Cat vs. Vee [Archive] - RiverRacer.Net

dorC

04-09-2004, 05:21 AM

A cat will generally ride smoother in the rough. Thats assuming you have a set big enough to keep the air pack. If you want to go slow, then a v will be smoother. A cat will land harder than a V. A cat will be wetter in quartering seas. Most cats have little if any cabin space. A V can have a massive cabin. Cats are more efficent and have greater speed potential. A cat is at least twice the cost of a V to insure. A cat is super easy, virtually fool proof to load on the trailer. Most cats are sit down and are low profile. Yes you can ski behind a cat, but if you are going to set the drive that deep then why did you get a cat? ...

OGShocker

04-09-2004, 05:38 AM

Vee! IMO.
Check all the angles like the cost of INSURANCE!
My.02

Freak

04-09-2004, 05:58 AM

Howard Bullet
Fast - less insurance - cabin space
I think those guys are on to something.

BADBLOWN572

04-09-2004, 07:27 AM

CAT. Once you go with a cat, you will never go back. Best riding boats on the water. I have been in some extremely rough stuff and walked away from big deep v's. The only downside is the insurance and they don't turn as sharp as a V. Other than that, I would take a Cat any day of the week.

roln 20s

04-09-2004, 07:46 AM

Howard Bullet
The only two words you need to know. I know of a member here with a 28 bullet (100+) that has walked away from some 30+ foot cats in big chop too :D Insurance would be my key driver. I always wanted a cat, and then I stumbled upon this insurance thing, and now thats a no go. Its all about the Howard Bullet!
Roln 20s

rivercrazy

04-09-2004, 08:07 AM

It really just depends on your priorities. To me Cats are just point and shoot. Get there fast and shut em off. To make them go fast enough to pack air will take enough horsepower to keep the drive companies very profitable....
V's to me are better all around boats. You can take a 25 foot V in ocean. Try that with a cat! :D

welk2party

04-09-2004, 08:08 AM

Buy both and be done with it!:)

Dave C

04-09-2004, 08:11 AM

I think the cats handle big power better, i.e. faster, more efficient, uses less power to go faster. greater potential top speed.
v's have stabbing cabins!:D
INSURANCE IS A BIG PROBLEM for cats. Its a lot more than 2X that of a V. plus the uncertainty of insurance going forward. I am getting quotes of $500-600 for a 28 V and $2,500-$3000 for a 25 cat.

FRENCHIE

04-09-2004, 09:07 AM

Insurance def a big consideration, and possibly space, how many people you want to comfortaby carry!:D

Havasu Cig

04-09-2004, 09:07 AM

For lake boating only on Smaller lakes or the river I would go with a cat.
If you are thinking about doing any Ocean boating, or boating on large lakes a 25' cat is not big enough.
For those that have said cats will handle rough water better you must be talking about your typical lake chop. I will challenge any 25' cat to run in the ocean with me, say to Catalina in the afternoon and we will see who gets there first.
I even had the gun on Havasu one day when the winds were gusting up to 50 mph and we were the only boat running hard on the big part of the lake. The cats I saw were all off plane trying to make it back to the channel.;) :cool:

rude235

04-09-2004, 10:15 PM

just out of curiosity, why would a 25 cat be so bad in the big blue compared to a 25 V? i've heard this before but have never heard from anyone with a cat that has spent any time with it in the ocean.

RiverToysJas

04-09-2004, 10:28 PM

Originally posted by rude235
just out of curiosity, why would a 25 cat be so bad in the big blue compared to a 25 V? i've heard this before but have never heard from anyone with a cat that has spent any time with it in the ocean.
25' Cats are typically low profile, and won't handle ocean swells well.
IMO - Vee's are the way to go. Cats have one purpose - go fast in a straight line. If that's the kind of boating you like, then go for it.
I was told if I rode in a cat I wouldn't want a Vee. Well I've been over several Vees, and just over 100 in a Mach 26. I have MUCH more fun in Vees. I like the way they ride and handle the water. IMO, Cats are boring. To each his own though, and if money were not an issue, I'd probably own both - Just because sometimes it's fun to go really fast in a straight line.
RTJas :D

AdrenelineOD

04-09-2004, 10:54 PM

I`m not a boat pro but I have looked into this breafly before
If eliminating drag is your priority a cat
If you want handeling and to cut through rough water,a v.
I would get a cat for speed runs but a v for fishing and family. Thats me!:D I have a jet now though.

TPI

04-10-2004, 06:48 AM

I love speed as much as anybody, but I cannot sacrifice planing time, sharp turns, and all around performance. A good vee will give you all of those things. I look at Cats like a Hot Rod, they are very cool but definately limited to their versatility. Anybody making the Cat vs Vee decision will have to make a list of what is important to them in a performance boat, and then choose. The decision will be clear, what ever your choice is.:D Good luckhttp://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=648948

SummerBreeze

04-10-2004, 06:51 AM

I own a Vee. I have looked and test driven Cats and they are different thats for sure.
I am going to buy a new boat this August. I have decided on a 29ft Vee with a single engine Vee boat.
Reasons are the room under deck, Insurance. Also I couldn't get used to the fact of the air feeling under the boat it feels like it might blow over.

Debbolas

04-10-2004, 07:30 AM

When we were boat shopping last August (when we started, we bought our boat in October, visited her in January and picked her up in February) anyway there was nothing but cats out there, very few v hulls.

Havaparty

04-10-2004, 07:42 AM

Originally posted by phebus
I think my next boat is going to be a cat hull. What are the pro's and cons of one vs. the other. Looking primarily for a comfortable smooth riding boat. Storage, etc. is not an issue. Boat will be 25'+, with probably a 496 HO for power.
Thanks
phebus, Give me a call and we'll take you out for a run in one of our cats. What size are you looking for? You can give me a call at Magic and Sleek Powerboats 928 608 9191 or 928 399 0398 Cell
Thanks,
Darrin

phebus

04-10-2004, 08:49 AM

Well, the decision has been made that we are going to get a deck boat, so it looks like a cat is in our future. Havaparty, we have ridden in a Magic deck, and were impressed, very nice ride.

Just Tool'n

04-10-2004, 08:51 AM

I have allways looked at it from a practical stand point, money, performance, cost of insurance, plus for me family consideration.
A vee has allways gotten the nod in favor of a cat.
But one day I will own a cat.
I never ever wanted an open bow boat, just wasnt cool to me, but now with 2 small boys I could not imagine boating without one.
Bottom line as you go thru life wants vs needs always change, so will your boating tastes, at least mine has.

Mike67rs

04-10-2004, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by phebus
Well, the decision has been made that we are going to get a deck boat, so it looks like a cat is in our future. Havaparty, we have ridden in a Magic deck, and were impressed, very nice ride.
Darrin just delivered ours to us a couple of weeks ago. I cannot say enough about the boat and the level of service. Mike

Debbolas

04-10-2004, 09:28 AM

Originally posted by Just Tool'n
I have allways looked at it from a practical stand point, money, performance, cost of insurance, plus for me family consideration.
A vee has allways gotten the nod in favor of a cat.
But one day I will own a cat.
I never ever wanted an open bow boat, just wasnt cool to me, but now with 2 small boys I could not imagine boating without one.
Bottom line as you go thru life wants vs needs always change, so will your boating tastes, at least mine has.
We LOVE our open bow, great for kids and family. I always thought the closed bows were kinda wasting good riding space.
:D

Bear 54

04-10-2004, 12:10 PM

havasu cig just wondering what kind of boat size and power are you running??

chromecat

04-10-2004, 07:02 PM

phebus,
The deck boat is a good choice, insuring is easy as it is considered a tri-hull deck boat. CHEAP!!! Let me know if I can be of help, we have a great deck boat at a great price that performs as well as any out there with the same power, that is built as tough as our high performance cats.
Don

Havasu Cig

04-11-2004, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by Bear 54
havasu cig just wondering what kind of boat size and power are you running??
Cigarette 38' Top Gun Twin Step with 500 EFI's.

rivercrazy

04-11-2004, 08:12 PM

The problem running mid sized lower profile cats in the ocean is the risk of stuffing a sponson. And that ain't a good thing!

77charger

04-11-2004, 08:38 PM

I'd take a 25 ft v over a 28ft cat anyday for the ocean.For the lake a cat will go faster and still take the lake chop but in the ocean its a whole new game ever see off shore races those cats are 40+plus but when it gets very nasty the vees will start to take over.

Bear 54

04-13-2004, 06:40 PM

i will still take a cat lenght 22 or higher and any power any day over a v. cats are made to run in rough waters. once they pack that air they will fly over anything. I have been in a 26 foot cat in waters like the ocean up in the st. lawerence river and we had no trouble what so ever. We never came close to stuffin the sponson or anything to that nature.......

Havasu Cig

04-13-2004, 07:13 PM

I have to say that is not true. I have had days at Havasu when I could not keep either of my Mach 26's at speed due to rough and confused lake chop. My 21' Daytona took water over the bow on rough days in havasu.

BoatFloating

04-13-2004, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by phebus
Well, the decision has been made that we are going to get a deck boat, so it looks like a cat is in our future. Havaparty, we have ridden in a Magic deck, and were impressed, very nice ride.
You are making the right choice. go with a Cat you won't regret it.

nybadboy

04-13-2004, 10:15 PM

ive been in it all lake river and ocean. a cat will take to the water better than a v will. in a cat you get on top of the chop and go just got to have the experience. a v bottom will catch every wave an porpise. you may fee more comfortable in a v in the rough stuff but you wont be able to get across it faster than you would in a cat. an experienced driver will be faster in a cat than a v bottom in any condition.

Havasu Cig

04-14-2004, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by nybadboy
ive been in it all lake river and ocean. a cat will take to the water better than a v will. in a cat you get on top of the chop and go just got to have the experience. a v bottom will catch every wave an porpise. you may fee more comfortable in a v in the rough stuff but you wont be able to get across it faster than you would in a cat. an experienced driver will be faster in a cat than a v bottom in any condition.
Bull$hit....I have owned both, and on some days the cat will be faster, and on some the V will. I ran in a poker run in 8-10's off the coast of So.Cal. and I finished second in our Top Gun behind a 42 Tiger (Cigarette). The course was 86 miles and it was rough as $hit. There were plenty of cats there that day and none finished near the front. The first four boats were Cigs.
A lot of people came back that day with stuff broken on their boats from the conditions. I snapped off both bilge pumps. We were able to finish the course in 1 hour and 5 minutes with stops at two boats to pick up cards. You can do the math. I was on the throttles the whole time.
You can't just make a blanket statement like you did above. There are different kinds and sizes of both V's and cats, and add in different water conditions, and the outcome will be different and different times.
BTW: My Top Gun has never porpoised. It runs straight and level and crushes big water!!!;)

spectras only

04-14-2004, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by nybadboy [/i]
[B]ive been in it all lake river and ocean. a cat will take to the water better than a v will ,only if your cat is THIS BIG;) [50']http://www3.telus.net/spectrasonly/50cat8jpeg.jpg

nybadboy

04-14-2004, 01:34 PM

havasucig you bring up some great examples for your case. this cat vs vbottom question is about personal preference. i dont think there is a defenite answer to this question. it is about what you feel more comfortable and safe in. another factor i think we need to consider in this question is the quality and experience of the driver. in the 2003 season of the Super Boat International Offshore Series

nybadboy

04-14-2004, 01:37 PM

sorry about the cut off my comp got disconnected for a second.
but in the 2003 season of the Superboat International Offshore Series ON AVERAGE the superboat class(cat) finished with a higher speed over the superboat vee class(vbottom) ON AVERAGE. and ON AVERAGE the superboat class(cat) finished with quicker lap times and race times than the superboat vee class(vbottom) ON AVERAGE. just something to consider here

Havasu Cig

04-14-2004, 06:14 PM

Look at the size of the cats running in Supercat, they are in the mid 40' to 50' range. The offshore racing that is done today is also not open ocean racing. It is on courses around buoys close to shore.
In a race situation you are right, the cats are almost always faster. In pleasure situations it can vary though.