For nine years now I have been running and doing instruction on many different types of powerboats doing my job as an instructor with the Performance Boat School. The boats we encounter usually have a similar set up and configuration of one or another. But, every once in awhile we come across something different and they can be pretty exciting.
Last November Powerboat Nation reported on a 338Skater on display in Key West and just last month I had the privilege to run the boat with the new owner, Chris Helt, just before the Brad Smith Memorial Poker Run at Grand Lake Oklahoma.
This all white, water hot rod running 1000 H.P Brad Smith Motors in front of Arneson ASD7 Drives with a 1.32:1 gear and a 39 pitch prop is an incredible Boat.
With a 33’8″ LOA and a 10’2″ beam it feels like a much larger boat. This feeling is really noticed when you run the thing fast in a little bump. Running smaller props, we found a top end number just over 140 MPH in small chop and the boat was perfect. Ask the owner how he feels about turning now, but the expression he exclaimed to me was that it handles like a go-cart. When you discover the optimal settings for the boat it really hooks up and handles like a dream. Close quarters handling and docking manners were exceptional as one would expect as well.
Boating is a compromise and one boat can’t do it all, but if you want sheer performance in a value package, this smaller Skater will certainly run in water that would amaze most people. Its Oklahoma and for whatever reason big power and hot rods on the street and in the water seem to be everywhere.
