your right on Catmando, It's ok to ask questions.. the people here are more than happy to answer questions. Just dont make factual statements if you haven't had the real life experience..

The pod helps the boat to get on plane with less power.

Thanks for all of the responses. I took a tour of the Eliminator business a few years ago. The boats and power plants bagged to go into the boats were amazing. However, I'm partial to the American Offshore NSX. The bottom design, quality of build, value, and all around performance are hard to beat. I also think the side by side seating up front is way cool in such a small boat (small-comparatively speaking). I don't have tons of money to throw around which puts me in the used market (value is key). I'm not sure when I can buy (still finishing brutal divorce) but I'm sure looking forward to it.:drink:

I agree i also had an American Offshore NSX and i loved it. The side by side seating made conversation great up front. I havent looked in a while but the RSX boat looks cool.

watch the build quality on the early AO/s.

I did a ton of research on single drive cat's.....including insurance costs! That is where my fun stopped.

Before getting your heart set, just be sure to get a real insurance quote to make sure you can get insured, and are willing to pay to play!

That said, from my research I found the RPM to be my favorite. It is a ground up design (actual engineering went into it, CAD, etc not a splash) that is extremely efficient, I believe the fastest 525 single out there. It is also big for 26, with a usable cabin. 26redline on here as the baddest one, and claims no qualms about sharp turns at speed, so I suspect it handles. Pricing was also great when I checked.

However, with no budget given if you are going older/used there aren't many out there of course yet.

I will say, that being a proud owner of a RPM, I will be a lifetime supporter...:drink: Steve is an Awesome builder whos attention to "detail" is second to none, you don't just get a boat, you get a lifelong friendship. I have become very good friends with the guys at the shop, our familys do things together, vacations etc, you cannot say that about "ANY" other company, the boating world has it's share of sleeze balls, I am just glad that I did my homework, and went with RPM...

Here is a picture from this past weekend of me running 125mph, with 2 people, and full of fuel out in Lake Pontchatrain...

What are the prices on a 26 Redline? New and Used??

The prices are the most affordable ones in the business, a RPM with a 525 comes in around 100-110, but you can go from mild to wild, there is one that is used I believe it has around 30hrs on it for 85-90, but don't quote me on that.

Give Steve a call @ RPM, he can answer any questions you may have, but he is taking orders for a 30' price starts @ 220,000 with twin 525's Sportmaster lowers, and ITS boxes, that is a smokin deal, heck you can't buy any other 30' cat with twins for that price...:evilb:

Comment:
His comments are dangerous as they lack any foundation, merit or substance. This is commonly called misrepresentation. You should drink more coffee or Redbull after 10,000+ posts and take a break instead of bagging on this kid NATE :chill-pill:.

Yes! and you need a place to put the motor and transom assembly. Catmando you have come a long way in your posts and impart facts and alternate ideas for those asking questions.

Comment:
I would join the above comments X 1000 and add the price of the latest used 26 RPM with minimal if any hours... is worth looking into. You would be very fool hardy if you didn't follow up on it with a call to Steve.

KAP

P.S. All the other choices are excellent as well. Seriously, I can find very few faults with the hulls and builders mentioned. It all comes down to the relationship you want to have with your boat builder which may include customer service and personal boating needs you may have:boat:.

P.P.S Any single engine cats that do not have a centerpod uhhhh I can't think of any:eek:.

Cobra 30 terminator true cat single engine.. 28 ocean express true cat single engine,

Hey Baja555:

Thanks for the post you right with respect to the Cobra 30 Terminator run with single O/B. I don't think they are made anymore!

As for the 28 Ocean Express Sport Cat it has a pod.

It is not the full length of the hull nor very large but it's there. Really high X-Dimension on that boat the friggen engine is sitting damn near shoulder height. You need more than a scoop to accomodate the engine. No experience with this hull wonder what that does to the CG.

I could not think of any hulls made by current boat builders making a single engine cat without a pod.

I thought about it for awhile and the F-1 tunnel hulls might also qualify... but really not a pleasure boat/ production hull if that were the case then so are the Unlimited Hydros.

Thread related this threads author might also want to consider twin engine outboard boats. There is a beautiful Skater with outboards for sale in the classifieds and probably within your budget... 100MPH boat all day long.

KAP

26 redline hands down. I owned a Nordic Thor which is a much nicer boat than the eliminator but can not preform like the rpm. RPM is a great boat all around and Steve is the man, he rigged the Thor when I had it.

Yeah, Cobra had limited success and are defuncted now..The RPM cats seem very nice and I have never heard a bad word about them. Plus they are a great bang for your buck..

Hey Baja555:

Well it seems my initial conclusion is correct no single engine cats being made without a pod. This brings us to choice the RPM is a great cat for the money.

All of the RPM's to date are inboard power it would interesting if someone built a 26RPM with outboards:drink: hmmmm. I almost did but wanted a bigger boat for offshore conditions. I already have a lake hot rod.

KAP

If I remember correctly 28 profile & 26 awesome don't have center pods.

I find my 26 AO rides quite nice in the rough up to the point its not long enough to span the rollers. It rides worlds better than the 26 firehawk I owned.

Pocket Listing:

Here you go...talked to Steve at RPM he has a 2009 26RPM customer took possession of the boat in April 2010.

The boat is immaculate HP525 with ITS, Smartview Gauges, trailer and everything to get you on the water. Comes with the covers as well virtually turn key package.

PRICE: $89,5000 OTD

This boat is not listed anywhere on the net you need to call Steve Tripp on this boat.

KAP

Comment:

Nope they have pods not very big but they have them. The 26 Awesome is not in production....at least not lately. I might be wrong though sometimes production occurs for certain customers.

From an engineering stand point you need the pod to set the motor down into it and bolt the drive on. The Ocean Express cat has a small pod but the engine is mounted super high not a good idea IMO. If it were a true tunnel and you installed the engine in the center of the tunnel the motor would be a huge air dam behind you and the CG would be dangerous if not stupid high....and scary in turns:eek:.

KAP

the original 27 awesome did not have a pod ... for some reason when they changed to the 26 it had a pod..

True but the pods were not deep enough to function like true center pod boats in relation to handling. If the pod isn't touching the water once the boat is on plane the benefits of the pod won't be realized. I think it was powerboat mag that tested a 26 awesome & the review wasn't flattering.

I dont have any experience in driving a pod cat.. I have looked at AO and awesome.. Build quality was better on the AO , but still not that good.. There were a pair of talons from pa that ran the deleware river.. both were very fast but couldn't handle it when the water got bad. 2- 3 fters.. Have never heard anything bad about RPM.. I just dont think that a pod cat would handle the water I run in, Atleast at any respectable speeds.

Comment:
Well it kinda comes down to nads and experience. The Norway guys who bought the [orange] RPM in the advertisements. Well they run that boat in some incredible water 9+ feet I believe there is a video of the boat running up the swells as it disappears and then up the other side.

They were in some kinda race evidently following a Nortech in some crazy azz water. I will tell you from my perspective no thanks....but they didn't think anything about it. Guess when you boat in the North Atlantic everyday it's kinda fun with a tiny boat:eek:.

So I really don't believe in that myth of pod boats not being able to do this or that!

KAP

anytime your in conditions bigger than you should be in you need BIG nads... I want a boat that I am confident will bring me home safe...I want solid handling no quirky traits and a solid build quality

From an engineering stand point you need the pod to set the motor down into it and bolt the drive on. The Ocean Express cat has a small pod but the engine is mounted super high not a good idea IMO. If it were a true tunnel and you installed the engine in the center of the tunnel the motor would be a huge air dam behind you and the CG would be dangerous if not stupid high....and scary in turns. kap328


I had not heard of an engine height issue before, but I can see it now. Thanks kap for opening another window on single engine cat design. :)

the 30 cobra is a true single engine cat.. Its a copy of a shadow.. they had some success racing.. no problems with the motor being over the tunnel.. had issues with getting the right X dimension but they handled no worse than the chris cats and shaows and all of the copies of each..

there was talk of a single bb 28 Skater withr a #6 drive in the skater section a while back. Thats what id get

There was 1 built . must not have worked out well...

I rode in a NA 700HP Awesome 26 and was puzzled by the overall ride. It as a single engine (true tunnel) cat and it had some weird handling issues. It didn't plane well and leaned severely port or starboard side (I can't remember which direction) at slower planing speeds. In the mid range it had a pronounced porpose and at WOT it felt great. It was by far my most interesting boat ride I've ever experienced.

that would be a very poor design..

Wrong, the original 27 awesome's had a pod 93-97 I believe, 98 & up was a true tunnel, my brother had a 98 for many years & ran 115+ (1000hp & Bmax) ran great in the snotty water. porpoise cleaned right up after 90, I had a 31 Awesome also, after 90 she would smooth right out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/randylan.../7/rizvrJDiQJs

I stand corrected...you might want to check your facts... Awesome changed the 27 to a 26 fter and put a pod in it.. wow you had to go 90 to get the porpoise to stop..

well my neighbor's '98 26 Does not, & my buddy's 2000 26 does not, & they ended production in 2002, these are facts! there was a 95 in the OSO classified's recently that had a center pod, also a fact:coolcowboy:

They were produced up until a yr or two ago..

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/a...ter-pod-5.html

enjoy! last one built was 2003

and I wouldn't brag too much about the porpoise stopping at 90... thats not a good thing..

not bragging at all, between 80-90MPH you either punch it or slow down, & it would disappear, I wanted to add a tunnel tab on my 31, but it never really bothered me that much, & it only did it in real calm water, my point is the 26 Awesome can be had real cheap, & should not be over looked... my .02:party-smiley-004:

my 95 awesome 26' has a pod . rides good though

I'm real happy with my 25 ICC daytona with an ilmor 625. Mid 90's everyday, turn key. I took her to Destin this year for the poker run and had no problems with the water.

I had a warlock cat before. Boat handled very poor compared to the Eliminator. Leaned out when turning, had a mild hop around 70-80 mph. The daytona leans in slightly on turns and has a very nice ride in the rough compared to the Warlock.

Just my 2 cents.........

ocean express 28' cats are true tunnels. The red white and blue 28 has a small pad just under the oil pan. I was at oe last year looking at his 28 and Ross told me that he was running a black max on that boat and needed oil pan clearance.engine and drive was out of the boat at that time. He had another 28 there without the pad. That 28 is one nice looking boat! Right now I have a30 cobra MYsecond time around with this cat sold it as a twin. baught it back as a single without power I didnt care for it as a twin setup and was going to chang it to single. Pete at cobra told me they were made for single but the buyer insisted on him making it twin but the boat would be better as a single. I sold the boat and the new owner changed it to single I kept in touch with new owner and the boat did alot better as a single and ran in the low 80s.Pete said the tunnel would work better without the weight of the second engine and I think he is right. I cant wait to try it for myself. The previous owner put a blower motor in it the second year and it did just over a 100! I think thats great for a 30' single! I still would like to have a 28 oe one day. Getting back on track both of these brands of boats are true tunnels