I like the Laveycraft deck boats. If I was going to build new, this would be my choice. Here is one for sale out west

2005 LaveyCraft 28 Deck Boat powerboat for sale in Arizona

Anyone ever "hook" one of the X flights...?
Doesn't seem like I have ever heard of it so I am guessing my imagination is mis-guided.
Watching the videos it seems like it would be easy to turn too sharp at too high of speed and get one of the front sponsons to dip in and grab.
They look like a really cool combo but that seemed to pop into my head seeing them fly around.

Never heard of one hooking. My friend has over 700 hours on his and mine has almost 300 - the hull has never done anything stupid - but then neither have the drivers.

I love my X-Flight for what it is but bear in mind that they are very sporty deck boats but you are never going to mistake the ride and handling of an X-Flight with a ZRC. If you want a true high performance boat you need to look elsewhere.

The X flight flexes under a hard turn.

The fastest deck boat per foot is the howard- the largest deck boat per foot of boat purchased is the Lavey.

Lots of tape measure abuse in this category with almost everyone including their swim steps and the top of the boat vs the bottom - buyer beware.


UD

Lots of already big power deckboats for sale out west. Forgot about the Lavey! That would probably handle rough water the best, honestly, they're built like tanks. They run ~90 with 800hp.

https://mohave.craigslist.org/boa/d/...297508944.html

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/b...236959161.html

Used 2005 Conquest Boats Top Cat Ii, Nuevo, Ca - 92567 - BoatTrader.com

2006 Magic 28 Deckboat Whippled Mercury Racing 525. Nice Ride!!!!

Fast Deck Boats
 

Howard Boats

The others are not even close.... This is hands down the best built, fastest single engine deck boat made. With the 600 sci stock they will run about 88 mph. Whipple stage 3 puts them in the mid-90's.. Stage 4 is over 100 mph. There are a few that have ran over 120 mph but with massive power. These handle like they are on rails and fit and finish is awesome.

Lets discuss-
It is very well built, fit and finish is awesome - but I do not believe it is vac bagged so if one compares build steps this is missing.
(pretty sure I have never seen a vac storage system or bag machine at Howard but I could be wrong)

Its a much smaller machine than the Lavey length and height wise - which is basically 28 FT of boat and a 2Ft step so its a 30FT boat if measure identically.

The smaller and faster Howard is basically a 26 ft boat with 2 feet of overhang step and called a "28".

UD

Yes... sounds about right.. The Howard is smaller than some of the others.. especially the Nordic. They call the Nordic a 29'.. Mine measures about 28-4" overall. That includes the swim step to sponsons..

The bottom is based off the old 26 cat

The new 288 I am pretty sure is 28-8" long... I have not actually measured this one... just what I have heard.. the bottom is the same as the older Howard decks like mine.


That would be one of the reasons why the Howards are generally faster.. I think they are very similar to Magic's size but still much faster than their hulls. So who knows?

Never seen 2 Magics that were built rigged, or weighed the same- at the end those things were rigged all over the place as the hulls went to low bidders.

The Howard is as you said - a reused/tweaked cat lower with a different upper deck. Pretty much an open bow cat. Very nice fast boat.

The Lavey was built from the get go as a large deck boat with a unique upper and lower shared by nothing else in the line up.



UD

I really like to look of your X Flight. I have been looking to buy one. My wife can't handle the chop anymore due to health reasons, so I think this would be the perfect boat.