CATS: Open bow, Closed bow or Deckboat??

[Liquid Muscle]

OK, Im trying to make the right call on what boat to buy. I know I want a CAT because the ride is SWEET. I don't get how some say an open bow is bad for a cat because of added weight and the change in ride. I mean it makes sense, but if the added weight up front is so bad..... then why is ok in a deckboat???? :hammerhea
Do any of you guys have experience comparing the three to each other?

[gmocnik]

for the purist, cutting a whole in the deck of a cat for seating is heresy. but it was the compromise i had to make for the family. all in all, the performance compromise is minimal (without people seated in the front) and the benifit of the extra room is great (keeps the kids further apart and minimizes the bickering). when people are up front, a little positive trim and the ride stays the same. it actually helps rolling over onto plane with people up front.
my open bow 25 daytona runs over 110. do i really need the extra 3 mph?

[blown23vee]

Mine is an open bow Daytona (same compromise as above), and like he said, it does have it's family advantages with only a few miles per hour loss. Well worth it to be as versatile as it is & still be able to have an awesome performance boat. I've actually gotten used to the whole open bow thing but it did seem odd in a cat at first.

[NorCalCat]

I have a family and the closed bow still has plenty of room. Closed looks so much more bad ass. Open is nice for the added room. Look at some of the boats with a roomy cockpit and you might just go with an closed bow and have plenty of room. Mine is a force Offshore.
I did!

[pussycat]

:cool: I think it depends on how much power you plan on running!! I can't tell you how many times I've seen guys in their open bow cats doing 80 or 90 mph with people or kids in the front. Stuuupid!!!.
If you plan on getting a deck boat or open bow cat go easy on the power. If you have the ponies you will use them!! Cats are made to run with as little hull in the water as possible. Put some gear and people up front and half your boat will be in the water, unless of course your doing 110 mph!!

[BADBLOWN572]

personally, I think that the open bow is the only way to go. I have been 118 in mine before, so speed is not a problem. The extra seating and storage is great. Everyone else is right, don't go hauling ass with passengers in the front. It comes down to being smart. It is nice though when you want to load a bunch of people in the boat and go partying. Instead of taking 2 boats, everyone can pile into the one. Just my .02

[Liquid Muscle]

Stupid because its not safe for the people up front?
[QUOTE=pussycat]:cool: I think it depends on how much power you plan on running!! I can't tell you how many times I've seen guys in their open bow cats doing 80 or 90 mph with people or kids in the front. Stuuupid!!!.

[gmocnik]

[QUOTE=Liquid Muscle]Stupid because its not safe for the people up front?
No...It is stupid because at 130mph their beer will spray out and make it difficult to see oncoming jetskis............
gm

[Liquid Muscle]

I hear you guys. I can definitely use the extra room. I just didnt want to make the mistake of doing something (open bow) that turns it into a completely different boat that I wouldn't be happy with.
I don't mind the looks of it open, especially on the Daytona with canopies, I think it looks pretty clean, and I can live with it being 5mph slower than a closed bow. ...Yeah, I say that now, while half of the people out there would give their left nut for another 5mph :sqeyes:
Its funny how as I get advice and talk this whole boat thing out, the boat & motor I want keep getting bigger and bigger.....
Thanks, I appreciate your guys expereinced advice, it's really been helpful. Hopefully once I get one of these things I can hook up with you guys on the water.

[Liquid Muscle]

[QUOTE=Liquid Muscle]Stupid because its not safe for the people up front?
No...It is stupid because at 130mph their beer will spray out and make it difficult to see oncoming jetskis............
gm
LMAO :D
Rob

[Dave C]

LMAO.!
you say that like its a bad thing....... ;)
No...It is stupid because at 130mph their beer will spray out and make it difficult to see oncoming jetskis............
gm
LM,
I have never compared it myself but from what I have heard the performance loss without any weight in the open bow is minimal. the loss occurs when you place people/gear/coolers up there.

[Keith E. Sayre]

I think that one of the negatives about the open bow cat and having people in it and why some people say that they're dangerous is that some of them are.
In other words, most cats that don't have a deep center sponson will push or
slide through the first 25% of the sharp turn, then they'll grab and turn very
violently and they call this "hooking". if people in the open bow are subjected
to this type of a turn, they'll get thrown around in the boat or maybe thrown out of the boat. That's bad.
If on the other hand, you have a cat style bottom with a deep center sponson, you'll find that they don't hook or push. So if you want an open bow cat, buy it but buy the right one.
As for performance, yes the wind effect and the extra weight of the open bow will take away about 5 mph in our Conquest Boss Cats. And it'll be another 5 mph for the deckboat. So if our Boss cat goes 80 mph with a
particular engine, it'll go 75 with the open bow put into it and another one
just like it in the deckboat configuration will run about 70 mph. Not all of
that is due to the extra weight but where the weight is located. The deckboat has all those storage lockers up front, porta potti room up front,
built in ice chest, floor ski lockers etc etc all up front. That'll slow it down
a bit.
Here at Conquest, we'll sell about 55 deckboats a year to 5 cats. Not because we don't like the cats either, heck they're $7500 less money,
they're 10 mph faster and much funner to drive. But even those that come to order a cat end up buying the more expensive and slower deckboat.
Go figure?!
Keith Sayre
Conquest Boats

[nyeti]

I went with a 28' Domn8er deckboat. The criteria on my side was good ride and accessability for the wife, kid and friends. Performance was secondary to function. Mines not a slug, but I went with reliability and family function over speed. Sort of the Suburban vs. Corvette debate, it comes down to needs.

[Rev. Williams]

Mine is only a 22' so I'd never think about a open bow in it, but when I step up to the 25' soon it will be an open bow. Even in my 22 I find myself walking all over the bow when I anchor, when I make a quick pick up at the dock and sometimes even when I load it on the trailer on my own. Just having that opening to the front would make like much easier for me and for my guests. It's also less surface area to wax :D

[DogHouse]

As for performance, yes the wind effect and the extra weight of the open bow will take away about 5 mph...
Must be why my boat is such a slug!
:D

[Keith E. Sayre]

Brian: I'll say it again, your boat with that cool layout in the front end is ]]
very unique and in my opinion, the only way to go. You created something
very cool! You also have a killer paint job and the boat is right!
Speed is nothing more than how much can I spend? I'd leave yours alone.
Beautiful boat!
Keith Sayre
Conquest Boats
928-680-1400
Did you guys hear about our new 28' Boss cat that we recently created.
It's an all new mold with 2 steps in the bottom and different strakes. Scott
Kornowski did all the tooling. How about a 28' cat that weighs about 4500 lbs and with a stock 525 and ITS box, it'll run 90 mphg on gps with half tanks of gas and 2 adults! It'll be at the LA boat show!

[Liquid Muscle]

DAMN REV!!!! I can't stop watching you avatar or whatever the hell its called long enough to read your post...
She be fine :rollside:
Mine is only a 22' so I'd never think about a open bow in it, but when I step up to the 25' soon it will be an open bow. Even in my 22 I find myself walking all over the bow when I anchor, when I make a quick pick up at the dock and sometimes even when I load it on the trailer on my own. Just having that opening to the front would make like much easier for me and for my guests. It's also less surface area to wax :D

[Liquid Muscle]

Keith, thanks I got the pictures you sent me of it. Looks pretty sweet and 28' is a nice size boat for me. Im still really digging the Daytona's though and trying to decide on which one. I appreciate all the info!
Rob
Did you guys hear about our new 28' Boss cat that we recently created.
It's an all new mold with 2 steps in the bottom and different strakes. Scott
Kornowski did all the tooling. How about a 28' cat that weighs about 4500 lbs and with a stock 525 and ITS box, it'll run 90 mphg on gps with half tanks of gas and 2 adults! It'll be at the LA boat show![/QUOTE]

[BLOWN HOWARD]

Wich boat company's use a diff top mold instead of cutting a whole in the hard deck mold?????????

[Keith E. Sayre]

Nordic has dedicated open bow molds for their boats and if I remember right,
the 26' Sleek Heritage also has a dedicated open bow top mold. Only 2
that I know of.
Keith Sayre
Conquest Boats

[roln 20s]

Wich boat company's use a diff top mold instead of cutting a whole in the hard deck mold?????????
I know, I know---HOWARD! They do this will all of their boats- definately something to be said about that.
As for CONQUESTS new Boss Cat--I saw it a couple days after the first test ride-- if I had my check book- I would have bought it. The pictures do this thing no justice, its extremely clean lines, excellent tooling, and the word on the street (from Keith) is that its performance is phenominal. I loved the looks and the build quality, and am sure everyone else will as well. Keith you need to post some better pics of that thing, including that trick engine hatch- its bad ass.
Doghouse-- you do not have a slug- it hauls ass, but no one else needs to know that :) :D
As for the open bow, vs closed bow, the open bow is very practical, offers a ton of room, and the ride is still great in all of them I have ridden in (daytonas, magic cat, and Howard). You can't go wrong. If by any chance you decide on a deckboat, look into one with two consoles (top cat II, magic, new howard, eticket, etc) because the open cockpit deck boats are great but definately seem to act as wind tunnels. The dual consoles should help that alot.
Roln 20s

[Reaper1]

Brian: I'll say it again, your boat with that cool layout in the front end is ]]
very unique and in my opinion, the only way to go. You created something
very cool! You also have a killer paint job and the boat is right!
Speed is nothing more than how much can I spend? I'd leave yours alone.
Beautiful boat!
I'll second the paint job part. :boxed: