tgersx

i currently have a 1998 37 ol single step and i was looking at a new 37 active thunder, but i heard they are squirley due to the one big step, anyone have any opinions on the ride in big water, handeling or quality of the active thunders compared to what i have??

Cash Bar

Best test ride I ever had was given by Pat in a demo AT. Semi-rough 3-4's like a washing machine. Boat had 496's and ran mid-70's like it was on rails. My girl can be a little squirrelly in rough water but she thought it was great.

carcrash

Planing hull design is a fairly black art, but I'd be surprised if one step resulted in bad handling. Steps have been around for over a hundred years, and single steps are the most stable.

The big double step of the big Fountains are kinda a special optimization (increases aspect ratio of lifting surface while still giving focused lift just forward of CG like a proper single step).

The reason the Skater V hulls are faster is due to stiffer construction, not design. The Skater design is clearly worse, as are the other way-too-many-step designs like the newer OL. If it was better, you'd see it in the Kilo records.

How many airplanes do you see with more than 2 foils? Each step is like another lifting surface (foil). If it was better, we'd see planes with a series of wings sticking out the sides. Its not better, its far, far worse.

Early stepped hulls (used to be called hydroplanes) sometimes had as many steps as OLs, and were called shingled hulls. They sucked severely. They porpoised, bucked, spun. Kinda like OLs today. The ones that worked best had one step.

One day, someone built a boat where the front step was split, put on each side, and the modern three point hydroplane appeared, and still dominates today.

What's the fastest single engine V hull ever tested by any boating Magazine? Howard Bullet. Single step. Handles perfectly by all accounts.

docmanrich37

Anytime your around and want a ride in my A/T let me know.You will be surprised by the ride at 50-100mph.
My AT should be at miami show in the water so let me know.

Cignificant

I've ridden in a 37' quite a few times (I have a 1990 Cafe). I have to say it is different than other boats I've ridden in, most of which are straight V's. For one thing, you don't use the tabs. The way the back of the hull is angled keeps the bow down without them. It's a little un-nerving to me in the rough stuff, because there's no way to get the bow up. I also noticed that when crossing boat wakes they tend to "catch" and swing the bow around.

But they ride very level, and they're fast for the HP you put in them. I wouldn't hesitate to own one.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

The boat is NOT SQUIRLEY ONE BIT!!!!!

Quite the contrary actually.

The original stepped 37AT had a 5 inch step. It could have handled better, and hence the bottom was altered to improve the handling. That boat is still out there with a happy owner. That step was bevelled off a bit, and blueprinted.

With the large single step under the AT, it turns PERFECTLY every single time. You can take it to the bank that at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90+ mph, it will always pivot on that step. This is probably very similar to how your single step OL handles. When you talk about twin, triple, and even more steps... sometimes; depending on load, fuel, passengers, water, speed, and the gravitational pull of the flux capacitor , the boat will pivot on a different step than you expect it too, and this is how multiple step bottoms often get out of shape and worse.

A person doing the wrong thing can get any boat out of shape. However, ask Tres Martin or Docmanrich37 about the 80mph 180* turn that Tres pulled with Rich's boat during the the HP School that Tres teaches. I don't plan to try it in my 37AT. I definately would not try it in another boat. But I like the fact that I know my boat is capable of such.

Here is a recap of the 37AT in the Chicago Poker Run:
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=135904

Please let me know if I can be of more assistance.

docmanrich37

But they ride very level, and they're fast for the HP you put in them. I wouldn't hesitate to own one.[/QUOTE]

I'm glad you said that Steve.Now buy mine so we'll both be happy.

carcrash

Oh: one other example. The Extreme 39 started out with steps that were widely separated like on Formulas. They had serious high speed handlign problems. Changed the bottom to be more like fountain (moved the aft step forward, much closer to the other step) and they seem to work better now.

The wide separation of steps is probably the reason Formulas are slower than Fountains.

cosmic12

have you talked to Pat about the 43 that is on the way? should be a killer boat!!!

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I have a couple hundred hours combined in several step hull 37ATs, and I have NEVER experienced this.

(Perhaps because my AT is so fast, that I am never behind anyone to cross their wakes. Steve, I think its your driver. )

Seriously, on the Chicago Poker Run, which was the sickest water that I have ever been in... I ran the boat conservatively. I had my 66 year old Dad aboard, and two other guests. I could have trimmed the boat out more, and lifted the bow, but I did not want any major air. I towed 1600 miles roundtrip for the Chicago Poker Run. I didn't make the trip to stay on the trailer, but also did not make the trip to destroy anything. I never once touched the trim tabs. I kept the drives at exactly straight neutral. I normally run them trimmed up 3.5 ticks from neutral.

I could not ask for more in a boat. I am even VERY happy with my stock/warrantied 496HO power package.