New Hallett

[airedout]

Was reading in Powerboat and saw a new Hallett ad for a 26 footer with "twin ventilated outriggers" or something like that. Is that some type of Mod VP style bottom? The boat from the ad looked like the bottom had a couple of concave looking tunnels back at the transom.

[burtandnancy]

Aired, thats what you get for missing the LA Boat Show...

[airedout]

Yea I didn't make it this year. Have always been a fan of Hallett stuff. I like seeing new inovations in the industy. Was just curious on the engineering and improvements over a v-step.

[burtandnancy]

I'm taking this very boat to Havasu Sunday for the Hot Boat Magazine tests. Nick has given me permission to take the boat out for my own testing. Should be fun...

[roln 20s]

I thought the boat looked wierd when I first saw it, but word on the street is the performance and handling is second to none. Plus, you get the Hallett quality and legend. The boat is super wide, or at least seems that way. I am interested to hear how it rides, drives, and performs. BurtandNancy- let us know how the ride is! Just curious, whats the price tag on that bad boy?
Roln 20s

[Duck]

The new Hallet is a takeoff of a design by Art Carlson (of Glastron-Carlson fame) that he calls the Flying Wedge. Years ago Starcraft(I think) built them as mainly OB's with a jet here and a OD there. He built a couple of prototype 24's and one was raced by Martin Sanborn (now with Fountain) running a 500ci Ford. Did pretty well with it. Art then made a 33' and it was to be made and marketed by Fountain. They were great(saw one at a LA boat show) as they felt larger than their 33'with a big cockpit and standing room cabin. But the boats were slugs as Mr. F built the interiors a LOT heavier than Art had hoped, and the speed suffered. I wasn't a big fan of the deck Art designed for Hallets cat, but this boat bottom is very stable love the speed and should take big HP real well. Arts designs have always been ahead of the times and I hope people can look at his smooth lines and see the future of boats (like Elimiators 27). Can't wait for a review from the mags. Hot damn too, I'm going to Havasu! Duck

[burtandnancy]

roln20s, The boat looks very wide due to the custom Extreme Trailer that Hallett supplies. The wheels are moved in slightly, under the tunnels so the boat actually straddles the fenders. The boat is a standard 8 1/2 feet wide. It should launch and retrieve very nicely. From the video's I've seen, the boat accellerates very fast with no bow rise. Its the best of a V bottom and air entrapment hull. I'll report as best I can, but I'm no Bob Brown...

[airedout]

Thanks Duck for the info. Since you brought up Carlsons, I found a little gem a few months ago and just had to add to my collection of toys. Its a 74 Glasstron/Carlson with a 115 merc. The boat is in absolutely original "mint" condition with green metal flake gelcoat and tijuana green appholstry.
burtandnancy have fun with the tests. Thanks.

[BENZEEN]

Burtandnancy,
I saw that 26 on my way back from Laughlin Sunday. I was on the 40 going west, it was going east. Was that you? I do not recall what was towing it. I was too busy looking at the boat.
-Vik

[burtandnancy]

Yes, that was me. Was that while I was having a discussion with the CHP?
Anyhow, here's my unbiased opinion of the 260 AC (the Art Carlson patented bottom). The first thing you notice is how precisely it tracks out of the harbor at idle speed. No snaking around like almost all single outdrive boats do. It does accellerate very quickly with hardly any bow rise, smooth and flat. Its goes absolutely straight, no movement when crossing wakes or rollers. It puts out an extremely flat wake, kids and tubers will love it. It will go down to 15 mph and stay on plane. It loves choppy water. My disagreement with Hallett management was the choice of motor. At the boat show it had a 496HO, but for this trial they threw in a normally aspirated Paul Pfaff mystery motor. It ran great, pulled like a tractor all the way up to 5600 with 4 blade 28 Bravo. Was really fast, and sounded great. You'll have to wait for Hot Boat to announce the speed, they squeezed it pretty hard but won't tell us civilians during the tests. Its very large inside for a 26, seats 6 in the cockpit, and 4 more in the bow. Finally, the windshield is really great, you can wear hat and glasses and not worry about them blowing off..

[burtandnancy]

RD, forgot that part and it was truely incredible. It leans in only slightly, no outboard lean like a cat, but less than a standard V bottom. It bites hard likes its on rails. The sponsons really grab the water turning either way. I didn't have a jacket on so didn't oversteer, but did do some hard, fast turns. Never got the feeling it would spin out.

[BILLY.B]

I wish I had a job as FUN as Burt's :D :D ..

[Trash]

Probably an 80-86 mph boat. Hard to compare using a mystery Pfaff motor. I'm guessing around 650-700 hp. I too would have liked to seen an HP525 EFI or 496Mag HO for true comparison purposes. How much does that thing weigh? I'd also like to see them stuff the same motor into the regular 260 or 255 and compare the numbers. I'd like to see how much better the hull compares to another hull with equal power. One other thing I'd like to see is more naked women in public.