Opinions on Cheetah

[496mag]

Well I want a bigger boat and don't have alot in the budget so I was thinking about Cheetah.
Any input, good bad or indifferent please.
I am thinking about either the 24' stiletto or the 29' offshore both with 496 HO
Also what do you guys think about deck boats in heavy chop? I have heard that they can take on alot of water and that I should go with a deep V for Lake Mead.

[cc322]

Well I want a bigger boat and don't have alot in the budget so I was thinking about Cheetah.
Any input, good bad or indifferent please.
I am thinking about either the 24' stiletto or the 29' offshore both with 496 HO
Also what do you guys think about deck boats in heavy chop? I have heard that they can take on alot of water and that I should go with a deep V for Lake Mead.
Depending on your budget you may want to consider a used higher end boat, there are alot of good deals out there right now. As far a Cheetah Boats, I have no personal experience but if you do a search on here you will get alot of info.

[sigepmock]

I would look for a nicer used boat. Our friends recently bought a nice used Eliminator 26 Eagle vee for around $50k. It's a great boat for the family and big enough to take on most lakes. It's not the fastest boat out there but it's fun and reliable and most importantly well built....it's not going to fall apart on them in a year or two....like some of the cheaper boats out there.
Good luck,
Chris

[shippingguy]

Well I want a bigger boat and don't have alot in the budget so I was thinking about Cheetah.
Any input, good bad or indifferent please.
I am thinking about either the 24' stiletto or the 29' offshore both with 496 HO
Also what do you guys think about deck boats in heavy chop? I have heard that they can take on alot of water and that I should go with a deep V for Lake Mead.
Like some have mentioned there are some nice used boats out there. I do not have any first hand experience with Cheetah, but from people that I have talked to and from a few here on the boards that actually own or have owned the boat they like them. I like the looks of the 29. There are some lemons (boats) that slip through the cracks from every boat manufacturer out there. Good luck with what you decide. As long as you are on the water with your family having fun. That is the most important thing. Do what works best for you.
Mike

[Jyruiz]

I like there new 26' deck and I will check it out later on when I am ready for a deck. Go check out the Cheetahs, get a test ride, crawl thru them and then decide. In the end, you are the only one that has to be happy with the boat.

[phebus]

People have bias here, that is based on nothing but heresay, and popular opinion. Go check out the Cheetah's. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how far your money will go, and the quality it will get you.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Their newest deck boat looks pretty nice. Most who I have heard from, who own these boats, seem to like them. Check them out and if one seems right for you, then go for it.
John Mh

[whiteworks]

my freinds dad had a 21 open bow that he let his thrasher son "my freind" use and abuse I can not believe the beating that this boat has taken and has not come apart. this little asshole has two speeds stop or full throttle. I'm serious I would not let this focker drive anything I owned he is really hard on stuff. the cheetah is pretty beat down but after 10 years but has stayed together. for the money I dont think you can go wrong.

[HYPNAUTIC]

My 24' Stiletto holds up just fine. The tunnels make this a fun boat to drive. The boat turns on rails. I even through my brother-in-law out of the passenger seat when makin a u-turn and he's 6'1" 230lbs. There are somethings that I dont like, but nothing major. Everything has held up just fine. Runs mid to high 60's with full tanks, coolers, and 4 adults + kids. The Mohave basin is a b!tch when its blown out, but im sure thats true for alot of boats. I get complaments on my boat almost everytime we have it out (i even got one from a guy, who shall remain nameless, that owns a DCB). I think we'll keep this boat untill our kids (5, 20mth, 20mth) are out of the "kool-aid" stage.
Bottom line go for a ride. List all the boats you can afford then choose the one you like the best.

[HYPNAUTIC]

Another thing to consider.. Insurance, on mine its cheap $408 a year. That was through Cheetah Bobs hookup.
Here a couple pics...
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/jessicajackson99/DSCN5739.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/jessicajackson99/river010.jpg

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Cheetah builds 410 boats per year.....18,000 over 44 years according to their website...That's not an opinion one way or another on Cheetah Boats, just found it to be interesting...

[HocusPocus]

i have checked them out at some boat shows and talked with a sales guy who was older (maybe the owner??), he was very helpful. if it came down to buying a used boat or a new cheetah, i think i would go for the new. seems you can get alot of boat for the price, like others have said you have to go see them and decide for yourself. happy hunting.

[THE WIDGE]

I had a 24 ft Stilleto and had no problems and it was turnkey everytime. Try it for yourself, don't go off some of the haters that base there opinions off rumors. Good luck!

[Beer-30]

If you set your sights on Cheetah, that is no problem. I investigated Cheetah years ago, when I was looking for a boat. I see no problems with the boats, and they are definitely affordable. There are a few minor differences that make them less $ than others, but the biggest and most logical is the overhead. They are in the county area, and it is definitely an older building. They have made due with what they have, and that is why they can keep costs down. Materials are materials. Resin is resin, and cloth is cloth. There are a few variances, but mostly everyone uses the same stuff.
Several people on here have Cheetahs in one form or another, and I haven't seen a single gripe out of one of them.
I mainly looked at the 24' Stiletto, as I was looking for something with enough room for friends. Also enough length to handle Havasu or Mohave on a windy day. I also like the idea of the mod-V hull. A little extra lift never hurt anyone. HOWEVER, nothing is free, and you give up alot of space inside. If the interior storage space and mid-cuddy area wasn't so important to me, I would have purchased a Stiletto. So, if you look at that model, make sure it had enough room for you. I am not knocking the boat, I am just saying it wouldn't fit my personal situation.
The 29 is a great boat. Roomy with great rough water ability. The bottom is a splash of the 29 Scarab from WellCraft. Used ones are EXTREMELY affordable, as you would get a 29 foot boat for the price of some 21s and 22s. Make sure you have a decent tow vehicle for this one. Boats above 25, 26 feet get pretty heavy. Especially with all the garbage we end up storing inside them.
Either way, you would not want less than a 502 (older) or 496HO (newer).

[dicudmore]

Cheetah builds 410 boats per year.....18,000 over 44 years according to their website...That's not an opinion one way or another on Cheetah Boats, just found it to be interesting...
damn typos--I think you mean 110 per year...regardless, they are all over the place and you just keep seeing more of them :cool:

[Focker]

:D damn typos--I think you mean 110 per year...regardless, they are all over the place and you just keep seeing more of them :cool:
DAN DIDNT YOU OWN ONE OF THEM ABOUT 26 BOATS AGO LAST MARCH? :D

[dicudmore]

I used to own one...the 29' Offshore...maybe my experience with Cheetah was different than others, in fact I know it was--BUT, the boat was exactly what I was told it was going to be, and was delivered on time. I had ZERO issues with build quality on my boat, I used it--and I used it HARD. 04 model, I took delivery in April 04 and ran it until October 05--125 hours ZERO issues with the boat. MANY Catalina trips, Havasu or Mead every weekend etc. No stress cracks, no NADA...actually the only issue I had in regards to the boat "falling apart" was on one Catalina trip (admittedly it was BIG that day) the cushions for the seat backs in the cabin, that velcro on--fell off. Had to push them back in to place, very stressful :wink:
As Beer-30 said, the 29 is a "copy" of a proven bottom (read SCARAB) and works very well in rough water--its a narrow beam boat, and has a lot of deadrise (24 degrees)--its trim and throttle sensitive, you have to drive it, but it works well.
If you are open to used--I know where one is (I used to own it :wink: ) and the price is right...55K, maybe less?? would buy it...
Obviously at Cheetah Bob's price the boat is not rigged to Howard, DCB, Spectre, etc standards (does that mean that your family won't have a good time on the water with it?? Doubt it :cool: ) nor does it have the bling factor of an F-32 or one of Ultra's 27' Shadow's...it is an "entry-level" custom boat at a very affordable price that your crew can have a great time on for years, so if you like it and it meets your needs then go for it. :D
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/63852249Catalina_Run_12-11-04_011.jpg
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/1634100_0535.JPG

[riverroyal]

cheetah is the world's fastest land animal and the most unique and specialized member of the cat family. It can reach speeds of 70 mph. Unlike other cats, the cheetah has a leaner body, longer legs, and has been referred to as the “greyhound” of the cats. It is not an aggressive animal, using flight versus fight. With its weak jaws and small teeth, the price it paid for speed, it cannot fight larger predators to protect it's kills or young

[Ziggy]

One of the only reasons I did not opt for a Cheetah was the lack of storage space in the tunnel hull configuration........Other than that we pretty much liked the boat.

[Beer-30]

If you are open to used--I know where one is (I used to own it :wink: ) and the price is right...55K, maybe less?? would buy it...
Wow, that bad boy is for sale again? Already?
That is a nice boat, and has a beautiful set of trim tabs. The motor should be good for another 1000+ hours, so it would still be a good buy.

[dicudmore]

Wow, that bad boy is for sale again? Already?
That is a nice boat, and has a beautiful set of trim tabs. The motor should be good for another 1000+ hours, so it would still be a good buy.
yeah he wants a deckboat...found him a screamin' deal on a 24' Fastcat with a 225 O/B...he'll prob buy it, and now wants a little help selling the 29'
lol trim tabs--Dana HP1000's spared no expense building that one either :rolleyes: Work great for getting on plane then put them all the way up and forget them--pretty much not needed

[Beer-30]

Yeah, I have been playing with them on the Therapy boat. Boy, touchy touchy on a 25 footer. They are not needed on that boat - except for the occasional misloading. That boat is sensitive to a heavy ice chest (:D ) on one side or the other. Other than that, it planes almost immediately and with only slight bow rise.
I had always planned on them for mine, but mainly for wakeboarding. Since I haven't wake-boarded behind it in the last two years, I don't see them as a necessity. They are sure not needed for driving or even for weight distribution, so I doubt I'll ever waste money on them. Who knows about the future, though.
Nice thread-jack on my part.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

damn typos--I think you mean 110 per year...regardless, they are all over the place and you just keep seeing more of them :cool:
No, I mean 410. 18,000 boats/44 years= ~410 boats per year = ~8 boats per week...
As Dan said, he used his boat ALOT and it always looked good to me...

[Baja Big Dog]

Depending on your budget you may want to consider a used higher end boat, there are alot of good deals out there right now. As far a Cheetah Boats, I have no personal experience but if you do a search on here you will get alot of info.
What the hell is this dribble!!
Lets analyze;
Depending on your budget I would look for a higher end used boat? What? These boats run 20 grandless than the "higher end" boats. What makes them "higher end" boats? The price.
A used boat? Yea lets buy a used boat, 200 hours, never been abused, never been flown out of the water, used only by my wife to get groceries.
Or lets buy a brand new boat, built to your specs and pay less than the same boat used by a "high end" builder.
I'm on a rant here cause it pissed me off when the bling factor is used to move people to someones else's way of thinking.
Think about it, if you want to know anything about anything put it up on this board, and the brutal facts, (along with bullshit lies from people that dont even have the shit they are talking shit about) will come to the top.
24 posts and guess what...not one negative thing about Bob's boats, why? because he is a no bullshit guy, he works out of a piece of shit building, and guess what , he passes the money on to the customer.
Buck for buck you wont beat these boats!!!
And yes I owned one and dont now, and if I ever had the desire for another fiberglass boat it would be a Cheetah!!!

[mobldj]

wow,and i though no digg was the cheetah cheerleader,but you are 100 percent right,just buy a cheetah and put a big eliminator sticker on it if that makes you feel good about overpaying for your boat,engine comes in the same crate as the one delivererd to the high dollar boats and the hull is still made at the same place(lynch)as the big dollar boys......go cheetah!

[Baja Big Dog]

wow,and i though no digg was the cheetah cheerleader,but you are 100 percent right,just buy a cheetah and put a big eliminator sticker on it if that makes you feel good about overpaying for your boat,engine comes in the same crate as the one delivererd to the high dollar boats and the hull is still made at the same place(lynch)as the big dollar boys......go cheetah!
Yea, I love the "Little guys". Do the math on what it costs to build a boat, and see why he can sell them at a dramatically lower price and still make money!!
Great idea on the sticker thing, it would be a nice test! As long as you launch it with a 10 inch lifted deisel truck no one would notice!!!:jawdrop:

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Or lets buy a brand new boat, built to your specs and pay less than the same boat used by a "high end" builder.
wow,and i though no digg was the cheetah cheerleader,but you are 100 percent right,just buy a cheetah and put a big eliminator sticker on it if that makes you feel good about overpaying for your boat,engine comes in the same crate as the one delivererd to the high dollar boats and the hull is still made at the same place(lynch)as the big dollar boys......go cheetah!
You're kidding yourselves if you think the build quality among all of the builders is the same...it's not. All boats are not built the same with the same resin and fiberglass, and additional materials, and layup schedule...
Bottom line, buy the boat that best meets your needs and budget and just enjoy it...

[CBadDad]

Havasu dreamin is right that not all builders are equal. That being said, first decide what you're looking for (size, motor, ect) and then shop and around and buy the newest boat you can find in your price range.
IMHO, nothing wrong with Cheetah. The pics here tell the story. You're out on the water with your friends and family having fun and creating memories. Just get out there and enjoy life.

[Decided Advantage]

I used to own one...the 29' Offshore...maybe my experience with Cheetah was different than others, in fact I know it was--BUT, the boat was exactly what I was told it was going to be, and was delivered on time. I had ZERO issues with build quality on my boat, I used it--and I used it HARD. 04 model, I took delivery in April 04 and ran it until October 05--125 hours ZERO issues with the boat. MANY Catalina trips, Havasu or Mead every weekend etc. No stress cracks, no NADA...actually the only issue I had in regards to the boat "falling apart" was on one Catalina trip (admittedly it was BIG that day) the cushions for the seat backs in the cabin, that velcro on--fell off. Had to push them back in to place, very stressful :wink:
As Beer-30 said, the 29 is a "copy" of a proven bottom (read SCARAB) and works very well in rough water--its a narrow beam boat, and has a lot of deadrise (24 degrees)--its trim and throttle sensitive, you have to drive it, but it works well.
If you are open to used--I know where one is (I used to own it :wink: ) and the price is right...55K, maybe less?? would buy it...
Obviously at Cheetah Bob's price the boat is not rigged to Howard, DCB, Spectre, etc standards (does that mean that your family won't have a good time on the water with it?? Doubt it :cool: ) nor does it have the bling factor of an F-32 or one of Ultra's 27' Shadow's...it is an "entry-level" custom boat at a very affordable price that your crew can have a great time on for years, so if you like it and it meets your needs then go for it. :D
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/63852249Catalina_Run_12-11-04_011.jpg
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/1634100_0535.JPG
I'm with you. We looked over Cheetah's and Desert Thunder boats. You get what you pay for and we thought they offered a nice balance of features at a lower price point than some premium brands. The hulls didn't demostrate any querky handling flaws. The owners (same family) seemed to be real and decent to work with.
Definitely a product to consider.

[Havasu1]

I looked at Cheetahs some years back, 2001 I believe. I was looking for a deck boat. Bob took me on the tour and yes, the place was a dump but the glass quality on the boats were really nice. My biggest concerns at the time were two fold. First, they seemed to have a really thin hull. Second, the deck boats floor was wood with carpet. I wanted the fiberglass liner. Now that may have changed since 01. I do really like the new 26 deck that he came out with. You do get a lot for your money. What did I buy in the end? I went with a Carrera 257 part effect. It was more by about $9k than the 24 Cheetah but it was also bigger. It had a fiberglas liner and I liked the look of the boat better and the hull construction was thicker. I later sold the Carrera, you may have seen the it, it was the one Phebus had. Funny change of events I bought it back recently. As far as Cheetahs go, a good boat for the money.

[cap'n chuy]

we bought a 24 stilletto back in 2000. we ran it hard for 6 years 280 hrs with not a single problem. the boat looked like new except for some upholstery wear when we sold it, not a single stress crack. we liked it so much we bought a cx-29:D

[CHEETAH24]

Bought mine a little over a year ago and no problems..http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j40/CHEETAH24/IMG_0024.jpg