New Skater under construction
 

we'll we flew up to Skater on Sunday for a Monday meeting. By the way, Mighigan, is great. It was 70 degrees midday, fantastic, not 95 with 98% humidity. Skater is a great place, nice people, got to wander anywhere. Pete was excellent to work with and we purchased a new 308. It has been in mold for 6 months, now it has a home. We will pick up a bare hull, on a new trailer we build, and complete the boat in Florida. We liked the 318, but thought the 308 better for us to tow, and I know the windshield slows them down a bit, and is hot at idle zones. Plus getting to the bow for docking is easier on the 308. We will be utilizing the assistance and service of, Electronics Unlimited, PPI for interior, Kinetic Anamation, and Kirktrail trailers😀

This nice lady built our 28, now she is building the 308

"Congratulations" can we assume 400's ?

correct, 400 R, all digital dash. A simple, light boat. No stereo, amps, speakers, generator, toilet, washer /drier, etc.
😀

Congrats on the new purchase! cant wait to see the final product

Congrat's on the new ride!

Are you going to do a step-by-step build thread?

"Please, please, please" :-)

Zero, congrats on your new build. We absolutely LOVE our 308. Can't wait to see how your new 308 with 400's will run, both cruise and top. Are you doing electric wind deflectors or ???? Great to see a new 308 in the process.

Congrats!

Congrats Jim! How cool to get a brand new 308.

Cant wait to see your choices for the build.

Maybe yours will be the first with 550R's...;)

Thanks guys, I ordered all the materials to build the trailer today. Takes about 3 weeks for the axles. Aluminum will deliver next week.

Congrats buddy! May want to save those build specs on the trailer. I bet you could sell a few!!!!! Looking forward to running together. Now if I can just get my boat to stop smoking LOL!

:party-smiley-048:

Its a boat building party again!

congrats Jim

Awesome, Look forward to following your build!

Jon

congrats Jim!!! simple layout???? no frills????:faint2: like weight has anything to do with hull performance LOL.:D

Congrats Jimmy! Can't wait to see it! Does that mean MrPickett is buying a Skater too?

i don't think so, he has two many 🐴 to support.

So I assume a standard / classic deck, or could you do some sort of hybrid flat deck with the flair for what would be a windshield becoming the classic deck shape. I just love the sleekness of the flat deck but I get what you're saying about the draw backs of the windshield. Having had both I'd go back to wrap around in a heartbeat. At idle you just pop up in the seat and problem solved but being able to have a conversation without headsets while cruising 100 mph across the bay and pulling into the docks after a fast run without you ears ringing from the wind is just too nice to give up if you have the choice.

For me personally I agree the wrap around is very nice but the flaps that are factory installed work well up to 90mph also. Living down here in S. FL and being in boats with wrap arounds i can say with no hesitation even sitting up on the seat arm it is still hotter than a boat with no windshield for sure. Also the salt spray covers the windshield and drys making seeing out of it not good after running for a few hours. I would need window washers LOL.

Yea I remember the salt spray on the Spectre windshield as well, I just wiped it down with water from the cooler when we stopped somewhere before it dried out. Can't wait to see what Kirk comes up with on the build.

Salt spray isn't a problem if you run fast enough to out run it😁. No doubt the classic is cooler when it's hot outside. I saw where Jim Lee uses a bilge blower with intake drawing air off the bottom of the sponsons to cool the front seats when idling.

That is true but us real ocean guys go out when you cant outrun salt spray!!!!! LOL`

These guys make a blower system that has a cooler you put ice in and that way you get cold air! I want to put something like this in my next build.

IcyBreeze Portable Air Conditioner & Cooler

you could modify it a little and secure it and cool breeze!!

,


beautiful build and Congratulations!

I'm playing' all of the lottery games in NJ so I can get me one of those!

This thread will stimulate more sales of the 308!



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New Skater under construction
 

Congratulations Jim!
I will look forward to photos of progess

Awesome!!!

The 308 with 400's is a perfect choice, especially if you trailer at all. Since the 308 was above my pay grade, we recently did a restoration on a 28. On it, we cut the deck and installed one of Jim Lees wraparound windshields. I was also concerned about how hot it could be so I took Jims advice and added a bilge blower on each side with a hidden vent below the dash to blow on the legs, plus we added F-150 style vents in the dash itself. In front of the windshield we added a nice size deck lid that opens and closes with an electric actuator. We had it open to the front so that in no wake/Manatee zones or at slower speeds we can open the deck and force more air through the cockpit for the driver and passenger (of course it is also a HUGE storage spot). I would think that it would be fine to 25mph. The guys at MADD Graphics (ex MTI guys) also added a "grit" in the clearcoat on the back deck, and along the top of the gunwales so that it makes it very easy and safe to walk alongside the windshield. I did not intend to derail your build thread, just giving some ideas on what we did to overcome some of what has been mentioned.

That would be cool as **** to do a brand new build!

Your 28 turned out fantastic! I know that your will have the time of your life with your son and you in the boat! Cheers:Score-101010:

Beautiful boat, love the color, love the 28 Skater. Had a 😢 when mine pulled out the driveway.

Love it all!

Got materials yesterday, we had a little hurricane problem. 10" side rails, 6" cross members, it's a little overbuilt for a 5000 pound boat.

Continued

Waiting on two 7k torsion axles, I used 235/85-R16 wrangler lt tires, Kodak slip on disk brakes, this will be a tunnel support trailer.

Really just a little bigger version of the one I built for my 28. Now Troys 28

I wonder if I could get some Skater Decals for the trailer from Kinetic Anamation, before it is completed,:) Ryan does great work.

Looking good Jim! I'll be back at Skater next month, I'll get pics of your new baby for you while I'm there. Yours will probably be finished and out of there before mine.

It would be great to get pictures. Thank you. Skater is the only builder, that I have seen, take boats back in and reconfigure to completely different boats. I really enjoy The freedom to roam the facility, that Pete allows.

double Rigged, double measured, for the basic frame. I know it is correct. Going down to Ft lauderdale Tuesday to take the measurements needed to complete.

Wow! Very cool trailer!