Picking the "one" best is pretty hard. I think I'm going with Trick. When you see a really nice late '80s 357 sitting at a dock, you're looking at one huge boat. Nice lines, that long, sexy deck, squating nicely in the aft, just a cool looking boat that's hard not to notice.

Of the new generation (292, 353, 382), I'm not that familiar. Drove Axapowell's 353 and it was real nice. As Rippem said above, doesn't need much tab input, rides nice and level. Only thing I didn't like was the steering. It was kind of ambiguous, a little loose hull-wise. Nothing I couldn't get used to though

No not biased since I no longer have a boat!

He has a problem. We have discussed it, and I noticed also when I drove the boat. Loose and "ratchety".
At the very least it needs a complete fluid change. If that doesn't get it...it's a piece of trash in the helm or cylinder(s), or the helm has a bad valve.

Mine is positive, smooth and tight.

311 & 357....They just hit it perfect with those two.

It's not the steering itself I don't think. It feels to me like the hull kind of slides around a bit before "biting". However, I did have to turn like 90 degrees on the wheel to get any real turnage out of the boat. I was thinking it was just the way a stepped hull handles, having never driven one before.

If it is the hydraulic steering itself giving that vague feeling, it may just need to be bled. When the steering has air in it, it may be like brakes - spongy.

Nice one Guys.

So, 311 & 357 for the eighties boats & 353 for the stepped hull boats so far.

Im not too sure i want to go from a 242 to a 357 in one go, so maybe ill look at the 311's for the "mean" time.

Any other views?

do you trim in when trying to turn a stepped hull?

NO! This is how they spin out. You keep the trim out at your running setting. If you trim in, you will lift the transom out of the water, and create a spin-out-ready condition. Keeping the trim out keeps the transom planted in the water, and allows the boat to pivot the turn on the (aft) step of the boat, rather than come around on one of the fore steps.

My 37AT has a giant 4" single step. Keep the trim out, the drives planted, and that baby will turn like its on rails.

Thats why I asked!

they are self bleeding, other than an initial install from scratch...which may need assistance, not so much 'cause it won't bleed itself out, but to speed up getting more fluid in the system before hitting the water.

it's not the hull, trust me. With 160 hrs on my 353, and having installed systems from scratch, I know what that boat and hydraulic steering should feel like. My first comment to Dave upon driving his was...

"Dude...something's wrong with your steering!"