No doubt.
 

You're going from a '60's design to a '80's design :lolhit: Thats 20 yrs dude. All kidding aside, IMO, a pad bottom vee is tough to beat and what I want. Always liked S.Stepps ad...., "no beaks, steps or hooks" :thankyouthankyou:
That design is light yrs ahead of the Sonic as is the construction methods. Much better boat.
I still think the 24' Sonic has a bigger cabin though. Tough for me to give up based on how often we still weekend on it. (headed back to the Keys in a month)
If I had a shop though it would be fun to see what you could do w/that Velocity. Done right that thing would be an absolute blast w/a pair of new 300 XS's.
Which Sonic is yours? I think I know who you are from S/F but not sure.

I think that's the same bottom used on the VR1 . The boat is great looking . Had my friend check it out and he gave it the thumbs up, but it was too far away from me to travel the 3000 + miles round trip for it. Should be real fast.

:drink:Was black with silver stripes on S/F. Now solid black sides white deck. I don't think I have posted any good pictures since I painted it. Tough to beat for all around do anything boat.

For the Velocity it is in the perfect state for what I want to do, other than it is not a race deck. I am guessing close to the same weight as a Sonic. Going to get some stock efi 200s to start.

Step bottom outboards are near non existent other than a few new ones. What else is out there? And I like the 80s:drink:

I called on it this summer, and never got to price. So when I saw the ad thought better pull the trigger. Only issue is the owner wants it gone before the weekend.

That 28 PP was at our shop, really cool boat.
Heres a 26 Sutphen we restored for a customer, runs 80ish
http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/la...7ba3b#h777ba3b

Gorgeous!
 

Almost pulled the trigger on one for sale a couple yrs back.

A 28' PP is maybe at the top of my list along w/a 29' Progression.One thing that slows me down on most though is limited access to the bow. My Sonic has side deck all the way from cockpit to bow and we are at anchor at least once every time we go out.

Banshee, post some pix's on here of your Sonic. Being the 24' O/B historian (spent more on them than anybody on the planet!) I thought I'd seen them all but don't remember yours.
Also, I'm not a fan of step bottom vee's for what I want. As far as the '80's..., I'm still stuck there.
I think that bottom is the fastest Steve ever pinned and the same as the one that set many records way back when and the same as the one just rebuilt by the two young men on here.
You'll love it. I'm jealous.

Nice pics! There's been plenty of 30 & 24 Superboats w/OB's. I don't know who owns this but I love this pic!

Yep.
 

The 30's are gorgeous. I spent a lot of time staring at the one recently listed in Long Island. Two actually.

27 Kryptonite was running high 90s low 100s with 280s I believe

I remember reading that.
 

They loose me when they go from performance/pleasure to race. Still admire them but not for me. Becomes a cat. When you're done playing then what??
I understand that I am the 1/10 of 1% that actually use this style/size of boat for a weekender but I/we do and that changes a ton.
I've said forever that if I could get funding and build an up to date version of what I have......, pad, 2nd set of full strakes, construction method etc, etc, I might be content for a while and think I could sell them. 70 w/a single DI 300 ??
Performance is big for me but after that afternoon blast, then it becomes cabin access,cabin size, and access to front deck.
I went to the Miami show twice while my antique was in process and my brain was mush and the Mrs told me "lets just buy something new and be done". Closest thing I ever found was the twin O/B Velocity (I think called a 32' now) which I don't think had a sun lounge which is another deal breaker to me. I really liked the 30' Concept but no sun lounge (or storage under it) either and after what I went through to add one to my Sonic....., kinda like our patio when at anchor. It's a must have.

good call
 

o/b sonic great thread!
I'll play for sure

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00872.jpg

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00877.jpg

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC00879.jpg

Thank...
 

you sir and welcome aboard.
Cool looking rig too!

I agree brother, Id take a 28 Skater over the 27 kryptonite....neither REALLY have a cabin anyhow

Found these in the Classic boat forum.

There used to be a 29' phantom (??) with twin 2.5' ob's called "Showtime" in the late 80's - I believe it was featured in a Motor Boat and Sailing Mag once. Anyone have pic's of it?

The biggest reasons for purchasing my Checkmate 2800SX was the size of the cabin for a 28' boat, the performance with twin 2.4/2.5 Mercury power and the freeboard of the boat. When Checkmate developed the 2800SX for racing, the cockpit was slid aft giving the boat a really long bow and the transom was cut down for outboard tilt clearance. Unlike many of the other 25-30' outboard performance boats that had "flat decks" and little headroom, the Checkmate's deck rises from the rubrail a good 18"+ giving the boat a nice size cabin and making the boat look alot bigger than it really is!! The fact that my boat was built with AME 4000 resin (lighter than the standard layup) and 24" of setback on Gil brackets, I should run pretty good with moderate power plants. I'm going to cover the race hatch over the splashwell with a sunpad for the wife...and I'll wind up with a great all around, fast, outboard powered, performance boat!

The red Velocity is Gaberdeen down in the islands ( can't remember which). He picked up an I/O velocity a while back. Cool little 22. Great thread Gary.

In 93 Steve Stepp built this one for me to my specs. I rigged and dialed the boat in. 26' ThoroughBred- Velocity, Kevlar hull. I installed a Porta bracket, from Steve Porte in Daytona. 2 Evolution Marine prepared Johnson V-8s 400 hp each. Boat ran 106 and was evil on acceleration, and handled the ruff unbelievable. Sold the boat in 2005 went to up state Pa. I miss the boat at times. Bob

Yours (Bob) was on my short list before I found mine on Lake Lanier.

Bob

Wow!
 

Being an OMC guy too...., wow! Thanks for the pix's. That's exactly the reason this thread is here.

Good thread.
I'll find some pix.
Member ctsutphen30? Has a 30' sutphen with twin merc 300. Real cool boat. The windshield isn't exactly my thing. It's similar to a formula windshield but bigger....

I also really liked member highlifes ( rip ) 27' mag sedan with twin merc 300
Id actually like to get my hands on a sedan for a quick overnighter but ill prob rig it sob on bracket.

I do, it was in the Bahamas and owned by.... a girl! :eekdrop: she could drive it too!

my old girl, Lordy I miss that boat

twin V8 'rudes, short shafts, open exhaust and a primal scream

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/...amas/ME32S.jpg

That 30' was also owned by Bob McCoy, hence the windshield.

Ron

This is the 34' "superboat around the world" boat... It's up here in Canada... Really cool. And suprisingly fast for a HUGE boat with Twin OB's


http://i47.tinypic.com/1pdqh5.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/k4tkyo.jpg

Yep.
 

Love that boat. He had it flyin too. There was a just completed restoration for sale in Miami for $4500. for a long time. I think someone bought it and either got in over their head or tried to flip is. Resurfaced at double the price. Had I not been 1/2 through my Sonic restoration I would have gone to see it. Might keep your eye on s.fla craigs as I'm sure it will surface again.

Awesome history guys. Lovin it. Keep it coming.
Reminding me of the feeling as a teenager waiting on my Powerboat mag. to show up in the parents mail box a 100 yrs ago :whistle:

Man those 34 Superboats are bad ass, same with the Midnight Express, didnt realize there were so many closet OB guys on OSO, we need our own forum. I can email a pic of my Concept if CC are allowed in this thread.

You should...
 

start a center console thread. My guess is it would be bigger than this one. I'm a huge CC fan. When most of the boats we all love have giant, gorgeous cabins that no one uses......, explain that one to me.
Anyhow, I have said forever, buy a CC. Same boat, same power, same performance and 3 times the space and way more useful for what we like to do. W/the current level of O/B technology, even the haters are second guessing their narrow mindedness :lolhit:
I dare you ;)

i'll have to grab pics but someone near me has what looks to be an 80s twin 200 merc that is appx 30-33ft. only markings on it are aero?

Tons of room to walk around and include lots of friends for a day of boating
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p.../PRA0703sm.jpg

could be a aero tek?

I like this....what did it run?

I have a friend of mine that has a 32 Midnight with twin Verados 300 and runs 73....I would guess the one above 78-81 ?

When I was....
 

selling glass supplies I called on Deep Impact when they were first surfacing on the radar screen. They had a 33' and 36' that were both off the hook. They were even custom painting the motors to match the boats.
If I had the jing for a Fla. (or Lake Erie) "day boat" it would be a mid 30's center console.
Some of the stuff I used to see being built down in Miami was incredible. In my mind they just do everything really, really well.
I remember one of them telling me they were working on a mid 40's boat for same. I always thought that was the perfect way for you/friends/family to get to your vacation home in the Bahama's on the weekend.

there's one on...
 

here w/triple 225 Mercs running similar speeds.

32 Midnight Express
 

To be honest, upper 60's. The engines were 300's but I doubt they made more than 250 as they had a questionable past before I bought the boat.

What it did do though was produce an easy 55mph cruise at 4800rpm with 8 people and full fuel. It was also very good in the rough stuff for a 32. I did lots of engine mods, ran them high on the bracket and used Bravo 4 blade 24's, very nice reliable set up. It was pre-GPS so I never really knew what it did wide open, I go the cruise speed from time over a known 28 mile run.

Making the v8's run without breaking was one of my finest achievements!

At the beach-
http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/...ME32sbeach.jpg

Awesome Picture!
 

Knowing quite a bit about the 8's myself, that is a hilarious (though painful and expensive) statement.
One of the most under appreciated, under developed O/B's ever built.

I kinda like this old ad. Note HP rating,operating range, carburetion, weight (comparable w/current 6's) and fuel quality spec. Remember, this was mid '80's and pre computers etc, etc. All from 3.5 liters too when most of the current V-6 4 strokes are at 4.5 after 30 yrs of development!
Pretty impressive stuff and an example of what was there if you knew where to look or where to go to for help.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...offshoread.jpg

We went through about 20 of them in 5 years! Tough learning curve that was, one day Carl Sandstrom from OMC came to see my boat and liked what I had done with the engines. I basically took all the vro's and stuff off, over jetted them and used an external fuel pump. The engine blocks looked naked without all that stuff on them but ran sweet.

Always thought those motors were cool. A couple boats at my cottage still run them. What is a twin pinion gearcase?

Yep.
 

Doing an 8 is on my gear head bucket list. Monty, who is GOD w/a V-8 is an hr from me and a good friend. He lets me snoop through his shop when I'm down.

Here is my last V-6 I went Gonzo with.
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/DSCF1756.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ixs/001-12.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...pixs/002-9.jpg

The "twin pinion fully shiftable gearcase" is the wholly grain of lowers for OMC V8's. Most of them ended up in Middle East.
Rick from OMC engineering department wanted my powerheads because to date I have not had a powerhead failure (knock on wood). I still use the VRO pumps. I do premix because of race use.