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Orion cat for sale

BIGRED9158

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Seems like a lot of boat for the money except for the smoked out interior
 

EmpirE231

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Always liked these boats... almost bought a pretty nice one 6-7 years ago or so for around 40k.... but I couldn't get over the distortion in the canopy's

this one needs new interior... which I would guess runs somewhere around 10-14K these days?
 

MK1MOD0

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Needs new interior? Looks like it just needs to be detailed.
 

02HoWaRd26

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Crazy never seen this one, wondering where it falls in line of the builds. On price, i sold mine that imho was way nicer and highly upgraded in comparison for 60 in 2020. So this isn’t a bad deal but i don’t see it as a great deal. Those boats run real swell and handle pretty well for there size tho.
 

pwerwagn

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Ive always liked the Orion Cat's.

That seems like it would be a reliable boat that would do good in rough-ish water, and your kids can eat cheetos in it without anyone having a fit.
 
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beaverretriever

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I loved these at one time and almost bought one after my 23XS. Very dated looking at them now though. Canopies in general just dont look great any more (completely subjective of course)

I believe someone in the Cassillas family owned the company and they seemed like a decent build. Was told they struggled with a 496 though and they plowed water for a bit before getting on plane. Can't really remember if that was the case.
 

Meaney77

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Does/did Orion build these boats or is it a splash from another maker?
 

02HoWaRd26

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I loved these at one time and almost bought one after my 23XS. Very dated looking at them now though. Canopies in general just dont look great any more (completely subjective of course)

I believe someone in the Cassillas family owned the company and they seemed like a decent build. Was told they struggled with a 496 though and they plowed water for a bit before getting on plane. Can't really remember if that was the case.
Yea Martin owned Orion, mine had 496ho and ran good. Was a solid 73-74 mph boat, saw 77-78 in perfect conditions and load. Never had an issue getting on plane but when i went -2 and it set the X too high. Went back to -1 with a spacer and she popped up perfect. Just my experience with one for four seasons.
 

Singleton

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Yea Martin owned Orion, mine had 496ho and ran good. Was a solid 73-74 mph boat, saw 77-78 in perfect conditions and load. Never had an issue getting on plane but when i went -2 and it set the X too high. Went back to -1 with a spacer and she popped up perfect. Just my experience with one for four seasons.

Your was one of the cleanest ones I ever saw when you sold it.
 

MK1MOD0

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I knew two guys with them and they never had an issue getting on plane. Seemed to ride well for their size and ran great with modest power.
 

boatnam2

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I think I remember ole riverdave being a test jockey in one, could of just been a drunkin dream.
 

NicPaus

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Only 2 I recall was Peter's and Alan's. I think Alan still has his. Have not talked to him in a while.
 

Goodtime$

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I think we built 5 of those 24’ cats during the ultra El Cajon days

This one may have been built in riverside with lightning boats Jerry, Martin moved up there after I left working for him.

Boat runs ok. Not crazy fast but comfy

First one Dave tested with rough, high x made turns tricky. Being nice
 

gqchris

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I sold Martin a brand new King Ranch f-350 when i worked at Ford years ago. Super nice dude. He got all the bells and whistles.

I tink RDP inmate @Caydens Cat had a super clean one ( I could be wrong). I always drooled over it. I think he was selling his way back in day for 50K if I recall. Super fair price. 50K was so much money to me back then and my FICO touched 580 on a good day. 😁 Otherwise, that boat would have been mine.
 

gqchris

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Show me another open bow cat that is under 50k
Id much rather throw a little more cash and get into this for 60k

 

wet hull

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I sold Martin a brand new King Ranch f-350 when i worked at Ford years ago. Super nice dude. He got all the bells and whistles.

I tink RDP inmate @Caydens Cat had a super clean one ( I could be wrong). I always drooled over it. I think he was selling his way back in day for 50K if I recall. Super fair price. 50K was so much money to me back then and my FICO touched 580 on a good day. 😁 Otherwise, that boat would have been mine.
That was Howard26/ Peter boat he full tricked out.
 

wet hull

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I had number 3 built. I have redone almost every inch of this boat over the years. Its far from what was originally built for me. I started with a 496 and it ran good but wet. It is much happier with more HP. Its happy place is above 70 when it starts packing air. I have a fuel injected 540 and run a Teague Platinum upper with a -2 lower. Boat planes right away and handles most all water in Havasu with ease. Granted I have the HP to bump it over the slop as needed. I can run this to a bit over 90mph but typically cruise it at 50-60. I am kinda over the speed aspect of boating now days. The boat fits all mine and family needs and I have the pink slip. If my garage was bigger I would most likely move into a larger boat but happy to keep this as well. Putting new gauges in once my snowbirds leave in April. Livorsi killed it!
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RiverDave

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I think I remember ole riverdave being a test jockey in one, could of just been a drunkin dream.

they gave me the first one to take to Parker and try out. I couldn’t figure it out, but Martin told me they made a couple changes and it was better after that. I am not sure what they changed.

RD
 
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RiverDave

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I think we built 5 of those 24’ cats during the ultra El Cajon days

This one may have been built in riverside with lightning boats Jerry, Martin moved up there after I left working for him.

Boat runs ok. Not crazy fast but comfy

First one Dave tested with rough, high x made turns tricky. Being nice

I would have liked to have driven or tested a later one.
 

MK1MOD0

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Id much rather throw a little more cash and get into this for 60k

Closed bow, makes for a very different boat all together. Two different buyers
 

beaverretriever

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I had number 3 built. I have redone almost every inch of this boat over the years. Its far from what was originally built for me. I started with a 496 and it ran good but wet. It is much happier with more HP. Its happy place is above 70 when it starts packing air. I have a fuel injected 540 and run a Teague Platinum upper with a -2 lower. Boat planes right away and handles most all water in Havasu with ease. Granted I have the HP to bump it over the slop as needed. I can run this to a bit over 90mph but typically cruise it at 50-60. I am kinda over the speed aspect of boating now days. The boat fits all mine and family needs and I have the pink slip. If my garage was bigger I would most likely move into a larger boat but happy to keep this as well. Putting new gauges in once my snowbirds leave in April. Livorsi killed it! View attachment 1197311 View attachment 1197312 View attachment 1197313 View attachment 1197314 View attachment 1197315 View attachment 1197316 View attachment 1197325 View attachment 1197326


Aways loved your boat and the clear canopies look so much better. Funny, because I think i reached out to you years ago to pick your brain before I ordered.
 

RiverDave

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According to RDP a 26 cat with a 496 is an unusable boat 🤣.

Well I'll bite.. It isn't unusable at all, but Cats as a whole like to actually pack air, and with a 496 you are barely scratching the surface of when the hull starts to perform. Same with most 25-26' cats with a 500 or a 525.. You get right into the zone where they start to work and then end up in the porpoise zone because they are packing air and then blowing out over and over again..

I just don't see the point of having a cat with low HP, because the hull can't work as it was intended to work.. Add in an open bow and ya made that program even worse.

Probably why I am a V guy.. Unless I was gonna build a boat for running 80+ all the time.

RD
 
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LargeOrangeFont

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Well I'll bite.. It isn't unusable at all, but Cats as a whole like to actually pack air, and with a 496 you are barely scratching the surface of when the hull starts to perform. Same with most 25-26' cats with a 500 or a 525.. You get right into the zone where they start to work and then end up in the porpoise zone because they are packing air and then blowing out over and over again..

I just don't see the point of having a cat with low HP, because the hull can't work as it was intended to work.. Add in an open bow and ya made that program even worse.

RD

In that same vain, why put a stereo in it? Why have a cooler? Why have any nice interior? Why even bring your family out in it if they are going to compromise the performance of the vessel?

It’s like asking why would you drive your sports car on the street? It’s meant to be on a track and it’s not very good in traffic or parking lots, and it scrapes everywhere so why do you waste the time?

Because you like the experience regardless of how it works.

Does it really matter how well a boat works and how much power it has if you are just going to cruise up to Pirates or down to the the Springs at 50 MPH anyway?

I know dozens of people with 600-1000 HP boats that blip them up to 80+ for 20 seconds once a trip then drop back down to 50-65 where they spend 99% of their cruising time. I also have a few friends that are full throttle all the time, god bless them.

Yea it’s great to have that extra power on tap. Yes the boat is designed to run with that kind of power. Yea it’s great to use the power it for a few minutes a season if you have it. But do you need it to enjoy a boat with your family and friends? No.
 
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RiverDave

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In that same vain, why put a stereo in it? Why have a cooler? Why have any nice interior? Why even bring your family out in it if they are going to compromise the performance of the vessel?

It’s like asking why would you drive your sports car on the street? It’s meant to be on a track and it’s not very good in traffic or parking lots, and it scrapes everywhere so why do you waste the time?

Because you like the experience regardless of how it works.

Does it really matter how well a boat works and how much power it has if you are just going to cruise up to Pirates or down to the the Springs at 50 MPH anyway?

I know dozens of people with 600-1000 HP boats that blip them up to 80+ for 20 seconds once a trip then drop back down to 50-65 where they spend 99% of their cruising time. I also have a few friends that are full throttle all the time, god bless them.

Yea it’s great to have that extra power on tap. Yes the boat is designed to run with that kind of power. Yea it’s great to use the power it for a few minutes a season if you have it. But do you need it to enjoy a boat with your family and friends? No.

I guess it's a matter of preference.. I'd prefer to pick a hull style that is going to be used in it's happy place.. Cats aren't "happy" until they are being cats packing air.. When they aren't packing air they are cats acting like dogs.. LOL.

RD
 

LargeOrangeFont

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I guess it's a matter of preference.. I'd prefer to pick a hull style that is going to be used in it's happy place.. Cats aren't "happy" until they are being cats packing air.. When they aren't packing air they are cats acting like dogs.. LOL.

RD

Sure but let’s get real, you aren’t going to have a boat that is comfortable and relaxing for everyone traveling 80-90 all the time this side of $150k minimum. And you are not going to find that in a deck boat at any price point. Everyone is miserable in a deckboat at 80 aside from the 2 people behind the helms.

This is what, a $52k boat?

Might as well tell people to go be poor somewhere else :)
 

RiverDave

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Sure but let’s get real, you aren’t going to have a boat that is comfortable and relaxing for everyone traveling 80-90 all the time this side of $150k minimum. And you are not going to find that in a deck boat at any price point. Everyone is miserable in a deckboat at 80 aside from the 2 people behind the helms.

This is what, a $52k boat?

Might as well tell people to go be poor somewhere else :)

Well the big problem is you can find them, but the boats are massive and would be a lot more to maintain and store.

To me My old Hallett 340 with Twin 500's will run 80's.. It needs some love right now, but the guy is going to sell it for 55K.. Probably take 50?

You can find giant Nortech 360's for 187 with big power in them that will run decent numbers.. but again huge boat and maintenance etc is through the roof.

Just poking around though to me this is about a 50,000.00 boat.. not a great deal, not a bad deal, just kinda what it's worth. I will freely admit though that almost everything I'm looking at on the used market right now I think is grossly overpriced. Every now and again I find something that peaks my interests.

RD
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Well the big problem is you can find them, but the boats are massive and would be a lot more to maintain and store.

To me My old Hallett 340 with Twin 500's will run 80's.. It needs some love right now, but the guy is going to sell it for 55K.. Probably take 50?

You can find giant Nortech 360's for 187 with big power in them that will run decent numbers.. but again huge boat and maintenance etc is through the roof.

Just poking around though to me this is about a 50,000.00 boat.. not a great deal, not a bad deal, just kinda what it's worth. I will freely admit though that almost everything I'm looking at on the used market right now I think is grossly overpriced. Every now and again I find something that peaks my interests.

RD

Exactly. A dual motor $50k giant V that needs maintenance isn’t a $50k boat with a 496.

The used boat market is high because the new boat market is higher.

It’s just like houses. With no new entry level units are being made, it increases the value of the existing pool of inventory.
 

Caydens Cat

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As mentioned above, I had an Onion as I would joke. 496HO would run just into the lower 70’s. Cruised at 50 at 4k with some trim and never got beat up. Rode a helluva lot better than my Pops 25’ Advantage Citation which is a V. No hop, smooth ride, small kids loved the open bow. All in all great boat. 02Howard picked it up and next leveled it! Night and day difference in this cat vs comparable V.
 

boatnam2

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The Ed they gave me the first one to take to Parker and try out. I couldn’t figure it out, but Martin told me they made a couple changes and it was better after that. I am not sure what they changed.

RD
Shit i remember lol
 

Goodtime$

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I sold Martin a brand new King Ranch f-350 when i worked at Ford years ago. Super nice dude. He got all the bells and whistles.

I tink RDP inmate @Caydens Cat had a super clean one ( I could be wrong). I always drooled over it. I think he was selling his way back in day for 50K if I recall. Super fair price. 50K was so much money to me back then and my FICO touched 580 on a good day. 😁 Otherwise, that boat would have been mine.

Funny story
We sold a bunch of boats at the la show
So I flew to hawaii to see my dad after the madness. 2 weeks

I Come back to El Cajon to a new king ranch and his wife got a 7 series bmw

I’m like Martin - we took deposits you have to build the boats.

Martin: can you buy a 496ho

Me: sell the fucking cars

I drive an 07 lbz duramax and shit box Acura
You learn more from bad bosses than good ones.
 

gqchris

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Funny story
We sold a bunch of boats at the la show
So I flew to hawaii to see my dad after the madness. 2 weeks

I Come back to El Cajon to a new king ranch and his wife got a 7 series bmw

I’m like Martin - we took deposits you have to build the boats.

Martin: can you buy a 496ho

Me: sell the fucking cars

I drive an 07 lbz duramax and shit box Acura
You learn more from bad bosses than good ones.
Sorry Todd! Thats crazy that we crossed paths in a 3 degrees of seperation kind of way. Lol

Im an avid follower of you on Instagram. Your hustle is non stop!
 
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