old cigarette race boats ,look at the pics of the races from miami to the bahamas

Apache-41'
Apache-47'
Cigarette-38'(not T/S)
Notice all are straight bottom-NO steps

1000

here are two vintage excellent rough water riding boats.

Id take a 46 Skater over anything.

So a 10-12k # 41 foot or 38 foot non step boat rides better than a 20K# 5O Nortech ?

I have never been in a 41 Apache, been in a 36, very nice boat and I have been in a few 38 TG's stepped and non stepped. Unless the 41 Apache rides twice as good as a TG it aint as good as a 50 Nortech.

The Apaches are bad ass don't get me wrong but to say they are still the best is like saying the 88 Tbird that Bill Elliot drove in Daytona @ 225 mph before the restrictor plates is a better race car they have now.

This thread needs to be broken down into specific catagories to have any real validity.

"The Best Rough Water Boat Ever Built":

1. with a really good driver/throttleman.
2. with a driver/throttleman who has no clue.
3. in 5' to 7' over 75 MPH.
4. in 5' to 7' over 100 MPH.

Are you getting the idea this question is way too general?

I look at it as a good driver that is also the throttle man in the same big water.

OOOOH this is S-O-O-O-O tempting...........

T2x

Rarely a purpose built design is reached and then difficult to surpass. The Don Aronow 41' Apache is one of those rare designs. The absolute center of the bullseye. It does what it was intended to do exceedingly well and that is race in rough water . They are not fast by todays twin step standards in small water, but they are incredibly strong and in the right skillfull hands amazing to watch in the rough stuff.

Another such design..nothing to do with powerboats.....is the AK47. You would think that a 61 year old weapon could easily be bested by todays gun minds with all the modern technology available. So far it can't. Mikhail Kalashnikov hit the center of the bullseye with that design.
Rare design occurrences..........but they do happen.