50mph with the Merc 454 just isn't cutting it anymore. I've looked at Baja 23 outlaws and Stingray 230SX's, but the cat thing is starting to get pretty appealing. I generally go out with 2-4 people so i'm assuming a 22-25' boat will be plenty. I also need to keep the weight of the boat/trailer under 6500 lbs as that is the limit of my tow rig and I don't really want to sell it and buy something else. Another consideration is some kind of berth. I would like a place to get out of the sun when need be and that would work for occasional overnights. Do Daytona 22's have berths? This boat will be used on lakes around central Texas for the usual recreational stuff and probably an occasional poker run. What other cat hulls should I take into consideration? How fast can I expect to go with a single (496?) big block in a cat? Are mid 80's a possibility?

A buddy of mine has a 24' HTM with a decent size cabin.

I believe a 25 Daytona will run in the upper 70's with a 496 HO.

Make sure you look into insurance before you buy. It is going to be A LOT more expensive.

You are not going to find any boats in this size range other than the HTM with a decent cabin.

I have a '24 Superboat I am looking to sell. It would meet all the needs you mentioned.

It has a 496HO w/200hrs., 280-Kplanes, FULL hydraulic steering, GPS speedo, etc. etc.

It runs 75+ MPH any day. 26K.

PM me if interested.

How do HTM's stack up speed wise with similarly powered Daytona's and other hulls?

I guess I did say "cabin" and that implies there is a door so you can close off the outside. Don't some cats have seats under the bow that make into a berth without the closed off cabin thing? Or is it all just storage?

Pics?

Send me your email address. i have a ton of pics. Here's a few
at this link but they aren't too current.

http://home.comcast.net/~dmcdowall/superboat.html

Most HTM's have huge power, but power for power, I'd imagine its going to be a few MPH slower than an eliminator.

The only cat that I know of in this size range that actually has a cabin that closes off is the Awesome cat 26.

I grew up on a 30' Chris cat which was a big boat and the cabin was still small(large for a cat). It had a bed over the tunnell that when you laid on it your nose was only a few inches from the underside of the deck. There was only room to crawl around on the sides.

[email protected]

I did the same thing.

Went from a 225CCR to a 280 velocity. Night and Day difference in ride, speed, etc.

The 280 pulls about the same, and doesn't feel any heavier behind my f150.

Check into insurance before you buy. Trust me. I thought I had all my ducks in a row. Bought my boat, and then insurance dropped me, cause the boat was to fast. finally found insurance, but it wasn't a fun job.

Have fun shopping.