Maybe Mike has yet to become fully accustomed to his boat and there may be another mile or so difference - but even then - I was surpised that there was not a larger advantge in his favor. He also has nose cones on his Bravos which I do not have.

The beautiful young lady on my boat is someone very dear to me. She was someone important to me previously and has recently come back into my life.

I know Chad (and others) will ask about the other young lady (OC Hottie as Chad referred to her) that I posted a pic of before. Suffice it to say that she is not happy and not in my life anymore.

Here is another small bit of information ... the young lady pictured herein is also a member on this website. Her avatar flashes between an angel and a devil. :D

Thanks! I think so. Her personality is every bit as beautiful as she is physically! :)

Jeffrey- the boats look great! i heard Havasu was off the hook!!! i can't wait to see the paint work up close! the numbers you are obtaining are quite impressive with a stock set up. having said that, when are the power upgrades coming??? :D FYI, Speedy is tucked away in the shop for the winter. i have a few small cosmetic projects planned for it.

wow, what a beautiful boating companion you have. i do admit though, your flavors change weekly. although, sometimes you can't get the taste out of your mouth and have to go back for seconds. BTW, why don't you send OC Hottie my way. i'll do my best to make her happy..... :D

jbk

Chad:D :D

Jeffrey,
Both of those boats are beautiful!! I love the paint and the way that they look next to each other:) What a pair!!!

Craig

Chad -

I just might send OC Hottie your way. We have TONS of them out here in ... OC! :D

Mike's girlfirend is a definite OC Hottie and I have his approval to share a photo ...

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Jeffrey- thanks for rubbing it in. as if i didn't know OC has more than their share........:rolleyes: :D i look forward to my next trip! ;)

i thought you were going to move the H2?!? did you decide to keep it around? send me some pics of the Z-car project when you get a chance.

depressed in the midwest,
chad

looks great Jeffrey!

Hey Jeffrey, if these guys think the pics look good they should've seen you two coming back on the poker run. Both Gladiators side by side. Looked killer!

By the way I "escorted" some frickin dude lurking next to both them at the docks on Satuday morning at like 3 am. Unless you're on one of the boats partying, you have to business walking around looking into the boats at 3 am!:rolleyes:

Hey Tank - Thanks dude! Someone else described us as looking like two F-14 Tomcats coming around the corner in formation. Were you on Nort's BROKEN Formula :D ?

Thanks for keeping a watch out. Lurkers at 3am don't always add up to something positive!

No, I brought the Baja out for a guest appearance this trip!:D ;)

Speaking of broken, who did you hit in order to crack your starboard bow between the hull and the deck, or is it just delaminating? :D :D :D

Delaminating?? I don't think that word is in Cigarette's vocabulary. We are unfamilar with it.

The word was invented on 188th street! :D :D The only other alternative is that you hit something solid, like a Formula! :D :D

Nort!! You're a truoble maker!!!:D :D :D

Hey Tank, have a guy getting some properties together in the Monarch Beach area. What is that area like? He said that it is okay compared to what I have now and should get me by since it will be a second home...Also do you have to pay property tax on a boat in Cali? I have a mess of red tape ahead of me but I am sure in the long run it will be worth it:)

There are 4 different areas that he is scouting for me so I will shoot you info as I get it.

Register your boat in Arizona.

188th Street? Isn't that where Formula was born? Now that I think about it you are 100% correct! It was invented down there when they came back from the first ever FORMULA sea trial. How foolish of me to forget that!! :D

Weak.....very very weak DAP!! It's still down there....why do you think they move the factory to IL? Gezzz.....gotta explain everything twice! :D :D :D

Hello DAP???

Jeffrey, nice pictures :)

I love those boats but I just can't imagine getting away from a bolster seat. I could hardly wait to get a bolster seat boat. I usually find myself standing most of the time.

Take care!

Jeffrey,

Great pics!

I would say your speed estimates are spot on withthe 525s...

I was in Joe's Gladiator(the boat show boat with the mural). With 4 of us in the boat it ran 92mph on a choppy day on Long Island...I forget waht props he was running, but the boat really ran sweet...those speeds were very deceiving because the boat ran so smooth.

Sean

Boy.......those boats sure are small!!! Are they sea-worthy? :D :D :D

(left to right: Formula 382 - Gladiator - Scarab 38)

Fibbin' as always. That's some 16 foot Donzi under the blue cover. Always trying to create CHAOS wherever he goes!

I don't know if they are small or not, but at least they don't have a built in swim platform to help over state their length! :p

Touche! Good one. Yeah Nort ... stick to the Formula section. No wannabees allowed! :-)

P.S. Rumor has it Nort's next offshore boat will likely bear the infamous oval one emblem!!