Douglas Marine SKATER 399V is Commited to Nothing Less Than Excellence
 

I log on Saturday mornings for my weekend humor !

It seems as though I read about alot of opinions, some very good and some very poor. For the most part the facts regarding the SKATER 399V get twisted from those of you that can only voice an opinion without proper research.

I believe Douglas Marine has invested over 1 million dollars with it's 399 project so that the general boating public will soon have the lightest, strongest and fastest Vee Bottom in the world.

Those of you that understand the pains taking process of setting up a new model ---------- I'm sure Douglas Marine THANKS YOU !

Pete is very please with how the boat has performed up to now and was accually surprised as to how well the boat took to the water so early on in testing. The 399's bottom is known to be very fast up to now. With 32" 5 bladed Hydromotives, Merc 525's and Short Sport Master the 399 was all over the limiters at 108 mph.

Pete designed the bottom in order for the boat to run flat (he has a very good reason for this) which no other builder may not have thought about. As far as Key West is concerned --- the boat needed to experience real race conditions --- regardless of the out come. From Wednesdays race to Saturdays race the rotation, props and spacers were all changed with an entierly different combination.

As to rumors regarding the 2003 race season and Douglas Marine's intentions, the 399 will be on display at the LA Boat Show, from there it is being shipped to Lake X for a month of testing by Mercury Racing, along with dialing in the race set up by a well established nationally known race team. Once this is completed the 399 will compete in Super Vee Light on the full APBA Nation Race schedule.

As it now stands, 4 hulls a year can be built do to the building processes using vacuumed bagged epoxy, kevlar and carbon fiber. A Pleasure (cabin version), a Race/Pleasure (low profile quarter canopy version) and a fully enclosed Super Vee & Light Race version.

That boat has a great team in Todd and Lance,they will get the bugs out of it . 9 weeks till DAYTONA,lets get ready too [Dear TO AIR] in the Daytona Surf!