S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE
INSIDE: ADBA SOUTHWEST SHOWDOWN
50’ AWESOME Shades of
MTI’s Smokin’ Center Console
DOUBLE
TROUBLE! A PR IL 20 21
APRI L 2021
Check Out These Muscleboat ‘Twinsies’ speedboat.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS APRIL
COLUMNS
8 RAY LEE 12 BOB TEAGUE 14 INDUSTRY NEWS
26 SPEEDBOAT SPOTLIGHT
FEATURES
Mirror, mirror...Speedboat celebrates identically painted boats designed to make onlookers do a "double-take."
16 50’ SHADES OF AWESOMENESS
MTI introduces its latest luxury center console, the quintuple-outboard 50V, in a version with all the bells and whistles.
22 MTI FUN RUN
Company owner Randy Scism leads his customers on a jaunt through the Florida Keys to the picturesque Hawk's Cay Resort.
The most successful offshore racer in history, Sir Steve Curtis talks to us about his record-setting career as a champion throttleman.
34 DOUBLE TROUBLE
42 SUNSATION ELATION
The biggest of the builder’s center-console lineup, the 40CCX, offers a lot of room, plenty of speed, comfort and versatility.
46 PITCH PERFECT
A customer of muscleboat guru Bob Teague was looking for 95 mph from his 2003 Cigarette Gladiator. How important is the choice of prop for bonus speed?
48 DESTINATION KEY LARGO
The Miami Boat Show fell victim to Covid-19, but that didn't slow down the Florida Powerboat Club even 1 mph for its annual February trek to the Keys.
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speedboat.com
Cover Photo by Tom Leigh Table of Contents photo by Jerry Wyszatycki
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 Todd Taylor, Kenny Dunlop, Mark McLaughlin, Paul Kemiel, Jeff Gerardi, Daren Van Ryte
BRETT’S COVE
Photographers
60 BANZAI!
Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com
Speedboat showcases Dave Sammons' Banzai—a replica of a famed 1960s Hallett Top Fuel Hydro owned and raced by Barry McCown.
68 SAYLES FORCE
Roger Sayles has plenty of hot boats in his shop, but there’s always room for one more— especially if it’s one of the first DCBs ever built!
74 SOUTHWEST SHOWDOWN
Picture-perfect weather contributed to a standout season opener for the Arizona Drag Boat Association's 10th Annual season opener at Hidden Lake.
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S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
7
OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE
As the late, great rocker Tom Petty so eloquently crooned, “the waiting is the hardest part.” We are currently as the cusp of the end of winter and the start of spring. Translation: boating season is about to begin! Most encouraging is the news that the country is starting to return to normal. Mask regulations are easing, restaurants and gyms are being allowed to reopen and positive test numbers, as well as Covidrelated deaths are declining. In fact, the Sunshine State of Florida has been operating at full capacity for quite some time now. Boaters from everywhere have been flocking to the East Coast regularly (or even permanently) to escape the quarantine-inspired “cabin fever.” This has been much to the delight of Stu and Jackie Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club and the team at MTI, where they just concluded their Owners Fun Run through the Florida Keys—both features are proudly documented in this issue. While other events for the year, namely the Tickfaw 200 in Springfield, Louisiana and the 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run in Clayton, New York have again been struck down for their second consecutive year
Hope Springs Eternal
[Continues on page 82]
Top: The picturesque London Bridge Resort in Lake Havasu City, AZ, will host the Super Cat Fest April 15-18 and Desert Storm, April 21-25. Above: The Lake of the Ozarks’ Camden on the Lake will host Super Cat Fest Aug. 24-29. Left: The Popoff Brothers, A.Jay with wife Ande Jo, Speedboat publisher Ray Lee and fiancée Julie Stepnick, and Jeremy with wife Lauren, of the band Lit, will be headlining Super Cat Fest West.
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TEAGUE ON TECH BOB TEAGUE
454 Camshaft Upgrade Editor’s note: Due to a printer’s error, last month’s Teague on Tech column contained the incorrect response to the following question. Speedboat apologizes for the error, and now presents the correct answer to this query. Dear Bob: I am going to do a camshaft change I’ve been planning for a number of years with my 454 MerCruiser. The heads are iron GM, which have been ported by a reputable builder to blend the valve work and clean up the pockets. The chamber CC with the combination results in a compression ratio of 9:1 and the flow is respectable. I just want to get a sanity check on my spring selection. I’m will be running an Ultradyne HR 276/286 hydraulic roller camshaft that has a duration measured at .050” lift of 222 degrees on the intake and 230 degrees on the exhaust with a gross lift of .600” on the intake and exhaust. I have a set of 8205-Plus ISKY springs, which when installed at 1.900” closed will result in an on-the-seat pressure of 150 lbs., and provide 414 lbs. open, however this set up will be .180” from coil bind. Should I shim to 1.850"/172 lbs. closed, and 1.250”/436 lbs. open? This would put me at .130” from coil bind. I understand the current thinking is springs should be set .060” to .120” from coil bind to avoid any potential coil surge. The maximum rpm for this engine will be 5,100 to 5,200. Rich Chrzanowski Warrington, PA Rich, you are correct about the trend to tighten up valve spring installations closer to coil bind but I am not sure it really makes a big difference with your milder set up. We are running hydraulic roller lifter set-ups with high on the seat spring pressures but in order to do so, you must have a good quality lifter.
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Inconel and super alloy valves for Tucker exhaust seats.
Iron cam gear.
ISKY valve springs.
We have developed a lifter with Johnson that allows us to run over 200 lbs. on the seat. With your mild duration and reasonable lift, I think you are in the correct range for this spring. ISKY prefers that the coil bind on the 8205Plus spring is not less than .100" to .120". Coil surge is somewhat of a concern with aggressive cam lobe profiles at higher RPM. I have no concern with your set up for your intended RPM range and cam profile. I would be concerned about running near 190 lbs. of seat pressure on hydraulic lifters that are not designed for the extra load. Also, make sure that your camshaft has an iron gear on it. If it is a steel camshaft without the iron gear, you will have distributor gear issues. In combination with the iron gear on the camshaft, the distributor gear needs to be melonized. Most automotive after-market gears are not adequate for performance marine use. The MSD marine distributor comes with a GM melonized gear that is reamed to their .500” shaft diameter. We were involved with that improvement on the MSD marine distributor offerings. Depending on your exhaust system, you need to make sure the camshaft lobe center line is in the range of 114 degrees or it
is likely that you will have an exhaust water reversion problem at idle speeds. Check with your cylinder head builder to make sure that he replaced the exhaust seats. The original GM Stellite are notorious for falling out or breaking into pieces. New hardened exhaust seats must be installed with increased interference press. I recommend the Tucker “H” series seats in combination with Inconel or Super Alloy exhaust valves. This set up will insure maximum reliability because of the compatibility of the materials. If you don’t change the seats, there is a high likelihood that you will have a failure. If you don’t use the correct valve seat, over time the valve will hammer the seat causing it to deteriorate. The reason for this necessary procedure is primarily because of the Ethanol in our gasoline which increases combustion temperature and the lack of lead which served as a “cushion” for valve seating surfaces. Most new engines are built with aluminum heads. We almost never rebuild or use iron heads in our engine builds. The aluminum heads are superior for dissipating heat. speedboat.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
State Officials OK Texas Outlaw Challenge for June 23-27
S
addle up, Outlaws! The South’s rowdiest boating run,
the Texas Outlaw Challenge—based out of Seabrook in southeast Texas—received confirmation that their 2021 event is a go. After having to cancel their event in the eleventh hour last year, organizer Paul Robinson announced that he has secured crucial official approval to proceed with the event as scheduled on June 23-27, 2021. It’s one of the most encouraging signs that the country is nearing the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.
“Texas is moving forward to the new normal, and the Outlaws are ready to ride with the newly released state guidelines,” said the event's producer, Paul Robinson. “We have 60+ teams already pre-registered, and another 100 are expected to come in immediately. So get us on your calendar and get registered.” Robinson said that a cap will be placed at 1,000 Outlaws for the 2021 event to remain within social-distancing compliances at participating poker run stops. “We apologize for the cap this year—we’ve never done that before— but we have to honor the limitations for the sake of our sponsors and local businesses. And we’re grateful that the State of Texas has given us an opportunity to conduct a move forward.” The event will kick off with a “warm-up Wednesday” at the Barge, followed by the Street Party on Thursday. The Shootout is scheduled for Friday, with the Gunslinger Poker Run on Saturday. Robinson said that this year’s poker run stops will include Pier 6, a brand-new seafood restaurant and marina on Galveston Bay. “We’re sorry to hear that the Tickfaw 200 had to stand down due to state decisions in Louisiana,” he added, referring to the recent announcement that the longtime Louisiana event was canceled this year.
EDDIE MARINE FOUNDER Eddie Borges Dies Eddie Borges, owner of marine and automobile accessory manufacturer Eddie Marine of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, died Sunday, March 7, after a long battle with lung cancer. Borges, 59, got a job at Southern California-based Nicson Engineering Co., the legendary speed-equipment manufacturer, back in 1980. He enjoyed working in the industry, he told Speedboat. He launched his own company in 1993, explaining that he always intended to create his own products and becoming a manufacturer. One of his early innovations was the EMI Thunder Exhaust system, which quickly became one of Eddie Marine’s most popular items. “We consistently look for things that the marine industry needs,” he said. “Adding my own machine shop enabled us to make just about anything we want to. If we can dream it, we have the ability to make it.” Eddie Marine worked closely with performance boat builders to supply hardware and other parts as various models took shape. “A company like Eliminator Boats will call and say, ‘We need you
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to make some air vents that look good on this boat.’ So we look at the boats and design what the boat needs to make it look it that much better. We just do exactly what they want us to do.” The company’s thousands of products range from exhaust systems and electrical components to gauges and trim tabs. The staff of Speedboat sends prayers to Eddie’s staff and family members. speedboat.com
by
Brett Bayne
photography by
Tom Leigh
Shades of 50’ Awesomeness
A
little over a year ago, the 2020 Miami International Boat Show opened its doors.
And on that day, longtime exhibitor Marine Technology Inc. took the opportunity to announce it was building an all-new model to add to its line of luxury center console performance boats: the 50V. The announcement came from Randy Scism, president of the Wentzville, MO-based manufacturer. The new model would effectively bridge the gap between the company’s 42V and 57V center consoles, and was expected to debut at the 2021 installment of the boat show. But since Covid-19 shut down the show this year, MTI instead unveiled the stunning new 50V at its fun run from Miami to the
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Florida Keys. The 50V, which sports a glass hull with a carbon deck, was powered by five Mercury Racing 450Rs outboards. It was actually the first time the boat saw the water. Simply put, the boat is a masterpiece of intricate design, supreme comfort and luxury. This first boat out of the mold will serve as MTI’s demo boat. “We decided to make the first one our demo because we really were passionate about how it came out, and we want people to see all of the finishes we wanted to add to it,” says MTI’s client relations director Taylor Scism. “Just having control over it really helps set the tone.” Once MTI posted photos of the boat to its Facebook page, the images immediately went viral. “I just took the pictures on my cell phone because I really want to get it out there,” she says. “They ended up
going viral—the analytics on our Facebook admin page report that it reached over 1.5 million people.” It’s hardly surprising to learn that MTI already has 15 of its 50Vs on order. “It exceeded our vision,” she says. “We went a little crazy with it. We wanted it to just take it to the next level, so we did some things that we’ve never done before, like put granite countertops and floors, and really fluff up the cabin. We just took everything up a notch to show everyone what we can do. And our team worked extremely hard getting it done on time. They did a truly phenomenal job.” Most of MTI’s 50V customers are going for the five 450R setup, although some are doing quad 450s, and there’s one on order for quad Mercury 600s. speedboat.com
MTI introduces its latest luxury center console in a version with all the bells and whistles.
speedboat.com
S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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50 SHADES OF AWESOMENESS
This demo 50V has been loaded up with options to show off what MTI can create. The pilot has access to loads of instrumentation from the Garmin screens, the lounge seats forward of the center console is gigantic, and the cabin down below is roomy and filled with opulent amenities.
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50 SHADES OF AWESOMENESS
“We went a little crazy with this one,” says MTI’s Taylor Scism. “We did some things we’ve never done before, like putting in granite countertops.” The 50V also boasts a cabin refrigerator and ice maker, air conditioning, microwave oven, DVD player, generator, full private head with shower and sink, plush seating, switch panels, etc. It’s one of the most luxurious cabins we’ve ever seen.
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A CENTER CONSOLE BOAT WORTH OWNING
Amazing Control Fast and Stable
Luxury Cruising
High Speed Adventure
Mercury Powered
SUNSATION PRODUCTS, INC. 9666 KRETZ DRIVE, ALGONAC, MI 48001 P: 810-794-4888
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12/12/19 9:34 PM
Among the MTIs docked at Gilbert’s for lunch: Ray Kowalik’s 42V, Brad Holtzhauer’s 48, Greg & Yvonne Aleman’s 340X, Tyler Stone’s 340X and Patrick Clark’s 390X.
photography by
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Tom Leigh
S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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Company owner Randy Scism leads his customers on a jaunt down through the Florida Keys.
F un Run MTI
T
he luxurious new 50V center console (See story, Page 16) may have been
MVP of the recent MTI Fun Run to the Florida Keys, but it was only one of the many stars of the show. When company owner Randy Scism hit the water in mid-March with his loyal customers, it was with a fleet of gofast enthusiasts that comprised 62 boats. “It went really well,” says Randy’s daughter and MTI’s client relations director Taylor Scism. “We had an amazing turnout—in fact, it was the biggest fun run we’ve ever had. We did five or six boat deliveries, including a 42V with quintuple outboards and two 390X catamarans.” In all, a total of 300 people were part of the run. “I think people had a lot of fun.” The host hotel was Hawks Cay Resort, located on Duck Key; the squad stopped at Gilbert’s in Key Largo on the way down, and some lunch runs were held on Friday and Saturday, along with a sandbar raft-up. The weather in South Florida was not very cooperative in the days leading up to the event: “We didn’t even take the boats out, because there was speedboat.com
torrential downpour and 30-mph winds—the worst combination you could imagine,” Scism explains. “But by Thursday, it was looking better on the way down, although it was still pretty windy Thursday and Friday. Fortunately, everything calmed down for Saturday, and Sunday it was beautiful on the way back home.” Scism remembers only too vividly the fun run that MTI had a year ago, which coincided with the first wave of business closures related to the pandemic. “Honestly, that’s what really made you appreciate this year’s event,” Scism says. “Last year, we only had about 48 people on the run—everything was closing and things were getting kind of sketchy and nobody was sure what was going on. And now, a full calendar year later, here we are at our event with 325 people, the most boats we’ve ever had, with the most boats we’ve ever had on order. And it’s all because of our customers, who have stuck it through with us. It’s really cool to come out on the other side and see how many people have gotten through it and feel the customer loyalty.” S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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MTI FUN RUN
Left: Peter Fink in his 340X. Above: Fred Reavis in his 42V.
Greg Harris and Yvonne Aleman in their 340X.
Brad Holtzhauer drives his 48 Cat.
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1 2 3 4
1: Taylor Scism with dad Randy and mom Cherell. 2: Austin Carver and his fiancée Alexis with Tyler Stone and his fiancée Vanessa. 3: From left: Willie Cabeza and friends with Todd Chartier, Bill Yates and their friends. 4: The MTI fun-runners enjoy the white party themed banquet dinner at Hawks Cay Resort In Duck Key. Right: Vince and Tara Gagliardi in their 390X. speedboat.com
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Speedboat
Spotlight Sir Steve Curtis
The most successful offshore racer in history, Steve Curtis talks to us about his spectacular, record-setting career as a champion throttleman. story by
W
Brett Bayne |
idely considered to be the most successful offshore powerboat racer in history, famed throttleman Sir Steve Curtis has enjoyed a truly
stellar 33-year career that started at the age of 21. He captured his first title in Key West, FL, in 1985, making him the youngest-ever Class 1 champion and the first-ever Briton to take the title. He earned his second title in 1987, and the following year, snared his third as throttleman of the Spirit of Norway competitor with driving partner Bjørn Rune Gjelsten. They soon became the most successful team in Class 1, scoring numerous World, European, Middle East and Pole Position Championships between 1997 and 2004. When Gjelsten retired in 2005, Bard Eker took over as owner/pilot of Spirit of Norway, and he and Curtis captured another championship again.
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photography by
Todd Taylor and Erick Bryner
They teamed up again in 2006, and won all four world titles. Curtis has raced and won with Tom Abrams, Miles Jennings and Joe Sgro. Another career highlight was racing with Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and the Spirit of Qatar team. In 2014, they set a record of a blistering 244 mph for the one-mile course at Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in the team’s 50' Mystic catamaran Al Adaa’am 96. (That record is likely to remain on the books because the course was officially shortened to 3/4 of a mile a few years ago.) He has scored wins all over the world, most notably in Germany, Great Britain, Norway, Turkey and the U.S. In 2019, he became an ambassador for the Offshore Model Racing Association in the United Kingdom. In 2017, following an accident at the St. Clair River Classic race in Michigan, Curtis and driver James Sheppard took the reins of the Victory catamaran Miss GEICO from driver Marc Granet and throttlespeedboat.com
Curtis and Vincenzo Polli race in 1990 in the Cougar cat Bagutta as part of the Rainbow Offshore Racing Team. Curtis and Peter Currington take the 1985 Class 1 UIM/APBA World Championship in Mr. Roberts, a 38' Cougar cat.
Above: Curtis throttles for Spirit of Qatar owner/driver Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and in 2015 for Joe Sgro in this renovated 40' Outerlimits at the Sarasota Grand Prix Powerboat Festival in Extreme Class. Left: Curtis with his close friend, the late Joe Sgro, and a vintage photo of Curtis, once the youngest-ever Class 1 champion and the first-ever Briton to take the title.
man Scotty Begovich, continuing the team’s winning streak. Curtis wrapped up his 2020 season with a pair of new driving partners: Brit Lilly and Travis Pastrana. Lilly, of course, is the World Champion driver of LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness, while Pastrana is the Nitro Circus action sports legend, as well as Lilly’s childhood friend. While Covid-19 prevented Curtis and his new drivers from seeing any competition in their ClassONE race series, they used the seat time to solidify their burgeoning partnership while bringing home yet another World Champion trophy. Curtis is also a consultant for Hampshire-based Cougar Marine, the company launched by his late father Clive Curtis (who was a boat racer himself). Steve also lends his talents to Outerlimits Powerboats, setting up their world-famous catamarans. For this month’s installment of Speedboat Spotlight, our editors speedboat.com
sat down with Curtis to review his career highlights and pick his brain about his partners through the years, the courses he’s conquered and his thoughts about the future of powerboat racing. Speedboat: Let’s dive into your history a bit. What do you remember about your early days of racing? Steve Curtis: Before my first Class 1 title in 1985, I did a few years racing before that in Pro Stock boats. I won the Modified Vee championship, as it was called back then, in 1984. I set some speed records and got some wins and that sort of thing. I think I also won the Key West Championship in Modified Vee with Nicky Cutro. But obviously, 1985 was the biggest one, because I was the youngest-ever Class 1 champion and the first Englishman to win a Class 1 title. S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE CURTIS
Curtis had been a close friend of Miss GEICO crew chief Gary Stray for four decades when he got a call from Stray in 2017 asking if Curtis would lease him a boat to replace the damaged Miss GEICO. Not only did Curtis lease a boat for the team (above and left), but he went from acting as a temporary throttleman to a full-fledged team member. An accident in the Miss GEICO replacement Victory led to the team leasing a boat (below) from temporary driver Miles Jennings (right).
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speedboat.com
SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE CURTIS SB: Did you first race in your native England, or in the USA? SC: Here in the States. I was racing Pro Stock. My dad had just set up Cougar on 188th Street. He’d bought the old Donzi boat yard. We were next door to Magnum, and Cigarette was down the road. My father used to race with Don Aronow when he came to Europe—in fact, he won the Cowes-Torquay race with him in 1969. So we knew Don, and back then, if you had anything to do with performance boats, that’s where you had to be, on Thunderboat Row. And it was good fun, because you could meet people, and if you ever needed anything, you could just run down the road and borrow it. It was almost like being on a race circuit all year round. People were always testing engines and doing crazy stuff and trying different things. I worked with Allan Brown, who was president of the company back then—he always had lots of wild ideas and it was fun to hang out with him. It was a great time of my life, for sure. SB: You were racing Cougars at that time. What size boats were they? SC: Well, when I started, I had a 27' Cougar, a twin-engine boat. It had a couple of 2.4s on it. Later, when I moved to Class 1, they were aluminum boats, with no canopies or anything like that. You stood up in them, and they were anywhere from 36' to 41'. SB: Tell us about some of the drivers you’ve throttled for. SC: I raced with a guy called Peter Currington a lot. He actually worked for Cougar, and unfortunately, he passed away in 2019. Pete was a quiet, reserved individual, and although in his early career we raced together, winning our first Class 1 World Championship in Key West 1985, he was never one for a huge amount of attention or press. However, he was a very good powerboat racer. So I raced a lot with him. I raced with the Polli family, Vincenzo Polli and Leonardo
Polli. Later, I raced with Bjørn Rune Gjelsten in the Spirit of Norway, where I had a hell of a lot of success, winning the World Championship four times with him and one time with Bard Eker. That boat, Spirit of Norway, is probably the most successful offshore boat ever. It certainly won an awful lot of races, in all sorts of setups. SB: How did you ultimately transition into racing a renovated SV40 Outerlimits V-bottom? SC: Mike Fiore was a really good friend of mine, and through him, I got to know Joe Sgro, and was very friendly with him as well. When I was organizing the Qatar team and they pulled out of motorsports, I [Text continues on page 57]
Left: Curtis set up the Outerlimits SC46 Hurry Up! for Jason and Laurie Moe, and Jet for Burton and Yvette Kirsten. Above: Jason Moe and Steve Curtis with Speedboat Magazine publisher Ray Lee.
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SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE CURTIS
Above: Miss GEICO in action. Right: Miss GEICO battles ClassONE competitors Victory Team and 222 Offshore during the 2019 race season. Far right: The Miss GEICO crew in their support-team boat.
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speedboat.com
story by
Brett Bayne
photography by
Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh
E L B U O D TROUBLE
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D
Mirror, mirror...These twin MTIs surely turn heads at their Lake of the Ozarks home.
oug Apperson is the lucky owner of two remarkable MTI catamarans: a
48 Pleasure and a 340X. The big boat is powered by twin Mercury Racing 1350 motors, while the little sister’s got a pair of Mercury Racing 400Rs. What makes them all the more amazing is that they’ve been painted with identical colors—and with a strikingly similar theme—by Mark Morris and his team at Visual Imagination (Peculiar, MO). Apperson owns a utility contracting company in Missouri, and having a home on the Lake of the Ozarks, he can tour the area in style with these sexy machines. “I was born here at the lake, and have been boating on it since I was 11,” he says. “As kids, we were into water skiing and tubing, and our passion for boating just kept evolving and as newer and faster boats came out.” In the early ’90s, Apperson owned multiple vee bottoms (including a Scarab and a Cigarette) before purchasing his first catamaran: a Spectre cat with 502 EFI engines.
speedboat.com
“It was a 100 mph boat, and I had never owned anything that would go faster than 78 mph,” he recalls. “So we knew we were onto something that the vee hulls didn’t have.” After owning a Skater with 1075s, several of his friends acquired MTIs. “We loved the looks of the MTI,” he says. “We became friends with Randy Scism and Bob Bull, who live close by, and they were always inviting us to get togethers.” That opened up a new chapter in his life. At the time of this writing, Apperson was trying to decide between updating his existing 48 by converting it from a six-seater to an eight-seater, or simply buying a new 48' or 52' and repainting it to match the 340X. “On MTI’s newer 48 and 52, they put four full-sized seats in the front; they’re basically staggered. Once I rode in one of the newer models, where we could all sit in the front and talk while running at speed, I realized it was a terrific design—so much more user-friendly, especially when we have another couple with us.”
S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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DOUBLE TROUBLE 48 PLEASURE “The 48’ is one of the faster MTIs around,” Apperson says. “I have had it up 177 mph, and that’s typical for how it’s propped right now. I wouldn’t exactly call it idiot-proof, but it is very user-friendly. You do need to pay attention, especially on our lake. The biggest danger that we run into on the lake is not the waves—it’s the tourists on personal watercraft. Even when you’re running over 100 mph, people will just run right out in front of you. They don’t have a clue.”
Yvonne Aleman drives the MTI 340X Mad Props.
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340X
Apperson recalls how he ended up with twin MTIs: “I was having dinner with Randy Scism and Bob Bull in Key West one evening. We were sitting around a big table, and I’d had several drinks that night. Suddenly I said, ‘You know what would be cool? If I ordered a matching 340X. Wouldn’t that be something?’ Randy, being the salesman that he is, said, ‘Man, that’s a great idea!’ That’s how the idea was hatched.” Apperson called Mark Morris at Visual Imagination to ask if he could replicate the look of the 48 into the 34. Morris still had the paint mock-ups from the original boat, and the rest is history.
speedboat.com
S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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DOUBLE TROUBLE
Bananas: Speaking of thematically painted boats, Dave (above) and Buffie Megugorac chose similar colors and graphics for their pair of DCBs: The M35 Bananas (above left) and their new M44 Bananas XL (left).
Black Diamond: Oklahoma’s Derek Wachob owns the famous Black Diamond-themed MTI 52' and 340X catamarans. Black Diamond was actually the very first MTI 52' cat. It boasts an air–conditioned, enclosed canopy with seating for six and leather-trimmed bucket seats. The Black Diamond 340X is fully capped.
Jet and Li’l Jet: As profiled in the January 2021 issue of Speedboat, Burton Kirsten of Detroit, MI, designed his MTI 340X (far lane), known as Li’l Jet, to look like his SC46 Outerlimits, the original Jet. Kirsten is president of Jay Enn Corp., a premier supplier of automotive and aerospace tooling, equipment and services. Kirsten, 60, and his wife Yvette are both passionate speedboaters.
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DOUBLE TROUBLE
Dirty Duck: Slug Hefner has owned a variety of Dirty Duck boats, including a Mystic C-3801 (left). He took delivery of his newest Dirty Duck, a Mystic C-4000 (right), in January. Both feature identical colors and graphics.
Spooled Up: The Visual Imagination team handled this similarly painted fleet owned by Craig and Kim Hargreaves, which includes a DCB M44 and MTI 52 (inset), MTI-V 42 center console and 30' PlayCraft pontoon (right) and a Freightliner Sport Chassis (above).
Shockwave: The Corona, CA-based builder has created a couple of versions of its 26 Cat with different colors, but a nearly identical design. The one above belongs to customer Tom Robinson; the other, to customer Christian Aguayo.
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SUNSATION
B
efore purchasing his current ride—a Sunsation 40CCX— Pat Stalp owned a Formula 400 SS for about 15 years.
Powered by a pair of 502 engines, it was “between a go-fast boat and a cruiser” that went about 55 mph, he says. He used the boat on the Lake of the Ozarks, where he has a home. “I had been wanting to trade up for something else for about five years,” Stalp explains, “but my wife always put the kibosh to it and said she didn’t want anything different. She liked the boat we had.” Then, while the two were at the gas docks at LOTO, they were admiring a Sunsation 40CCX. “My wife said she liked the look of
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ELATION
that boat, and I took it from there,” he chuckles. “I literally ran with it. I’d gotten the OK.” Stalp ended up purchasing his Sunsation through Performance Boat Center, which had previously worked on his Formula 400. “We’d been a customer there from before the time that Performance Boat Center was there.” He took delivery of the boat in June 2020. As most Speedboat readers are aware, Algonac, MI-based Sunsation launched its line of CCX center consoles with the 34CCX nearly a decade ago. An instant hit, the model was followed up with a slightly smaller version, the 32CCX, shortly thereafter, and it has turned into one of company’s all-time bestsellers. The third and biggest version to date, the 40CCX, appeared in 2019; pow-
ered by triple Mercury Racing 400s, the new CCX offered considerably more room and more fun while still delivering speeds around 75 mph. Stalp’s 40CCX is powered by triple Mercury Racing 450Rs, which he says is capable of 85 mph, but “my wife will not let me go that fast,” he says. “The fastest I’ve had it going is 74, and she just shuts me down after that.” As for the boat’s other performance characteristics, “It is amazing on takeoff,” Stalp says of the boat’s acceleration. “In my previous boat, I had gotten used to the bow lifting up into the air before settling down. The Sunsation doesn’t do that—it jumps right up on plane, and I love how its nose stays down.” Another great thing about the 40CCX is its roominess. “This is the only boat I’ve ever speedboat.com
photography by
The biggest of the builder’s center-console lineup offers a lot of room, plenty of speed, comfort and versatility.
Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh
SUNSATION 40CCX Length: 40' Beam: 10'6"
Engine: (3) Mercury Racing 450R outboards
Standard features: Sea-Dek flooring, adjustable jackplates, black Isotta steering wheel, electronic battery switch, second row of seating, bow thruster, stereo control in bow, cabin bed cushions, swim ladder, electric head, depth sounder, trim tabs, K-Planes, retractable swim ladder, trim tab indicators, LED custom lighting package, Vessel View 502, etc.
Manufacturer’s estimated top speed: 85 mph SUNSATION POWERBOATS 9666 Kretz Drive Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4888 sunsationboats.com speedboat.com
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SUNSATION ELATION
Sunsation’s 40CCX comes standard with SeaDek flooring, a very roomy cabin, custom LED lighting package, a second row of seating and a Vessel View 502. Pat Stalp’s boat was powered by three Mercury Racing 450Rs, but the boat will also accommodate triple and quad outboards.
“It is amazing on takeoff. In my previous boat, I’d gotten used to the bow lifting up into the air before settling down. The Sunsation doesn’t do that—it jumps right up on plane, and I love how its nose stays down.” —Pat Stalp 44
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owned where I can have 10 people on the boat and never have to tell anybody where to sit,” he says. “That boat does not care—you can overload the front or overload the back, and it just doesn’t matter. The boat’s performance stays the same.” The 40CCX features a beam of 10'6", and the boat’s cabin measures a full 12 feet long, 5 feet wide and 7 feet tall—roomy enough to stand up inside. The large cabin is one of the boat’s best selling points, according to Brett Manire of Performance Boat Center. “I get excited selling this boat because there are so many features and benefits,” he says. “Customers love to learn about all of this model’s features, and there are so many things I want to show them in the short time I have with them.” Stalp, who has four children (three boys and a girl), says the kids love to jump into the water after climbing on top of the Sunsation’s T-Top. “One of Sunsation’s coolest innovations was to make the T-top of its center consoles even more functional by making it accessible to sunbathers,” Manire says. “One setback on a lot of center consoles is that while there’s plenty of seating, there’s no real ‘lay out’ area. Sunsation took that dilemma and ran with it by designing a top you can access by walking up the front lounge seat. You can lay out in the sun right on the hard top. At the Lake of the Ozarks, we spend a lot of time rafting off to other boats and coves and areas, and it’s really nice to be able to have the option to go up on top and lay out. Kids like jumping off of it. It gives passengers the opportunity to go up there and lay out in the sun or do a cannonball.” Stalp owns the Elkhorn Valley Trucks dealership outside of Omaha, NE. speedboat.com
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Perfect by Bob
Teague
tte G C i g a re
Our customer was looking for 95 mph from his Cigarette. Here was my best advice.
R
ecently, a customer asked me for some advice about
choosing a prop for his 2003 Cigarette Gladiator. The boat was equipped with staggered stock Mercury 575 SCIs and Bravo I XR outdrives, with 2006 style SportMaster lower units on ITS gimbals. He’d purchased the boat with 30”-pitch Bravo Is; after testing it, he bought a set of new 2016 Mercury Maximus ST 15.3"x32"-pitch Pro Finish (shiny). The 32"-pitch Maximus choice was based upon the prop choice of other Gladiator owners on the online forums, who claimed they were able to reach 92 mph using this propeller. The customer told me he’d achieved a top speed of 85 mph with the Maximus props in choppy conditions, and the boat was very stable. The boat was great out of the hole
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and came on plane quickly using the Maximus props, he said, and his top speed was achieved at 5,400 rpm. He never got to run the boat flat out, as it was always over-revving in the choppy 3-4 foot seas. Still looking for that 95 mph, the customer was looking at other props, including a Hydromotive P5-X in 15"x35" or 15"x36" sizes. He wondered if changing the prop’s diameter in a twin V-bottom setup would yield any kind of appreciable results. He also reported that trimming the boat had almost no effect on the performance, attitude or speed of the boat. First of all, valid testing must be done in ideal conditions. The best water for his Gladiator would be in 6-inch to 1-foot wind chop without rollers. Testing should be done directly into the wind and directly with the wind. Testing with a wind and chop
Mercury MAX-5 15 1/4x34-pitch propeller.
ladiat
or.
Mercury Bravo One propeller.
to the side will reduce the speed and controllability. Unless the ECMs had been modified on his 575 SCis, my hunch was that he was probably just beyond the rev-limited rpm. The 575 SCi engines have a flat-tappet hydraulic lifter camshaft set up with relatively low valve spring pressure. The other Gladiators he’d been comparing his boat to likely had different engines—I think the most popular setup was the 525 EFI. It would be better for engine longevity to prop the boat so that the WOT rpm is about 5,200 in ideal conditions. Excessive rpm is likely to result in valve float and potential engine failure. All P5-X propellers were available only in a 15" diameter. And the nonlab finished Maximus propellers only come in the full diameter of 15 5/8". I think that a 15" diameter in almost any prop is going to be too small, speedboat.com
which would result in slip coming on plane and reduced mid-range efficiency. The only way one could run the full diameter Maximus propellers is if the X-dimension is very high. Maximus propellers are used in a full diameter lab-finished version on some Fountains (and other steppedbottom boats) that have the drives mounted high. The Maximus propellers have large blade surface area, which is why they are very efficient in the midrange. So, if you like the Maximus propellers, the 15¼" diameter is about right. (As a side note, the higher your prop shafts are on a Bravo setup, the more likely you are to have propeller longevity problems. This is because a propeller blades that are surfacing are subject to flexing, cavitation which can cause cracks and the loss of a blade.) Mercury Racing has continually strived to improve its high-performance propeller offerings. One of the latest very successful creations is the MAX-5. Originally, it was offered only in a 15" diameter because it was intended for use on the 400R out-
board motors. After good success on our sterndrive applications, we had Mercury Racing build us some 15¼" diameter prototype propellers. We found that they were significantly superior on sterndrive applications. Because of our experiment, Mercury tried them on the Racing outboards and found them to be better there as well. The result is that 90 percent of the MAX-5 propellers that Mercury Racing makes are now 15¼" diameter. We are now looking into trying a little more diameter. The MAX-5 propellers are also made from the Maximus casting and are “Pro-Finish” with the diffuser shortened 5/8" from the original stock length. Our customer’s Maximus propellers were “lab finished” because that’s the only way you can get that diameter in a short tube version. “ProFinish” is Mercury’s latest term for lab finished. The lab finished propellers are usually satin and the Pro-Finished propellers are shiny. Basically, his Maximus propellers are 15¼"x32" pitch. Maximus propellers are great for getting on plane and
midrange efficiency. However, they are probably not the best top-end speed propeller. The MAX-5 blade design is intended for better top-end speed performance while still providing decent midrange efficiency. If your boat was provided with 30"pitch Bravo I propellers, going up to a 32"-pitch Maximus was a big step because of the blade surface area of the Maximus propeller. I was frankly surprised to hear that our customer had hit the rev limiters easily with the 32" pitch Maximus propellers. The MAX-5 propeller has high blade rake, which will provide more bow lift. For our customer’s Cigarette, I recommended the 15 ¼"x32" or 33" pitch MAX-5s. Increased diameter results in getting the boat on plane easier and better trim control on boats with the drives mounted higher. I could not recommend a 15" (or less) diameter on any make prop for his boat. I could not promise that he would achieve 95 mph out of his boat, but it’s not out of the question. I tend to not believe everything that people say on the forums about their performance.
Twin Mercury Racing 575 SCi staggered setup.
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story by
Stu Jones
photography by
Jerry Wyszatycki
Destination
KEY LARGO The Miami Boat Show fell victim to Covid-19, but that didn’t slow down FPC even 1 mph.
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Tom Archer of New Jersey drives his 41' Skater, Laughing Giraffe, powered by twin Mercury Racing 1075 engines.
T
he 26th Annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run retained its namesake, in spite of the fact that the 2021 edition
of the Miami Boat Show was canceled over Covid-19 concerns. Still, the Florida Powerboat Club continued with its annual February event to Key Largo, adding a significant update to the format. Event headquarters moved to the landmark Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo, where FPC was able to set up an outdoor, open-air Poker Run Village, which doubled as a manufacturer’s showcase for all the leading performance dealers and builders. Utilizing the entire resort—including hotel rooms, parking lots and large marina rented by Florida Powerboat Club for a four-day event—organizers combined in-water and on-land displays, while hosting regular parties and live musical entertainment. Once again, the poker run offered a two-day departure format of Thursday or Friday from Miami. But with so many teams anxious to get out and escape the suppression of Covid lockdown over the previous months, virtually all of the 100 registered poker run teams opted for the Thursday run, giving them the maximum play time in the Florida Keys. Even though the poker run course from Miami to Key Largo is the shortest on the FPC’s annual event roster, both Friday and Saturday were set aside for groups to run further into the Florida Keys for daily fun runs to popular destinations like Islamorada, Duck Key and Marathon. Meanwhile, manufacturers and dealer sponsors used Gilbert’s as an ideal venue to showcase their latest models, with the distinct advantage of having the open bay waters of Blackwater Sound at their doorstep, for the much-needed sea trials to entice buyers and close sales. The formula appeared to have strong results, as leading manufacturers including MTI, Nor-Tech, Deep Impact, Midnight Express and Mystic Powerboats all reported sales directly related to the event. Other manufacturers including Statement and Concept Boats, along with dealers Performance Boat Center, Legend Marine Group and SLT (Sea Land Time), all generated strong leads and sales with the quality clientele that visited the event. The FPC photo and video crew remained on venue for the duration of the event, using a floating helicopter landing platform anchored near the property to stage aerial photo sessions on a daily schedule, giving FPC members and supporting sponsors plenty great opportunities to capture that prized money shot, while boating through the scenic waters of the Florida Keys. (Text continues on Page 52) Above: Myrick Coil of Performance Boat Center drives a 41' Cigarette Nighthawk, powered by quad Mercury Racing 450R outboards. speedboat.com
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DESTINATION KEY LARGO Right: Brant and Jamie Daniels of Kansas in their 32' Skater, powered by twin Mercury Racing 900SC engines. Below: David Carey in his 37' Midnight Express (near lane) runs alongside David & Jenny Landsman in their 43’ Midnight Express, Game Changer.
Left: FPC card girls pose on John Mehalik’s 46' Nor-Tech, powered by quad Mercury Racing 450Rs. Bottom left: Brian Hoar of Vermont in X-Racer 2.0, his 36' Statement catamaran. It’s powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. Yvonne Aleman drives the MTI 340X Mad Props.
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Bottom right: Chris Colson drives his Lavey Craft 39' Evo, Fluid Friendly, powered by twin Mercury Racing 700SCi engines.
speedboat.com
DESTINATION KEY LARGO Right: Mike Boyle drives his 44' Pilini, powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards. Below: Ron & Deonee Paul of Illinois pilot their Sunsation 34CCX, Stroke This, powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
Below left: The fleet’s LEDs light up the night while docked at Gilbert’s.
Yvonne Aleman drives the MTI 340X Mad Props.
Ryan Zivitski of Florida drives his 40' Mystic powered by twin Mercury Racing 450Rs.
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The three days of poker-run events culminated with a private-members-only party at the Gilberts Tiki Bar on Saturday. This may have presented some logistical challenges for FPC organizers, as participants were lodging at five other resorts throughout Key Largo (without cars), so FPC recruited its own fleet of five 15-passenger vans that ran on a continuous schedule from 4 p.m. to midnight, ensuring that participants could enjoy the festivities. After a spectacular magic show from area performer Michael Trixx, awards were presented to all sponsors along with President’s Choice Awards in over a dozen categories. Notable honors went to Nor-Tech for its new 50' Center Console model, Outerlimits for its latest SL50 vee bottom, and MTI for its wildly popular new 390X cat. With the majority of teams and sponsors departing Key Largo Sunday morning, FPC prepped the Gilbert’s venue for SuperCar Sunday, an invitational exotic car rally that filled the main parking lot at Gilbert’s with nearly 75 exotic, classic and muscle cars throughout the afternoon. This car show helped FPC organizers raise additional funds toward the projected goal of $5,000, to be donated to a local charity. Those funds were matched by the owners of Gilbert’s Resort, with a total donation of $10,000 to Special Olympics of Florida. The event was an overall success on many fronts, with almost doubled FPC participation compared to the previous year, an easy-access performance boat show that was free to public, and very low display costs for speedboat.com
DESTINATION KEY LARGO FPC card girls pose on a Blackwater center console docked at Gilbert’s.
Stu Jones in his Project 1080 pace boat, a fully restored 2000 Cigarette 38 Top Gun.
Eric Avila of Concept Boats drives a 44' Concept powered by quad Mercury Racing 400Rs.
Yvonne Aleman drives the MTI 340X Mad Props.
Done Wright is Richard Davies’ 32' Doug Wright, powered by twin Mercury Racing 400Rs.
Jesse & Stephanie Neumann drive their 50' Nor-Tech, powered by five Mercury Racing 450Rs.
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Bob Ladas drives his MTI 390X cat, powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
speedboat.com
manufacturing exhibitors, many of whom revealed that they had spent one-tenth of what they might on the annual Miami Boat Show. But escaping the Covid curse and enjoying a weekend in paradise was the common benefit that everyone shared, making FPC’s new Miami Boat Show Poker Run format a winning formula! Organizers promise to fine-tune the event based on this year’s outcome, and FPC promises a similar format for 2022 and years to come! FPC celebrates 28 years with an active 2021 calendar of monthly poker runs on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coast waters, including the Florida Keys and Bahamas. The club offers multiple boat classes from single engine performance boats to multi-engine center consoles, catamarans, vee-bottoms and performance cruisers. Please visit the club website for more information at flpowerboat.com and view extensive videos on their YouTube channel, titled Florida Powerboat Club.
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[Text continued from page 32]
was sort of loose, race-wise, and it was almost halfway through the season. So Joe Sgro said, “Why don’t you come racing with me?” He was a super-nice guy. We were actually working on putting a cat together when he passed away in 2017. SB: You continue to be quite involved with Outerlimits. Tell us about that relationship. SC: Basically, I do all of their catamaran setup and testing. We just designed a new 37' for them, which should be out pretty soon. Between themselves and Skater, they’re among the last ones you can go to and get a purely custom boat. Of course, you’re going to pay for it, but it’s absolutely custom. It doesn’t matter what you ask for, they’ll build it for you. They’ll get a customer like Jason and Laurie Moe, who say, “We want to go really, really fast.” They’ll build them a boat that goes really fast, and the only restriction is how much they want to spend on it, and how fast they want to go, and for how long.
SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE CURTIS
SC: A couple of the records that stick in my mind include the 2014 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, where Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor A-Thani and I set the 244-mph record in the 50' Mystic Al Adaa’am 96. That got a lot of PR. And I enjoyed it when George Morales and I did the Miami to New York race in 1985 and won the Chapman Challenge Trophy. Breaking that record was an achievement I enjoyed. And racing in
Class 1 in Europe during the 1990s was an incredible place to be. It was the highlight of the sport, with 30 odd boats starting every race. If you managed to win something then, then you really won something! It was the toughest kind of offshore race. You actually went out there in big rough seas, and you really felt like you won something, as compared to today’s little tight races, which I don’t enjoy as much. But I think the sport
SB: What was your inroad into the Miss GEICO team? SC: Well, they’d had their unfortunate accident up in St. Clair, and they needed a boat. I got a phone call from Gary Stray, whom I’d worked with since he was a kid. He worked for my father at Cougar when he was 16 years old, and had been around Europe with me on the race team a couple of times when we were racing over there. So our families have always been really close. He told me he needed a boat, and that the guys were a bit shaken up by the accident. They’d like to take a breather, and would I consider leasing them the boat and racing in it. And I said sure. That’s how it started. I did a few races for them, and obviously I got on very well with Gary, so we continued it. Scotty was at the point where he’d had enough—he’d done all the winning he wanted to do, and didn’t want to continue. So I continued with the team. I did the first season with James Sheppard. Then later we had an accident in Sarasota, so we borrowed the Zabo race boat from Miles Jennings, and he ended up coming along and driving that boat. And then finally I got together with Brit and Travis last season. SB: Of all the records you’ve set and championships you’ve won, what are you the most proud of? speedboat.com
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SPOTLIGHT ON STEVE CURTIS is starting to do some longer courses, and getting back to our roots. I think offshore lost its way, a little bit. SB: You’ve raced all over the world, including Turkey, Norway, Dubai, the UK, the U.S. What are the most memorable courses you’ve raced? SC: One of my favorites—and I think this is true for a lot of the guys who’ve raised it—is
the Norwegian race, when you raced around this island in and out of the fjords. That was such a cool way to race, because it would always be a little bit bumpy on the outside, but pretty flat as you ran up the fjord on the inside. I used to really enjoy that. Racing in Turkey was cool, because it was like racing in a street race. You’ve got the city on either side of you, and you’re racing up and down the middle of Istanbul, so that was an impressive
place to race. I’ve got some fond memories of Dubai. And then you’ve got Cowes-Torquay, which is an unbelievable course—probably the last true offshore powerboat race that stands today. I think it’s been going on since the early 1960s. SB: Do you think we’re going to see a decent amount of racing this year? SC: I think we are, but I think it’s going to be challenging for ClassONE. The first race is in Cocoa Beach, and it’s going to be difficult for the Australians, the Norwegians, and the Middle Eastern teams to get over here. That’s the majority of our class. We were getting some momentum going in 2019, and really felt like we were going to have a very strong 2020. But then Covid hit, and it slowed everyone down because 2019 was such a good season for the sport. It was growing and really getting some solid foundations. I think it was finding its identity again. In the past, the promoters were almost fighting each other, but now they’re all working together again, going for the same common goal—trying to get powerboat racing back on the map again. Unfortunately, I don’t think 2021 is likely to be a stellar season, and there’s nothing we can really do about it. It’s all going to come down to the governments. Some people have been affected financially by Covid and are not going to jump back into it. I’m hoping they’ll keep a watch on what’s going on, and maybe decide to come back in. We just have to wait and see. That’s all we can do. But I do think that things will start to gear up in the latter part of the season. This season will surely serve as a great springboard for 2022. I’m sure there will be some good racing, but if everything goes to plan, I think 2021 will end up being a buildup season, with 2022 becoming a very, very impressive season. SB: Have you continued to keep in touch with Travis Pastrana? SC: I got involved with a marketing and PR-type race thing in St. Petersburg, FL, that Nitro Circus and P1 did together earlier this year, and I saw him there. We didn’t drive the boat. They had a bunch of vee hulls powered by 525 engines in sort of a “match racing” scenario, and we were doing commentary. It was about as much fun as you can have with your face mask on!
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speedboat.com
Brett’s
COVE
BANZAI REBORN VINTAGE HALLETT RESTORATION
Featuring
SOUTHWEST Showdown DCB Restoration
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Banzai! story by
Brett Bayne
photography by
Daren Van Ryte
Barry McCown’s recordsetting Blown Fuel Hydro has been rebuilt from scratch, and it’s a show piece like no other.
B
ack in the early 1960s, Barry McCown was a ski-boat enthusiast who got started with a Stevens hull. Later,
he decided he wanted to do some drag racing, so when he was 22 years old, he hired the most talented people in the business to build a boat for him. In 1962, he conscripted Hallett Boats founder and famed circle-boat creator Rich Hallett to build and rig him a shovelnosed hydro, and the legendary Keith Black to build the boat’s engine. The hull was all wood, and it was powered by a 392 engine producing an estimated 1,500 hp on nitro. When the boat started running in 1963, it was known as Banzai, and McCown set the blown fuel hydro record in it at 163 miles an hour. By the time he was finished with the boat three years later, he had pushed it to a staggering 167 mph. After that, the boat was sold. And, unfortunately, lost. Nobody knows for sure whatever became of the craft—photographers certainly preserved it on film, as the photos in this feature story demonstrate speedboat.com
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BANZAI
Above left: McCown pushes Banzai to wide open throttle. Above left: Record-setting driver Barry McCown prior to a National Drag Boat Association race. Left: McCown (right) with legendary engine builder Keith Black, who is seen warming up the motor on Banzai. The pair are putting the boat in the water for the first time in 1962.
Right: McCown puts fuel into the 19' Hallett known as Banzai. The wooden hull drag hydro was powered by a custom Chrysler engine built by the respected power guru Keith Black. They won and held the quartermile blown fuel record in 1963 at an unprecedented 161.87 mph. McCown went on to set blown gas speed records in 1965 and 1966, and a World Water Skiing record in 1966 pulling water-ski champion Butch Peterson at 117 mph in Long Beach Marine Stadium.
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(there are dozens of others we didn’t have room to show), but the boat itself proved impossible to preserve. Whether it sank, or was lost in a fire, or is mouldering in a barn somewhere, its fate remains a mystery. Fast-forward 40+ years later. McCown— by then in his late 60s—launched a new project: namely, recreating the beloved Banzai. So he paid a visit to world-renowned wooden-boat builder Harlan Orrin, who had previously worked for Hallett Boats. Using the measurements and specifications that McCown still had, Orrin was tasked with the born-again Banzai project at his home in Fallbrook, CA. The boat was recreated to the exact dimensions as the original. After the work on the hull was done, the boat sat incomplete for some time. Things languished until about five and a half years ago, when Steve Heitchew struck a deal with Barry to acquire and complete the boat. The reborn Banzai was not built to actually race, so one of the first points of order was to take it to Alex’s Fiberglass (San Bernardino, CA) to reskin and glass the entire boat, after which it was painted by Wes Chandler to match how it looked originally. Then Chuck Parker (Oceanside, CA) did the necessary striping, graphics and caricature work on the deck of the boat. Drawings from the original boat were used replicate the artwork—when you compare photos of the original boat to the new one, side by side, it’s easy to see that Parker really nailed it. Eventually, another hot-boat luminary, champion race-boat driver and restoration expert Dave Sammons, was approached to completely rig the boat. speedboat.com
Sammons has enjoyed restoring boats over the years, from the famed Panic Mouse to the famous Renegade twin-engine boat and Jerry Griffin’s Honcho. “I’ve lost count of them all,” he confesses. “I’ve haven’t kept track. I’ve got four restorations going on right now.” In recent years, he has focused on period-correct restos like the Banzai project. “Restorations from the 1960s and 1970s are what I’m really into,” he says. Barry McCown, owner of the original Banzai, played a major role in the completion of the new boat. “He was at my house multiple weekends, helping me do things and providing key memories about the original boat,” Sammons says. “It was really cool to have the original owner/driver involved in the process.” Sammons was hired to recreate all of the original boat’s components, which included fabricating numerous parts from scratch based off the original plans and drawings. That involved building things like the entire steering assembly. “There’s really not a part on there that we didn’t make at home, basically,” he says. “There’s some really cool stuff there.” Another key player in the build was Bob Buhler, who sells PPG Paints. “He helped immensely with supplying the paint for the boat, as well as the clear that we painted over the wood on the inside,” Sammons says. Then there are the folks who Sammons refers to as his “Saturday crew,” which includes Dick Van Beenan, Dave’s younger brother Eric Sammons, and Tom Farner. “They’re just a great crew of people. I have to have help in order to do this.”
Above: Hallett Boats founder Rich Hallett puts the rudder assembly onto the Banzai boat that he built as racer Barry McCown observes.
Sammons paid attention to the most minuscule details when making the boat period-correct. “You’ll see that it’s got Weatherhead fittings. Barry told me that when it was time to plumb the original Banzai at Keith Black’s shop, there was a big yellow bin in the back with all of the Weatherhead parts. So we used all Weatherhead fittings on it. There’s no fastener or anything else on the boat that isn’t period-correct.” Sammons says that both he and the boat’s owner, Steve Heitchew, have since driven the boat. “I ran it up to about 100 mph, and it did everything it was supposed to do perfectly,” he says. “We dynoed the motor, and on alcohol, it made 950 hp.” Sammons says he has modeled his own shop after the one he spent so much time at as a child. “I grew up in the Litchfield Boats shop when I was a kid, and Saturday was always the day that all the guys showed up to have lunch in the middle of the day, along with their beers and cocktails in the afternoon. So I’ve tried to recreate that in my own shop. People know that Saturdays are the day to come by and have some fun and some laughs, to look at some cool equipment, and help me if we need it. I’ve tried to kind of honor that tradition that I grew up with, and this boat was just a prime example of that.” S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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BANZAI
Barry McCown made numerous passes over 150 mph in his NDBA career. After racing his blown fuel hydros, he raced successfully in offshore powerboat competitions during the 1970s.
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This page chronicles the “born again” Banzai, built by Harlan Orrin and rigged and restored by Dave Sammons. speedboat.com
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BANZAI Left: All of the striping, graphics, lettering, logo and caricature work on the new Banzai was done by Chuck Parker of Oceanside, CA, and it looks identical to the original Banzai. “The goal of this project boat was obviously to match everything about the way the original looked, and that involved really getting my head into the world of 1962, which is when it was built,” Dave Sammons says. The boat’s engine (below) was built by Machine Tech in Oceanside, CA.
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SAYLES Force Kenny Dunlop Story by Brett Bayne Photography by
Roger Sayles has plenty of hot boats in his shop, but there’s always room for one more—especially if it’s one of the first DCBs ever built. 68
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The 1994 DCB is shown here with another of Sayles’ motorized toys: The helicopter used in Speedboat Magazine’s photo shoots.
R
oger Sayles of Mohave Valley, CA, is the ultimate collector of hot boats. His garage is packed with vintage
rides, including his latest acquisition: the 1994-era DCB pictured above. The tale begins a year ago, when Sayles got a call from a boat collector in Ohio. “He knew I had the first Mach 22 that Dave built. He said he had a boat in Havasu that he knew I would want to own as well. It was 1994 DCB catamaran—one of the very first ones. It had been displayed at the San Diego Boat Show back in the mid-1990s. The caller had acquired the rig from DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte, speedboat.com
who had originally planned to restore it, but ended up selling it. “We agreed on a price, and I bought it.” The exterior was immaculate, Sayles says. “All we did was color sand it. That’s all. There was not a scratch on it. It must have been sitting in a garage for 20 years.” Sayles enlisted outboard guru Joe Abellera of Havasu to rebuild the periodcorrect motor, a Mercury Racing 2.5L. “I told him that I wanted it to look exactly as it would have in 1994,” Sayles says. Afterwards, Jody Gamble at Conquest Boats did some buffing and cleaning of the boat’s interior, including putting on a clear coat and painting the hard-
ware on the floor black. Finally, he had a bitchin’ gas tank fabricated by TankIt Manufacturing of Havasu, and had it painted to match the boat. Sayles himself built brackets to hold various components down, including the seats, the gas talk, the battery and the motor. “The steering wheel was in the center of the dash when I picked it up, and the gauges were missing. It had been set up for the Parker Enduro races. So I put the steering wheel back where it belonged, and put the tach where the steering wheel used to be. Sayles began the restoration last June, and finished it several weeks ago. “It turned out just beautiful,” he says. S P E E D B O A T | April 2021
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Top: This vintage photo of Sayles’ boat shows DCB founder David Hemmingson at the wheel, with passenger Tony Chiaramonte. Right and below: The boat on display at the San Diego Boat Show, circa 1995.
Once Sayles took delivery of the DCB, he stripped it of its seats, hardware and steering wheel.
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Far left: Jody Gamble at Conquest refreshed the interior of the DCB. Left, below left and below: Tank-It Manufacturing of Lake Havasu fabricated this gas tank, which was painted to match the boat. Bottom: Joe Abellera built a period-correct Mercury Racing 2.5L outboard for the DCB.
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SAYLES FORCE Left: The fully restored 1994 DCB. Below: Touring Sayles’ shop, you’ll see more than a dozen muscleboats on display. Here’s a 1977 19-foot Sanger Super Jet. Scott Kornowski of Kornowski’s Kustom Marine Boat Repair (Lake Havasu City) did the full restoration on this boat.
Above: This is a Tom Peterson 19' 2018 Placecraft. It’s powered by a 632-c.i. motor with Crowler staggered injection stacks (right). Sayles purchased this boat from Allen’s Fasteners of Mohave Valley, AZ.
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Left: Sayles’ restoration of this very rare 1978 18' Hondo hydro jetboat—not a V-drive!—was the subject of a major feature story in the penultimate issue of Hot Boat magazine (September 2008). He spotted the boat deteriorating under a tree near his home, and the rest is history. It’s powered by a 535-hp, 460-Ci.i Super Cobra Jet Ford Racing crate engine.
Left: Here are two more DCBs in Sayles’ expansive collection. In the foreground is a 1998 DCB Mach 22' powered by two 300-hp Mercury dragboat motors. “It was run by Bob Teague when it was brand new,” Sayles says. “He ran it at 135 mph.” Behind it is a 2006 DCB powered by Dodge Viper engine.
Below: This 1997 19' Eliminator Daytona was rigged by DCB. Sayles purchased this boat eight years ago and was working on the engine the day of our photo shoot.
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10th ANNUAL
ADBA Southwest Showdown photography by
P
Daren Van Ryte icture-perfect February weather and an excellent turnout of participating competitors contributed to a standout season opener for the Arizona Drag Boat Association. With the
group’s usual home at Parker’s Bluewater Resort out for the count for the foreseeable future, racers have moved to Hidden Lake in Buckeye, AZ, for testing, qualification and eliminations for the 10th consecutive year of its Southwest Showdown. Racers in nine separate classes competed for the high points, including Top Alcohol Flat, Pro Outlaw, Blown Gas Flat, Quick Eliminator, Pro Eliminator, Top Eliminator, Modified Eliminator, Stock Eliminator and River Racer. The weekend was incident-free (not counting the usual mechanical gremlins), with River Racer attracting over a dozen competitors. Two of the most exciting bouts are Top Eliminator and Quick Eliminator. “Those two classes usually feature the closest racing,” says ADBA Club President Jeremy Denny. “Quick Eliminator tends to be one of the toughest classes.” Dominating the action was repeat QE champion Larry Flores, who continued his winning ways with a victory in the class.
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MODIFIED ELIMINATOR: Winner in this 8.0-second bracket class was Carie Ault in the #612 entry (left). Top Eliminator victor Tara Scribner was the runner-up in Modified Eliminator; also participating in this class was Tara’s sister, Tanya Scribner.
PRO OUTLAW: In this capsuled 5.30 index class, only two competitors finished with points for the weekend. Chris Irick in the green #034 boat (above) emerged victorious.
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ADBA SEASON OPENER TOP ELIMINATOR: The supercompetitive 7.0-second index class was won by Tara Scribner in Wicked Pickle entry (left). Also participating in the class were Carl Snyder in the #626 machine and runner-up racer Bruce Schroeder (below left and right).
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QUICK ELIMINATOR: This 6-second bracket class was won by frequent winner Larry Flores in the #910 competitor; he was followed by Wess Conn in the #424 Crazy Train boat (below left) and Joe Masek in #013 Bad Czech (below).
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ADBA SEASON OPENER BLOWN GAS FLAT: The winner of the class was Shane Westerfield in the #440 machine (below); also participating was Tony Scarlata, driving the Matt Brown-owned #540 boat (right).
STOCK ELIMINATOR: The 9.0-second class was won by Chris Wasinger (not pictured); also participating were runner up #777 Sean Marderosian (below) and Tanya Scribner in the Wicked TNT entry (right).
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TOP ALCOHOL FLAT: Bill Diez (left) drove his infamous #556 War Party and grabbed the high points. Also on hand was Brian Nelson in his capsuled #006 competitor (below).
RIVER RACER: First-place in the class went to Wess Burcham in the #423 entry. This was the bestattended class of the weekend, with a dozen competitors, including runner-up Bryan Couey.
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ADBASEASON ADBA SEASON OPENER PRO ELIMINATOR: The top position in this 6.5-second bracket class was captured by Stan Tweedy in the #447 machine (left). Runner-up honors went to Mike Beierle (below left), with Dean Maddox in the patriotically painted #444 Spirit of Citation (below right) close behind.
OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE [Continued from page 8] respectively, others have been cleared to go forward with their festivities. And I for one, cannot wait to get back to them. The closest, upcoming one on the calendar, which has been set for April 15-18, is the familiar, yet new event, Super Cat Fest West to be held at the picturesque London Bridge Resort in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. This will be the first time lead organizer and owner of Super Cat Fest Alvin Heathman takes his wildly popular event from Lake of the Ozarks to the West Coast. “I’ve always wanted to take Super Cat Fest out to beautiful Lake Havasu but wasn’t sure how to go about it,” said Heathman. “But after speaking to [Speedboat photographer] Todd Taylor last year, whose company Jokers Wild Productions puts on a number of large regattas and parties for many years there, it all came together.” The event is a casual four-day affair, highlighted by an on-water concert on a floating stage by multi-platinum recording artist LIT. The “West Fest,” as Heathman likes to call it, will be holding true to the Super Cat Fest model—which is that there is no specified schedule of events. “We know our attendees appreciate the lack of a designated itinerary.” Heathman stated. “We will of course have activities planned throughout weekend for our guests to enjoy, but no one is obligated to attend. This will be a casual event to enjoy West Coast boating at its finest and experience the unmatched beauty of Lake Havasu, at their own leisure.” Then immediately after, or actually leading directly into, is the premier West Coast event Desert Storm, which is scheduled for April 21-25. After being forced to cancel not one but two separate dates last year, the poker run and shootout will return in 2021, much to the delight of “Stormtroopers” far and wide. Lead organizer Christina Nichols, who owns the event along with her husband Jimmy Nichols, Jr., is excited to see the return of their event in full force, which is also based out of the London Bridge Resort. “The Storm team is excited and eager to
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plan the 24th Annual Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootout. We intend for this to be the best Storm event yet. We all have been patiently waiting and are eager to get out there and kick off the 2021 boating season like we do best,” said Christina Nichols in a press release. One difference for 2021 was that the event’s wildly popular Thursday Street Party which is usually held on downtown’s main street of McCulloch Blvd. had to be relocated to Sara Park, Lake Havasu’s racetrack and recreation area, to ensure proper social distancing guidelines—now dubbed the
Party at the Track. The massive amounts of people that traverse the Street Party on a regular, non-Covid year has been estimated at 50,000 or higher. However, with restrictions being loosened almost daily, Christina and Jimmy are optimistic that they’ll be allowed to return to their usual location of Main Street, Lake Havasu. We hope that this is the continuing trend that will lead us through 2021 and beyond. We are optimistic that it will be and we look forward to seeing you all at the boat races, poker runs, shootouts and boat shows— just like we used to do.
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