Considering a Sonic
 

Looking for some info and experience with 35 and 38 foot Sonics. I am currently in a 26 Outlaw and looking to move up to something with more room and creature comforts for over nights, the cabins I've seen look huge compared to other brands. I am not too concerned with top speed but am still curious what a 35 will run with 500's or 525's. I read lots of posts about the boats being good in rough water so I assume the hulls are solid? Are there any inherent problems with the boats or anything to look for when shopping for used? I like to boat Lake Michigan from Chicago but my 26 gets killed most days. I'm also looking at Baja, Fountain, and Formula but want to learn as much as I can. thanks

I just bought my 31SS this spring and love it! We boat on lake michigan with it all the time and it does great. Teamsynergy has a 31SS also and boats lake michigan and loves it. I have heard the 35-38 Sonics ride fantastic also! I have heard the 35 is very picky about trim settings. I dont know of any inherent problems with the brand. U may need a bigger truck depending on what you have now, 35-38 sonics are pretty heavy. Good luck with your search, you will love a Sonic on the big pond!

I love the 31SS and I love the way they have the sliding center section in the cabin. I don't know much about them but that is on my list for my next boat

Built like a brick, with huge cabins and good rigging. They are fast if the water is big enough. I bought 2 new baja's in 1996 before I bought my 31 sonic in 1997. There is absolutely no comparison in quality. I have boated Lake Ontario since '97 with my Sonics and they rock in big water. Formulas are built great, cabins are smaller, Fountians are built great, cabins are a joke, but the speed is great. You need to pick what fits your style the best. Lots of good deals out there.

Could not have said it better. If interested in a nice 31 send me a pm.

A friend of mine is selling his 35 Sonic.. in great condition with big power. runs low 90's.. if interested, PM me and I will put you in touch with him.. Also, I just traded my 38 Fountain to Outer Limits.. it's listed in the OSO classifieds... great turnkey boat with 525's and will run 88 all day long..

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o54911-en.html

look at the donzi zx models too if u can loaded, wide beam, deep hull, tones of room in and out, stepped hull and fast. I love my 33 and the 38 is even more roomy my 33 has a head room of 5'4" ish and the 38 is over 6' my 33 with 500efi's runs upper 70's all day and in the 80's when its just right.. just another option for you.

There is a super nice low hour 2001 38 on boat trader. And its in your back yard.

Thanks for the input we boat the lake and IL river but I like the lake better especially when its smooth which isn't often. Truck is covered traded my F150 for a F350 diesel a few years ago knowing I wanted to move up.

Good to hear they are tough lake michigan gets nasty choppy a lot. Agree the Formulas cabin is a little smaller and pricey, Fountains cabin is small but the cockpit is real small was in a 35 this year and the cockpit in my 26 is the same size.

Had my eye on your boat when it was first listed nice graphics and looks clean, congrats on the 47. I don't think I'll be ready to move until spring when we can clear some funds, what kind of power is in your friends 35? I have been told that custom power can be problematic so I have been looking for stock Merc power mostly.

Yeah, you want a 386 or 45ss for a big cockpit. The cockpit is one of the main reasons I settled on a 38. Several cheap 38's on boat trader.

If you still want to boat the river but also be comfortable on Lake Michigan (these were my same requirements) I would definately look into a Sonic 31SS. The 31 feels rather big on the river, I think a 35+ would feel like a whale in a fish tank on the river. However the 31 still rides fantastic on the Lake, I came out of a 27 fountain and couldnt be happier with my purchase.

My 38 was VERY clean. Boat was very well maintained by both the previous owner and myself. Will make someone a great boat. As for my friends Sonic, it has twin 750's from JC Performance. I know he also redid the cabin and has maintained it like a fiend... he's also being pretty reasonable about the price; he just bought a new boat..

Hey Davek26 , the sonic mentioned above is mine. If your looking for a good boat give me a call
Bill 516-369-1986

The 35 is but it is also very controlable. It will start to porpous and you just tap adjust and done. I really don't feel it's a problem since it is an easy fix.

My 358 with 496 HO's is good high 60's so far is the best I have done. I would strech and say 70/71mph but I have yet to get it there and I have not had a extra flat day to run it. I got 68 on a light chop day in the gulf.

The cabin is HUGE and filled with all the extras you could want to overnight as well. The cabin is what sold me off a fountain and into a Sonic.

You will need a bigger truck though. I had my Escalade and sold it within of week of getting the boat for a Diesel Excursion and it was needed for sure.

I went from a 24' Outlaw to a 31' Sonic and loved it!

Colleague bought my 31' Sonic about 10 years ago and is still
Running it with 700's in it.

Can't beat the room in any of the Sonic's and the walk around Deck takes the cake on just
about any boat out there.

Airborne pictures are when I owned it,...the following are under my Colleague's ownership.

Friend of mine still has is 41' also,...they are great in the rough on Lake Michigan too.

Jon

I was the one who hired JC Simon to design my latest race boat in 1977. That boat turned out to be my 38 foot Top Banana. The design was made so that a plug could be put in the mold and 34 footers could be made out of the same mold. The first boat was made by my boat co....Banana Boat Co. www.bananaboatco.com

Later I allowed JC Simon to make Coyotes out of the same molds. After a few years, he sold the molds to Sonic and they added a swim platform and my 38 footer became a 42 footer.

Film of the boat running and winning the Bushmills Offshore race is on you tube. Put in the search engine ..... Bushmills 1979.

There is a lot of information on the website on both the 38 and the 34 footers. The 31 footers were from another designer, but they run really well in the rough also. I was on board a SS31 that won the 271 mile Around Long Island race a few years ago. Good boats.

but they do not run like a Banana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79II-JbqI1k

Had our first season on Lake Michigan with our 1995 31SS and loved it. I was new to running a twin engine boat and running on Lake Michigan (previous boat was on the chain). I feel very comfortable in this setup and riding in 1-3ft stuff is no issue. 3-5ft is a bit scary for a novice out on the lake, but the boat handled it well (much better than me the first time).

Jimmy.

I have had both a 2001 358 and currently have a 2005 386. Like people have said the 358 did porpoise little but if you gave it some tabs or a little more throttle it was no big deal. Our 358 had merc 500efi's with xr's. It would run low 80's(the boat was heavy on the options-ac,microwave.......). Our current 386 has custom engines and Konrad drives. Runs upper 80's. This boat is heavy on options as well. The big differences is that you gain about 1.5 feet in both the cockpit and engine compartment. The 358 was a little tight in the engine area as the front of the engines were very close to the bulkhead.

I'd say the Sonic's are nice boats as long as you're not looking at a new one. If you want a new one RUN AWAY.