Got crappy news I'm headed for my 3rd back surgery. First question I asked was could I still boat after recovery. Good answer was yes, but moving up in size to minimize the impact on my back. I had my heart set on a 30-32' Skater before the news, but now I'm reevaluating. Most if not all cats are sit down. At least with the V I can drop the bolster and stand. I boat mostly on Saginaw Bay with waves 3' or less. It can pick up, but that wouldn't be a frequent occurrence. Question is which style would be best for me not to have to stop boating. This is a general question and not about manufacturers since I'm not boating in 5-6 footers.

Having gone from traditional stand-up V's to a dedicated sit down V, there is no comparison about how much easier the dedicated sit-down boats are on your back - I mean like no comparison! As far as your back is concerned, you can't go wrong with either a 38 Donzi ZRC or a 42 Fountain PR, not to mention just about any of the 38 foot cats which would ride even better. I've heard that some of the Epoxy OL have a stiff ride but have no experience with them. Good luck.

Marg,
Is this because your seats "lock you in"? I'd think standing would give you the ability to use your knees as shocks but I have zero experience with a sit down boat.

The simpler question would be does your back hurt less standing for long periods vs sitting in a comfortable supportive "chair" for long periods??

OTOH, sometimes I find I have less back pain if I can alternate occasionally between standing and sitting.

Decisions, decisions....

Cheers,

Dave

Do the seat have some build in shock mechanism? We have our seats in the up position and sit down when driving sometimes, just wondering why dedicate is better?

I have never been in a sit down so kind of wondering.

Skaters have very supportive seats and very forgiving ride compared to most v's. They fly and do not experience the pounding in V hulls. JMO.

38V the only way you will avoid back pain is standing. And 38 V 's are cooler