Fact is I own a 388 and and know the guys that helped design it
and the 34 is a knock off of the old 32 mold it does as you pointed out have a different bottom ! The long and short is if you want a boat that is stable in driving at speed and stable in resale
DON'T buy these boats,,, look in yacht trader and on line at the prices they bring used ,,,,unless you buy a used one at a deal your going to loose money and triple didgets in either one with out tons of bottom work to get rid of some of the lift !!!
As one post said they are hairy at speed ,and rough water it will pound you silly !:mad: :( :(
a 39 velocity is a good fast boat that appears to do everything well for alot less money !
This post was not to start anything simply to express my 2 cents worth :) and to try and help ,the factory does give good support !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JB,
There is one for sale here in Lake Norman.Radical Rides in Mooresville,N.C

I rode in a 344 last year with Rick from Aqua-Mania. It had stock 502 mags. AllI can say is WOW. It was fast, it handled well, and it looked great. I feel it is a 388 cut down. But you will have to take one out yourself. It is the only way to be sure. Everybody's taste varies.;)

I have always liked the styling of a Hustler. Although the color scheme on the 344 leaves a little to be desired to me.

There was a 344 that rolled here on Lake Norman last year, on the very first day in the water. No one was hurt, it was blamed on driver inexperience going up side ways on a very large cruiser wake.

Radical Rides here on Norman has had one for sale all summer and cannot seem to give it away. It is on a nice Myco trailer and is a very pretty boat, I don't know if it overpriced or what. They are not that well know in this area and when you say Hustler around here to those not in the know, the first thing you hear is "That's the boat that rolled last year".

They are fast!

Just because a 344 rolled does not mean the hull is prone to rolling. How many have rolled? There have been (2)recent threads, including today about Cigarettes with stepped hulls rolling. There are have been a number of cases of multiple brands of stepped hulls rolling,ie: Fountain,etc. Including in racing situations with experienced drivers. In general,in most cases, regardless of the brand,the result always seems to be it's a case of driver error.The 344 deck mold & cowl is a totally different design from the 32.The sundeck design is a clone of the Slingshot.It's not even close to a 32.Upper sides of hull by engine compartment much more rounded-again lika a Slingshot,not like a 32.The freeboard is similar to a 32,but overall appearance of a 344 is lower due to new front deck.The 32 deck is more angled up going toward the driver,than there is a cowl or windshield on top of that.It gives appearance of more freeboard.Instrument cluster & control set-up is totally different from a 32, including end of model years 32's.The 32 never had throttles on one side of cluster and shifters on other,like a 344. Accessory switch placement, cabin door, all different. If someone says a 37 Outerlimits is a stretched 32, I agree totally.But not a 344.

As far as that cheetah rolling on Lake Norman. I know people who were good friends with the passengers on board. 3 words........ GROSS DRIVER ERROR. cant make those CAPS big enough
What is that marina trying to "give the cheetah away" for?

National Marine in OH has/had a 344. I believe it is a 2001 with 502's. Wow, I think we are up to (3)for sale now. Must be a glut on the market!!

Still a long way to catch up to the 3412 fountains out there!

COME ON HUSTLERS TOTAL PRODUCTION HAS NOT EQUALED FOUNTAINS 2 YEAR production RATE ,, ANYONE SHOULD NO THAT !
SO YES NEW AND USED HUSTLERS ARE VERY HARD TO UN LOAD,( RATIO)
JUST CALL SOME OLD DEALERS AND ASK OR TRY TO TRADE ONE
UNLESS THEY HAVE ONE IN STOCK THEY WILL TELL YOU CAN'T SELL THEM !
FOR INFO OFFSHORE PERFORMANCE I THINK THERE IN MD. HAS A CHEETAH THEIR BLOWING OUT AND THERE IS ONE AT RADICAL
RIDES IN DENVER N.C I THINK, AND DOLLAR OFFSHORE HAD TWO ALONG WITH THE ONE NATIONAL MARINE HAD ,SO WHEEL AND DEAL YOU CAN BUY UM CHEAP JUST REMBER IT WHEN YOU GO TO UNLOAD IT TRY AND BUY AN OUTLIMITS CHEAP !!!!!:D :D
DRIVER ERROR AT 45 MPH :confused:
HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY NAME IS CHIP FENDT/VP HUSTLER AND I WAS THE PERSON THAT PUT THE 40 DIFFRENT CHANGES IN THAT BOTTOM. YES IT'S TRUE THAT THE 32 WAS USED TO AS A PLATFORM TO CREATE A TEST BOAT BUT HAS NO RESEMBLENCE TO IT. HERE AT HUSTLER WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE FUNDS, TIME AND RESOUCES TO BUILD A TEST BOAT AND NOT MAKE YOU THE CONSUMER A GINNY PIG.
THE CHEETAH IS A 34 FT BOAT WITH 32 FT OF BOTTOM. HOW MANY BOATS ARE OUT THERE THAT RUN A REAL LOW 90'S WITH STOCK 500 AND WHEELS. AS A MATTER OF FACT BOB TEAQUE AT POWERBOAT RAN ONE IN THE TRIAL'S WITH 502/415HP EFI'S AND A FULL LOAD OF FUEL AND RAN 83 MPH AND CHANGE. HE ALSO COMMENTED ON THE RUFF WATER HANDLING WITH EXTREME PRAISE. YES ONE FLIPPED IN LAKE NORMAN, BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS PERSON JUST WHIPPLECHARGED THEM AND THE BOAT A 4300 RPM IS RUNNING IN THE LOW 90'S AND MOST LIKEY DIAL IN CLOSE TO A 100MPH. THIS BOAT JUST RAN UP FRONT WITH THE ROCKET SHIP'S DURRING THE 1000 ISLAND POKER RUN. I GUESS FOR THOSE WHO LACK EXPERIANCE WOULD CALL IT A HANDFUL- MR DANIEL'S ?
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME IN THE OFFICE WITH ANY QUESTION'S YOU MAY HAVE OR BETTER YET' SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND VISIT OUR FACILITY AND WE'LL ARRANGE A TEST RIDE.

CH1P FENDT