Building a Sleeper
#31
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I say go for it. If you like the boat you have then it makes perfect sense. Also the fast bow rider is hilarious. I grew up with a 65mph maxum. I used to toy with all the single engine bajas. Have the Germans Shepard in the front and go past them at 50. Then when they take off just drop it and blow past them with only the last foot of the boat in the water
#33
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I am a big fan of the sleeper. Many moons ago I had a 21' Executive v-hull bowrider, with the motor cover with jump seats beside it; the family truckster of boats. It had a SBC and a B&M blower (all up under the motor cover), and would run 70-72 mph. For the time, it was fast. Nothing about the boat gave it away, but it did give a lot of jetboats nightmares! .
#35
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Norwalk, Ia
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It is fun for awhile I have baja 208 that goes 83.6 gps 80 every day. The look when you out run the bigger boats are priceless, but the water continuations have to be right. I have scared people that have faster boats when they ride in mine but I have a buyer for mine and he is getting it for the price of up grades boat and trailer is free. I will miss thar boat because not everybody could drive it at the speed and I am not selling it to some kid but some one that will repect it. If I had to do it all over again I would pull the stock motor. But they would still get the hydraulic steering and exhaust for free.
#37
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Location: Northern Indiana
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Sleepers are fun, go for it. It's a blast taking a boat that everyone assumes will never break 60 and running beside someone in a known fast hull at 70+. Even if they leave you, the look you get for hanging by them as the speedometer runs past where they normally leave people is priceless and the relief they exude when they finally pull away is hilarious. Sometimes you come out on top, too, which is icing on the cake. My little old 23' Crownline has outrun many a baja and a couple of stock 288 Sunsations.
#38
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Watched it go down with red . Started a a good female owned 252 with a 454mag b3. 5k gets 496 in merc crate another thou pcm cam recoup half with the still breathing 454 mag . Now low 60s gets out of the hole pretty darn quick with a few peps in bow with the b3 but looking for close to 70 cause thats what it takes these days to walk majority of the flashy boats on this lake most days.was about to go b1 tweaked the hull ,stringer came loose from the hull , got real squirrely then , got worse at the hull deformed and boat continued to be hammered on.
If you can wheel and deal it wont be a bazillion dollars to do what you want to do , its one thing to zing the big twin eng bruisers in another procharged eliminator. Or a tx19 jet boat .or a bumble bee bass boat with 2 white knuckle peps.but a 25 deep v with the exhaust going out the prop and 2 or 3 people chilling in the bow , thats priceless
If you can wheel and deal it wont be a bazillion dollars to do what you want to do , its one thing to zing the big twin eng bruisers in another procharged eliminator. Or a tx19 jet boat .or a bumble bee bass boat with 2 white knuckle peps.but a 25 deep v with the exhaust going out the prop and 2 or 3 people chilling in the bow , thats priceless
#39
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As cool as a Sleeper is ,if the hull is not a performance minded hull it is a waste of time and money.
Keep the bowrider and buy yourself a 24 by 7 Pantera or Superboat. for 7 to 10 grand that is solid. Dont worry about a cabin or a big stereo . Just some Bolsters or good seats and a solid hull and drivetrain and run a Offshore boat like it was meant to be run
Build a nice motor for it and if it runs and does not blow up lucky you.
If it does it is a learning experience and you still have you bowrider to keep the wife and kids and you happy.
Once you get behind the wheel of a boat that feels solid and right your sleeper dreams will settle down.
20 grand playing with another boat is nothing compared to losing short summers diking around with trying to work the bugs out of the sleeper.
Keep the bowrider and buy yourself a 24 by 7 Pantera or Superboat. for 7 to 10 grand that is solid. Dont worry about a cabin or a big stereo . Just some Bolsters or good seats and a solid hull and drivetrain and run a Offshore boat like it was meant to be run
Build a nice motor for it and if it runs and does not blow up lucky you.
If it does it is a learning experience and you still have you bowrider to keep the wife and kids and you happy.
Once you get behind the wheel of a boat that feels solid and right your sleeper dreams will settle down.
20 grand playing with another boat is nothing compared to losing short summers diking around with trying to work the bugs out of the sleeper.
Last edited by tommymonza; 11-10-2015 at 11:41 PM.