Offshoreonly.com - Who had the first (production) stepped hull?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kap328 (Post 3165895)

Hey rlj676:

You are one of the few familiar screen names sometimes it comes across different than how it reads in any event.

I think stepped v-bottoms are better riding in the rough when you go from swell to swell the compression on the downside is smoother the vents funnel the water even make a whoosh sound when really compressing/landing.

The steps aerate the hull better for top speed in terms of less wetted surface and I like running fast. Especially if the Mexican patrol boats are around... I can see the Coronado Islands from my home. Yeah us West Coast boaters have the Pacific Ocean... come to Todos Santos home of the big wave surfing swells that will swallow most boats.

Overall, I would never own a non stepped V-Bottom. The only issue I have with them is they do not turn well and like to spin out if pushed hard into a turn ricky racing around and I rarely ever found the need to make racing like turns while in the Pacific ocean.

I'm not an engineer but know what I like for my boating environment.

KAP

P.S. Headed to the Rio/Arizona it is 116 deg. gonna be a hot one:drink:.

Interesting take, I've never heard anyone reference the steps actually aerating enough to cushion a blow. Most of my research has found people to claim the ride of a wave crushing traditional V to always beat a step boat.....think Apache vs Fountain. There's obviously a lot more to the equation though, mass, balance, speed, etc.......

I must be less of a speed freak, as I'll take my stability over an extra few mph. We know that's not your case with twice the power on your cat (deckboat).:drink:

Cougar Cat had the first production "stepped" hulls...I am almost positive. They may have been produced in small numbers but produced none the less.

Maybe a dumb question but I keep reading how some people believe steps equal higher top end... I'm curious as to how this is so since almost any boat I've seen running wide open had a wetted surface behind that of the last step?!? To me they are more for efficiency then anything.

As for the original question... I have no idea but I admire T2x's (amongst others) knowledge and think he needs his own section, or to write a book...

Quote:

Originally Posted by T2x (Post 2686543)

If you want to split hairs and talk about "Production Fibreglass hulls", below are examples of a few (and there were more) that were available in the early 60's.

T2x

we owned this Hydro Scott hull. it was stolen from our yacht club .