Smaller Cats.. Who all makes them?
 

Nordic Thor
Eliminator Daytona
Force 29



Who else?

Im kinda diggin the idea of a i/o powered smaller cat. They seem to have good build quality, reliability and speeds that fit my insurance bill..

I know they wont handle the rough stuff as well as Id want but when it gets too sloppy, Ill just snag a ride on one of edocks cats...they're more fun anyways!

I dont really need a ton of storage because 9 out of 10 times that Ill be on the lake, we'll have the mothership packin all the icechests and passenger overflow.. I wont be taking it to many of the poker runs either..

Can someone chime in with some insight on choosing one brand over another? Im not really interested in the oldschool cats like warlock and HTM.. Id like somethin with canopies, full paint and reliable power. Single engine under 30'..

:food-smiley-007:

The lines in the Thor 27 from Nordic are pretty cool, base model is around 80k?

Find an issue of Hot Boat Magazine. It's has them all:ernaehrung004:

Howard 26
lavey craft 27
e-ticket 29
DCB 26 & 29
Magic 28
Advantage 28
Ultra 27
Redline 26
I'm betting Skater will built you a 28 even though it is not technically one of their models anymore.

Yeah that Redline looked nice as well, bilge was flawlessly rigged.

Well, I like my daytona 25. I have the old style deck with a clear wrap around windshield. I much prefer it to the canopies both distortion wise and looks wise too. Believe me when I tell you it will run in rougher water than you think. My home lake is over 30 miles long and 20 wide and 250 feet deep. It gets big out there. I will run the boat hard in up to 3 footers, more caution in 4's. It flys level and lands flat due to the i/o weight forward. Anything bigger and I whore a ride or sit on the dock and swill pints or take the toon boat to the beach :)
I suspect the small cats with a center sponson as deep or deeper than the outsides would ride somewhat rougher in bad water. The daytona's center pod is quite a bit shallower than the sponsons so at speed, it rides more like a true cat hull.
Overall build quality is very good to excellent. Awsome gel work. Solid, crack free after 400hrs of my abuse.
It ran low 80's gps stock 500efi, 1.5 bravo, 28 bravo 4 blader.
Switching to a black hawk and dialing it in netted low 90,s on stock power.
Good beach boat as it only draws about 28" with the BH drive too.

I suspect the resale of a "name brand" boat will be better in the long run as well.

the DCB or Skater would be a top choice if I were to build new, but thats out of the question.. Too many good deals on used right now to add another "almost new" boat to the used section in two years..

great info.. thats what i was looking for!:ernaehrung004:

I think these are awsome looking little cat's.

http://www.rpmpowerboats.com/

Talked to the owner a few times. He seems like a very honest guy.

There is a 27 Lavey cat in the oso classifieds. I had one with a 900 HP 565BBC and it was wonderful. Lavey's build quality is second to none and they have been around long enough and consistent enough to earn their reputation.

that RPM is pretty nice..i really like the lines on it.. too bad its such a new company, they dont have any used boats out yet..

Why go small cat? Checkout the vicious link. Sparky Olsen builds a very high quality vacum bagged 31 that would fit your needs and probably budget too. Plus he's been talking of smoothing out the lines in the mold to give you more of the look you mentioned. Would be a runner that's for sure.

Heck slap in some quality small blocks and completely please your insurance company. I can help ya there too! Would love to see a set of LSX based marine engine s/b in a offshore cat:drink:

c'mon dude step up ... cant let delo be the king!:grinser010:

I have a daytona with a 525efi I might pass on. [email protected]

a few personal reasons.. I wont have as much time to use the boat like I had this year.. It has to fit in my new garage.. has to fit in a 30' slip and I want to downsize trucks.. Vicious? Havent heard of them.. Whats the link?

Yes I can.. I can let him be king.. :drink:

I cant afford to be king.. I like bein a peon, less expectations.. more beer..

Any more details? year, paint, motor, drives?

wow...no one said spectre or motion or awsome cat or american offshore...those 30 foot liberators look nice but i don't know anything about them...as someone already said the nordic thor is one fine looking boat...i think there is a deck boat version this year also...i love the 28 skater but they are damn proud of them...i love my 30 spectre with 300s...good luck in your search...

Well, if you are looking for insurable power you might be real surprised what he'd build you one for. Also, all of the good stuff is standard, like hydraulic steering, gps speedo, etc.

They are also big for a "26" according to anyone who's been near one.

Last, it is the most efficient hull in that size. It ran like 95 with a 525, and can probably get to 80 with a HO.:drink:

It's worth the call, and may cost just a tiny bit more than an older used cat.:party-smiley-004:

Ain't that the truth!:drink:

I have a nice 30 that is under the insurance Radar and rides much much better than the 25's and 27's. Let me know if that's something that interest you.

25 hustler talon is a good one for rougher water

30" cat
 

Buy my brothers 30' cat (Amt with small block 6.2 Gm small blocks) it will do 115mph on 87 oct gas) Have the speed but not all the headaches of a big box. Rock solid at 115. Look at who was winning all the races At the Worlds.

American Offshore makes the best center pod 26' cat in the business. I am selling my 3rd 26' cat right now.

We have a 30 Motion with 377 mercs shows like new, fresh water use only. Contact Allan @
www.xtremepowerboats.com
305-947-3278

Not an I/O but .......................if I were in the market for a smaller Cat this would be it without question.

This rocket is BEAUTIFULL, as good as new at a great price.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forum...d.php?t=133536

2003, 525efi, xr drive with ITS and a 2 inch sportman shortie. Send me your email and I 'll send you some pics. [email protected]

Come on Dude, my boat with the TPI and new 5.0L SC for 160,000, heck get a custom motor with the same options and Steve the owner of RPM will treat you right same boat with around 650-700hp for 120-129,000 can't beat it. As for build quality hands down BAD AZZ:ernaehrung004:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...40#post2695240

http://www.performanceboats.com/html...ad.php?t=15490

ENJOY:drink:

here is a pic of my boat...25 hustler talon

UNBELIEVABLE boat, handles the rough real well. I use it in the NJ Barnegat Bay all summer

www.hustlerpowerboats.com

http://www.hustlerpowerboats.com/25/images/IMG_6647.jpg

That's a real good looking boat.

Here are a couple of pics of the 30 Motion

If you got room for a 30', I would look at getting a 30 Spectre with mild twin power. 496/525, easy, low cost maintenance and insurance friendly.

Sorry the link is in my signature, forget some members can't see it. The link is www.visciousmarine.com Spark has an unbeatable reputation up here in Michigan. Worked for years at Ocean Express before venturing into his own deal. The site shows his different lines of boats, everyone has been real happy with them. We all work together up here so if you were interested we could put together an unbeatable package with Champion Performance power. :drink:

How much, and have you a photo?

thanks for all the responses.. Ive found quite a few awesome smaller cats for good prices.. amazing what you can find when you broaden your vision a little, haha..

How do the smaller cats handle the rough compared to similar sized V's? Say a 28 Acitve vs. a 28 eliminator, 27 thor? The only cats I have been in are real small or real big.

My 2006 28 Eliminator Daytona handles big wind chop (3'+) with ease.

Offshore rollers would be another issue needing a different /bigger boat.

For most lake and bay situations you can't beat a cat.

i have no problems with my cat in the barnegat bay chop, the thing is, the ride is better at 75-80mph than it is at 50...so to be able to trick to ur mind and keep the throttles forward so you can blast through bigger water at 80....well...takes a little gettin used to

my eliminator handles loto and grand fine up to 3 foot. Anything bigger than that is one hell of a ride.:eek:

Here's my $0.02...
PREDATOR!
http://predatorpowerboats.com/v2/