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moore1.
just got of a sabre moving on up to a classic do u guys have any feed back on that hope iam not making the wrong move and not to go biger then i just bought, i hope that with classic that its a bit more stable then the 18 foot boat was and not as rocky at rest with to guys fishing out of it and the bow not diping as much when fishing in chop, what kind of speed can i see with a classic with a 200 optimax on it and what kind of pitch prop should it come with
basscat4life, I dont have a classic but I have a PII and I belive the hulls are the same. Mine is a very stable platform, has plenty of storage(and I carry alot), and is plenty big enough for me. But I do fish river systems mostly. If I fished big lakes alot I might would rather have a P4 or one of the 20 footers. I have heard of people running 24 to 27 furys, and tempest, or 25 and 26 trophy props. I run a 26 trophy and have hit 72 with a light load, but I tried a 25 tempest the other day and saw 72 with a heavy tournament load. I have a friend thats gonna let me try a 26 fury in the next week or so. You should be able to get mid 70s out of that boat. Hope that helps.
I went back to a Classic (last one I had was a 1994 model with 150 XRi) after running the 20 footers since 1997 model year. It has a 200hp Optimax, runs great and does exactly what I need now. My last boat, a Cougar FTD/250 Pro XS was an excellent rig, but more than I need now. The Classic has plenty of storage, and is laid out very well for tournament fishing as well as pleasure fishing. I have a 25″ Tempest, and have broken 70.4 mph GPS; I run a heavy load. It could turn a 26″ Tempest, and that is what I would probably try next, unless an affordable Fury came along…You will enjoy the Classic, and it will serve you well. I did replace the center seat with the fiberglass step box; didnt need the seat, and the box has drink holders as well as a nice flat surface to get up/down from the rear deck.The new PII is also a nice rig, but costs a little more. If you have the time and resources, check it out as well…If you get ASH carpetting, I have a new flipping deck for sale. Im too old to give up the little step (cooler lid) to the front deck, and too stiff-legged to sit flat when the deck is flush!Good Luck with your choice. You can sometimes find a nice, loaded up rig in the dealers non-current inventories by shopping around if you are not hard over on colors…
Gary, I may be interested in the Flipping Deck as my boat is the same color with a black bottom.Would you call me to discuss? My number is 225-978-7047.Thanks, Gerard
After running 4 Sabres (99, 02, 04, 07) and loving everyone of them, I struggled with choosing between the Sabre FTD or the Pantera Classic. I fish alot of marsh canals, medium lakes, and the Atchalaya Basin here in south Louisiana and have not felt the needto own a 20 footer. I can tell you the Classic w/ a 200 Opti is a perfect boat for me. I run 73.9 by myself and 71.3 with two people (full fuel, gear, etc in both situations). I am running a 25 Fury (want to try a 26). If you liked the Sabre, you will not be disappointed with the Classic.. If you like the Sabre FTD, then the PII is what you need to consider IMO. As Gary said Dealers with non-current inventory will make you a great deal. I drove to Nashville, Tn to pick up an 08 in March of 09 and the people at Riverside were great to deal with. I have called them again this year checking on their inventory because they treated me great. Good luck with your decision.Gerard
I run this rig in the Calif. Delta waters and despite not near as wide of waters as the big lakes the Calif. Delta can get very rough with tremendous amounts of boat traffic, including recreational boaters as well as large cruisers. The Classic handles it very well and is quite fast for a 200. I get 73mph with a 25″ Fury at 5800rpm. I am large (260# and 63″). I have very good hole shot. Would like to try it with the 26″ Fury but dont want to lose any hole shot just for mile or two per hour more on top end. I have also tried the 25″ Trophy and Tempest. The Fury is better in virtually all respects and loading the boat with it is much easier than with either of the other two props. My tournament partner and I fish constantly with both on front deck with no problems at all. Might also prefer the PIV due to its wider front deck area but cannot get new boat now.
bobsquatch13 iam around the same weight at 250 the bow does not dip down for you at all. whem fishing by your self does the boat lean at slow speeds. my sabre use to do that drove me nuts. my buddy has a 1990 p2 and its rock solid and does not lean att all with one person
Gerard, I will call you soon. Also, I have it listed on the “PROPS” board as well.You guys are killing me with your speeds! I have less than 10 hours on mine, but Im 1-3 mph off from the rest of the pack. Yes, Im full-figured as well, so I need to go on a diet (me and tackle on-board). I guess I need to get my hands on that Fury prop. Personally, I had always preferred the 4-blades on the 20 hulls, but the Tempest really has a great hole-shot and mid-range. It does loose some on top-end.Gary Hollander
I fish out of a classic and love it, I fish alot of big lakes like Rayburn and Toledo and it has been good to me in rough water. If I had the money I would love to get into a Cougar, but the Classic does everything I need.I have a 200EFI on mine and i see speeds in the low 70s with a 24 trophyRockwall Marine has a 09 classic that I am sure they will give you an excellent deal on
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