Cray Paper
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2012
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1999 Eliminator Eagle XP, open bow mid cuddy cabin, 502 MAG EFI, IMCO shorty lower unit, IMCO dual ram external steering, K planes, 26p SS Bravo prop.
Up sides - It gets out of the hole well when lightly loaded, heavily loaded ( 5 - 8 people) it needs the tabs all the way down to snap on plane but once there no need for tabs. If it's lightly loaded the punch from 30 - 70 is fantastic, pulls your head back like a modern muscle car. The engine in mine has been replaced, not sure how many hours are on it but it hits 72 ish quickly then bounces (5200 RPM) off the rev limiter. It can hit that 72 with 5 - 6 people and all their stuff. If it's just me it hits the rev limiter at about the same speed, but much quicker. It hits that number with minimal drive trim also, probably has to do with the shorty lower unit. The gel work is good, lots of depth of material. My boat spent time in Michigan, California and Arizona before I bought it. The purple was really oxidized. I color sanded the deck a bunch and got it to pop, the purple fade on the cowl area was a little thin though.
Down sides - It is a river or lake boat, in rough water it really beats the crap out of you, even with the tabs down.The swim step is a real liability, the angle is not conducive to getting out of the water and step on to the hatch cover. The swim step is gel coated, a rubber coating would be much better. The drain back pathway under the composite floor just doesn't work. Take water over the side ( not much freeboard for a 25' boat) and it seems to wind up stuck on the carpeted floor of the cuddy cabin. It refuses to drain to the bilge. I have bailed 5 gallons of water out of this area before after a weekend of use. The floor mounted fuel tank causes this as well as the drain back holes being plugged when the tank is glassed in. I've seen pictures of this after some one cut the composite floor out of theirs, not well thought out. Since I live and boat in a colder climate and am used to larger boats, none of these boats should leave the factory with out a windshield. Wind hitting your face unobstructed at 70+ MPH is brutal, not to mention the sound of that wind. I'm buying a windscreen this summer, 2K+, plus shipping seems steep but worth it.
Over all I am happy with the Eliminator, it's holding up well being almost 16 years old. I'm about two yeas away from selling it and looking for an Eliminator 30' Eagle XP. Perfect boat for running around the Puget Sound and quick trips to the San Juan Islands.
Up sides - It gets out of the hole well when lightly loaded, heavily loaded ( 5 - 8 people) it needs the tabs all the way down to snap on plane but once there no need for tabs. If it's lightly loaded the punch from 30 - 70 is fantastic, pulls your head back like a modern muscle car. The engine in mine has been replaced, not sure how many hours are on it but it hits 72 ish quickly then bounces (5200 RPM) off the rev limiter. It can hit that 72 with 5 - 6 people and all their stuff. If it's just me it hits the rev limiter at about the same speed, but much quicker. It hits that number with minimal drive trim also, probably has to do with the shorty lower unit. The gel work is good, lots of depth of material. My boat spent time in Michigan, California and Arizona before I bought it. The purple was really oxidized. I color sanded the deck a bunch and got it to pop, the purple fade on the cowl area was a little thin though.
Down sides - It is a river or lake boat, in rough water it really beats the crap out of you, even with the tabs down.The swim step is a real liability, the angle is not conducive to getting out of the water and step on to the hatch cover. The swim step is gel coated, a rubber coating would be much better. The drain back pathway under the composite floor just doesn't work. Take water over the side ( not much freeboard for a 25' boat) and it seems to wind up stuck on the carpeted floor of the cuddy cabin. It refuses to drain to the bilge. I have bailed 5 gallons of water out of this area before after a weekend of use. The floor mounted fuel tank causes this as well as the drain back holes being plugged when the tank is glassed in. I've seen pictures of this after some one cut the composite floor out of theirs, not well thought out. Since I live and boat in a colder climate and am used to larger boats, none of these boats should leave the factory with out a windshield. Wind hitting your face unobstructed at 70+ MPH is brutal, not to mention the sound of that wind. I'm buying a windscreen this summer, 2K+, plus shipping seems steep but worth it.
Over all I am happy with the Eliminator, it's holding up well being almost 16 years old. I'm about two yeas away from selling it and looking for an Eliminator 30' Eagle XP. Perfect boat for running around the Puget Sound and quick trips to the San Juan Islands.