Are you sure about that?

As far as I know the Pantera 24 still has the small pad.

Pythons for the most part had pads and some larger than others. After owning a 24 for 8 years and selling it for exactly what I paid for it and used it to the limits I can say this. Resale is good because new it cost less almost half in 2003. No the quality was not the same but why over build a boat and charge double one could afford to break it several times for an extra 40k. Mine was an 89 and I put a transom and stringers in it after 3 years owning and sinking twice.( had 13 people on it the first time and left in water with bad bellow the second) The boat ran and ran hard. With a 415hp 502 and a 25p mirage 3 blade it would GPS at 77 and always 75. The boat was my first and has jumped every cruiser wake on lanier and not just crossed I mean ran like a seadoo. I cracked the hull at the chine on the port after hitting a log after a storm and a "friend" did not repair it right but once I fixed it myself it was fine. So in conclusion it is not a Pantera but a Pantera is like a Apache because of heritage and fetch a higher value because of this. I own a set of 41 Apache molds but I know if I build one user newer materials and better lamination there will always be somebody that says "well it sure is not an Apache" It is all preference so don't knock the Python and I won't bash a Pantera.
It's a boat and to each his own.
Let's also have a little respect for Jim Clark that built the pythons and passed a few years ago he was a friend and a legend on Lake Lanier.

Beau Renfroe

I can`t comment on build quality of a Pantera as I`ve never seen one in person.

I will say this --

My 24 Python = no stress cracks . . .

My 31 Sutphen = several stress cracks . . .

Vary interesting thread. The Pantera following can be vary passionate and a little, well... Hell, that’s why we post though right?
We've had (3) 24' X 7' boats in the family and they all had plusses and minuses...
1980 24' Excalibur (Dad's)
1989 24' Pantera
1997 24' Superboat
I've also stuck my head in the bilge of others including a Python, Condor, and Monza.
So, I would consider myself fairly educated when it comes to these boats.
IMHO, if you are going to run hard in rough water, a Pantera will hold up better than the others. They are not indestructible by any stretch of the imagination though. I broke mine twice during the 125 hours I put on it and I boat with a fellow that has had his repaired a number of times.
These hulls are a lot of fun in all type of water. Be safe and happy boating!

Hey Pat,

Yes, they all break with the way we run them, but nothing like the way that super did Just kidding, a superboat is probably as good as some of the others, my 1981 Pantera had plenty of stress cracks when I bought it, and I am sure if I ran it like you guys do before fixing it, the deck would have done the same thing, but then again, it is an '81, not a '97.

Come to the east coast of FL next time, and I'll show ya one

Good luck with the storm buddy, be safe.

.....and because I'm lazy and didn't do a search, what is the history of Python boats? Was the 24 the only one they made? Any of them ever powered with 2-smokes? I recently ran across a 1988 hull, it HAD a big block in it, but it's a bare hull under cover right now. Was wondering if it would be a worthy project.

PM rbr2328, he will tell you everything you want to know about python boats.