how do the copre in free board , cabin height , speed . 496 ho's and 500efi's , cockpit room , amenities, overall
ride in rough water etc. ?

I like the Sonic

the hustler is built for speed.....

the sonic is built for amenities......

the hustler will be much faster....but the the sonic will accomadate you

2 very different boats. all depends on what you want to do

i think hi-perf-2000 summed it up pretty well.

If you are interested in a 344 Cheetah, I know of one for sale . I think it is a 2001, with 502's, warranty.

The 358 Sonic is a great rough water boat. Rmember the 358 has been wining APBA races in the outlaw series. While it has great accomadations, do not let that fool you into thinking this is your father's cabin cruiser.

I agree with hi-perf-2000. The 344 Cheetah has a stepped hull and weighs in at 7,200 lbs. Most of the Hustler cabins are void of frills. you are going to find an enclosed head, fresh water system, opposing couches, and large v-berth. Probably equivalent to a Cigarette cover girl set-up. But, as a custom builder, you can get just about whatever you want in it. I have just never seen one with an enclosed shower( don't think it's available), microwave, TV/VCR,etc.

Powerboat did a test in Jan. of 2001 of the Cheetah. They saw 80.4 on the radar with twin 502 Magnum MPI's, and 120 gal. of fuel on board.

From the Sonics I have seen, two different animals.

i saw 83 mph on a 344 with twin 496HOs. not sure what we had in terms of fuel but it was with three people onboard. no doubt about it, the 344 Cheetah is probably the fastest boat in its class.

I agree with Hi-Perf 2000 also


What are you looking for in the boat that you want ?

Have you seen either boat in person yet ? Test drove them?

That same 358 that has been winning in P-4 in APBA races was a consistant last place boat the last couple of years in Factory 2. A good 10 mph slower than the competition. Sonic builds a great boat but they are slow when compared to the competition. They offer alot more in size and comfort than the competition. These are two very different boats in my opinion. Not a good comparison.