Gerard, you know I am a v-bottom guy but I have to ask, if you don't need a cabin and intend on spending the money on a Gladiator....why not just buy a nice cat... there I said it. Now the OSO Cig family can take out a contract on me.

But conventional wisdom says they will be faster with less power and ride better at anything above 70 (I have no experience, just what I read here). If you don't need a cabin and like the sit down aspect then how about a 36 Skater or 36 Spectre. Maybe insurance cost is prohibitive. Or they are too wide to tow everywhere or something. What's the deal?

Jody,
I agree with you about that cats are more efficient, but I am NOT a cat guy. V-bottoms are more versatile than cats. (usually because of the cabin) I can do without a cabin. I want to try a gladiator and sit. 2 weeks ago at the SCOPE Poker Run, the cats were having a hard time with the water and it wasn't rough at all. When we got to Catalina, there were approx. 7 cigs(we were the first Cig), 2 Hustlers, 1 Hallet, 1 Outerlimits, 1 Scarab(1st to the Island) and 2 cats (40 Skater/36 Nor-tech)

I am a V-bottom guy all the way. To each his own, but I have no interest in a cat (for now anyway!!) I would be better off with a V-bottom for the ocean anyway.

I noticed your Scarab is for sale. Why are you selling it? It is a bada$$ boat. what's next for you?

Besides the insurance aspect .... Cats and the Pacific swell scare me. I'd feel more comfortable flying a V .. there's only one sponson to deal with on re-entry.

G

I actually have noticed one thing I don't like about the Gladiator........how do you get onto the deck from the cockpit??/ I don't se a step or anyway that looks easy.

I think you walk around the side, like the mid 80s Mistress.

LS JR.

You walk around the side. It is not bad at all


Rick OSG

Being a V-bottom guy also, it's nice to hear they still have advantages besides cabins.

Gerard, I put the Scarab up for sale because I have not been able to use it. Here's a pic of it just before the Catalina ski race. It may some time to sell because it is unique but after it does I will focus on my business and kids for a couple years until they are older and more independant. Then I will return (sounds like General McArthur).

Gerard - Just the standard layout - raw fiberglass and stringers. However, the gunnels between the stringers are a perfect size for plastic storage containers. Throw four of those down there and you have storage galore. They never move or bounce around. Everything stays dry. The only thing you have to worry about is when you are washing the deck. The hatch design is lousy. At least the Top Guns have a channel to catch water around the hatch opening. Cigarette apparently did not worry about this with the Gladiators since there is no cabin to protect from the elements. There is no channel - only a rubber gasket - and that does nothing to keep water out. Water will dribble into the hull and if the plastic containters are open ... bummer!

Access is around the sides. It just made me think of something else. A little change of topic here - did you know there are different size cockpits in the Gladiators? Both length and width wise. The wider cockpits have a much narrower side to walk on. Also, the ones with longer cockpit areas have substantially more foot/storage room in the rear. Someone told me the smaller cockpit (shorter length-wise) areas were only on the staggered boats, however, that is incorrect. I have a side by side setup and my cockpit area is the smaller version. However, my friend has a staggered setup and he has the same length cockpit but his cockpit is much wider. Just an interesting observation.

Thanks for the info. Last time I saw your boat was in Havasu, right next to the blue Gladiator. I did notice the cockpits were the same length, but one was wider. I guess Cigarette was testing a few different things. I wonder if they are all the same width now? (except for the length of the cockpit)

Looks like the Gladiator has no issues (for me). The Gladiator is now DEFINATELY #1 on my list. Now I have to work harder to get one!!