Tell me about the 28 Pantera...
 

Just curious to learn a little about the Pantera, specifically the 28' in terms of how it compares to my Sunsation 288. What are the basic specs of the boat in terms of weight, LOA, beam etc.? What performance numbers could one expect to achieve with the 496HO?...

Hi Reckless 288,


Our 28 footer is 28 foot in length without a platform.We mount powdercoated aluminum platforms upon customer request which gives the boat a total length of over 30 feet.The beam is 8 and the total weight in a "full pleasure" version is in the 5200 pound range with a single big block.We offer the 28 in a single or twin engine version or with outboards.The entire boat is custom built to our owners exact specifications.

Performance with a single 496 HO will be in the 65- 67 MPH range depending on fuel and passenger loads and conditions.We normally power the single 28 model with a Mercruiser 500 EFI with unlimited power options.I have powered 28 singles with over 900 HP in the past.The boat will handle all the power you throw its way.

If I can answer any other questions for you just let me know.

Regards,

JO

This is a picture of Von Bongos custum built 28 Pantera.I am sure he could answer any questions for you about the ride and performance.His 28 is powered with a single 575 SC and ITS.

78 MPH on GPS in a full pleasure version.

JO

Here is a picture of the cockpit.

JO

I can't compare it to your Sunsation because I haven't been in one, I can compare it to a 27 Fountian which most people have seen or ridden in.

The 28 Pantera is much larger both in length and in cabin space. I would say the cabin has 6 or 7 inches more head room and is about a foot and a half longer, maybe more.

My boat was the first to have the lower floor in the driver and passenger bolsters and gives a nice feeling of freeboard.

The engine compartment is much roomier than the fountain, very easy access to everything and the 575 fit without a scoop. The boat also holds much more fuel, my Fountain held 63 gallons and the pantera holds 140 I think.

The rigging is much, much better than fountain and I was able to custom order the boat with the colors and paint that I wanted, a custom sunpad design, even the color of carpet. Jo designed a cooler and fresh water sink for my boat and also put in shore power.

If you have any other questions feel free to let me know!

Cabin
 

cabin

Cabin 2
 

Cabin 2

Engine

Thanks JO and Von Bongo you've got a great looking rig, I'm sure you're very proud. As far as the 27 Fountain is concerned I wouldn't stand that particular boat up against anything larger than a 25. I've always liked the lines of the Pantera just never had the opportunity to see or watch one up close.

Explain to me what the "lower floor" thing is about?...

Von Bongos Pantera has dropped the floor under the bolsters to give more freeboard, about 5".
I have been around both Pantera and Sunsation, They are both great boats. The mold work on the Sun is fantastic, the rigging on Pantera is as good as you will see anywhere. The Sun is probable faster in perfect conditions, with496HO, the Pantera weights approx 500lbs more and no pad or step, but in the rough the Pantera rules. it has a solid glass bottom that makes the boat more comfortable in bigwater. Pantera will also put twin 496HOs in a boat. The Pantera also comes with K-planes not bennet tabs. Check out past Pantera threads(Pantera's latest creation) and you'll see the custom work they do. The Sunsation's strakes and chines are as sharpe as any I have seen, the cabin and dash layouts are great and the boat looks bad ass.
If your in the market for a 28' boat, and I am, you have to look at Pantera, Active Thunder, and Sunsation. Just my opinon but you could not go wrong with any of those boats.

Hugh

On the new 2003 28 models I am lowering the cockpit floor underneath the 2 front bolsters approximately 5 inches and we put rubber high dense padding underneath the Pirelli rubber flooring that absorbs the energy in rough water on your feet and legs.

Back in 2000 at The Ft.Lauderdale Boat show I had a 28 in display with a swim platform on it and a local dealer for Sunsation has a 32 footer in the water parked next to me and they were practically the same size.

Overall my 28 is much closer in size to the 32 than the 288 model Sunsation.

Regards,

JO

Thanks guys, the Pantera is definitely a great looking boat and I've heard nothing but great things from their owners here on OSO. JO I like the floor thing being done. Out of the box concepts win points with me. I'm very curious to see one and I may get lucky as a gentleman from nearby will be bringing his down next month to the neighborhood and I'll get a look close up and maybe a ride on one with a single HP500. Pantarasport if you're listening I definitely want to take up the offer on the ride!...;)

OK it's 50 here so I thought I would go see the boat, excuse the dirty floor. Here is the passenger cutout

4 1/4 inches deep in my boat after the padding and the pirelli flooring. Doesn't sound like much but makes a huge difference in the feel of the freeboard.

43 inches (3' 7") of freeboard at the front seat.

Some of Jo and Pepe's immaculate rigging

More rigging, clean and neat

I am 5'10" standing at the helm

4'10" head room in the cabin

Me sitting upright in port cabin seat, yea I know i look like Hell, contacts are buggin me :D

6' 4" v birth

12' 3" total cabin

6' 3" wide in the cabin

More quality rigging and 34" deep at the side of the engine compartment

Neat and clean rigging

Finn the wirehair wonder what the hell is going on!

6'10 " across the back seat

How many 28 foot boats have almost a foot of clearance from the front of the supercharger and the bulkhead? Can you say a massive boat? You have to cut the back seat in a 27 Fountan to fit this in.

2'6" from the side of the of the engine compartment to the headers, very easy to work in there

Well there you have the demensional tour of the boat. In 2 weeks it should be dewinterized and ready for demo rides :D. It truly is a very, very large 28 foot boat.

Great pics Von...thanks for the effort. What a sweet ride you have there, sure is a great testament to Jo and his crew. Did you ever figure out a way to deflect the wind since the wind-a-ways didn't work for you?

Von Bongo

Cool....ok how many times did you stand at the helm and go
VROOM !!!! VROOM !!!! ...hehehe :p :D

Is that measurement taken from the bottom of the foot wells or from the standard floor???


Thanks

You coudn't ask for better info than that. Great job Von Bongo!

Von Bongo thanks for that great info! That's exactly the kind of spec feedback we all hope for when curious about any boat. I'm certainly impressed with the 28 Pantera's layout and rigging. Now i'm curious as to what my boat's measurements are in those same area's just to really know it better in conversation's such as this.

Best of luck to all you Pantera guys this year and may the weather break quickly wherever you are...Again thanks for the walk through...

Rick

Jake that is from the padded foot wells. I also stand on the raised sides of the footwells when docking so I have the best of both worlds.

Reckless I hope th information helped. The Pantera is well put together, I was a Fountain man before this. I don't miss my old beak boat at all.

And Pantera 24, I only did that two times, the rest of the time I was drooling over the engine and wishing the wearther would settle down. They are still calling for some lows in the teens. 77 today and that makes it hard not to drag it out!

Mine
 

Here's a quick pic of my boat.
It's no Von Bongo, but the payments are a bit easier....
I bought mine used from Pantera....

When I get a 36 it's going to have that Patera eyes paint job! May even order it in black :D

Can the floors be lowered in a twin configuration? I seem to remember that the stringers are different in the twin, which might affect the lowered floor.

Speaking of twins...has this boat ever had twin built-up small blocks installed in it, say 383 or 400 CI small blocks and how was the speed and balance of the boat with those twins. Steve

Hey Indy,

Yes, we can lower the floor with twins.The stringers are diffrent but only in the engine room.

I have a new 28 being built here powered with twin 6.2 320 HP Mercruiser small blocks.I will keep you updated on how it turns out.

Pantera 24 ( moderator ) 28 is powered with twin small blocks also.I raced a 28 in the early 90s with My father powered with twin 650 HP United Racing small blocks and it ran awesome.

We have done many 28s powered with small blocks over the years but the Single engine version got more popular as Mercruiser began to develop higher horsepower motor packages with warranty packages.

Here in South Florida twins are very popular since customers run offshore out in the Ocean and like to have peace of mind in case a motor would go down.

Regards,

JO