My TUFF 28

[Hayabusa]

Hi all, it's been a while since my last confession hear and i thought I'd poke my head in and say hi and catch up with you all on my TUFF 28. I bought it several months ago from Randy at Liberator Boats of Fla, Canadian built it's the #1 hull out of the mold and it's built tough on the heavy side compared to the newer models, it weighed in at 4200 lbs fully rigged with 1/2 full tank of fuel. It has 2 Merc 300XS OffShore's mounted on a 17" set back Porta Bracket and steered with an IMCO steering system and a IMCO hydraulic assist steering pump all controlled by an EATON Char-Lynn helm. I've taken her out on the intercoastal a few times and offshore in 2 to 3 footers and wow she takes the waves with ease, very tough built no creaking or cracking noises just one thump after another as she jumps the waves. Awesome and fun boat to drive just like my 24 BRX, carves out doughnuts and figure 8"s like an 18 footer.

 

[DropTop5.0]

Beautiful boat, thanks for the update.

 

[Chellems]

What are you getting for speed?

I have to admit I too have been looking at the tough 28. I love the boat and doesn't weigh much. It would be the perfect combination of small lake boat and poker run boat.
What kind of numbers are you seeing from her?

 

[Hayabusa]

Went to the St.John River run met some good folks and had some fun.

 

[Hayabusa]

Some interior pics.

 

[Hayabusa]

I have to admit I too have been looking at the tough 28. I love the boat and doesn't weigh much. It would be the perfect combination of small lake boat and poker run boat.
What kind of numbers are you seeing from her?

Over the weekend i went out to the St.Lucie river with my friend Nick with his triple engine 30' Velocity and i with my TUFF, my buddy Mike came along with a WaveRunner to try and get some videos of us running. I ran a few passes with the 32p DR-4 Spinelli's that I have on the boat and clocked 96-96.5 at 6000-6100 rpm, i then put on a set of 5 blade 30p Hearings that Nick brought along and ran a few passes at 98 @ 6200 rpm and a few more fine tuning at 99 @ 6250-6300 hitting the limiter, next we tried Nick's secret 5 blade 31's and ran a few passes at 100 @ 6100 rpm then stretched her out on a nice straight stretch of river to clock 101 at right about 6200.

 

[Chellems]

Over the weekend i went out to the St.Lucie river with my friend Nick with his triple engine 30' Velocity and i with my TUFF, my buddy Mike came along with a WaveRunner to try and get some videos of us running. I ran a few passes with the 32p DR-4 Spinelli's that I have on the boat and clocked 96-96.5 at 6000-6100 rpm, i then put on a set of 5 blade 30p Hearings that Nick brought along and ran a few passes at 98 @ 6200 rpm and a few more fine tuning at 99 @ 6250-6300 hitting the limiter, next we tried Nick's secret 5 blade 31's and ran a few passes at 100 @ 6100 rpm then stretched her out on a nice straight stretch of river to clock 101 at right about 6200.

Dam that is getting it!

 

[Sam I am]

Oh man, I love Tuff Boats...I'm an outboard guy, but if I ever make it to the big time and have a place in FL, I may just need a 28 with a 525.

 

[BADBK]

SUUUUPER jelly. Nice rig. Both of em actually!

 

[ForbesZ]

Over the weekend i went out to the St.Lucie river with my friend Nick with his triple engine 30' Velocity and i with my TUFF, my buddy Mike came along with a WaveRunner to try and get some videos of us running. I ran a few passes with the 32p DR-4 Spinelli's that I have on the boat and clocked 96-96.5 at 6000-6100 rpm, i then put on a set of 5 blade 30p Hearings that Nick brought along and ran a few passes at 98 @ 6200 rpm and a few more fine tuning at 99 @ 6250-6300 hitting the limiter, next we tried Nick's secret 5 blade 31's and ran a few passes at 100 @ 6100 rpm then stretched her out on a nice straight stretch of river to clock 101 at right about 6200.

That's one super-nice Tuff you got there! I think that's slightly better top speed than the red Tuff 28 with twin 400Rs that was seen at the Muskoka Checkmate Rally last summer too.

It's the red one here: http://www.tuffboats.com/models/tuff-28-outboard

From what I heard that Tuff with the 400Rs was a handful to drive approaching 100 mph but it sounds like it's not an issue with the 300xs motors. Leave it to Randy to figure out the right combo! It kinda makes me wonder if the twin 400s on that red Tuff were on too much setback. Didn't you find that your BRX did better with less setback when you put the 400R on it?

I would love to get one of those Tuff 28s myself someday ... gonna keep working hard until I have the coin for it. Love it with the outboards!

 

[Hayabusa]

That's one super-nice Tuff you got there! I think that's slightly better top speed than the red Tuff 28 with twin 400Rs that was seen at the Muskoka Checkmate Rally last summer too.

From what I heard that Tuff with the 400Rs was a handful to drive approaching 100 mph but it sounds like it's not an issue with the 300xs motors. Leave it to Randy to figure out the right combo! It kinda makes me wonder if the twin 400s on that red Tuff were on too much setback. Didn't you find that your BRX did better with less setback when you put the 400R on it?

I would love to get one of those Tuff 28s myself someday ... gonna keep working hard until I have the coin for it. Love it with the outboards !

Thanks it's a great boat, Randy did an all around awesome job.

Yes the red tuff has a lot of setback (24") plus the designed 5" more the Verado has sitting back compared to the 300XS's so like 29", a lot of weight hanging of the back, almost 1700 lbs. I've spoken to Mark at TUFF a few times about different configurations for speed for my boat and he's said that he's had the red one up to 105 and there was more in it but it was a handful to drive partly due to the water coming of the transom and hitting the bracket, among other things.

Taking set back out on my BRX did definitely make a big difference, so much more settled at any speed lot more fun to drive again, I went from 14" to 6" so in Verado talk it's like 19" to 11"