well I purchase this set after having to go through both of mine and had heard to many stories about drive issues on the outboards so I have back up LOL
I just may get a chance to run the skater today...had to come in to work early for a few hours but really want to get home and run a little!

Those snaps do look clean, if maybe a bit large, but what are you using them for? I only ask since you've still got the normal snaps there for what I assume is the cockpit cover.

As for spare lowers yea definitely nice to have, I need to pick up another counter one of these days, it seems like every time I'm "in the market" there's none to be had at a reasonable price then when I not looking there are several but the timing is wrong for me. I'll probably look again at picking one up as soon as I finish rebuilding the powerheads. That being said I've only ever had a problem with 2 one each, the first was the standard broke vertical shaft within the first 4 hours of having the motors so I'm chalking that up to manufacturer defect and the second was I believe the prop shaft on the counter broke but that one was shortly after I picked up the new to me boat that had questionable maintenance done on it previous to me. I've since had all three completely gone through along with the the spare standard hopefully I'll not have another problem for quite some time.

I'm currently overseas supporting the Navy so it's killing me hearing about you guys at Tickfaw and getting ready for Jacksonville. I've wanted to make both of those runs for three years now and something has prevented it every time. As soon as I get back I'm going to finish up my interior makeover, finish rebuilding or possibly replacing the three powerheads and next season I'm doing them all, one way or another.

Here's one this past weekend, lefty. 29 hours on it. It does not push anymore....

Tomorrow or Thursday going to splash my little Skater, 24 footer. Bought it last year, almost same time as now. No engines, no interior, no idea on outboards.Bought a pair of 300x's on the advice of a cool cat from the Scream site, one at a time, Two Scoops, thanx man. I'm just a hard working Joe, no excess of loot. One engine has 10 hrs the other has 140. Will post pix and Youtube vid after my first ride. Has been a great project.

I sure hope to get mine in the water soon...have a little testing to do. The rain and work just will not cooperate and let me have a little fun d@mn it!:mad:

First blast, no trim indicators as of yet. come off plane, props cavitate until 20 ish mph and bite hard. Pull engines in a tiny bit maybe 1 sec push of trim. Cavitate until 15 mph. I left it there for a quick blast. Me and wifey, she taps my hand to pull back, just over 60% throttle don't remember RPM too stoked to look. Alarm sounds, after 10 min, low oil level engine mounted tank. Back to marina on one engine cause I R SMART for a change. Tank 3/4 full(oil) all good, add 4oz with turkey baster, guy at marina had one(weird). Look at GPS, 95.8 mph, no BS just GPS. This mofo will be fast. Just can't believe how solid at speed or even at 50 this boat feels. Have had 10 plus boats, from 16-30', this 24 footer feels as solid as any of my other rides, maybe more. Lake had 1-2 footers, river had 3. Learning curve with the porpoises thing. Big smiles...

Congrats Andy. Give em' hell!!

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice, lost one of my ign key's. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Oh happy, happy, joy, joy. Found! I'm the one wearing the space hat! http://nicktoons.nick.com/videos/cli...y-joy-joy.html

Skater Cooler compliments of Skate gets good use Friday. Thanks Sam!!! You are a class act.

Ron, Looks like you added a 7610 Garmin! How is the boat running?

No Garmin. Have Raymarine GS95. Did add a new Fusion UD750 to replace Clarion unit. Nice upgrade and saved 2lbs!!!! Weather here really hot and no ideal conditions for a top end run. Have rough water set up in right now for playing in the ocean. Running 30" Dewalds. Boat pulls hard up to 100mph @ 6000rpm with a lot of throttle left. Never calm enough to go much faster in open water.

Sounds like your enjoying the boat, Ron! My lake is still flooded. Can't run the Skater - too much debris in the water. Water is now 25 feet above normal level. They are letting out about 1 foot per day so maybe by the 4th it will be usable for the Skater. Boo! Guess I need to load up and head S.E.!

Load that 28 up and come to Hamilton. Little debri here but biggest problem is you run out of lake before you run out of boat. You'll be king here in a 28 Skater. I'll be back over on the fourth but the lake gets too busy to hang it out unless you get up and on the water early. It's a drinking lake with a boating problem.

I'll work on getting my boat of "my island" dock....1000 feet from terra firma and more rain for the next week!!! Still need break-in on port motor, maybe one hour. PM me your number and if you like, my bride and I would like to join you guys! Thanks, David

Someone finally changed his picture in his signature???? Way to go Skate!

Taboma PM sent

Yes Ron I was waiting for a ride first and a photo before I changed it. I had to make sure it still floated:lolhit:

Need to have a new switch plate made for the new dash, anyone got recommendations for people they've used before or seen good work done by? Would like it to be backlit with the switch names and Skater logo. Prefer a CF front if it's possible with the back light but if not a solid color would be fine.

TIA

Steve Dunning Innotech Products
He does all the dash panels. Great work.

They look like exactly what I'm looking for, they could use some website work but I'll get in touch with them.

Thanks

your skater looks incredible skate!!!

Curious on everyone's thoughts, why is everyone so intent on having 4 seats across the back. I understand the thought of taking three couples out but how often do you ever have that many people onboard? I had a 32 Spectre that had 3 across the back and probably used the third seat a handful of times in three years. Now that I've got the 32 Skater I'm doing a ton of updates and one of those is actually getting rid of the center seat to create better bolsters and a way in and out of the cockpit between the seats. I'm still in the mocking up part of the backseat design so I could change it if I was persuaded to keep the third seat. Just curious why everyone wants 6 person cockpits but then counts every pound that goes in the boat.

I've heard the argument about family but how many take "kids" out on the Skater? I for one don't think I'd let anyone under 18 on the boat when I go out to run it other than maybe for a short quick "ride" for a friend and their kid. One note, I will admit I don't have kids but to be honest if I did this wouldn't be the boat for me.

Would a 4 person interior if done well hurt resale that much? I'd almost think the opposite as long as it looked right.

Thanks

I had 5 people in my 308 this passed weekend... had a freinds husband been back from offshore work I wouldn't have had room LOL. also had 5 in it for the tickfaw 200. I don't like the added weight at all but it is what it is. I do like the idea of 4 across seating but would want more hp to carry the load LOL. 2x2 seating the way mine is now wouldn't be all that bad of an idea because it is a deep cockpit and somewhat of a challenge to climb around the head rests and down into. no way to not step on the armrests or seats which I can't stand doing!!!

removing the center seat and adding a step/storage/cooler spot would be cool...along with two access doors instead of the one, which makes it a b!tch when doing work, adding oil etc... have to put al ladder on the side of the boat to get in and out doing that right now.


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MmI had 28 college kids at my lake house on Memorial day.**We routinely take the kids out for a very conservative bat run they love it and I love it.**With that being said I took kids out at LOTO Shootout on the Make Dream/Wish rides last year.**My co-piolot was an Army crew chief on a Chinook.**I did not want to go fast with people I did not know signed waiver or not.**He explained they took civilians up all the time and that speed was reIlative.**What seems fast to them and to us are two different things.**He also said they**did a lot of banked turns which really made their riders think they were hauling butt.**So we never got above the 50 MPH lope and did a lot of easy turns and wake jumping.**They all thought they had gone 100MPH.

Besides four of my daughters friends don't weigh what two of my buddies do and are a heck of a lot cuter.

We made two boards with upholstery on one side and carpet on the other. These go in the outside rear bolster for entry and exit. Jim Sykes place steps on the outside of his four person rear bolsters to do the same thing.

That is a great question as I look into updating mine this winter. I have kids but don't see them going for a ride in this for a while. It seems that putting 4 seats in the back of an outboard would add a ton to weight and change the balance drastically.

Yea I'm not knocking the 6 seat configs at all and the way you redid yours looks amazing, heck you've got me thinking about cutting my deck down after I'd talked myself out of it.

I guess the question back though is if you only had 4 seats instead of that the time 5 would that have precluded you from doing the rides that you did and will having 6 seats open up your boating options on any but a very few outings?

The boards are a great option but still aren't firm like steps and it's still one big step which when the slippery deck is wet can be daunting for the ladies that have had a couple drinks in them.

I guess for me it's more about aesthetics and I like the look of the narrower cockpit and wider gunnels. I know what I'm doing doesn't do that in truth but does have the visual look of it.

Not that it really matters because I imagine I'll be keeping this boat for a long time but would anyone not be interested in one of these boats because it was 2+2 instead of 2+3 or 2+4?

I guess I'm just asking for opinions so I don't do a ton of work and then find out it's not as usable as I think or miss the third seat for a reason I haven't thought of.

I've told myself I wasn't going to post pics of what I'm doing until I get farther along but if I can get to them I'll try and post a couple teasers so you can get the idea of what I'm thinking.

Here's a couple pics of the boat as it was when I got it then the dash as I'm finishing the redo.

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The plan is to install a VV to the upper right of the wheel and a new switch panel below it.

Here are a couple of the original rear and some of the rough mockups for what I'm thinking. Obviously the steps etc will be much more rounded and fluid but just trying to get idea of placement and sizes. The original rear seats didn't inspire any confidence in holding you in the boat, with raising the backs, adding some recline to them, and moving the bases forward they feel MUCH more substantial.

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Before anyone gets bent up about not having everything wrapped, the whole boat will be getting painted as well so I haven't seen the need to overly protest everything as I would if the paint wasn't being done anyway.

Condor if you're redoing yours I'd seriously try and replicate what they did on a couple of the inboard boats. The teardrop four seater half canopy that continues back past the rear seats is one of the best looking interiors I've seen IMO No it's not very practical and would probably be ridiculous hot but it looks good.

I like the look but I think someone's head is gonna be banging the he!! out of the sides of that half canopy sitting in the back seat LOL.

I'm looking for an outboard Skater and 4 seats across the back is a must. We have kids, but also like to take friends and family. I want to have the option rather than leaving a couple behind because there isn't room.

That actually brings up an interesting question, how many 6 seat outboard boats are there? I know of a couple like Skate's and the widened 32 but I don't think I've seen any others.

Spent a lot of time in that boat MLB when it had twin 300's. Great memories. Best of luck with it!

Four seats or 6 seats or only two. I don't think it would hurt resale if you only had 4 seats. I only have 2 seats in my Talon at the moment, and my cat has a 4x8 berth in the rear. It normally seats 5. check out what Mike Mears did with his 24 skater on Scream and Cry. I quit taking people for rides years ago. My .02 cents.

mlb you are spot on. I've only seen a couple. Hoping to see more and also want a full windshield. I know those are gaining momentum from people being wind beaten and not being able to talk. As others have said, it's all personal preference. If I don't check off my wife's list of must have's, I'll be in a bigger v. At least I've been able to delete the ports potti off the must have's.

Well after ditching four perfect 300X's in 2012-13 Im looking for a pair of decent of 300X's. Please PM details as I don't want LA buying them out from under me!

I bet there is a great story to go along with this post...:picard1:

would never do that LOL...but maybe there's trip 300xs's in my future :rolleyes:

Actually it was you who bought my boat and motors!!!!:coolcowboy::coolcowboy:

I learned real quick if you snooze or have a CFO wife you loose!!

your boat and motors... now he got my old boat...think he's going to end up with a damn good combo once it's all said and done!

You guys should try and see if Mercury has anymore shortblocks. I just bought 2 brand new ones and they came with a 1yr warranty from the date they are commissioned from a Mercury Dealer. Glad I know one!
If you can get a couple could build a pair of 15" mid ones.