S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE
INSIDE: MIAMI BOAT SHOW GEMS!
Bad Kitty
3 [SEE PAGE 42]
WILD OUTBOARD CATS!
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WOOD YOU? 1970s Hot Boat Transformed
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TABLE OF CONTENTS APRIL 2020
COLUMNS
8 RAY LEE 10 BOB TEAGUE 14 INDUSTRY NEWS 62 NEW PRODUCTS
FEATURES 18 2020 MIAMI BOAT SHOW
The legendary exhibit celebrates its 79th year with 100,000 guests and 1,400 boats on display on land and in water.
42 PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
This month, Speedboat reviews three spectacular outboard-powered cats from DCB, Nordic and Eliminator.
56 MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN
Following a successful boat show, the Florida Powerboat Club charts a course for the Florida Keys with many of the boats from the exhibit.
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Speedboat.com Published by DCO Enterprises, LLC Publishers Ray Lee ray@speedboat.com Chris Davidson chris@speedboat.com Editor Brett Bayne brett@speedboat.com Senior Tech Editors Bob Teague bobteague@teaguecustommarine.com Jim Wilkes jim@speedboat.com
Tech Editors Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins National Sales Ray Lee Director ray@speedboat.com
Art Director Gail Hada-Insley
Helicopter Services Fred Young fyoung@live.com Cover photo by Todd Taylor Table of Contents photo by Tom Leigh
Photographers
Todd Taylor, Kenny Dunlop, Mark McLaughlin, Paul Kemiel, Jeff Gerardi, Daren Van Ryte
Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com
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BRETT’S COVE 66 RAISING KANE
This classic woody from the ‘60s gets a complete restoration—courtesy of the wizards at Wilkes Marine.
74 ADBA SHOWDOWN
The American Drag Boat Association kicks off the season’s action with a nail-biting bout in Parker, AZ.
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SPEEDBOAT MAGAZINE (ISSN#1941-9473) is published 8 times plus a bonus issue this year by DCO Enterprises LLC.
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S P E E D B O A T | April 2020
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OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE
Daren Van Ryte, Todd Taylor, Ray Lee and Jay Forbes grab a bite after the show.
2020 marked the 79th year of the Miami International Boat Show and the industry and its products, like most things, have kept on evolving over the last eight decades. The boats that were on display in 1941 were galaxies away from the boats of today. In fact, the modern boating trends are quite different than even just five years ago. My co-publisher Chris Davidson, editor Brett Bayne, photographers Todd Taylor
Miami’s Sensory Overload
New owner Jason Moe, offshore racer Sir Steve Curtis and Ray Lee check out Moe’s new Outerlimits SC46, Hurry Up, powered by Mercury Racing 1550/1350 engines. and Daren Van Ryte and I converged onto the powerboating playground of South Florida the day before the first day of the show in mid-February. We hit the ground running as we beelined it to the Mercury Marine Media Event as soon as we landed. This is where they present to us the latest
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innovative products that are to be debuted in the following days of the show. There we ran into Mercury Racing General Manager Stuart Halley and Brand Manager Andrea Jansen, who told me about the overwhelming numbers of their new 450Rs on display all throughout the
show, which they had debuted only months earlier in Nashville, TN. Andrea had the ambitious notion to attempt to count exactly how many there were at the show, which I likened to counting the number of hairs on one’s head. That’s seemingly how many I thought there might be. Most of these highly coveted power plants find their homes on the various transoms of the über-popular, mid thirtyfoot, outboard catamarans or the luxury center consoles that most performance manufacturers currently have a version of. With two, three, four, five, or with the massive 59' Cigarette Tirranna, six outboard engines on each boat, it’s easy to see why the folks at Mercury can be regularly found in supremely good moods. Covering the show in the days that followed was a big undertaking. There was so much eye candy and impeccable hardware that our entire Speedboat team sustained a mild form of S.O.S. (sensory overload syndrome). And Stuart and Andrea were right. You couldn’t walk more than 10 feet along any of the docks without seeing the Mercury Racing 450Rs. So much so, that seeing a sterndrivepowered performance boat was like spotting a unicorn in the city. Enter the new Outerlimits closed-canopied SC46 catamaran with twin Mercury [Continues on page 63] speedboat.com
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TEAGUE ON TECH BOB TEAGUE Dear Bob: I’m plumbing a twin-engine power steering with pressure from both pumps. I have a return line question. If I run a single line thru the straight part of a tee to a second cooler then branch from tee to first cooler, will it show preference or overload second reservoir? Or should I turn the tee and branch and run 2 sort of equal length lines to coolers to better balance the flow? Or, should I run sealed reservoir caps with hose reservoir cap to reservoir cap to balance? I am wondering if a closed system will present problems. My experience is with Sea Star style hydraulic steering which is fairly basic. My new boat requires new knowledge. Thanks for any info you may have. Todd Buchanan Lake Isabella, MI
Billet power steering reservoir on Saginaw style pump.
Mercury Racing 1075SCI power steering pump inlet from remote reservoir.
You are doing the right thing by using two power steering pumps, which provides for redundancy and increased safety. First of all, in order to properly plumb your steering system, it should incorporate
a priority valve that the pressure lines from the pumps are connected to. The priority valve has check valves in it that prevent backflow to a pump of an engine that is not running. Using a priority valve
Full Hydraulic Steering for Twin Engine Applications
Remoted Reservoir with two return inlets and two supply outlets for pumps.
Mercury Racing 525EFI power steering pump.
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will insure that you still have power steering when only one engine is running or in the event that a pump were to fail, or lose a belt. The return line from the helm should be connected to a tee that splits the return to each engines’ power steering cooler. Many priority valve assemblies that are available have the return line tee already incorporated in them. A couple of decent choices are IMCO and Latham Marine. The type of power steering pumps you have on your engines will dictate exactly how the return lines will be connected to the pumps. If your power steering pumps are the Saginaw (GM style) with the reservoir “can” on the back, connect the return line from the power steering coolers to the return port on the back of the pump. The two reservoirs that are integral on the pumps normally have a cap on them. This cap needs to be removed and replaced with an adapter that seals on the neck of [Continues on page 55] speedboat.com
A CENTER CONSOLE BOAT WORTH OWNING
Amazing Control Fast and Stable
Luxury Cruising
High Speed Adventure
Mercury Powered
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INDUSTRY NEWS
MTI Announces New 50V Center Console
O
n the opening day of the Miami International Boat Show (See
Page 18), Marine Technology Inc. (MTI) announced that it is building an all-new model to add to its line of luxury center console performance boats: the 50V. The vee-bottom boat will effectively bridge the gap between the company’s 42V and 57V models. The announcement came from Randy Scism, president of the Wentzville, MO, manufacturer of some of the speediest boats in existence. It is well-known for its line of I/O-powered catamarans (38' to 52') and outboard cats, including the 340X and 390X. Scism said that he expects the boat to be formally unveiled at the 2021 Miami International Boat Show. “Some of our customers love the amenities the 57' has, but they don’t want that much size,” Scism told Speedboat. “So we’re scaling it back. It’s going to land right between our two center consoles.
It will have more floor space than a 42', but less than a 57' both in the front and the back. But we will still maintain a big cabin, so they’ll have all the amenities they want. And it’ll still be a very performanceoriented center console available.”
The cabin will also feature a private head. The 50V can accommodate four or five outboard motors. Measuring 50 long, the 50V will feature a 12-foot beam, 550-gallon fuel capacity, and a dry weight of 18,000 lbs.
LOTO Shootout Board of Directors to Add 5 Hall of Fame Inductees For the eighth consecutive year, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Board of Directors has announced its latest group of inductees into the Shootout Hall of Fame. The 2020 inductees will be honored at a special dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 7:00 p.m. at the Stables Event Center in Sunrise Beach, MO. (See ticket information below.) This year’s class includes: • Bob Teague, the world-champion marathon racer and owner/founder of Teague Custom Marine of Valencia, CA. • Myrick Coil, mechanic and shop foreman at Missouri’s renowned Performance Boat Center and multiple World Champion offshore boat racer. • Tiffany Maasen, wife of Poly Lift Boat Lifts co-owner Mark Maasen, volunteer and raiser of countless dollars to help needy kids.
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• Brad Harrington, owner/throttleman of the 1990 Saber Cyclone Team Kansas, a frequent Shootout participant. • Tim Kowalski, owner of Bio-Kleen (Kalamazoo, MI), often seen in his 1993 Cigarette 35' Café Racer, powered by twin 700-hp Sterling engines. Each of the Hall of Famers will have a
plaque in their name added to the famous Bob Morgan Memorial Shootout Hall of Fame wall at the Lake of the Ozarks. Help celebrate these amazing people and all that they’ve done for the LOTO Shootout by making reservations online at lakeoftheozarksshootout.com. Tickets are $35 per person or $350 for a table of 8. speedboat.com
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Right: Jackie and Stu Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club make the rounds with FPC girl Kendall Fergusson. Below right: Speedboat’s Ray Lee and Brittany Dunn interview Brett Manire at the Performance Boat Center booth.
photos by Todd Taylor,
Daren Van Ryte and Ray Lee
H
Boat Show
The legendary exhibit celebrates its 79th year with 100,000 guests and 1,400 boats on display on land and in water.
as it really been five years since sometimes be a challenge. mance boating legends like Peter Hledin the Miami International Boat Having said all that, the on-water of Skater, Skip Braver of Cigarette, Fred Show packed its bags and left displays from the boatbuilders you see Ross and Jeff Harris of Iconic Marine
the Miami Beach Convention Center for its new digs at Miami Stadium Park and Basin on Virginia Key? Although it seems to be our permanent home now, traveling to and from the show has never really become a piece of cake, the dining options are adequate at best, and finding your way around can
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commemorated on the following pages continue to bowl us over, and it’s such a delight to see manufacturers giving demo rides and to experience the sheer thrill of Mercury Racing’s special Performance Docks, where you can see the “cream of the crop” creations. Miami gives showgoers a chance to hobnob with perfor-
Group, Randy Scism of MTI, John Cosker of Mystic Powerboats, Bill Tweedie of Myco Trailers, etc. It’s a veritable “Who’s Who” of the industry, and let’s hope it stays that way (with better food and parking options). Meanwhile, read on for our annual report on the best that this incredible show had to offer. speedboat.com
MTI Marine Technology Inc. (MTI) of Wentzville, MO, announced on the first day of the show that they will be building an
all-new model to add to its line of luxury center console performance boats: the 50V. The vee-bottom boat will effectively bridge the gap between the company’s 42V and 57V models, and it’ll hopefully be available to see at next year’s show. Meanwhile, MTI proudly showcased several existing models from its lineup, including a pair of 42Vs (both powered by quad 450s), a 57V (their first boat to be powered by five 450s), a 340X catamaran (powered by twin 450Rs) and two 390X catamarans—one of which was delivered to longtime MTI customer Jake Nossaman. Also on display was John Caldwell’s incredible 48' MTI catamaran, powered by twin Mercury Racing 1350/1100 engines.
Above: The 48' cat Unforgiven was used to give demo rides to potential new customers.
The MTI-V42, powered by four 450Rs (above); John Caldwell’s amazing 48' cat (below), Never Stops, powered by twin 1350/1100 engines.
Above left: The MTI booth featured an abundance of power and beauty. Above: the 390X Wired Up was delivered to longtime MTI customer Jake Nossaman. It’s powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
Above right and right: This V57 is the first MTI to be powered by five 450R outboards. The boat boasts a roomy cabin with all the bells and whistles, including a galley, lounge, enclosed head and shower, A/C and double berth. speedboat.com
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Above and right: Mystic’s C3800 catamaran, powered by twin 450R outboards. Left: All three of Mystic’s boats on display. Below and bottom: The large and sporty M4200 center console, powered by quad 300s, can really handle the big water.
Mystic Florida-based Mystic displayed two of its center-console models: the M3800 (powered by triple Mercury Racing 300s)
and the M4200 (powered by quad 300s). Also on display was the C3800 catamaran (powered by twin 450Rs). “The M3800 and the M4200 are very different rides,” explains company President John Cosker. “The 42 carries the bow a little bit more and is more of a big-water boat. The 38 is a great lake boat, but you’d have to pick an ideal day to go to the Bahamas in it. With the 42, you can go whenever you want to.”
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Top: Fountain’s twin-outboard 34 Thunder Cat. Above right: Iconic Marine Group CEO Jeff Harris and company owner Fred Ross pose with the Thunder Cat. Above: Fountain’s triple-powered 39NX and quadpowered 43NX center consoles. Left: The stylish Donzi 41GTZ. Below left: An aerial view of the Iconic booth, with Donzi’s twin Mercury Racing 860-powered 38 ZRC on display.
Iconic Marine Group
Fountain and Donzi got a heap of attention at a supersized booth that showed off the best of their lines. For
Fountain, there were top-of-the-line center consoles like the 34 Sport Console, 34 Tournament Edition, 38 Center Console, 39NX and 43NX, as well as the 34 Thunder Cat (powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards). Meanwhile, two gorgeous Donzis were on hand to appeal to lovers of classic powerboating: the mega-stylish, outboard-powered 41GTZ, and the I/O-powered 38 ZRC. “We’re really happy to bring back the 38 ZRC,” company owner Fred Ross told Speedboat. “It’s a really awesome boat that I just fell in love with. With the 860s, it will run about 125 mph. We can also offer it with 565s, in a carbon edition, that’ll still get you over 100 mph.”
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Above and above left: Sunsation’s extremely popular 32CCX. Below left: Sunsation’s 40CCX, which features an impressive cabin.
Sunsation
The Algonac, MI-based builder of performance center consoles are, as always, part of the display by dealer Performance Boat Center. Sunsation President Joe Schaldenbrand was on
hand to answer questions by potential customers, as was PBC President Brett Manire. Both Sunsations on display—the 32CCX and 40CCX, feature new interior styling. “We did a relaunch of the 32 in Fort Lauderdale with a few changes, and we liked them so much that we made the same interior changes to the 40,” Manire says. “The boat is now way more functional, with high quality and cutting edge features.”
Wright Performance Also at the Performance Boat Center display were the two models they developed with Doug Wright Designs: a pair of 360s (above, left and center), and their latest creation, the blue 420 (above, right). At right, the boat’s cockpit reveals the 420’s beautiful design and styling by Kutting Edge Interiors (O’Fallon, MO) and some of the most comfortable seating we’ve ever had the honor of sitting in.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Hustler Powerboats Calverton, NY-based Hustler Powerboats showed off two of their most popular offerings: the 29 Shotgun and the 39 Shotgun. The 29—an all-new model from Hustler—came with twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards. (At last year’s Miami show, Hustler’s 29 Rockit was the smaller of the two boats on display.) The 29 was equipped with a Simrad screen, color LED lighting in the cockpit and speakers, SeaDek flooring and an upgraded Fusion stereo. Meanwhile, the 39 Shotgun was powered by triple Mercury Racing 450Rs. Also at the show, Hustler President Joe LoGiudice announced the sale of its Checkmate line to a new owner, Pete Caldwell of Caldwell Marine Design.
Top: Two views of the 29 Shotgun’s cockipit. The boat featured a Simrad screen, color LED lighting in the cockpit and speakers, Sea-Dek flooring, upgraded Fusion stereo and plenty of storage throughout the boat. Above: An aerial view of the Hustler display offers a perfect look at both the 29 Shotgun and 39 Shotgun.
Above and right: Several views of the incredible 39 Shotgun, including the savvily designed and appointed dash, with plenty of Livorsi gauges. The rear bench features unique recliner-type seats, and there are additional seats on the port and starboard sides as well.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Outerlimits
Showgoers looking for the ultimate mind-blowing experience got their wish at Bristol, RI-based Outerlimits’ display. The builder’s carbon-fiber SC46 catamaran, dubbed Hurry Up!!! by customers Jason and Laurie Moe, didn’t just exemplify “state of the art,” it virtually redefined it. Powered by Mercury Racing 1550/1350 engines coupled to M8 drives, the enclosedcockpit SC46 resembles something out of a sci-fi film. Outerlimits also brought its SL44 vee bottom, powered by staggered Mercury Racing 860 sterndrives. Both boats were examples of dazzling craftsmanship.
Top and above: Outerlimits’ sexy, glowing SC46 catamaran is a how-to treatise on how to wow a crowd. Left: Outerlimits’ SL44 vee bottom, with its expansive cabin.
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Jaguar Marine Among the new models debuting in Miami this year was this unique 43' catamaran with a center console. It’s the latest release from Hollywood, FL-based Jaguar Marine, the company founded by offshore World and National Champion John Clarke back in the 1980s. Jaguar, which currently builds hulls of this type between 27 and 47 feet, says its line can achieve more speed with less power.
“You can’t build a good boat without good construction,” says Skater head honcho Peter Hledin of his 368 (left and above). “It was one of the few boats we got perfect right off the bat.”
Skater
Peter Hledin brought the Skater crew to Miami with two models. The 438
is a fairly recent model for the Douglas, MI-based builder; the 2020 version features a new tunnel design and was powered by twin Mercury Racing 1550/1350 dual-calibration sterndrives. Hledin told Speedboat it can hit between 180 and 200, depending on which mode you’re in. He also brought a 368 with twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. “We built the first 36 for racing in 1996,” Hledin says. “It was one of the few boats we got perfect right off the bat.”
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Left: Skater’s 438 came with 1550/1350 I/Os by Mercury Racing. Below left: Paul Rose, Ron Szolack, Myrick Coil (of Performance Boat Center), Peter Hledin and Tony Cutsuries of Skater. speedboat.com
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Above: A display of Mercury Racing’s line of performance propellers includes these surfacepiercing CNC cleavers.
Mercury Racing
Already having released its game-changing new outboard last summer, the power guru may have lacked a major-league debut at this year’s show, but was content to bask in the glory of seeing so many boats powered by its new 450Rs. Their booth featured a pair of 450Rs (right), as well as the 1350/1100 dual-calibration sterndrives (above) and the M8 drive (top right). Mercury Racing did introduce its new 60R outboard for technical flat skiffs, as well as four new high-performance propellers designed to maximize boat performance and handling in specific applications, and broaden a range of performance propellers that is unmatched in the marine industry. The propellers are hand-crafted, precision-tuned works of high-performance art, customized for specific boat types and performance goals. Each individual propeller is zero balanced and measured to ensure consistent performance.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Deep Impact/Blackwater
Miami is the home of Deep Impact, builder of custom-built, high-quality center console boats that feature a first-rate fit and finish. The company is
also one of the main sponsors of the Florida Powerboat Club’s poker runs (see Page 56). Deep Impact’s go-fast lineup in Miami included a 399 Sport powered by quad 450R outboards, and a 369 Sport with triple 350s (above left) along with three Blackwater center console models. The 390 (left and below) features an attractive berth and seriously comfortable seating.
Formula
The Decatur, IN-based builder of luxury center consoles, performance cruisers, bowriders and yachts showed off its awe-inspiring 400 SSC (Super Sport Crossover), which was released last year in response to the builder’s 430 SSC. This is a speedy model that puts comfort at a real premium. The windshield encloses the whole cockpit, and the fiberglass top (with motorized glass sunroof ) slides open for spectacular views of the sky. Although base power are quad 300s, this boat featured an upgrade to four of Mercury’s 400 Verados.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW Left: The 41' Nighthaw, 42' Auroris and 39' GTS were three of the center consoles at the Cigarette display. Below: Cigarette President Skip Braver poses with Myco Trailers owner/founder Bill Tweedie.
Cigarette Racing Allegedly, this was the first year that Cigarette—famous for its Top Gun and numerous record-setting offshore raceboats—did not bring a traditional vee-bottom hull to the
Miami show. But there was no shortage of center consoles, the most astonishing being the 59' Tirranna AMG Edition (Cigarette’s latest collaboration with MercedesAMG), which debuted next to a Mercedes-AMG themed automobile. The Tirranna was officially unveiled at last year’s show with Mercury Racing 400Rs; this year, it appeared with six 450Rs (near below) for demo rides. Bottom and below right: the dash and head/galley of the Mercedes-AMG version.
HCB Yachts
Further proof that center consoles ruled the Miami show: the marvelous creations of HCB Yachts, whose luxurious 53' Sueños model was
reviewed in Speedboat’s January issue. (That’s the Sueños at right, third from the left.) It was powered by quad Mercury Racing 450Rs with wood-themed cowlings that matched the boat’s teak flooring. Also on display was the HCB 42’ Siesta (second from left) and the 39' Speciale (far right).
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
Seven Marine Volvo Penta recently began production and assembly of Seven Marine outboards at its Lexington, TN-based facility (hence the “Proudly Made in Tennessee” floor coaster seen below). On display here is the Seven Marine 627, one of the highest-horsepower outboards in the world. It’s equipped with the Volvo Penta Duoprop, which is designed to deliver a powerful and efficient outboard boating experience. It’s also integrated with Volvo’s Dynamic Positioning System to automatically hold your vessel’s location.
Livorsi Marine The Grayslake, IL-based manufacturer displayed a terrific cross-section of its thousands
of parts accessories, including High Flow Fuel/Water Separators (top left), electric throttles and shifters (top right), Mega Gauges and all types of controls (near left) and LED Navigation Lights (near right). In addition, Livorsi also had its full line of billet trim tabs on display, as well as switches, steering wheels and more.
Custom Marine Inc. As always, CMI used the Miami show to showcase its Gen-X headers, small-block LS E-Top headers and sea strainers. CMI also promoted its 520 Upgrade Package, which offers horsepower gains from 31 hp to 48 hp. Above right: David Rank presents Donnie Carter of Offshore Performance Specialties with a Salesman of the Year award for dynamic sales for CMI.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW
CP Performance /Hardin Marine
CP Performance, the popular national online marine dealership and mail-order superstore, and performance products builder Hardin Marine displayed thousands of boat
parts in their usual shared booth that featured so many parts and accessories, it’s like a catalog come to life. There were fuel and electrical systems, trim tabs, exhaust systems, sea strainers, steering wheels, gauges, Berkeley jet-drive rebuild kits and so much more. As always, there were fully assembled engines and drives on display (below). And check out the helm display (left), with all of the gauges, switches, controls and shifters you’d need, plus a fabulous steering wheel. This is a booth where you can find virtually every kind of boat part—and when the show is over, just go to their website (cpperformance.com) to find thousands of other cool products.
Kicker Audio The Stillwater, OK-based manufacturer of audio systems for autos, boats, cycles and anything else you can imagine, totally
caught the eyes of passersby with their awesome display of speakers with multi-colored LED mood lighting (right). Kicker displayed its line of speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, tower systems, coaxials and accessories to help lure boaters to their products. Built to endure the elements, Kicker’s marine audio speakers and subwoofers ensure pristine audio quality, whether you’re anchored at your favorite fishing spot or just cruising the open waters.
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photography by
Todd Taylor
DCB S
peedboat was lucky enough to test the very first M33R out of the mold—the results of which are chronicled in the August 2018 issue. Still one of
DCB’s newest models, this 33 is merely another chapter in the company’s runaway success with its M series of luxury catamarans. The model joined the M28, M29, M31, M35, M41 and M44 in the ever-growing stable, with an M37 to be added to the ranks later in 2020. Our first ride was in an M33R powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards, which yielded a 116 mph GPS reading at WOT. Fast-forward two years, and DCB presented us with a version equipped with the latest and greatest outboard: the 450R, a pair of which was all but guaranteed to top our original rate of speed. But by how much?
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M33R
The Package: Our dry-land inspection began at the rear of the boat, which revealed a pair of Mercury 35"-pitch CNC propellers coupled to the 450Rs and a cool custom compression plate between the jackplate and the transom, built in house, to prevent any chafing—one of the many cool examples of attention to detail that has made DCB so successful with customers. Rigid LED lights were mounted on the transom near the jackplate to provide some illumination, another cool touch. Large stainless-steel D-rings were mounted on the transom for trailering. Between the two outboards, we found a number of other cool transom items, including STR X-Act Brackets by Shaun Torrente Racing, a Garelick ladder attached to a billet aluminum swim platform that has two billet aluminum handles mounted on the transom,
a splashwell with SeaDek, a Fusion remote system and multiple LEDs, including a Shadow-Caster marine lighting system. Over the outboards, DCB had mounted 3D-printed prototypes of some little wings to create some air flow over the engines, another inspired innovation. “The gelcoat on this boat is just unbelievable,” raved evaluator Myrick Coil. “They’ve ghosted the carbon fiber in with the clear gelcoat, which makes it look incredible. There’s lots of metalflake in it—it goes from black to a royal blue, and the blues kind of fade. The metalflake in the dark colors are sick. As you walk around, it just glistens.” As always, DCB’s stainless-steel hardware is first-rate. The stainless rubrail had been powdercoated black, a nice touch. The M33R sports a shower in the nose for washing your feet off. Taking a peek under speedboat.com
DCB M33R Length: 33' Beam: 9’7"
Engines on test boat: 2 Mercury Racing 450R outboards
Options on test boat: Upgrade to 450Rs, cowling upgrade, cleaver upgrade, carbon-fiber cowling inserts, upgraded Paragon Offshore CNC’d billet brackets, Stage 2 gelcoat design, billet sand shower, 6-person intercom system, VHF boat-to-boat communication, Simrad upgrades, Garmin touch screen, center windshield CNC mount for GoPro adapter, Rigid LED lightning in gunwales, underwater LED lighting, Phase III stereo upgrade, JL Audio speaker upgrade, etc. Top speed: 122 mph @ 6,350 rpm DCB PERFORMANCE BOATS 1468 N. Magnolia Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 442-0300 dcbperformanceboats.com
Here’s the latest superfast luxury catamaran from a company that bends over backwards to cater to virtually any customer request.
performance evaluations
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The M33R features adjustable footrests, custom aluminum bracket on the windshields, carbon-fiber mirror, Alcantara upholstery in the seats and sunpad that matches the gelcoat, carbon-fiber seat backs, upgraded JL Audio system, and powdercoated anchor lights. From stem to stern, it’s an embarrassment of riches.
“The DCB doesn’t do anything unpredictable. The dash layout is unbelievable; you can see everything. Seat comfort is awesome. The boat is badass. It feels sporty. It’s a great pleasure boat.” —Bob Teague 44
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speedboat.com
the front hatch, we could see that the under-deck cabin— basically a storage area—had been finished off beautifully, with a full carpet, upholstery and LED lighting. From this vantage point, you can get a good view of the loomed-in wiring and behind-the-dash components (i.e., breaker panel with the DCB logo) that all feature the typically magnificent DCB rigging, construction and installation. “All of the cushion clamps are polished, all of the zip ties are oriented in symmetrical direction, all of the edges of everything are upholstery. DCB gets a 10 out of 10 on all of this stuff,” Coil notes. We also took note of the adjustable footrests, which feature a slick design with thumb nuts that allow you to slide them forward or backwards, and then reattach or retighten. Not to belabor the point, but the amount of innovation and attention to detail that DCB brings to the table is truly impressive. That goes for virtually every element of this boat, from the custom aluminum bracket on the windshields, carbon-fiber mirror, Alcantara upholstery in the seats and sunpad that matches the gelcoat, powdercoated anchor lights—from stem to stern, it’s an embarrassment of riches. “It’s really unbelievable how pretty it all is,” Coil says. Performance: Conditions were less than conducive the day we took our DCB out on Lake Havasu, to say the least; the wind and chop were pretty gruesome. Still, what better boat to carve through the rollers than this 33-foot rocket? “The boat is nice and stiff,” says test driver Bob Teague. “But for its size, it feels pretty light.” To begin with, the M33R handles exceptionally well and slaloms perfectly, leaning into the turns and responding to every command with alacrity at all of the speed ranges. We noticed zero deceleration reaction and the M33R tracks extremely well too. Teague awarded 9s and 10s to all of the bullet points: sensitivity of trim, overall maneuverability, visibility coming on plane, dash layout, seat comfort, etc. There’s very little not to love about the ride. DCB understands every nuance of muscleboating—they know what they’re doing, and it shows in everything they build. Test driver Coil echoes Teague’s praise. “The boat gets on plane incredibly well, compared to some of the boats I’ve run that stick their nose up in the air,” he says. “That impressed me a lot. The DCB doesn’t do anything unpredictable. The dash layout is unbelievable; you can see everything. Seat comfort is awesome. The boat is badass. It feels sporty. It’s a great pleasure boat.” Both of our test teams got the boat up to 122 mph at 6,350 rpm, and that was in terrible conditions with two men in the boat. That’s 6 mph faster than our previous M33R with the 400R outboards, and DCB assures us that the 450R model will go faster in optimum conditions, [continues on page 82] speedboat.com
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35 Flatdeck
NORDIC I In late 2018, Havasu-based Nordic Boats revealed that it was tooling a 35-foot tunnel designed by its general manager, Thane Tiemer.
It would feature a full carbon Kevlar layup and typically be powered by twin outboards. The boat was finished in time to debut at the 2019 Los Angeles Boat Show (as powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards), and by late in the year, it finally came time for Speedboat’s test team to put the 35' to the test on Nordic’s hometown waters. “We wanted to build a boat that could get into big water,” Tiemer told Speedboat. “Not just a lake boat, but something you could
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drive to Catalina in, or enjoy at Lake Powell. And this 35' eats it up.” Another highlight of the 35', Tiemer says, is its user-friendly attitude and drivability. “It turns like a vee bottom,” he says. “It’s probably one of the most driver-friendly cats I have ever been in. It gets on plane fast and there’s zero porpoise. Anybody can drive that boat and look like a pro behind the wheel.” The Package: Our 35' was powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards (the “extra long” versions) with a set of Signature 34"-pitch props. The boat sat atop a beautiful red Adrenaline trailer with custom wheels, an ideal way to show off this particular boat.
The gelcoat on our Nordic—featuring red, orange, silver/grey and black with some nicely done fades—is simply stunning. Our dry-land inspection team took note of the numerous eye-catching and impressive array of standard and optional equipment, including a foot shower at the bow, stainlesssteel rubrail around the hull, SeaDek flooring in the cockpit, LED navigation lights, Bob’s Machine Shop hydraulic jackplates (set back 10 inches), billet aluminum swim platform, and a pull-down ladder off the back of the transom. There’s also some builtin underwater lighting, courtesy of Jiawill. Another cool addition we noticed was a cleat and bumper pin system on the speedboat.com
NORDIC 35 FLATDECK Length: 35' Beam: 114"
Engine on test boat: (2) Mercury Racing 450R outboards Standard equipment: Carbon Kevlar layup, front and rear cap, 3/4" plexiglass windshield, three Odyssey batteries, 12" Simrad center screen, Vessel View port, Livorsi indicators, etc.
Options on test boat: SeaDek flooring ($4,100), Level 1 Stereo upgrade ($3,500), PCI communicaiton system ($2,685), underwater lighting system ($650) Top speed: 113 mph @ 6,200 rpm
Manufacturer’s estimated top speed in optimum conditions: 117 mph NORDIC BOATS USA 1790 Industrial Blvd. Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 (928) 505-4078
performance evaluations
It’s our maiden voyage in a majestic new Nordic cat designed to tackle the big water and turn like it’s a vee bottom.
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At the helm, Nordic has installed starboard-side steering (with left-handed shifter/throttle controls), and the dash sports an upgraded JL Audio system, Livorsi indicators for the jackplates, Isotta steering wheel, a pair of Mercury Vessel View screens and a larger Simrad screen dead center.
Overall, the 35' Flatdeck a beautiful boat, intelligently designed and laid out, and the overall fit and finish of the boat more than meets Nordic’s high standards. 48
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NORDIC
Left: The cockpit features two bucket seats up front for driver and passenger, and a rear bench with individually molded seats for three additional passengers. side of the hull, to aid with dockline management. This is made possible because the side of this Nordic is quite flat compared to other boats, which are more curved on the outside. This being an outboard, there’s no I/O housed in the engine compartment, but there is plenty of room for storage. Inside the painted and carpeted bilge, we saw a Mercury fuel filters, diaphragm-style water pump that feeds the foot shower in the bow, automatic bilge pumps, prop holder for a spare set of propellers, and some polished plates that hook into the stringers that support the motors. The top of the hatch, which you’ll see in the photos, consists of a cool cushioned area to sit on top of; it’s got an attractive seat back, opposite of the rear bench, to make this extra space a bit more comfy. The cockpit features two bucket seats up front for driver and passenger, and a rear bench with individually molded seats for three additional passengers. At the helm, Nordic has installed starboard-side steering (with left-handed shifter/throttle controls), and the dash sports an upgraded JL Audio system, Livorsi indicators for the jackplates, Isotta steering wheel, a pair of Mercury Vessel View screens and a larger Simrad screen dead center. The cockpit is not very deep, so the dash is on the low side—probably not the ideal position for a very tall driver). “The seats are pretty comfortable,” test driver Bob Teague said. “You do sit down on the floor pretty much, so you’re down in a hole. I might want to sit a little higher, personally.” But Myrick Coil, who is 5’7”, did note that visibility was outstanding. On the deck, Nordic has added some walking strips so that you won’t slip, which Teague remarked was “kind of a nice touch.” There are some hatches built into the deck that lead to some storage areas. Overall, it’s a beautiful boat, intelligently designed and laid out, and the overall fit and finish of the boat more than meets Nordic’s high standards. Our test team gave it a big “thumbs up.” Performance: Coil was frank in his remarks: “We were in extremely windy conditions, so I fully expected that the boat would porpoise at some point,” he said. “But it was surprisingly steady and never had a porpoise.” Bob Teague concurred, saying, “It never porpoises, and it does turn very well. It feels like one of the larger Skaters.” This jibes with what Thane Tiemer told us about the 35’ Flatdeck, and his comments about the other driving characteristics were further underscored by our test team—namely, that the boat handles very well, and delivers a fun and predictable ride. Our team liked the boat’s high-speed tracking and overall maneuverability, as well as the placement of all the controls. This being an extremely windy day, it was noted that the windshield couldn’t possibly have protected the [continues on page 82]
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27 Speedster
ELIMINATOR O nce upon a yesteryear, Eliminator Boats was famous for its bestselling Daytona models. These
boats remain the focal point of many of our most cherished boating memories. In 2008, the company debuted what it originally called the 36' Daytona Speedster, followed by the 28' Daytona Speedster the year after. By 2011, the “Daytona” nomenclature had vanished altogether as the new 27' Speedster was added to the lineup with considerable fanfare. These boats were the contemporary version of the Daytona, but on steroids. The Speedster is now virtually synonymous with the Eliminator name (although the company continues to report runaway success with its Fundeck model).
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Eliminator now offers six different Speedster models: the 255, 27, 28, 30 and 36. Although Eliminator still offers I/O packages on all of their Speedsters, outboards now account for about 80 percent of their sales, according to company President Jake Fraleigh. (They haven’t built a 36 with outboard power yet, but that could change anytime.) Over the last decade, Speedboat has tested various versions of the 27'. It’s a machine that has delighted performance boaters with its beautifully integrated wraparound windshield that leaves its occupants totally protected from 100-mph headwinds, but sacrifices none of the visibility. The Speedster’s amazing lines are legendary, and the way it wears its gelcoat is nothing
short of phenomenal. It has an interior evocative of the world’s finest exotic cars. And the 27’ Speedster is as fun to carve the lake water as anything we’ve ever driven. The Package: The first 27' Speedster we tested, several years ago, was an I/O model powered by a single 700 SCi Merc with an NXT drive that delivered a 105 mph ride at 5,200 rpm. For our latest series of tests, Eliminator brought us a walk-through bowrider version with twin Mercury Racing 400Rs owned by Ryan Kilde, a contractor who owns RK Build Group (Lake Elsinore, CA). Previously the owner of a Commander and a Magic deckboat, this is Kilde’s first purchase of a brand-new boat; he and wife Renae have dubbed the boat Saving Ryan’s Privates. speedboat.com
ELIMINATOR 27’ SPEEDSTER Length: 26'8" Beam: 102"
Engine on test boat: (2) Mercury Racing 400R outboards
Standard equipment: Gator Step, suede/vinyl interior, 7" Vessel View, Livorsi Monster gauges, SS tilt helm, hideaway bimini, bilge/seat/panel graphics, triple-axle trailer, etc. Options on test boat: 12" Simrad screen ($7,000), open bow ($18,000), JL Audio ($1,800), speaker pods ($1,800). Top speed: 113 mph @ 6,730 rpm ELIMINATOR BOATS 10795 San Sevaine Way Mira Loma, CA 91752 (951) 332-4300 eliminatorboat.com
performance evaluations
Here’s the walk-through bowrider version of the legendary Southern California speed guru’s wildly popular cat.
ELIMINATOR 27 SPEEDSTER 120
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The Speedster features a starboardside driver’s helm with an uncluttered dash—just an upgraded 12" Simrad screen for all your data, along with an array of switches. Special speaker pods are part of an upgraded JL Audio sound system.
The 27' Speedster remains a perfectly orchestrated collaboration of custom artistry that reminds us who has been at this game longest over the course of time. 52
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ELIMINATOR Left: The rear bench features four individual molded-in seats, and together with the two color-matching buckets for driver and passenger, it’s a ridiculously plush and comfortable arrangement for six people. Moving from a deckboat to the walk-through Speedster was a no-brainer for the Kildes: In terms of sheer spaciousness, this 27-footer couldn’t be roomier. The rear bench features four individual molded-in seats, and together with the two color-matching buckets for driver and passenger, it’s a ridiculously plush and comfortable arrangement for six people. The spacious bowrider section—an $18,000 upgrade from the standard closed-deck model—perfectly complements the cockpit, with its popular square-shaped “playpen” configuration that can easily accommodate at least six additional full-grown passengers. Assuming there isn’t a full-blown party going on, two of the bow passengers can stretch out in the forward-facing seats with comfortable seat backs. These are sure to be the most popular areas on the boat, and that’s saying something. Sitting at the helm is for lovers of luxury, with seating and upholstery registering flawless ratings on comfort, degree of support, and feeling of security at high speed. The Speedster features a starboard-side driver’s helm with an uncluttered dash—just an upgraded 12" Simrad screen for all your data, along with an array of switches. Throughout the boat are special speaker pods that are part of an upgraded JL Audio sound system. And there’s ample storage all throughout the Eliminator: in the floor, underneath the bulkhead, in the front of the bow and in what we would normally call the engine compartment in an I/O configuration. It’s worth mentioning how creative Eliminator has been in carrying over the eye-catching green of the gelcoat into other parts of the boat. You’ll find the green integrated into the attractively embroidered Eliminator “E” logo in each of the seats, as well as in the dash panels, seat backs, speakers, grabhandles, outboards and even the cool striping in the swim platform. Performance: As we’ve mentioned in our previous reports, Mother Nature was frustratingly disobedient during our test, so conditions were less than ideal. That obviously impacted elements of the boat’s performance, including our ability to reach the tallest speed possible. However, when life gives us lemons...we still endeavor to coax every last drop of horsepower. Test driver Bob Teague started his run with his usual series of turns and slaloms, and the Speedster performed well in the very gusty winds and rollers. Turning at low speeds was effortless; because of the blustery conditions, we did not attempt to do any turns at high speeds. But the boat earns top marks for tracking at low and midrange speeds, as well as throttle response, steering wheel torque and overall maneuverability. After some momentary bowrise, the boat rolled up on plane with ease and took a per[continues on page 82]
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TEAGUE ON TECH
[Continued from page 10]
the can and has an NPT port on it (IMCO is one of the common ones). Then adapter is connected to the two pump reservoirs to a common reservoir that is mounted remotely and above the level of the power steering pumps. In lieu of using the caps that seal with an o-ring, a plate with a 3/8� NPT port can be welded to the top of the tin reservoir. Teague Custom Marine has billet reservoirs available for the Saginaw pumps that incorporate all the features you will need for proper plumbing. If your power steering pumps are not the Saginaw style, the plumbing of the remote reservoir will be different. Some of the pumps on the later Mercury engines and Ilmor engines have a plastic reservoir that is remote from the pump. This is the case on most later model engines with serpentine accessory belts. The best way to plumb the return lines on these engines is to return from the power steering coolers to a common reservoir that is mounted higher than the power steering pumps on the engines. Then, from this same com-
mon reservoir, a supply hose is routed to the inlet of each power steering pump. The cap on your remote reservoir needs
to be vented. The fluid in the steering system expands and contracts depending on temperature. A sealed system is not an option.
MIAMI Boat Show
photography courtesy
Florida Powerboat Club
POKER RUN
T
he Florida Powerboat Club celebrated its 25th year embarking on the Miami Boat Show
Poker Run in 2020. It maintained its theme of being a “manufacturers’ run,” as it routinely features many of the newest performance boats that come straight from the Miami Boat Show. Organizers kept a four-day format, with a choice of either a Thursday or Friday departure, to give participants more options. It’s the shortest poker run on the FPC calendar, at just 60 miles one way from North Miami to Key Largo. Three resorts hosted the guests: Playa Largo Resort, Baker’s Cay Resort (for the second year in a row), and Mariners Club, a new location consisting mostly of private townhomes and villas with a fully protected marina. Unfortunately, poor weather forced
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FPC to cut back on boating day trips, as the windy conditions presented some challenges. “The Thursday run was pretty manageable, but the Friday run experienced strong northwest winds, which made for a choppy Biscayne Bay and a wet ride for many crews,” said FPC leader Stu Jones. “As the wind picked up, the boat wakes sprayed passengers with salt water. But of course, that made it very exciting for many of them.” Friday night brought an expansive dinner and awards party hosted at Baker’s Cay Resort attended by about 200 guests. Saturday would normally be set up for boating day trips to Islamorada or Marathon, but 30 mph winds put the kibosh on that plan. In spite of the strong winds, the sun was out, temperatures warm, and most of the teams were content to stay at the
resort and enjoy the amenities—especially the visitors from up north, who could experience tropical warmth in the middle of February. Among the award winners: Best-Dressed Team: Frank & Grazia Bulte of France (44' MTI). Best Center Console—Scott Rosenbach’s 57 MTI. Best Paint: Tom Archer (38' Baja). Best Performance Vee—Steven Barker (Cigarette 42X). Most Outrageous Boat—Adrenaline 47'. Farthest Traveled: Kim Collins, 38' Statement (from the UK). Best Newcomer—Team Renaissance, 42' Prowler Cat. Best poker hand: Scott Rosenbach, 57' MTI. Second place poker hand—Jim Lee, 39' Cigarette.
speedboat.com
Left: Boats are tied up at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo for lunch. Below: Delvis Flores of New Jersey in the 39’ Velocity Spartan Powerboat Club. Bottom: Tom Archer of Archer Exteriors in his Tom Archer in his giraffe-graphic inspired Baja.
Following a successful boat show, Stu Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club charts a course for the Florida Keys with many of the boats from the exhibit.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN
Above: Among the boats tied up at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo: a Wright Performance 360 cat with twin 400Rs. Left: Scott and Stacy of Rosenbach, IL, in their 48’ MTI, Bad Habit.
John Wittenberger Jr. of New Jersey in Bad Decision, a 30’ Spectre powered by Mercury Racing 300s.
Florida native Brandon Mayer drives his 40’ Mystic, Sweetwater Landing, powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
X-Factor is a 42’ Cigarette owned by New York native Stephen Barker.
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MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN
Below: Rudy DiPietro in his 42' Prowler, powered by quad Mercury Racing 450Rs. Below right: Scott and Stacy Rosenbach of Illinois in their MTI-V57, the first MTI with five Mercury Racing 450Rs. Dealer Brett Manire of Performance Boat Center is at the wheel.
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Above: David and Jenny Landsman in their 43' Midnight Express drive alongside Kim and Annalisa Collins in their 35' Statement. Upper right: A pair of super-cool models from Adrenaline Powerboats, the 47-ZRX (reviewed in the last issue of Speedboat) and the 45' Speede run alongside each other. Right: Ron and Dana McLean in their 36’ Deep Impact, powered by triple Mercury Marine 350 Verado outboards.
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NEW PRODUCTS
High-Flow Fuel/Water Separators
N
ew from Livorsi Marine of Grayslake, IL: a high-flow fuel/water separator
compatible with Mercury’s new 450R outboard and other high-horsepower engines. Multiple port locations allow the unit to be mounted almost anywhere. Single, dual and triple-tank configurations are available, and in many color options. (Filters and fittings sold separately.). A configurable mounting bracket allows installers to mount fuel/water separators in tight locations. The units are anodized and painted for superior corrosion resistance. 1/2” or 3/8” NPT fittings are available. The bracket pictured at left is mounted in the “up” position. However, it may also be mounted in the “down” position to save space. This filter is with sight glass and drain.
Please visit livorsi.com for updates.
Billet Aluminum Swim Steps
Hose Bezels and Hinges
From Eddie Marine of Rancho Cucamonga, CA: the ultimate swim steps. Precision CNC-machined from solid billet aluminum plate, Eddie offers steps in two different styles: the traditional variety, machined with slots and ball mills, and a style available with rubber inserts for added grip and comfort. The steps come complete with billet aluminum mounting brackets in 12- or 16-degree transom angles. The swim steps are available in three different sizes and nine different custom finishes. Also, complete kits with billet aluminum mounting brackets are available in three sizes: 12”x18”, 12”x24” and 14”x18”. Choose from nine custom finishes; prices start at $299 a step.
For more information, visit eddiemarine.com.
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Three different billet aluminum outboard rigging hose bezels are being offered by Eddie Marine of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. These bezels are the cleanest way to route your cables and hoses from your hull to your motor, especially when using a setback bracket or jackplate. Also from Eddie Marine are numerous types and styles of hinges to help you enhance the appearance and function of your boat. With models built from billet aluminum and stainless steel, Eddie Marine’s custom hinges can be used on engine hatches, storage compartments, or any number of applications. These universal hinges are available in 11 custom finishes and are proudly designed and manufactured at Eddie’s factory. Eddie also manufactures a Mercury two-stroke oil tank hold down to fit your customizing needs. They are precision CNC-machined from high-quality billet aluminum and available in ten custom finishes, in stock and ready to ship.
For more information, visit eddiemarine.com. speedboat.com
OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE [Continued from page 8] Racing 1550/1350 Dual Calibration turbo engines dubbed Hurry Up–freshly delivered to repeat OL customers Jason and Laurie Moe of Washington state. The purchase of this boat included hands-on, personal training from multi-time World Champion offshore racer, Sir Steve Curtis, which seemed like an incredible and invaluable “upgrade.” The vibrant blue LED-illuminated cockpit resembled something straight out of Star Wars, with all of the cool control buttons, carbon fiber dash with large Garmin touch screens and the ultra-modern, logo imprinted upholstery. The elaborate, blue, silver and gray, industrial-themed paint scheme by Stephen Miles Designs was perfectly executed and the throaty rumble of the powerful pair of sterndrives drew a crowd as soon as the boat fired up. Never one to be outdone, Skater Powerboats mastermind Peter Hledin and his team from Douglas, MI had their own 1550/1350-powered cat on display. The latest and possibly greatest model, the 438 known as G Force was a showstopper and looked massive sitting alongside the 368 outboard cat, but both versions carry on the “Skater mentality.” “It’s not just about speed…it’s about stability, how to carry the weight comfortably, range, rough water handling–all of these things matter,” explained Hledin, who has designed every one of his models. Randy Scism’s MTI had a slew of boats on-hand, including a couple 48’ I/O cats and their latest SV-57 Center Console sporting five 450Rs. The company also announced their latest model set to debut in Miami 2021–the SV-50 Center Console to fill the gap in between their SV-42 and the SV-57. Donzi Marine of Iconic Marine Group proudly displayed their timeless 38’ ZRC with a pair of Mercury Racing 860s that sat next to their unique and sporty 41GTZ, both painted alike in elegant “black cherry” designs. Sister company Fountain Powerboats wowed the crowd with their 34SC Sport Console and thrilled the masses with sea trials on board the everimpressive 34’ Thundercat–the company’s first catamaran to their esteemed lineup. speedboat.com
The Miami International Boat Show has always been a strong indicator of the boating climate, as the exhibitors strategically bring products that will perform best for them and appeal to the buying population
in attendance. We look forward to a strong 2020 and to seeing (and publishing) all of the beautiful hardware that was in Miami, being utilized at the many great events planned throughout the year.
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Brett’s
COVE RAISING KANE Incredible Woody Restoration
Featuring ADBA Showdown
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Raising
Kane This classic woody from the ‘60s gets a complete restoration—courtesy of the wizards at Wilkes Marine.
photograph by
Ray Lee 66
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speedboat.com
Above: Richard Kane drives the D&H with friend Mike Chase at Irvine Lake. Left: An issue of the old Performance Boats magazine from the 1960s shows Ted Philips’ Mixed Emotions hydroplane—also built by D&H—in a full-page advertisement. Below: Speedboat models Anjelika and Ashley pose on the transom of the restored D&H.
speedboat.com
R
ichard Kane has owned this rare 1969 D&H all-wood V-drive for more than 25
years. It was originally owned by Kane’s mentor and neighbor, the late Ted Philips (who also owned a record-setting D&H that he ran in Blown Gas Hydro class). Philips, a tile setter, instilled his passion for boating in Kane, who had taken sailing lessons and model-boat classes as a kid. “He was like a second father to me,” Kane says. “He took me to the boat races in Long Beach and Bakersfield.” Kane ultimately purchased the D&H ski boat from Philips, and about a dozen years ago, he set out on a lengthy restoration of the boat. He was assisted by his uncle, Irv Heller (who helped with the woodworking) and the crew at Wilkes Marine (Santa Ana, CA), including Bjorn “Bounce” Eyjolfsson, who built the custom steering column and other pieces for the boat. “I gave them a lot of free rein,” he says. “They did a lot of fabricating of new parts, and it turned into a really good experience.” Kane, a contractor who’s still going strong after 48 years in the business, originally owned a 17' Dorset mini cabin cruiser and later went on to own various other boats, including a flatbottom and a 38' Sea Ray. He says the boat can reach speeds of 90+ mph. He sends special thanks to Ted Philips, Irv Heller, the team at Wilkes Marine, and wife Darlene for “putting up with all of this.” S P E E D B O A T | April 2020
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Above: Here’s how Mixed Emotions looked prior to Kane’s restoration. Left: The original boat with the old steering wheel, rigging, tach and oil pressure gauges, etc. Right: The boat’s Casale V-drive, prior to being pulled out.
Above and above right: The boat’s original 1950s-era Chrysler 392 hemi engine is removed from the boat. Right: The D&H is stripped of all of its hardware, seats, etc., at Wilkes Marine, where the restoration work starts to ramp up. The stringers are all now completely exposed.
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Clockwise from top left: The hull was now is pretty sorry shape, so the stripping-down phase begins. The finish was removed down to the natural wood and then painstakingly brought back to life with new epoxy. Kane’s uncle, Irv Heller, (left) was instrumental in helping to bring new beauty to the hull. The boat now sports 15 coats of epoxy and varnish.
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RAISING KANE
Left and below: The boat has been now flipped upside down and is at the paint shop, where the painters perform their magic. The D&H still sports its original bottom; only clear coat was applied to the bottom.
Bottom left and right: The painting process continues and is eventually completed. Expert pinstriping was performed to add to the boat’s overall beauty. Added to the dash was a special “In Memory of Ted Phillips” to commemorate Richard Kane’s mentor, who previously owned the boat and taught Kane much about the sport of boating. (Unfortunately, the emblem contained a misspelling, which Kane later corrected.)
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All of the finishing and painting has been completed, and the hardware, new pieces, seating and engine are installed in the boat. Above left: Jim Wilkes of Wilkes Marine supervises the restoration. Bjorn “Bounce� Eyjolfsson (below) supervises the engine re-installation and built the custom steering column, seen above. Below left: the original V-drive has been newly polished and reinstalled.
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RAISING KANE Left: The boat’s name, Mixed Emotions, appears on the the motor, which has now been reinstalled. Below: Before-and-after views of the transom shows the original look and the new transom with a cavitation plate, which is adjustable with a foot pedal. Mixed Emotions now appears on the transom as well. Bottom: The boat has now been completely restored and reassembled, and is ready to hit the water.
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Several detail shots of the nowcompleted Mixed Emotions: engine, battery, interior, dash and V-drive. Below: Richard Kane is about to take his maiden voyage in his newly restored boat. After restoring the boat, Kane has taken it to some local boat shows, including on at Pirate’s Den in Parker, AZ, and Flat Bottom Boogie in Kingsburg, CA. The boat runs 90+ mph.
Left: Kane takes Mixed Emotions out on its maiden voyage following the extensive restoration.
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story and photography by
Mark McLaughlin
Showdown ADBA
W
hat a great weekend for some awesome dragboat racing! It all went down at the Bluewater Casino in Parker, AZ, as the
Arizona Drag Boat Association kicked off the 2020 season with excellent weather and about 60 boats. Dominating the action was 2019 Quick Eliminator champion Larry Flores, who continued his winning ways with a victory in the class. In a stout six-boat field, the #2 qualifier went the distance again to take the early lead in the 2020 points chase. Modified Eliminator class boasted a nine-boat field. The #1 qualifier, Tanya Scribner, and the #4 qualifier, Cary Ault, squared off in the final, with Ault coming out on top. The all-female final
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was the first since the Scribner girls faced off. The ME champ also got her very first win, so, as tradition goes, Ault went for a swim in the chilly Colorado River. River Racer class also had a nine-boat field—and a first-time winner. Johnny Windle and Tony Dunlap wound up in the finals with #6 qualifier Dunlap taking the win over #7 qualifier Windle. Dunlap’s win was his first, so after picking up his first-place trophy, he also jumped into the river. The third nine-boat field was Stock Eliminator. The finals had Tim Lewis Jr. up against Jay Erschen. Tim’s #3 qualifying spot and Jay’s #2 spot earned them the final round appearance with Jay taking the win; he was also runner-up in the Gambler class .
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2019 Quick Eliminator champion Larry Flores continued his winning ways with a victory in the class.
The American Drag Boat Association kicks off the season’s action with a nail-biting bout in Parker, AZ.
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NJBA WORLD FINALS
BLOWN GAS FLATS were down in boat count, but still very exciting to watch. Matt Brown (above) and Gerry Yerex (right) qualified #1 and #2 respectively, with Brown taking the win over Yerex in the final: 6.20 to 6.93.
MODIFIED ELIMINATOR: The #1 qualifier, Tanya Scribner (above, far lane) and #4 qualifier, Cary Ault, squared off in the final, with Ault coming out on top. The all-female final was the first since the Scribner girls faced off. The Modified Eliminator champ also got her very first win, so...as tradition goes, Ault had to go for a swim in the chilly Colorado River.
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RIVER RACER: Tony Dunlap (near lane), who qualified #6, took the win over Johnny Windle, who qualified #7. Windle’s team is all dressed up in team shirts (below left). It was Dunlap’s first winning trophy, so he ended up taking a nice swim in the river.
PRO OUTLAW: With a three-boat field, the #1 qualifier, Rick Baretta (left) had a bye into the final, while Chris Irick was having problems keeping blower belts on his machine. That being said, Mark Reese (above) came into the fight on Sunday without a time or speed. In the final, Reese limped down the track as Baretta had problems from the start. speedboat.com
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NJBA WORLD FINALS
QUICK ELIMINATOR: Tim Demaret (above) ended up at the bottom of the qualifying ladder after Saturday with a 6.13. The rest of the six-boat field was in the 6.0s. That didn’t seem to faze him in the least. Demaret went on to the finals, where he faced up with last year’s QE champ, Larry Flores. Demaret is shown here qualifying, while Flores (right, and on Page 75) is seen picking up yet another trophy.
Stan Tweety (above) shoes his hydro to the win in the Pro Eliminator class. His #2 qualifying position put him up against the #3 qualifier, Jay Brakefield (below), whose flatty ousted the #4 and #1 competitors on his way to the finals with Tweety. A close final gave the trophy to Tweety (left). Congrats!
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TOP ELIMINATOR: Another big field—this time, 8 boats—in Top Eliminator were mostly running in the 7.0s going into eliminations day. Tim Lewis took home the win and the trophy in his bright red hydro, above. First-round action showed Lewis (right) taking down Carl Synder through the finish-line sensors. Meanwhile, the runner-up in the class was Don Blaney (below). He came out with his brand-new Mike Miller-tuned motor and stepped up in class. As Blaney was working out the new engine speed bugs—going way under the class ET margins each and every pass—Miller was trying to slow the boat down.
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NJBA WORLD FINALS
STOCK ELIMINATOR: The third nine-boat field was this 9.00-second class. The finals had Tim Lewis Jr. (far lane) going up against Jay Erschen (near lane). Lewis’s #3 qualifying spot and Erschen’s #2 spot earned them the final round appearance with Erschen (above right) taking the win. Jay also was runner-up in the Gambler class.
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PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS DCB [continued from page 45] possibly 128 to 130 mph. The boat was sold to repeat customer Greg Timmons of Southern California (previously the owner of a DCB M28 with 400Rs). “The Widebody aspect makes the 33 a very stable boat,” he says. “DCB’s detail and fit and finish, I believe, are second to none, and the 450Rs have quite a bit more punch to them and a lot more torque. We can fit all of our family and friends on it. It’s a great boat.” We wholeheartedly agree.
Coil liked the boat’s tracking abilities and praised the Eliminator’s throttle response at the midrange. “At about 80 mph, the boat really seems to come to life. The dash layout is badass—the way that you can see this big Simrad in front of you is nice.” Our top speed was 113 mph at 6,730 rpm, which was only a couple of mph less than Eliminator’s official prediction in optimum conditions. The 27' Speedster remains a perfectly orchestrated collaboration of custom artistry that reminds us who has been at this
game longest over the course of time. Fiercely innovative, utterly practical, and an unbridled joy to drive—especially in better weather. The boat is simply one of the most compelling driving machines in recreational motorsports. It’s an ideal buy for the high-performance catamaran enthusiast, and the walkthrough configuration makes this a cool alternative to a deckboat. It’s a solid, dependable machine that has earned its reputation as a gorgeous, fast, beautifully rigged thoroughbred.
NORDIC [Continued from page 49] driver and passengers from the bluster, so extending the size of the windshield would be a welcome fix for conditions like our test day exhibited. “I think this 35' would make a good inboard boat,” observed Teague. “It tracks really well at low speed, and sensitivity to trim was outstanding.” Nordic predicted that the boat would reach a top speed of 117 in optimum conditions, which we unfortunately did not have. Both of our test teams clocked a 113 mph top speed at 6,200 rpm on GPS, which could undoubtedly be improved on if the weather were better.
ELIMINATOR
[Continued from page 54] fect set. You’ll find the ideal cruising speed without any effort—powered by the 400Rs, it runs superbly. “The positive thing about the 27' is that it’s a light, nimble boat,” Teague says. “But it can be affected by waves quite a bit. The ideal setting for this boat is a smooth day on this lake. It doesn’t like the rough water as much as a bigger boat.” Meanwhile, test driver Myrick Coil felt like the wind conditions didn’t adversely affect the Speedster as much. “The wind did blow us around, but not dramatically,” he reports. “It’s probably got a lot to do with this boat’s being so low profile.”
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