West Coast 28-30ft
 

Which west coast builders make the best 28-30ft boat for offshore use? Thanks for your input.

Warlock
Laveycraft

I would say lavey are very popular on the ocean.

Thanks. Any more?

Lavey Craft is your #1 choice west coast builder for offshore in that size. I assume you want a single. Why only West coast? I was told by a Lavey Craft race driver my Superboat handles better than his race boat. I bought it in NY and had it delivered to SoCal.

I would go LaveyCraft for sure! There are super nice guys and build a great boat. Warlock has gone down hill and doesn't make as good as a boat anymore. (I have been to both their factories in the last 1-2 years)

Have a look at Howard Custom Boats & Schiada Boats, both very nice. The closest Schiada has is 32', but still worth checking out.

http://www.howardboats.com/showroom.html

http://www.schiada.com/schi.html

I like the 28 Howard Bullet

Superboat 30

And whatever you do don't look at Kachina, I've had 2. HUGE disappointment.

The Howard 28 is a nice fast boat but only has a 22.5 degree dead rise. Not ideal for running in the Ocean. A 24 degreee is usually prefered.

I couldn't find the Shiada's 32 dead rise but I think it is less than 24 degrees.

I would go with the Laveycraft.

Thats what I was told also. What about the shockwave 29?

Thats the boat !!!

ooooo, don't get all excited there slappy.:drink:

Hi Derrickc,

I will have our new twin step Pantera 28' with recessed hull sides in the water real soon. 1st boat powered by a single 525 EFI Merc. This new 28' will be available soon since it is being custom built for our dealer in the North East.If you are interested in a rough water boat shoot me an email at [email protected]

Transportation to the West Coast is no problem.

We also just did new cockpit dashes for our 28' model.

WWW.Panteraboats.com

Jo - Pantera Boats

Thanks guys.

Most of the west coast boats are made for the lakes. You take them out in the ocean and listen to them stress crack.

:cool-smiley-027:

Why are you limiting to just "west coast" builders? Just curious.

We build Active Thunders on the West Side of Pompano Beach, FL if that's any help. :D

http://www.activethunderboats.com/28.html

Really? I don't think you will hear a Lavey, Howard, or Schiada stress crack. And the riging of a Howard or Schiada is second to none.


Darrell.

I'm more familiar with the east coast builders having grown up in Chicago. Just wondering about the west coast guys since I'm in Cali now.

Ya sure about that? Layup and stringers are light and small.......!

I am not saying they dont make a great boat and the rigging isn't awesome. What I am saying is they are made for the lakes and yes you will hear them stress crack. I have owned boats from both coasts. See how long one of the west coast mfg. boats holds up in the same conditions against a Cig or another East coast mfg. Been there, done that!

:cool-smiley-027:

I hear this sort of talk alot, 1.5 degrees makes the difference, can you even see that difference. Deadrise is the measurment at the transom, That does not mean the deadrise at the bow (where we meet the rough water) may not be very deap.
The new Skater 399 Vee is 22.5 deg, It seems to go better the rougher it gets.
There is alot more than deadrise to dismiss a boat. The feeling of the ride will be far more effected by things like strake width and angle, pad, and chines which all make displacement and of coarse the big one is weight.
Every has what is important the themselves, personally, I want to rigidness and balance.

Well, you seem to be quite the expert having been there and done that with all 3 mentioned. Fact is you wrong. As for the other guy saying a howard or Schaida has weak stringers, he is simply showing his lack of knowledge. Might want to take a closer look next time.


Darrell.

I have a 30' Superboat in Palm Springs Ca. if you want to look at a east coast custom. The only one west of Texas.

Tom:drink:

I can only talk about the 27 Warlock i owned, I put it thru some ruff stuff every chance i got off the Atlantic coast and was very surprised a smaller boat could hold up structurally while other more expensive bigger boats were coming apart.
Like i said i can only talk about the boat i owned, but while i owned it i got a chance to look and just about everything it it class and was able to compare the differences between them, and yes for what you are looking for there are some you want to stay away from :eek:

Look at Nordic ...... every boat is wood free, composite or epoxy or anywhere in between. They have stepped up the build starting in 2008. Will run with any other boat in its class.

The NEW ones are wood free. This only changed in the past couple years.

I like the Nordics but I don't think they are built for hard core stuff. Family boater, yes. Keep the boat in the water ok. The only west coast boats I can think of for this kinda fun is Lavey and Warlock.
Here's a list I like:

Superboat
Extreme
Activator
Laveycraft
Larry Smith Scarab
Pantera
i'm sure I missed a couple.



Superboat Y2K's
[IMG]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...0flying400.jpg[/IMG]

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...ITT/Don3-1.jpg

What's the cockpit freeboard on the Superboat? Can you actually have one as a comfortable stand up cockpit? Can the floor be lowered?

It's not designed for stand up and is to low profile for conversion. Everyone who has run hard in a offshore sit down boat prefers it. The only reason to stand is if the boat is too tall and you can't reach the floor and still see over the deck.

Thanks for the info, and I'm not disagreeing with you. I've been in Fastedy's a few times, and love the boat. I'm just curious as to possibilities.

I didn't take it as that. I was just expressing my opinion and some of others. I like those AT's you sell. If I where to get a larger boat I would be looking at them.

Fact is your wrong, and you have probably only owned a west coast boat or you would know the difference right off.

:cool-smiley-027:

Yes, That is because Randy Davis the new owner is very aware of what it takes to make a great ocean boat. Randy has owned many east coast offshore boats in the past. Watch for them to make giant leaps in the future of the offshore market for Nordic

:cool-smiley-027:!

Wrong again ace. As a former Scarab owner I know a thing or two about east coast boats. Plus the fact I spent hundreds of hours ,if not thousands, in off shore boats, including Fountains, as well as many others, when I was in the SEAL Teams and Special Boat Units. To simply make a blanket statement that West Coast boats are weak, simply shows a lack of knowledge. Carry on.


Darrell.

I agree and you see I said "usually". Again, don't know about the Schiada 32 (they don't make a 28) but the Howard is just not an ocean boat no matter how strong and rigid it is. It may in fact hold up in the ocean without breaking apart but the constant slap of the fairly flat hull will knock its occupants to death after a few miles in 3 - 4 footers. Like I said, it is a very nice boat (and a fast hull) and if I was only lake boating I would highly recommend it. I just don't think it is the best for the ocean. I'd go with Superboat or Pantera (and a few others) before any West Coast custom that I can think of. Just my .02 and I'm no expert. :D

I was a former Scarab owner myself. I have been around the offshore boat industry since the late 70's and worked on alot of them. I think your missing the point. Their weakness is taking the pounding of the ocean water compared to the lake water. As I said before, take any west coast mfg boat out and run it through the same paces as an east coast mfg boat in some rough ocean water and see which one holds up better. Thats why you weren't using Lavey Craft's, Schiada's or Howard's in your Seal Team. These companies all make really great boats and their rigging is awesome but they are (LAKE BOATS) or (RIVER BOATS). Sorry if I hurt your Feelings but it's the truth! Take your Advantage 28ft Sport Cat (LAKE BOAT) out in the ocean and run it hard and you are gonna be fixing alot of things when you get back to shore. I have had a Daytona too and it's a great boat, but it's a (LAKE BOAT). I don't loose any sleep over it! Check your own knowledge!

:cool-smiley-027:

Not sure about the 28 sport cat but I will put my 27 advantage V with twins up against any builder with close to the same size boat in true lake MI 3-5's any day. It rides better in the ruff than a 28 saber with twins, pantera 28 with twins, and 27 formulas with twins. Every one that I have ridden in and rode next to flies transom heavy. Better balance would likely make them equal though.

Mine was already very well balanced and rode great but extension boxes make the boat ride like a 32. It flies dead level no matter what you go through.

There are plenty of east coast boats that come back from lake MI with plenty of things to fix. Allot of them cant take the pounding and have interior parts dangling and loose screws when they come back in. I have never tightened a loose screw, but likely won't have to since everything is through bolted with nyloc nuts. I did have a cabin door break the hinges then crack the door once.

I would'nt say all are lake boats, considering there is a big ocean there with just as ruff of water as the atlantic. If I remember right warlock and lavey were right there in any F1 rough water race. Advantage dominated F2 from the start until the owners died.