I bought a boat!

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Well I have been a member here for quite a while and have looked at 10-15 boats to buy during that time. Im generally very busy and always wanted a boat but never knew if I would have the time to use it. Seems like all the 18-22 Donzis I have looked at thru the years were out of line in price (IMO) or hadn't been cared for well. About 1 1/2 years ago I happen to see two boats stored in a shop behind my workplace, I would see them outside rarely and later found out the owner lived in Mich. and visited not so frequently. About 6 months ago I hear one is for sale and go over immediately, It was a 1978 24x7 Pantera. I was immediately taken back to 1980 when my dad took me to the Excalibur plant when I was 12, he looked at a 24x7 Excalibur, which is basicaly this same boat. We made a deal that day and he was to bring the title his next trip to FL. and I would pay up, well the next time he was down I was out of state and so on....So after near 6 months, I have it, very nice, everything works and it runs great.
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[Ghost]

Congrats, looks like a great ride!

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

That is a fantastic boat and not to mention a great all around ride ..leave port in calm seas and always make it home in the ruff .....just my 2 cents .

[Conquistador_del_mar]

You will probably really like it. I bought a new 24' Excalibur in 1977 and can't say many negative things about mine except that it sometimes cavitated the drive at full speed (about 65MPH) to where the drive would skip sideways. You had to really be holding on if it happened. It had a great ride for such a relatively narrow boat. Someone else really liked mine - it was stolen Enjoy! Bill

[gcarter]

Congrats!
I know you've waited a long time.

As to what Bill posted, it can be very true. In '49, Dr Lindsay Lord, the father of deep Vee hulls, dedicated a whole chapter about too narrow of a beam in his foundational book, "Naval Architecture of Planing Hulls". It's still true today.

[Greg Guimond]

Congrats on the new boat. I always thought that the Excalibur hull was actually a 6'6" beam like my Team Warlock whereas Jo at Pantera always built a 7x24.

[RockyS18]

Congrats! That's a beautiful, really clean looking boat. good luck with it!

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Thanks everyone. Here is a crappy idle vid.
http://s537.beta.photobucket.com/use...ffler.mp4.html

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Well when are you going to post a few pics of that bad boy ?

[Nmbr1GMfan]

I called Pantera today to see about some history on this boat and they were extremely helpful. Amazing I can call and speak with the same people involved with this boat in 1978.
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[Greg Guimond]

That had to make you feel good. How many boat builders are still around after 30 years? Maybe a couple on the West coast and Pantera.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

They also asked if I could send some pictures, I did after work. They replied at 9pm with some direction on a few non original items that can be swapped out as I'm looking for an old school look, very helpful.

[Craig S]

Wow! That's a beautiful boat, and great to get help like that from the factory.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaCw3LTUy2s

[smidgen too]

Lookslike you bought my friend Billy G's 24' Pantera, been out on the gulf in it, ran great. Here are some pic's of her. The pic's running are from Lake St Clair & anchord in Key West.