Originally Posted by chattviper (Post 4169219)

All you big boys wanting more power and I was hoping before my build Mercury would come out a with a de-tuned 1100 motor set up as an 850...LOL. I believe they have this set up for Europe racers..i could be wrong)

Originally Posted by WeaponX (Post 4169221)

48 MTI is 42' 9" running surface in cut down race boat length

And is a very fast boat.

Originally Posted by flight club (Post 4169264)

46 skater is 46 running surface, And very fast also.

Originally Posted by SummerObsession (Post 4169589)

Just curious. What is the running surface on the blue and white 52?

Originally Posted by flight club (Post 4169193)

+1

Originally Posted by stimleck (Post 4169607)

since both SO and Ron clearly have the means to buy whatever motor they want, would you mind sharing the reason that you go with mercury instead of one of the big builders like Stirling or Chief?

Originally Posted by flight club (Post 4169264)

46 skater is 46 running surface, And very fast also.

Originally Posted by SummerObsession (Post 4168355)

I have had several people ask what my thoughts are on these two boats, so here it goes. Please keep in mind these are my personal observations only and your experience may vary!
Just for clarification, the Skater was set up with 1100 Q c4V turbo motors and 6 drives, the MTI has 1350's and 8R's. Also, the MTI is the new 48 G6 version.
First of all they are BOTH super nice boats in their own way so it really comes down to some relatively small differences between the two.
The fit and finish in both boats is outstanding! Being that Skater builds every deck to suit, there is more customization to be had. However, the new G6 deck and cockpit has enough built in molding in the deck to eliminate ALL flex. It is extremely solid even in rough water. Regarding paint finish, either boat taken to Visual Imagination will come out flawless. Mark takes the time to do them right.
Interior wise, the MTI is phenomenal. The windshield eliminates wind in the cockpit, even for the rear seat passengers. The 8 seat layout gives everyone a great view and normal conversation at 120 MPH plus is easily achieved. The access to fenders and lines, as well as ample storage for small items really make the boat useable for all outings.
Regarding handling, even though prop and spacer selection is not finished (8R's are different to set up than standard 8's), the MTI handles extremely well with no surprises all the way to the top speed range (let's say 170 plus for now). The Skater always felt "flighty" in that it required a more nose high trim angle to get the speed out of it. I know the 388 style hull dialed in correctly is not that way, I have run with one.
The ride of the MTI is where the extra length and weight really shine. I can run in LOTO slop all day long and not feel beat up at the end of the day. My wife likes riding in this boat and definitely did not like the Skater ride. It was just too flighty and rough riding for her.
Realize that set up and prop selection can change a lot, particularly with a classic bottom Skater. I have ridden a lot in orthobams 40 classic, and his rides much better than mine did.

At the end of the day, for the type of boating that I do, the MTI is a better fit, mostly because of the ride and convenience of the interior set up. MTI has a philosophy of building whatever the customer wants, regardless! That made the boat building experience a great one!

I post this to answer some question and not to start a bashing thread of any kind, so please do not turn it into one, that is not the intent! They truly both are great machines and get better with each and every new model. I look forward to seeing what both these companies and others release in the future!

Originally Posted by flight club (Post 4168693)

i will be driving with Bill in GOTCHA. Sounds like a plan. We can eat some big water. And I owned every brand and size cat out there, and i will continue to buy every brand cat out there. LOL