Jan. - Feb. 2020 Speedboat

S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE

INSIDE: ELIMINATOR’S SCREAMIN’ SPEEDSTER!

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STUNNING ‘21 MACHINES

You’ll Love These Scorching Rockets!

J AN U A RY / FE B R UA RY 202 1

JAN / FEB 2021

W&W

Meet the Team at Waves and Wheels! speedboat.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY

COLUMNS

8 RAY LEE 12 BOB TEAGUE 14 INDUSTRY NEWS

FEATURES 16 WEST COAST PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS

This year, we tackle five formidable rockets from the West: Eliminator's 255 Speedster, DCB's M28R, Maxed Out Marine's 21FC, Interceptor's 26 Kool Kat, and Cobra's 280 Venom.

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36 KEY WEST POKER RUN

Despite continuing restrictions due to Covid-19, the Florida Powerboat Club exceeded participation expectations for the last run of 2020.

42 THE RISE AND FALL OF SEVEN MARINE

Three guys from Wisconsin created a truly innovative product and took on the world.

So what went wrong?

46 SPEEDBOAT SPOTLIGHT

Meet one of speedboating’s most passionate power fanatics: Burton Kirsten, who has owned some of the finest and fastest luxury craft on Earth.

52 WAVES AND WHEELS FACTORY TOUR

Speedboat visits a one-stop-shop at the Lake of the Ozarks where your boat can be transformed in a number of amazing ways.

speedboat.com

Cover Photo by Todd Taylor Table of Contents photo by Todd Taylor

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

BRETT’S COVE 62 GUNN FOR HIRE

Michael Gunn and his son David enjoy their 1986 Bahner Bubbledeck. You might say it’s a real pistol.

66 PARKER ENDURO

Photographers

Todd Taylor, Kenny Dunlop, Mark McLaughlin, Paul Kemiel, Jeff Gerardi, Daren Van Ryte

Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com

5840 W. Craig Rd Suite 120, #386

Las Vegas, NV 89130-2730

Webmaster Craig Lathrop

craig@speedboat.com

The 74th installment of the long-running test of endurance featured heart-pounding action in three separate races.

Web Design Blair Davidson

Market It Mobile, Las Vegas, NV

70 OUTLAW NATIONALS

76 NJBA SEASON FINALS

SPEEDBOAT MAGAZINE (ISSN#1941-9473) is published 8 times plus a bonus issue this year by DCO Enterprises LLC.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Speedboat Magazine, 9216 Bally Court, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

PRINTED IN USA These rates represent Speedboat’s standard subscription rate and should not be confused with any special rates or premiums otherwise advertised or offered.

Unsanctioned, unofficial and unlawful as it might be, this on-water shootout just celebrated its fifth year, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

The National Jet Boat Association bids adieu to the 2020 season with a World Finals that had no vendors or spectators.

speedboat.com

Editorial: Speedboat Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, materials, photographs and artwork submitted are at mailer’s risk and must include self-addressed envelope with proper postage if requested to be returned. All letters sent to Speedboat will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes, and are subject to Speedboat's right to edit and comment editorially. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.

blair@speedboat.com

Editorial Offices 9216 Bally Court

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SUBSCRIPTIONS: Domestic $34.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue, Canada $66.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue, International $77.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue. All prices are for one year and in U.S. funds. For subscription info: call (702) 313-1400.

S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE

2020 Hindsight

From Merriam-Webster.com: Dictionary definition of odyssey (noun) 1: a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune 2: an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest What a long, strange trip, it’s been. We’re finally rid of the awful year that was 2020 and are cautiously hopeful for what 2021 may bring. To put it mildly, it has certainly been a trying year for most. The Covid-19 pandemic which shut down the country and most of the world, stole away loved ones, crippled businesses, stifled the economy and killed most of the boating events planned for the year.

For some, boating events are their businesses and their revenue sources were taken from them. For the rest of us, it took away our sources of fun and pleasure, that we seemingly took for granted, all these years.

We’ve always just assumed that we could “catch it next year.” However, the absence of such runs like the Desert Storm event on the West Coast, the Tickfaw 200 down in the bayou, the Texas Outlaw Challenge deep in the heart of Texas and the 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run in upstate New York was mourned by all who enjoy them season after season and their future events lie in jeopardy.

Top: The Waves and Wheels Street Party at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout on Bagnell Dam. Below: Making it rain with funny money at the Texas Outlaw Challenge. Bottom: Aerial view of the docks at Super Cat Fest at LOTO’s Camden on the Lake Resort.

The great pastime of boating is unique in that it is one of the only few remaining activities that allow you the freedom and ability to run unbridled. Uninhibited. One of the final open frontiers. One without speed limits, mask mandates or quarantine orders. With most of our daily expected liberties seriously subdued, out on the open water was where one could escape the madness and fear that the Coronavirus brought with it, every single day. I, for one, spent more time in nearby Lake Havasu

[Continues on page 82]

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TEAGUE ON TECH BOB TEAGUE

Changing Cores

Dear Bob: I recently rebuilt an 8:1 compression 572c.i. big-block engine with a 10-71 blower set up to run 7 psi boost. I installed an older, low time SuperChiller that had been stored dry and was tested with no issues. I have eight hours on the engine now. I watched a video where you talk about the old style 16 fins-per-inch core and a now available newer offering that has 24 fins-per-inch that you recommended for most pleasure boat applications. I am having no issues at this time, but wanted to know if changing to that new style core is something I should consider?

I didn’t install an inlet air temperature gauge, so I don’t know what the inlet temperature is now but everything else indicates the engine runs nice and cool.

Anthony Matera Mesa, AZ Not too long after we purchased the SuperChiller company, we took several steps to improve the product. This included extensive testing with different core

24 FPI Core (left) versus 16 FPI Core (right).

SuperChiller parts.

designs and fin densities. The end result was that we developed a core that has directional plates to prevent air from passing around the core, and settled on two different fin density configurations. We found through testing that when engines are set up to run boost less than 10 psi, the 24 fins-per-inch (FPI) core is beneficial because it results in a cooler charge and increased horsepower. For engines that boost more than 10 psi, (especially with large displacement engines) we select the 16 FPI core to minimize the flow restriction. The bottom line is that with the lower

boost, horsepower gains are observed with the 24 FPI core because the air is slowed down slightly while being exposed to more cooling fins.

One of the benefits of running an intercooler is increased engine reliability due to lower combustion heat that can result in engine damage. Excessive combustion heat can damage pistons and valves. An obvious benefit from using a SuperChiller on an engine like yours is that the power gain is likely above 100 hp.

Cores and re-seal kits are available separately. Replacement is simple.

Relocate the Mercury Shift Bracket Dear Bob: I purchased a set of the custom tall valve covers to clear my rocker arms. These are a very nice piece and I love the way they look. However, with this added valve cover height, has anyone had any issues with the MerCruiser shift bracket interfering and being unable to mount to the stock exhaust riser assembly? If so, do you have an offset/extension bracket that can be purchased to raise the bracket assembly up to clear these valve covers?

Thanks in advance!

Mark McGahey Phoenix, AZ

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It is very common to have the Mercury Shift Bracket not mounted on the engine.

More builders than not routinely install the Mercury Shift Bracket on a stringer along side the engine or on the transom.

In your case, Mark, you might consider finding a place where the Mercury Shift Bracket can be installed where the cable easily reaches from the helm and the drive. Usually, if it is mounted on a stringer, #14 stainless steel truss head screws may be used with silicone sealer.

Shown in the pictures at right are a couple of mounting options.

A typical relocation of the shift bracket. speedboat.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

SUPER CAT FEST—WEST Heading to Havasu in April

S

uper Cat Fest—an annual gathering of catamarans that serves

as a complement to the LOTO Shootout, according to organizer Alvin Heathman—is getting a West Coast spinoff.

Beginning this year, Super Cat Fest—West will continue the tradition of uniting the fastest, most exotic offshore marine hardware in the world when it heads to Lake Havasu City April 15-18, with headquarters at the London Bridge Resort. It promises to be a casual, fun-filled weekend with top-level entertainment, cool vibes and heavy horsepower.

Details of the event were still being put together at press time, but apparently the action won’t be limited to Havasu: On Saturday, April 17, the rock band Lit (famous for their smash hit “My Own Worst Enemy”) will perform at Pirate Cove Resort Resort & Marina in Needles, CA, as part of the overall event. Many more activities are also in the works, including a possible run down to Havasu Springs.

Debuting in the summer of 2010, Super Cat Fest was created to fill a void to replace the O.S.S. Offshore Racing Series when that organization folded. From the inaugural event, hosted at the Camden on the Lake Resort (the premier hotel at LOTO), it was an undisputed and overwhelming success.

And it has continued to expand. Heathman is already at work on expanding the LOTO segment of Super Cat Fest, billed as the lake’s biggest boating party, and tells Speedboat that he hopes to organize even more activities in the area. “I’m hoping to launch a couple of pre-owned boat shows at LOTO,” he says. “Everybody does a new boat show, but I’m working on maybe a spring and fall a pre-owned in-water boat show.”

For more information on Super Cat Fest—West, please navigate to the event's Facebook page.

Performance Boat Center Welcomes Tim Gallagher

Marine industry veteran Tim Gallagher, well known for having headed up sales for muscleboat builders MTI, Cigarette Racing and Deep Impact, began a new phase of his career when he officially started work at the South Florida location of Performance Boat Center on Jan. 11.

Hollywood, FL-based Gallagher spent much of 2020 away from the boating business, working for Gino Gargiulo at his mobile fleet service Oil Can Man. “But the boat thing just wouldn’t let me go,” Gallagher chuckles. “The truth is that once the boats are in your blood, it’s in there for good.”

While on his “boat hiatus,” PBC co-owner Brett Manire gave Gallagher a call and asked if he was happy in his current job.

“That obviously got my attention,” Gallagher says. “He and Mark

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Waddington have a lot going on here in Florida, and really want to build their brand here. They’ve got some new ideas that I plan to make a reality, and help continue to turn PBC into a force to be reckoned with down here. My goal is not just to build the brands we sell, but to build the Performance Boat Center brand itself.”

Gallagher tells Speedboat that teaming up with Performance Boat Center will allow him to offer more to his customers. “Everything that I’ve done in the past has been for a manufacturer,” he explains.

“So if my customer wanted something other than what I had, that was the end of it. Now, because PBC offers multiple lines and has pre-owned boats—and I also happen to be a licensed Florida boat broker—I can help people with more than just a single brand.”

Although his title will be Florida sales manager, Gallagher’s role at the company will not be limited to sales. “A lot of what they need from me is helping them beef up the business, really get it moving up to speed and expand it. Mindi Doller will be focused exclusively on the sales end of it, where I’ll be handling the sales and business side of things.” speedboat.com

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255 Speedster

Eliminator L

ast summer, Eliminator Boats President Jake Fraleigh told Speedboat about his vision of the company’s latest model:

“I’m trying to make this the most entry-level boat on the planet.” Ironically, our first encounter with the 255 Speedster was a fully decked-out version purchased by repeat customer Jeff Ohai, who basically checked all of the boxes to make his Speedster a state-of-the-art example of modern Eliminator craftsmanship.

Once again, the crew at the famous factory in Mira Loma, CA, put us behind the wheel of a 255, which is the smallest of Eliminator’s Speedster lineup that includes 27', 28', 30', 36' and 40' models.

Basically, the 255 incorporates the 25 Daytona double step bottom that has

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been around for many years. Our tester was actually purchased by Matt Laughlin, the grandson of Laughlin, NV, founder John Laughlin, and the family that owns the Riverside Hotel in that city. Like Ohai, he’s a repeat Eliminator customer, and had an interest in a number of special features (including some custom-degree angles in the sponsons). “He wanted a light and nimble boat that he could run down the upper Colorado River from Laughlin to Havasu, and kind of haul ass,” Fraleigh explains. The end product was powered by twin Mercury Racing 300Rs designed to push the boat to around 110 mph. “The boat is a lot of fun to drive,” he says. “I call it the biggest little boat we make.”

The Package: Approaching the boat

on the trailer, we admired the boat’s very attractive blue, black and white color scheme. (“The gelcoat work looks awesome,” raved evaluator Myrick Coil. “The whole appearance of the front deck and the lines they chose for the paint are truly impressive.”) Turning our attention to the twin Mercury Racing 300R outboards, which had 20" shaft Sportmaster lower units and Mercury Racing CNC 15x32” props. There was a billet swim platform on the back with billet handles and a drop-down ladder in between; we also noticed an IMCO steering cylinder with a short setback. The shop really added a lot of black components to the 255—for example, they powdercoated the Mercury wingplates black, another trick little touch. Another interesting curio was speedboat.com

Eliminator 255 Speedster Length: 25' Beam: 100"

Engines on test boat: (2) Mercury Racing 300R outboards

Options on test boat: Twin GO9 Simrad electronics, Mercury CNC cleavers, twin GO5 headrest Simrad screens, Livorsi indicators, Stage 2 gelcoat, Stage 2 half-cap, 45-degree wedges in the sponsons, etc.

Top speed: 113 mph @ 6,400 rpm

Base price with standard power: $159,225 Price as tested: $208,603 ELIMINATOR BOATS 10795 San Sevaine Way Mira Loma, CA 91752 (800) 306-3343 eliminatorboat.com

Eliminator’s newest Speedster model came to our test with a twin 300R setup that delivered a thrilling 112-mph top end.

performance evaluations

ELIMINATOR 25 SPEEDSTER 120

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ELIMINATOR

MIDRANGE ACCELERATION: 30-50 MPH = 5.46 secs.

40-60 MPH = 5.45 secs.

40-70 MPH = 8.57 secs.

Planing time: 5.03 secs.

Driver and co-pilot have large Simrad screens on the dash panel, with a smaller Simrad screen in the center of the dash. Throttles were in the perfect location; they fit your hand easily and comfortably. The rear bench features four individually sculpted seats with Eliminator’s logo in the headrest; behind the bench is an extra-large storage compartment.

“It’s a really nice, simple boat. I like the workmanship and upholstery, and it’s really quick with the pair of 300s. It’s fun and fast.”

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—Bob Teague speedboat.com

the aluminum anodized tiebar, which gave this setup a very cool look.

Driver and co-pilot each have large Simrad screens on the dash panel, with an additional, smaller Simrad screen in the center of the dash. Both individuals also have large side counters—on the port side, this is where the passenger has access to stereo controls, a glove box, grabhandle, etc.; on the starboard side, the driver has his controls and shifters. Throttles were in the perfect location; they fit your hand easily and comfortably. The rear bench features four individually sculpted seats with Eliminator’s “E” logo in the headrest; behind the bench (where an I/O would go) is an extra-large storage compartment for fenders. Other goodies on the boat include all push-pin black cleats for the lines and fenders, neatly labeled Hardin Marine switches, black bimini top, a couple of black fuel fills midship and SeaDek flooring, on which the Eliminator logo was imprinted. The top of the dash has been covered with Alcantara fabric, which not only looks trick but is also functional, as it absorbs light and further reduces glare.

The boat sat atop a triple-axle Extreme trailer—painted all black, naturally.

Performance: Test driver Bob Teague took the boat out on Lake Havasu in the morning for our photo shoot, before the wakeboard boats were out and the water was like glass. “This boat does not care for the glass water,” he said frankly. “We found there was a porpoise oscillation at the midrange.” Later in the day, however, there was enough wind wave on the water that “pretty much cured all that,” he added.

Teague took the boat out for some slaloms at the 40-70 mph range, and came away impressed by its turning abilities. “Once you get it up to speed, it’ll lean into the turns, and I thought it gave a very good ride. We never really turned the boat at wide-open throttle, but we did turn it at around 107 mph, and it turned very nicely.” Coil agreed that the boat’s ride was best once you get it on plane and rolling, adding that it does require more trim than you might expect in a boat like this.

The Speedster is a light boat, but it went over the bumps very well. Our test teams agreed that the 255 exhibited very little deceleration reaction, and gave high marks to weight shift, high-speed tracking, throttle response, steering wheel torque and trim sensitivity. Teague gave a big thumbs-up to the Livorsi LED indicators, which made it easy to access information. Both test teams agreed that the windshield needed to be a little bit higher and a little bit lighter in color for better visibility.

“It’s a really nice, simple boat,” Teague says. “I like the workmanship and upholstery, and it’s really quick with the pair of 300s. It’s fun and fast.” Our top speed was 112 mph. speedboat.com

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photography by

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DCB N ow entering its fifth year of production, DCB’s M28R is one of the most popular in its line of luxury catamarans. For our latest round of performance evaluations, DCB brought our test team a full walkthrough open-bow model powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. The boat—purchased by returning customer Jerry Conway—was the first 450R-powered M28R walkthrough DCB has done. As DCB co-owner Tony Chiaramonte says, this boat has the best of all worlds: It comes on plane effortlessly, has outstanding midrange performance and boasts a top speed in the 115-120 mph range. On top of all that, the

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M28R outboards provide an extra level of reliability—and quiet.

“Jerry’s wife, Dina, wanted the quiet,” explains Chiaramonte when asked why the Conways moved from an I/O-powered M29 to the new M28. “He wanted the speed. Also, the walkthrough appealed to them because they wanted more room for the family—they have grandkids on the way. Now they have an open bow for more people, and they absolutely love it.”

Conway told Speedboat the extra room up front will definitely help accommodate future family members. “We wanted a little more room so they can move around in there,” he says. “And with the outboards, it just seemed like a great boat to go with. The drivability is very easy; we

love the way the boat handles and turns.

So we’re happy with the performance— they get on plane well, and once you’re cruising, they accelerate great. The boat is simple to operate, and getting some extra storage space in the back was a bonus.”

The Package: Our DCB’s 450Rs came equipped with Mercury CNC 15x34" five-blade cleavers with an 18-degree rake. Other goodies onboard included Shaun Torrente Racing brackets, billet swim platform with a stainless steel dropdown ladder, foot shower, diamond-stitch carpet, 100% Alcantara upholstery in the seats, Phase III stereo system, and a pair of 9" Mercury Vessel View screens.

As usual with DCB, the boat’s gelcoat is a work of sheer wonder—“over speedboat.com

DCB M28R Length: 28' Beam: 9'0"

Engine on test boat: (2) Mercury Racing 450R outboards

Options on test boat: 450R engine upgrade, Stage 3 gelcoat upgrade with carbon-fiber lamination, Mercury Vessel View 9x2 electronics upgrade, Phase III stereo upgrade, 100% Alcantara interior upgrade, open bow configuration, Adrenaline trailer upgrade, etc.

Top speed: 115 mph @ 6,300 rpm

Base price with standard power: $265,500 Price as tested: $369,500

DCB PERFORMANCE BOATS 1468 N. Magnolia Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 442-0300 dcbperformanceboats.com

One of the builder’s most popular luxury catamarans arrives as a full walkthrough open-bow.

performance evaluations

DCB M28R 120

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DCB

MIDRANGE ACCELERATION: 30-50 MPH = 4.71 secs.

40-60 MPH = 4.97 secs.

40-70 MPH = 8.5 secs.

Planing time: 4.81 secs.

DCB’s gorgeous M28R open-bow walkthrough version featured Shaun Torrente Racing brackets, billet swim platform with a stainless steel drop-down ladder, foot shower, diamond-stitch carpet, 100% Alcantara upholstery in the seats, Phase III stereo system, and a pair of 9” Mercury Vessel View screens.

“Everything about it is nice. It’s one damned attractive-looking boat, even by DCB’s high standards. It’ll dazzle anybody lucky enough to get a look at it.”

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the top” is only the starting point for this shop. Conway opted for a white base with reds, blacks and silvers, and because he’s a big fan of carbon, DCB incorporated a lot of exposed carbon inlay graphics into the mix. (The reds have even been worked into the boat’s windshield to amazing effect.) We took note of the windshield’s excellent visibility factor, one of the many luxury touches for the driver. There’s a smokin’ JL Audio system, cool lighting system, ultra-comfortable seating. “Everything about it is nice,” raves Myrick Coil. “It’s one damned attractivelooking boat, even by DCB’s high standards. It’ll dazzle anybody lucky enough to get a look at it.”

The boat’s cockpit features two bucket seats for the pilot and co-pilot, with three individual seats for the passengers behind them. The walk-through area leads to a bow with two forward-facing lounge seats for those who want to extend their legs; otherwise, a few extra passengers may be seated on either side. There are plenty of cupholders available for everybody, and numerous storage areas in the floor, in front of the pilots and in the vacant engine compartment. Our M28R sat on a beautiful Adrenaline trailer.

Performance: No surprises here. The DCB feels very solid, and was well prepared to face the heavy chop that came with the less-than-ideal Havasu conditions on the day of our test. In our slalom tests, test driver Bob Teague noticed that the DCB turned best the faster it went—better in the 60-70 mph range than in the 50s. The boat cruises and tracks like a champ, and handled the rough water as well as any DCB we’ve ever tested. (“It basically goes over a lot of garbage and stays tracked,” he says.) Teague caught a small porpoise at one part of his midrange test, but once fed throttle, that vanished.

Teague gave high marks to the DCB’s throttle response, trim sensitivity, visibility getting on plane, placement of gauges and overall maneuverability. On the top end, it did take a while to find the last few mph; both Teague and test driver Myrick Coil got the boat to go 115 mph.

Coil was blown away by the DCB’s workmanship, comfort and styling: “It’s a DCB, so of course there are no sharp edges or anything. Everything’s upholstered, and the Alcantara fabric absorbs a lot of light, so there are no reflections in the windshield.” He gave high marks to the boat’s excellent tracking and solid feel at speed, noting how “locked in” the M28 feels at 115 mph. If our team came away with a negative on anything, it was the considerable amount of wind caused by the walk-through configuration.

“It’s a good, solid-performing catamaran, especially for an outboard, and considering the conditions out here,” Teague says. “It would be ideal for any lake.”

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photography by

Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh

Maxed Out 21FC Marine

I

f the 21 FC by Maxed Out Marine looks somewhat familiar, that’s because its molds were built off of

a classic Spectra hull, which were also later used to build the Howard 21 daycruiser. Howard president Gene Willen sold the molds to Danny Donahue of Donahue Custom Marine, who built a few additional boats using the molds before he passed away some years ago.

Rick Hidalgo of Maxed Out Marine (Lake Havasu City, AZ) has since acquired the molds, and after rechristening the boat the 21 FC (Family Cruiser), he has had some of the boats laid up at Conquest Boats, also based in Havasu. Maxed Out is a performance boat and recreational vehicle brokerage; Hidalgo is also famous for having run a number of DCBs during the Desert Storm Poker Run

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& Shootout. His launching of Maxed Out Marine came more than a decade ago, fueled by his passion for the boating community and his love for smaller craft.

“I could see where the outboard market was taking the industry with the release of Mercury’s Verado line and the 400R,” he says. “Then I was fortunate enough to build one boat out of the mold to see how it would go. I was very happy with it, and things started building up from there. We’re just trying to build a boat that has that nostalgic look, but also features modern technology and is fast and efficient.”

Another of the 21 FC’s draws is its price point. “A lot of people can’t get into boating because they can’t spend $150,000 to $500,000 on a boat,” he says. “We’re offering a nice, small boat that’s not only affordable,

but still has the warranty and have the turnkey reliability. And we named it the Family Cruiser because we wanted to offer a fun boat that families could afford.”

The Package: Our 21 FC came powered by a Mercury Racing 300R FourStroke engine and a large ski-tow bar atop what would have once been the engine compartment; it’s quite high, to extend beyond the height of the outboard. “When you first look at the 21 FC, you can tell it’s a model with older styling because of the lines,” said Myrick Coil. The gelcoat work is superb.”

The boat has a stainless-steel rubrail that goes around the front and ends before the stern, the back of the boat has been capped.

Our Maxed Out Marine came with Mercury’s 280S K-Plane trim tabs on the back, along with billet aluminum hardware, speedboat.com

MAXED OUT MARINE 21FC Length: 20.8' Beam: 8'

Engine on test boat: Mercury Racing 300R outboard

Options on test boat: Mercury Bravo 4-blade 26"-pitch propeller, Mercury Vessel View 703, removable ski pole, trailer LED light upgrade, breakaway tongue, etc.

Top speed: 81 mph @ 6,322 rpm

Base price with standard power: $91,635 Price as tested: $96,731

MAXED OUT MARINE 1070 Empire Dr., Bldg. A Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404 (928) 854-3060 maxedoutmarine.com

performance evaluations

Classic styling plus bracing speed—that’s the formula behind this terrific speedboat that offers a great price point for families.

MAXED OUT MARINE 21FC 120

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MAXED OUT MARINE

MIDRANGE ACCELERATION: 30-50 MPH = 3.88 secs.

40-60 MPH = 4.54 secs.

40-70 MPH = 10.54 secs.

The Maxed Out Marine FC21 features power steering with tilt helm, Mercury Vessel View 703, Mercury single DTS shifter, electric hatch, Mercury Bravo 4-blade 26"-pitch prop, removable ski pole, trailer with LED light upgrade and breakaway tongue.

Planing time: 3.21 secs.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to screw up driving this boat. The setup is perfect. They have it propped just right—the acceleration with this outboard is ridiculous.”

—Myrick Coil 26

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a black anodized SeaStar jackplate, SeaStar power steering system , 1:75 gear ratio and Mercury Torque Master gearcase lower unit to take a load off the steering. The boat’s interior was primarily white vinyl with some blue and gray accents. Two bucket seats accommodate the pilot and passenger, while the rear beach is good for three larger adults or four smaller ones.

At the helm, a single 7" Mercury Vessel View was placed at the center of the dash for easy access to both the driver and passenger; the dash is otherwise bare except for the steering wheel. The pilot has a key switch and components (hatch, tabs, bilge pump and accessories switch) on the starboard side of the boat. In the bilge, you’ll find the bilge pump, fuel filters, power steering pumps, power distribution rail, trim tab pumps, fuel vent and a pair of 24 AGM batteries with battery isolator (to charge both batteries with the one engine). The storage compartment is opened with Dana Marine billet aluminum power hinges and hatch actuator. There’s no windshield on this boat, and no swim platform. There’s an anchor light, but no running lights. But there is plenty of storage space, including a small open area under the deck that has been carpeted.

It’s a small boat, but it’s nicely appointed, fully carpeted and smartly designed. Our dry-land inspection team gave the boat’s simple but attractive gelcoat work, light layup and overall clean look a thumbs-up. “It’s a nice installation,” says Bob Teague.

Performance: As test driver Bob Teague points out, the semivee hull design is one that works well with the outboard power. After taking the boat for a quick slalom run, Coil called the ride a lot of fun. “I don’t think anybody’s going to screw up driving this boat,” he declared, adding that the setup was perfect. “They have it propped just right—the acceleration with this outboard is ridiculous.” (We were practically at top speed after only 15 seconds.) The boat has a lot of lift, which feels cool; we took it to 81 mph, first time out, at 6,300 rpm. Coil said the boat delivered “an awesome ride—I really enjoyed this one.”

Teague was also impressed by the boat. “It’s kind of a neat concept, putting an outboard on a daycruiser. It’s a lot of fun.”

The FC is not an offshore boat, and during our trials on Lake Havasu, we did encounter more than a few big boats tearing up the water. But give the Maxed Out Marine its due credit—it went over the bumps like a pro, “especially for a 21-footer,” says Bob Teague. “Head on, it does very well, but side wakes from the big boats will make it a little unsettled.”

At low speeds, you may notice a slight porpoise, but it goes away with a bit of tab. Mid-speed tracking is outstanding; you can take your hands completely off the wheel with no problem. High-speed tracking is also great until you start hunting for those last few mph.

Both drivers wished the boat had a keel fin on the bottom to improve its turning ability: “I think it would be better if it had a turning fin on it, like a skeg—not a big one, but just enough to make it turn crisper, and so that it didn’t slide quite so much in the turns,” Teague said. Coil agreed: “During the slaloms, it felt a little slick,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be a defined keel.”

Both of our test drivers gave high marks to the overall performance, and Teague was especially enthusiastic about the boat’s throttle response. He also noted that the boat has a strong deceleration response—back off the throttle, and the boat will react with gusto. “You can use this boat anywhere, but the ideal setting is the river,” he says. “It’d be a great boat for the river.” speedboat.com

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photography by

Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh

Interceptor

I

26 KOOL KAT

nterceptor Custom Boats burst onto the performance scene several years ago with three models, including its 28' Kool Kat deckboat. A version of this model, pow-

ered by a single 520 Mercury Racing engine with Bravo One Drive, was delivered to our performance evaluations in 2015, where it earned outstanding marks by our test crew.

The boat tracked and handled very well, taking on the rough Havasu water handily and delivering a top speed of 70 mph.

Fast-forward five years later. The Rialto, CA-based builder is now under completely new management as it continues to refine and perfect its products. ICB, as Interceptor is known, showed off the latest, improved

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

version of its 28' (powered by an 825-hp Teague Custom Marine engine) at the 2020 Los Angeles Boat Show, as well as the new 2500 XS vee bottom. Also on display was the 26’ Kool Kat, a boat that somehow manages to offer every bit as much as interior room as its big-sister deckboat.

ICB General Manager Kathy Safaverdi told Speedboat that the company’s personnel changes were necessary to keep the company moving in a positive direction.

“Everything has changed,” she says. “We’ve brought in new managers and riggers, and we’re continuing to make improvements to the design of the boats. Quality is more important to me than quantity—I don’t care if I sell five boats a year; I just want the

customer to be 100 percent satisfied.” Even since our test, Interceptor has been continuing to upgrade its designs, upholstery, layout, et al.

The Package: Base power in the 26’ Kool Kat is a single 540 engine, but the customer requested a beefier package, so it was equipped with a 600 SCi from Mercury Racing. The customer also “checked all the boxes” when it came to options, and was highly involved in the creation of the colors and design, choice of stereo system, etc.

The boat’s bright-red pearled gelcoat was “pretty stunning,” according to inspector Bob Teague, who admired the seamless way the hull had been capped: “It’s pretty hard to tell where they did it. It’s pretty darn awesome.” speedboat.com

INTERCEPTOR 26 KOOL KAT Length: 26'

Engine on test boat: Mercury Racing 600 SCi with Mercury XR drive

Options on test boat: Mercury Racing 600 SCi upgrade, pearled gelcoat, Livorsi Monster gauges, Livorsi throttles and shifters, Isotta steering wheel, IMCO tilt helm, billet glove box, SeaDek flooring, etc.

Top speed: 80 mph @ 5,300 rpm

Base price with standard power: $119,000 Price as tested: $240,000

INTERCEPTOR CUSTOM BOATS 2761 Lilac Ave. Bloomington, CA 92316 (909) 990-0209 icb-boats.com

performance evaluations

The little sister to the builder’s 28-footer, this Kool Kat, is one attractive decker, offering plenty of room and ample storage.

INTERCEPTOR 26 KOOL KAT 120

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INTERCEPTOR

MIDRANGE ACCELERATION: 30-50 MPH = 6.74 secs.

40-60 MPH = 9.40 secs.

Planing time: 6.25 secs.

Top speed: 80 mph

Equipped with a Mercury Racing 600 SCi I/O, the Interceptor featured a stunning bright-red pearled gelcoat, a full complement of Livorsi gauges, Livorsi throttles and shifters, Isotta steering wheel, IMCO tilt helm, billet glove box and comfortable bucket seats.

“This latest version of the Kool Kat has greatly improved over previous models, especially in the fit and finish.”

—Bob Teague 30

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speedboat.com

The boat features a typical configuration for most modern-day deckboats. Up front, there’s a large open bow with forward facing lounge-type seats and an open boarding platform at the front of the bow; we took note of the Livorsi Marine navigation lights and Accon pull-up cleats, as well as pull straps in the hinged seat for access to storage. Midship, there are bucket seats for driver and front passenger with bulkheads in front of them containing storage areas for ice chests or a portable head. In the rear of the boat is a large bench featuring four individually molded seats and an extended, multi-tiered swim platform off the transom. SeaDek flooring is incorporated into the boat (with the company logo branded into one panel), and there are some lockers built into the floor for additional storage. The interior has been decked out in grey, red and black, with some cool black stitching in the upholstery.

At the helm, the driver has been given a full complement of Livorsi gauges (including a Monster tach and speedo), Livorsi throttles and shifters, Isotta steering wheel and IMCO tilt helm; on the passenger side, there’s a billet glove box and controls for the stereo. The bucket seats were very comfortable.

Dana hinges open the engine hatch hydraulically to reveal a nicely arranged compartment with good access to the Mercury Racing 600 SCi. The floor of the compartment has been nicely gelcoated in a very shiny red. Batteries are mounted on the port side, with a TCM sea strainer mounted on the starboard side.

Other goodies on the Interceptor included Dana SP-1600 tabs, IMCO steering transom in front of the Mercury XR drive run, Mercury Maximus 29"-pitch prop, underwater lights, etc. Overall, the quality of workmanship on the 26' Kool Kat totally impressed our crew. The boat sat atop a trailer that Interceptor built in house.

Performance: As a family deckboat, the Interceptor provided a perfectly enjoyable ride.

Unlike some of the boats we tested the same day, the windshield proved very effective in keeping the wind out of our faces. The boat turned adequately and we recorded a top speed of 80 mph. As a performance boat, both of our test teams said they wished the boat had a little more “oomph.” It’s possible—likely, even—that a different prop could have solved this issue. What it couldn’t solve is a rattle we heard coming from the windshield. Happily, since our test, Interceptor is already hard at work correcting some of the flaws we noted, and we are confident that by the time we test another Kool Kat, those flaws will have been corrected. And Teague left us with this optimistic tone: “This latest version of the Kool Kat has greatly improved over previous models, especially in the fit and finish.” speedboat.com

S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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photography by

F

Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh

Cobra 280 VENOM

or our performance evaluations last year, Cobra brought us its 280W Python, a 76-mph deckboat powered by a Mercury 8.2L Mag HO. This year, they

brought us their new 280 Venom, a closeddeck version of its deckboat released just a couple of years ago. This time, the standard 8.2L Mag had been upgraded to a Mercury Racing 860 with #6 drive, projected to run in the triple digits.

Our tester was the first 280 Venom built

by Cobra, and at the time of our test, the only one out of the mold. (Cobra introduced it at the 2019 Los Angeles Boat Show.) It was built for a customer who requested the 860 power and designed

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much of the boat’s interior. “We had an idea of what color we wanted to introduce the first boat,” says Cobra general manager Hernando Rodriguez of the boat’s deep-red metallic look, with a black stripe running down the deck. It’s a fully capped boat, and the only Cobra to feature a single #6 drive; at the time of its creation, the 860 itself was fairly new, and with the 280 Venom being a new hull, so much of what went into the mix had been previously untried.

“The boat did take longer than expected to build, and then it took some time to dial it in correctly,” Rodriguez says. “We went through a lot of prop testing on that boat—it took quite a while to find the

optimum propeller for the boat, and it runs very nice now.”

The Package: The boat’s Mercury Racing 860 package features a 1.68:1 reduction ratio in the #6 drive, Mercury 16.75x28 five-blade cleaver upgrade, a powerplant capable of up to 7,000 rpm. The engine has been painted red to match the boat, while the bilge is painted black. Meanwhile, the ultra leather interior of the boat features two different tones of brown, with some red stitching in the upholstery and some black accents. Headrests on all of the seats have been emblazoned with the Cobra logo, which was a nice touch. The cockpit boasts a traditional seating arrangement of two buckets up front and a rear beach speedboat.com

COBRA 280 VENOM Length: 28' Beam: 104"

Engine on test boat: Mercury Racing 860 with M6 drive

Options on test boat: Mercury Racing 860/M6 powertrain, fully capped hull, ultra leather interior, dual Vessel View screens, CZone systems management system, Gator Stop flooring, etc.

Manufacturer’s estimated top speed in optimum conditions: 105 mph

Top speed, tested: 102 mph @ 7,050 rpm Base price with standard power: $136,900 Price as tested: $287,000 COBRA BOATS 5109 Holt Blvd.

Montclair, CA 91763 (909) 482-0047 cobraperformanceboats.com

performance evaluations

Jeff Bohn and his crew finish dialing in their latest model, a stylish closed-deck version of its popular deckboat.

COBRA 280 VENOM 120

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COBRA

MIDRANGE ACCELERATION: 30-50 MPH = 6.05 secs.

40-60 MPH = 6.79 secs.

40-70 MPH = 9.37 secs.

Planing time: 7.09 secs.

Cobra’s 280 Venom features the CZone engine management system, Rockford Fosgate stereo upgrade, ultra leather interior, dual Vessel View screens and a fully capped hull. There’s also a hideaway bimini top, wraparound distortion-free windshield and Livorsi gauges. Aerators on the #6 drive are a necessity.

“The boat goes over the wakes without getting upset. I’d give it a 9, because it’s not a big boat and we have some big-boat water out here. It ran quite well.”

—Bob Teague 34

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where seats are individually sculpted for four additional passengers. The flooring is brown Gator Step with the branded Cobra name.

Sitting at the helm, you’ll notice that all of the controls come from the Vessel View screens (for both driver and passenger, with stereo controls on the dash in between), which add a classy touch of modernization that some will really like. Sitting in the rear seats is interesting, as you’re sitting higher than those in the front. That left us wondering how well the windshield would deflect wind from the rear passengers, although our test crew really admired the fit and finish of the windshield. The boat is loaded with Rockford Fosgate stereo components, from the head unit to all of the coaxial speakers and amps inside the cabin.

Other things inside the Cobra that delighted our test team included a comprehensive CZone engine management system, some satin-finished and powdercoated grabhandles placed around the sun pad, as well as the fuel fills (“all very cool looking,” said Myrick Coil). The Cobra incorporates a push-pin system throughout, meaning that all of your lines and fenders will need to have push pins on them. There’s a storage locker located in the floor, with additional storage (and some flat lounge pads) under the deck, with access from the cabin.

Performance: Like some of the other boats tested by Bob Teague during our test, he first drove the boat on glassy water during the early-morning photo shoot, then later with some wind chop for the real performance data. As we expected, the boat didn’t particularly like the flat water, which induced a bit of a porpoise above 80 mph until you get to top speed.

But that went away when conditions weren’t so glassy.

“The boat has a long history of being dialed in, and it actually did pretty darn good today,” Teague observed.

The boat did lean a lot to the outside during our slalom turns, although the faster we turned the boat (i.e., above 50 mph), the less it leaned. Teague explains: “Because of the right-hand propeller rotation, the boat wants to lean a little bit to the left all the time. So when you go left at cruise, it does better than going right at cruise. As you speed up, the boat becomes more level at all operating scenarios.”

On the plus side, the boat runs very well in rough water. “The boat goes over the wakes without getting upset,” Teague says. “I’d give it a 9, because it’s not a big boat and we have some big-boat water out here. It ran quite well.” The boat also tracked extremely well— at least, in the rougher water.

Teague got the boat to 102 mph at just over 7,000 rpm on the rev limiter. “This is one of the few boats that I’ve driven with an 860/M6 drive setup,” Teague says. “They really stepped up for this one. The M6 drive is very reliable.” speedboat.com

S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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story by

Stu Jones

photography by

Jerry Wyszatycki

and

Pete Boden

KEY WEST Poker Run Despite continuing restrictions due to Covid-19, the Florida Powerboat Club exceeded participation expectations for the last run of 2020.

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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T

he 28th Annual Key West Poker Run kicked off Nov. 11, in spite of the ongoing Covid19 curse. Consequently, the

Florida Powerboat Club had to modify many aspects of its event management program to accommodate CDC guidelines and to ensure the safety of participants, event staff and event partners providing services at host marinas, restaurants and hotels. Nonetheless, it was surprising for FPC management to see a roster of 159 registered teams, which was far greater than our club’s expectations. It was about 100 teams less than the 2019 participation, but with Covid travel restrictions abroad, it was apparent that the typical international roster of teams from Canada and European

countries, were not present. In fact, only one European team from Germany was able to travel overseas to attend.

The normal two-departure format offered a Wednesday or a Thursday departure from major hosting marinas including Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach and Grove Harbour Marina about 15 miles south in Coconut Grove. Each location gave out of state participants the much needed services of staging boats, parking trailers, and meeting with FPC staff to check in for their poker run bags, souvenir tees and identification decals for the boats.

The Wednesday departure was met with some weather challenges as Hurricane ETA had passed close to the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico, created turbulent

seas offshore, but had little to no effect on the safe passage through the protected ICW waters from Miami to Marathon. FPC management rallied to create a safe harbor for an overnight stay in Marathon, for the boaters that wisely chose not to challenge the storm and its eight-foot coastal seas, as the Thursday weather promised a better marine weather report. Still, a handful of brave souls headed off towards Key West, some on the protected waters of the interior route through the Saddlebunch Keys and Gulf of Mexico, a favored passage which brought them into the north passage into Key West Harbor. The handful of teams that chose to run the offshore course, were later regretful of their decision, and while no

[continues on page 59]

Left: Darryl Cuttell of New Smyrna Beach with his black-and-green Mystic M4200 called Darana Hybrid.

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

37

KEY WEST POKER RUN Brittany Dunn, aka Miss Speedboat, drives her newly debuted 368 Skater, Mrs. War Party.

Michael and Sarah Howe of Florida drive Light Speed 2.0, an MTI 390X powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.

Ryan Zivitski of Florida drives his 40' Mystic powered by twin Mercury Racing 450Rs.

Yvonne Aleman drives the MTI 340X Mad Props.

Brett Manire of Performance Boat Center conducts a special shoot featuring owners of Wright Performance hulls.

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speedboat.com

Nor-Tech Powerboats owner Trond Schou in his 39' Nor-Tech.

Dawn and Donald Hadden of South Carolina pilot their 30' AMT, American Bad Ass.

Brian and Danni Forehand of North Carolina in their Outerlimits SVX50 Be Fore U, powered by twin Mercury Racing 1350 engines.

FPC model Rayand strikes a pose aboard the 48’ MTI Lamborghini.orghini.

Luis and Christine Sotero of Florida in Todo o Nada, a 38' Donzi powered by twin Mercury Racing 1075 engines.

Porsche racer and exotic automobile collector Wayland Joe in Joe Jacked, his 42’ Mystic.

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

speedboat.com

Left: The 527’s reduced price was intended to make Seven models accessible to more buyers. Above and below: The Seven 627sv represented the next evolution in big boat power.

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speedboat.com

The Rise and Fall of story by

I

Jared Powell |

SEVEN

photography by

remember hearing the buzz before the 2011 Miami Boat Show about a supercharged V8 from a new company called Seven Marine. As I recall, it sounded ridiculous. At the time, the biggest outboards were the Yamaha 350 V8 and the Mercury Verado 350 SCI. Boats were getting bigger, and it was getting more common to have triples and quads on sport center consoles. Around that time, it is rumored that Eric Davis, whose father Rick had a long influential career at Mercury Marine, hypothesized about a mega outboard producing massive power. The concept was that one megahorsepower outboard could replace two 300- or 350-hp outboards, recognizing how inefficient multi-engine setups can be. Rick was intrigued and the father/ son duo—both engineers—began conceptualizing the idea.

Jared Powell and Todd Taylor

“With this acquisition, Volvo Penta is entering the outboard motor segment...Together with Seven Marine, we are on a journey to expand the scope of supply with our customers and invest in the growth of a platform to shape the future of the outboard industry,” said Volvo Penta President Björn Ingemanson.

Fast-forward two and a half years, and Volvo has announced they are not going to manufacture the massive V8 outboards— even after recently updating some of the models and adding a lower-horsepower model. Something changed, and if you believe PR statements, it was because of a new environmental initiative for the company, aiming to meet the Paris Agreement goal of being CO2 neutral by 2050.

“We want to send a clear message,” said Volvo Penta President Heléne Mellquist.

“Volvo Penta does foresee that the outboard segment will continue to be relevant for the marine leisure market, but we believe that the indisputable need to drive advancements in sustainable technology must be our main focus. This is why, for the time being, the exploration of new technology, together with the development of our core business, such as Volvo Penta IPS and stern drives, will be the center of our efforts.”

If there is one takeaway, it’s that there’s always more to the story.

If Seven Marine were making money, growing market share and innovating, they would probably keep producing the outboards while evolving to meet the emission requirements they’re looking to achieve along the way. Volvo Penta claims to believe in electric and hybrid technology, so it is possible Seven Marine will be reincarnated when the technology allows for a low-emissions 600+ hp outboard engine. But I wouldn’t hold your breath. Let’s think about the real reasons behind Volvo’s decision.

First, the innovation and engineering feats that the Davises utilized to convert a GM LSA—which is a 6.2L supercharged aluminum V8 used in Cadillacs and Camaros—into one of the coolestlooking outboards to ever grace the water is a substantial achievement. It can’t be emphasized enough how difficult it would be to design and engineer a piece like that. The horizontally mounted engine, coupled to a special ZF transmission that transferred power with a 90-degree gearset and utilized hydraulic clutches, made for

Three guys from

Wisconsin created a truly innovative

product and took on the world. So what

If you look at the Yamaha 350 V8, it’s a massive 5.3L engine designed to push heavy boats for the long haul. Alternatively, the Mercury Verado, originally a 275-hp engine, was pushed to 300 hp, and later Mercury Racing added many upgrades and boosted the 2.6L engine to 350 hp around 2010. They were different engines, the Yamaha a big, lugging 800-pound workhorse, the Verado a 650-pound high-revving tweaked engine. Eric Davis saw the limits of this power range for the niche luxury center console market and large sportfishing boats, around 20,000 pounds and up.

As a thesis, it makes sense—less weight and less drag is always better. Even if one mega-outboard weighs 50% more and is 80% more expensive, if it replaces two outboards, one could make the case for it. And that’s precisely what they did. With Eric’s brother joining the team, the Davises eventually created a game-changing outboard that showcased incredible engineering prowess.

Essentially, everything was outsourced: Seven Marine designed and engineered the outboard, while the parts were made by other companies. This approach is smart for many reasons, especially if you don’t have a massive R&D budget out of the gate. But it’s probably also one of the reasons why Seven Marine is no longer.

When Volvo Penta became the majority stakeholder in Seven Marine in 2017, everything seemed to be going well for the Wisconsin-based specialty outboard maker.

went wrong?

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

43

SEVEN MARINE

Top: Yamaha’s XTO, with a naturally aspirated direct-injection 5.6-litre V8, generates an output of 425 hp. Above: Triple Seven Marine 627s power a center console fish boat at the Miami International Boat Show.

Top right: A quad Seven Marine 627 setup is also seen in Miami. Right: Spectators get a gander at a cutaway view of the Seven Marine 527 at the Miami show.

a formidable package. Originally launched as a 557-hp package, the company later made models ranging from 527 hp to 627 hp. They all had custom cowls in any color you like, as well as custom materials.

They got many things right and the design was absolutely amazing.

Seven Marine outboards looked sleek and stunning.

Among Seven Marine’s other features were a fly-by wire joystick system that could incorporate bow thrusters. Also, they used a unique closed cooling system in which glycol coolant transfers heat to sea water in an enclosed chamber to prevent corrosion and keep the big V8 cool in the marine environment. Every piece of the engine was well thought-out, and everything was essentially outsourced.

The supply chain was slightly complicated.

The benefit of being a design firm and outsourcing is that you can put the best pieces together and avoid the extreme cost of develop-

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S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

ing each part. You take an engine from GM, transmission from ZF Group, gearcase from Selva, have adjacent parts fabricated, design custom parts like the cowling to be manufactured by a third party; it works very well for lower production niche market products. But when a larger manufacturer like Volvo wants to grow, and you have a very consorted supply chain, it becomes difficult. Scale is harder, margins are tighter and Volvo needs proprietary technology. This was one of the problems.

Another major problem with Seven Marine was actually part of their early success. There is a marketing concept called “first mover advantage.” The idea is that if you can be first to market with a new or differentiating technology, you have a significant advantage. This advantage is precarious, though, because there are other dynamics [continues on page 60] speedboat.com

Speedboat

Spotlight Burton Kirsten

Meet one of speedboating’s most passionate power fanatics: a man who has owned some of the finest and fastest luxury craft on Earth. story by

46

Brett Bayne |

photography by

S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

Todd Taylor and Tom Leigh

speedboat.com

H

igh-speed boat enthusiasts—especially fans of the famous Outerlimits brand—will be familiar with Burton Kirsten of Detroit. In

addition to owning several high-profile Outerlimits hulls—as well as the MTI pictured above—he’s had a bevy of other cool rides, including a 29' DCB, 29' Sunsation, 37' Stiletto, 39' Powerquest and 42' Fountain.

But he’s arguably most famous for his current go-fast catamaran: the Outerlimits SC46 Jet, as well as the MTI 340X Li’l Jet, which sport similar styling, graphics and nomenclature.

Kirsten is president and CFO of the Michigan-based Jay Enn Corporation, a premier supplier of automotive and aerospace tooling, equipment and services. Kirsten, 60, and his wife Yvette

speedboat.com

are both passionate boaters, as are their grown children.

We sat down with Burton to discuss his greatest passion.

Speedboat: Who is most responsible for harvesting your addiction to speedboating?

Burton Kirsten: My father. He was a boater, and he taught me how to drive a boat. He owned cabin cruisers, including a Sea Ray and a Trojan. So when I got out of high school, I got into a cabin cruiser too, and cruised around with him a bit...but Sea Rays cruise around 30 mph. I needed the fast-boat stuff.

SB: So you developed the need for speed. What were the first fast boats you owned?

S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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SPOTLIGHT ON BURTON KIRSTEN

Top of page: Kirsten’s 2019 MTI 340X Li’l Jet is powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. He’s already sold it and ordered an MTI 390X. Bottom of page: Jet, a 2019 Outerlimits SC46, is a canopied stunner powered by twin Mercury Racing dual-calibration 1350/1100 engines.

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1

2

3

4

5

BK: I had a 1998 39' Powerquest, and then a year 2000 model.

Then I started looking at Outerlimits. My first one was a 2004 37' Stiletto. It was the first vee-bottom carbon boat they made.

SB: What was the name of that Stiletto, what was the power, and how fast did it go?

BK: That boat was called Joker. It had staggered 525s with XR drives. It went like 90 mph. It was actually a repo boat; I bought it from Randy Hartman of Lake Cumberland Marine. I owned that boat until about 2013.

SB: What was your next Outerlimits? speedboat.com

Here’s a gallery of just a few of the previous boats owned by Burton Kirsten. They include: 1. Star Ship, a 1989 27' Century; 2. A 1999 39' Powerquest; 3. A 2008 42' Fountain; 4. Max, a canopied 2017 Outerlimits SC39; and 5. A 2018 28' Sunsation.

BK: The next one was a 40 vee bottom called Caesar. Originally, I went to Outerlimits with the idea of repowering the 37'. This was back when Mike Fiore was still alive, and he said, “Why don’t you just buy this 40?” So I bought that boat from Mike. I got really close to Mike. He was a fabulous guy, and losing him totally broke my heart. At the time he passed, I was building my next Outerlimits, a green canopied 39' called Max. So Mike’s father, Paul, took over and helped finish the boat up. He did a great job.

SB: After driving Max, you actually went to a West Coast builder for your next boat.

BK: Right. In 2017, I ordered a DCB M29 with 400Rs on it. I S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2021

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SPOTLIGHT ON BURTON KIRSTEN Left: The Outerlimits SC39 Max, powered by Mercury Racing 1,100-hp turbocharged engines coupled to #6 drives. Kirsten digs the canopied hulls: “I love that we can go 100 mph with the music and air conditioner on,” he says.

Below: An artist’s rendering of Jetster, the MTI 390X he’s currently building.

wanted to get into the outboard stuff and see how that was, and I loved it. DCB really builds a beautiful boat. That was really the first year they started doing the 400s.

SB: Did you always own multiple boats simultaneously?

BK: Yes, because the outboard boat is really for the hoist at home in Michigan. My wife, Yvette, took Tres Martin’s class, so she drives the outboard boat at home, too. The other boat normally stays on a trailer. In fact, I’ve left Jet at the Lake of the Ozarks, and the outboard boat stays at home.

SB: Interestingly, both your boat and Mike Fiore’s son are named Jet. BK: My company, Jay Enn Corp., does a lot of stuff for Lockheed Martin, and that’s really why I called my boat Jet. I put a lot of jet stuff on my boats.

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SB: Who are some of the other folks on the Outerlimits team who have really played an important role in guiding you on your journey?

BK: [Sales Manager] Dan Kleitz is really one of them. And, of course, all of my Outerlimits friends—Dave Scotto, John Tokar, Vinnie Diorio and Jason Moe. Those guys are all part of the family.

SB: Jason Moe’s Outerlimits was featured in the most recent issue of Speedboat Magazine.

BK: Right, the Hurry Up boat. That’s his first cat. For the last couple of years, I’d been kind of talking him into buying it. He’d owned a couple of 50-foot vees, and now that he owns the SC46 cat, he says, “I wish you had talked me into it five years ago!”

SB: Since our photo shoot, you’ve sold Li’l Jet, your MTI 340X, and have already ordered a brand-new MTI 390X. BK: Right, Performance Boat Center helped me sell the 340X, and the 390X, called Jetster, should be ready to go to Stephen Miles Design for paint this February.

SB: You used to race motocross. Do you still do any of that kind of racing?

BK: No, I don’t do motocross anymore. I just really boat. I just bought a place at the Lake of the Ozarks, so I’m hoping to spend a lot more time out there now.

SB: And meanwhile, Performance Boat Center will be taking care of your SC46.

BK: I leave the big Jet with them. It’s really amazing—I’ll call them on a Wednesday and say, “I’ll be there tomorrow.” And the boat’s in the water, all cleaned up and ready to go.

Then I’ll bring it back to them on Sunday. I’m really close with Rusty Williams over there.

He takes really good care of my boat—he’s really the only guy I ride around with. He’s a great boat driver, too. He’s taught me a lot.

SB: So, apart from the MTI 390X you’ve got on the way, looking down the road, what other boats can you imagine owning in the future?

BK: I’m not really sure. I’m keeping an eye on that 37' cat they’re building. I’m going to let them build a few and go for ride on a couple of them and see how that goes. I’d really like to have an Outerlimits outboard cat. They’ve got something like seven of them in the works right now, and hopefully they’ll have a a few on the water this summer. speedboat.com

story by

Brett Bayne |

photography by

Todd Taylor

WAVES AND WHEELS Factory Tour

Speedboat visits a one-stop-shop at the Lake of the Ozarks where your boat can be transformed in a number of amazing ways.

T

his month, Speedboat visits a facility where boat owners can see their rocketships reimagined: it’s a place where ingenious interiors and spectacular sound systems are customized and installed, and

boats are beautified from stem to stern. The factory is Waves and Wheels of Osage Beach, MO, and its founder is Justin Wagner.

When Wagner moved to the Lake of the Ozarks in 2001, he was a mobile-audio specialist, having honed his craft since the age of 14. During the 1990s, he was heavily involved in car audio in the northeast Missouri area before being recruited by audio giant Orion. The new gig required him to relocate to Phoenix, where he

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Above: Waves and Wheels founder Justin Wagner. Top: The Boardwalk at Waves and Wheels, the newest location for the team at Osage Beach, offers a full service marina. speedboat.com

Left: A high-fidelity marine mono amplifier offered by Bluave Marine Audio. Below: Two Outerlimits SL44s refurbished by Waves and Wheels: Justified (left) and Fuelish Addiction.

Bottom: Seats fabricated at Waves and Wheels to be installed in an Outerlimits SV29.

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WAVES & WHEELS continued to cultivate his knowledge and experience in the trade.

But Wagner missed the Midwest, and he and then-girlfriend (now wife, Cicely) moved back there in 2001. Wagner’s semiretired parents had a boat-mechanic neighbor named Scott Porter, and when Wagner showed him a photo book of installations he’d done, Porter was mightily impressed— and told Wagner if he could work his magic on boats in the Lake of the Ozarks area, he’d make a great success at it. He and Cicely

talked it over, and within a matter of weeks, they had launched Waves and Wheels.

“It was pretty humble beginnings,” he recalls. “We were practically broke. We had to work several part-time jobs, including at a local marina, where I was able to meet some potential customers.” Finally, after working at it for about three years, the marine audio side hustle blossomed into a full-time gig.

“We built a great reputation,” Wagner says. “I made a lot of great contacts and

met some important people at the Lake of the Ozarks.”

A big break came in 2007—ironically, around the time the nation’s economy took a nosedive. “I actually experienced a 30 percent growth during that downturn,” he says. “I stayed positive as I could, and I probably made 10 times the amount of phone calls.”

It was during that downturn that Wagner was able to move out of his rental shop and purchased a building located on Highway

Clockwise from top left: A look at some of the many samples and threads in the shop; a double stitch machine; a seat created for Steve and Marsha Brantley’s Outerlimits 42' Legacy, The American; upholstery manager Anthony Coleman.

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WAVES & WHEELS

A look at some of the speakers and other audio components offered by Bluave. The lineup includes the popular EM series of component speakers and pods. Bluave products offer a level of quality never reached in the marine industry by implementing pro audio designs. They can withstand harsh offshore environments and deliver maximum performance.

Waves and Wheels did a substantial amount of work on California native Brian Metcalf’s 40' MTI, including the stunning new interior. The boat, called Native Sun, got an amazing makeover: “They did a great job,” Metcalf says. “I couldn’t be happier. When I saw the seats for the first time, I thought they were sick. I’d never seen anything like it. They did it better than I ever imagined.”

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“The first time I saw the interior in person, I was just blown away,” says Andy Robinette, owner of the Outerlimits SL44 Fuelish Addiction. “They came up with some very cool designs for the interior. There were a lot of FaceTime videos and chats going back and forth as they were coming up with ideas and plans, and they just did a knockout job.”

Other memorable upholstery jobs executed by Waves and Wheels were on Mornin’ Smoke, Joe Sabo’s Cigarette 38’ Top Gun (above), as well as this amazing Skater SS36 (left), which features a gorgeous diamond-stitched interior. This boat is currently for sale.

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WAVES & WHEELS 54, where they not only did marine-audio work but started building a line of sub enclosures, pods and interfaces called Solutions. When the recession impacted boat sales, Wagner and his team found success in improving and upgrading customers’ existing boats when the purchase of new models suddenly came screeching to a halt.

“We had the ability to customize boats,”

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Wagner says. “So what we did between 2007 and 2010 was to market refreshing and updating your boat—not just the sound systems. We started doing lighting, upholstery and fabrications. And that’s where we really started to develop into Waves and Wheels Marine Audio, Custom Fabrication & Upholstery, which is what our name is today.”

Fast-forward to 2012, which represented

another game-changing spike for Wagner and his team. Business really took off in that year, and by 2015, it became necessary to expand the shop on Highway 54 to another 10,000 square feet. “That was another crazy year for us,” he recalls. “We had to expand because we absolutely could not operate out of where we were at anymore.” That same year, Wagner began to develop his latest innovation, the Bluave Marine Audio brand. This was a pro audio system engineered exclusively for the marine industry, and designed to deliver superior sound quality and volume at the highest possible levels. The product got its official debut at the IBEX trade show in 2016, and today, Bluave sound systems can now be found in many high-profile performance boats like DCBs and Outerlimits. (The name “Bluave” combines Blu, Justin’s middle name, and the “Wave” from Waves and Wheels.)

In 2016, Wagner and his wife were taking a casual boat ride when they passed a marina in Osage Beach that had been up for sale for a few years. “We actually used to take our kids fishing there when they were young,” he says.

“For some reason, we looked at each other and just had a really strong feeling. Later, we made some inquiries, and all the stars happened to align.” Six months later, the Wagners signed the final papers to purchase the marina, and The Boardwalk at Waves and Wheels was on the map. At this new location—which boasts more than 30,000 square feet—Wagner is able to offer everything from boat detailing and rack storage to gas docks, paint and graphics, lighting and other amenities—including his Bluave Marine Audio installations and a variety of events (fun runs, fireworks and more).

“When we moved into the marina, I launched a paint shop division in our original facility with my friend, Andy Imhof of Maryland Offshore Performance,” Wagner says. “We partnered up doing custom paint, graphics and repair shop, so we’ve added that facet to our abilities as well.”

Ultimately, few customers come to Waves and Wheels for just one thing anymore. “They may come in for a stereo, but then they’ll say, ‘Let’s update our gauges or our dash panels.’

Or if they come in to update their interior, it seems like we always end up doing a sound system or a new lighting design.”

For a man who tackled the 2007 economic collapse head on, the global pandemic of 2020 wasn’t enough to stop him. He says: “When speedboat.com

it happened last year, I thought, ‘Well, I’ve done this before, so I’m just going to do it again.’ So I sat down with our team of 14 employees and said, ‘Listen, guys, the first thing we’re going to do is reach out to our customers. Luckily, we’ve got a great backlog of jobs happening already. But we want to keep it that way.’ So our sales team just kept reaching out to clients, and our technicians made sure they communicated in a positive way with our customers. There might have

been three or four weeks where things were a little weird, so we had to make triple the amount of phone calls to keep the flow. But by the first warm weekend in May, people realized that they could come down here and boat to get away from it all. And the floodgates opened.”

Now that Waves and Wheels has become a one-stop shop for boaters, what does the future hold for Wagner and his team?

“I’ve got some really big things coming

in the future that I can’t really divulge at the moment—including with our Bluave line,” he says. “But what I can say is that I never seem to settle down. I’m a project guy. I like to build things and we continue to fine tune things as we continue to grow. Every single year we’ve been in business, we’ve had growth, no matter what’s going on in the industry. There are always challenges in owning your own business,” he adds, “but I’ve been blessed, and I truly love what I do.”

KEY WEST POKER RUN

The Covid challenges removed any chance for FPC to offer the maxed out Key West Poker Run Village, which has become a staple of the 28 year poker run event, but the headquarter Conch Republic Seafood company managed to provide a massive 80 foot hospitality tent for FPC to conduct its normal activities of greeting guests throughout the weekend, playing out poker hands, and awarding dozens of sponsor presentations and Presidents Choice Awards. The action around the Historic Seaport was vibrant and fun, in spite of the absence of the Race World Offshore championships, which the City of Key West cancelled several weeks earlier, along with other major special events such as FantasyFest and Key West Song Writers Festival. The fact that Florida

Powerboat Club has remained autonomous all these years, with no reliance on county or city funding from the TDC, may have been that one “ace up the sleeve” that kept this 28-year tradition alive.

Considering that Covid-19 challenges forced Florida Powerboat Club to cancel at least six major poker run events from March of 2019 through July, it was comforting to see the club’s signature poker run event continue its legacy, and provide over 700 participants the chance to escape to paradise, and powerboating in one of the final frontiers that keeps social distancing in check. I would like to thank all participants, sponsors and event partners for adapting to these new guidelines with grace and style, and we look forward to an exciting 2021!

[Continued from page 8]

incidents were reported, many later confessed it was a challenging ride, so it is not something they would likely do again.

While Wednesday saw about 40 teams making the run, Thursday was at well over 100 poker run teams. There were dual starting locations and staggered classes, including Sportboat class (50 to 70 mph), Performance class (70 to 99 mph) and High Performance class (100 to 125 mph).

The fleet managed to spread out nicely for the run, which began on relatively calm waters of Biscayne Bay. The new format to prevent overcrowding at restaurant checkpoints, provided for at least four lunch locations starting with Gilberts in Key Largo, a private Nor-Tech owners’ lunch nearby at Sundowners in Key Largo, and two locations in Marathon.

Participants were also given a detailed map of at least five fuel locations in Marathon, including a VP Fuels tanker truck that had higher octane fuel for the boats requiring 93 or greater octane.

Fortunately, the weather Thursday was much better than the day prior, but turbulent seas still presented a bumpy ride for the many teams that chose the coastal Atlantic route for the final leg from Marathon to Key West. Alternatively, I led a group of powerboats from Marathon on the much longer northern passage, which was in mostly protected waters and therefore provided an enjoyable ride for all the teams. Arrival in Key West harbor was right on schedule, at 4:30 p.m., which yielded at least one good hour of daylight for the teams to get situated in their marinas and manage the logistics of getting to their hotels. speedboat.com

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SEVEN MARINE [continued from page 44] at work. Not every first mover wins, because if an incumbent can just replicate or adapt and outspend you, then your advantage may be fleeting. However, if you can match proprietariness, sound marketing and build a loyal following, small companies can build market share with first mover advantage.

This can be complicated, but consider that Seven Marine tested the market for big

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power outboards that were the combination of luxury and performance. Seven seemingly had more features and options, and were priced accordingly. Competitors were slow to respond, and didn’t actually try to meet the market that Seven was in because it would be too expensive and low-volume for them. But both Mercury and Yamaha clearly saw that they could move upmarket,

so 400+ hp outboards were perfectly viable.

Seven laid out a blueprint for the market on pricing, features and power. The Yamaha 425 XTO, Mercury 400 Verado and Mercury Racing 450R are Seven Marine killers—more value for the customer, better margin for the manufacturer. Sure, they aren’t 627 hp, but that’s a small market; 400 to 500 hp is much more viable.

In technology, there are a few different ways of looking at it, but essentially it comes down to pace of technology and pace of market that have a significant impact on the longevity of first mover advantage. Technology in outboards moves very slowly, as does the market. Mercury and Yamaha could easily match the features of Seven Marine and come within striking distance of the benefit: power.

Could Volvo have innovated over time and kept an advantage? Possibly. A mild hybrid 600-hp outboard with more torque, more efficiency and low emissions would be killer and probably a real first mover advantage. But for now, it’s not to be. Seven will have ceased production in January 2021.

One important note is that Former Volvo CEO Björn Ingemanson, a champion of the Seven deal, was replaced in June 2020

by Heléne Mellquist. And Volvo Americas president Ron Huibers retired recently. This explains the strategy shift among the factors above. Eric and Brian Davis left the company shortly after as well.

Nothing about Volvo Penta’s inability to carry Seven Marine forward is a knock on on Eric, Rick and Brian Davis at all. Quite the opposite, actually. They did what Volvo and others couldn’t, and it’s a truly remarkable product that changed the marine industry. In one way, Seven Marine is American innovation at its finest. Three guys from Wisconsin imagined something that nobody else thought was possible. They built an amazing product and took on the world. Seven Marine outboards were works of art, and took incredible imagination and capability to build. And I’m so glad they did, because whatever they build next will also be incredible, and they inspired others to think big. They made an impact. speedboat.com

Brett’s

COVE

GUNN FOR HIRE 1986 BAHNER BUBBLEDECK

Featuring NJBA Finals

PARKER Enduro

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photography by

Ray Lee

Michael and his son David Gunn enjoy their 1986 Bahner. You might say it’s a real pistol.

M

ichael Gunn of Cerritos, CA, has been buddies with jetboat guru Greg Shoemaker (of GS Marine) and Tom Stolarz (of Warlock Performance Marine) for 35+ years. As soon as his 18'6" Bahner Bubbledeck came out

of the mold back in 1986, Shoemaker immediately began setting it up as a raceboat—he blueprinted it, set the intake in, did the pump work, installed the stainless impeller and Berkeley 12JG jet drive, etc.

Still, it has been, and continues to be a family boat: “My wife walked into Warlock Marine right when they were firing a boat up,” Michael recalls. “She asked, ‘What kind of idiot would own something like that?’ They started laughing and said, ‘You!’ She said, ‘No, no, no, no, no!’ ”

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GUNNHire FOR

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GUNN for HIRE

As he explains, Caliber One got the mold for this boat from Eliminator and built boats from it, as did Bahner. And now the Bahner belongs to Michael’s son David, who has been running it for the last six years or so. Originally powered by a 454 (punched out to 484) with an 871 blower and nitrous, it was repowered

by Greg Shoemaker at GS Marine a year ago; it’s now pushed by a 540 c.i. Merlin block with aluminum heads and 1071 Littlefield blower, and delivers about 1,200 hp. David uses it up and down the Colorado River, in the Blythe area.

The boat’s name is Midnight Madness, and top speed is estimated at 110 mph.

The Gunns give a big shout-out to Dan of Competitive Trailers, who built the boat’s trailer.

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story and photography by

Mark McLaughlin and Daren Van Ryte The #192 Nordic Racing team of Randy Davis, Billy Dunsmore and Gordon Jennings, never let up.

Meanwhile, the #193 Nordic team of Fred Brennan and Darrell Weatherford brought Amy Threlfall to #4 overall in the Mini Marathon.

PARKEREnduro P

The 74th installment of the long-running test of endurance featured heart-pounding action in three separate races. resented by Nick Rose Insurance, the 2020 Reliable Diamond Tool Parker Enduro featured both a Main Marathon

and a Mini Ski Marathon.

After a dominating win at last year’s 73rd Parker Enduro, the #192 Nordic Racing Team, featuring driver Randy Davis, Billy Dunsmore and Gordon Jennings, never let up. They finished the 60 laps in just over 4 hours, 7 minutes— only 2 minutes off last year’s pace, which went 58 laps.

The Mini Ski Marathon, which kicked off the festivities, also saw the #192

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machine with Davis and observer Dennis Hall pulling Ty Chester to an overall eighth-place finish. The #193 Nordic Racing Team of Fred Brennan and Darrell Weatherford brought Amy Threlfall to fourth place overall in the Mini Marathon.

Meanwhile, another Nordic—the #191 entry with Steve Davis and Todd Kelm, pulled Jason Davison to the runner-up position in the Mini Marathon. Davis also drove the #191 in the Main Marathon in Exhibition class with Ryan Box making all nine laps in just over 33 minutes.

The #143 Nordic, with Wayne Murray and Andy Klee, pulled Matthew Klee to

the Mini Marathon’s first place showing and then did it again in the Main Marathon. Murray piloted with Mike King, pulling Cameron King and Matthew Klee in their doubles victory.

A trio of racers took charge in yet another Nordic 20 Outboard. Division 3 runner-up Hornet showcased the combined driving efforts of Bryin Yedor, Kevin Yedor, Rob Ettinger and Kyle Lancon, they would finish eighth overall in the Enduro, ninth in the Mini Marathon pulling Lyndsay Philips, and second in the Exhibition Main Marathon, with Rex Helm skiing. speedboat.com

Steve Davis and Todd Kelm in the #191 Nordic pulled Jason Davison to the runner-up position in the Mini Marathon.

Wayne Murray and Andy Klee in #143 pull Matthew Klee to the Mini Marathon first place showing and then doing it again in the Main Marathon.

Division 3 saw yet another Nordic. Fred Brennan and Michael Jones shared driving duties in the #373 outboard, with with 54 laps in their third place overall and first place finish in the division.

Right: Division 7 had Dirk Olsen and John Cogan shoeing the turbocharged #54 Nordic. They finished second overall in their division and fourth overall.

Below: Overall winners Randy Davis, Billy Dunsmore, and Gordon Jennings.

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PARKER ENDURO

The #222 and #77 boats ran both marathons. Craig Gregory and Brian Vesely pulled Erica Yedor in the Mini, then Dave Chandler and Brian Samiengo in the Main. Dean Thirkill and Mike King in #77 boat pulled Hunter Schnakenberg in the Mini and then Ken Kramer sat in and helped Dean pull the pair of Michael La Frenz and Mark Honsowetz in the doubles Main.

Left: A trio of racers took charge in yet another Nordic 20 Outboard.

Division 3 runner-up Hornet showcased the combined driving efforts of Bryin Yedor, Kevin Yedor, Rob Ettinger and Kyle Lancon, they would finish eighth overall in the Enduro, ninth in the Mini Marathon pulling Lyndsay Philips, and second in the Exhibition Main Marathon, with Rex Helm skiing.

Ski Nordic Outboard #177, driven and observed by Carl Johnson and Ken Kramer, pulled skier Sophia Rivera to a third-place position in the Mini and then finished in fifth place in the Main Marathon, with Carl and Kyle Lancon pulling Mary Maher and Rivera.

Fallon Marine’s Gilbert Fallon (the #31 outboard, near lane) and Mike LaPaglia finished seventh overall and second in Division 2. The winged flattbottom #728 (middle lane) finished 11th overall and second in Division 4, with William DuFrense and Kenny Stutesman sharing the driving duties. Meanwhile the #363 outboard (far lane), Davey Jones’ Revenge, driven by Scott Patynik and Matt Carbajal, finished fifth in Division 2 and 21st overall .

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The Angry Bird, driven and observed by Jeff Barrus and Todd Kelm in the Enduro, had a great run with a ninth overall finish and 43 laps en route to a third-place finish in Division 3. Scott Van Sickle skied behind in the Mini Marathon and finished a respectable 10th overall.

John Soares was soaring his JSR Motorsports picklefork outboard to the fifth overall and second place in Division 6.

Soares’ high-flying #386 outboard ended up with 49 laps.

WHOOPS! Mini Marathon skier Tracey Langley finished behind the #33 boat in 15th place, then came out with Julia

Williams in the Main. After a few laps, Williams seemed to have lost the handle behind her and tried to grasp it while she was hitting some pretty rough water. She would go down hard and lay still for a bit before getting picked up and taken to shore with leg injury. Langley had to drop off and both skiers ended up with a DNF.

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Unsanctioned, unofficial and unlawful as it might be, this on-water shootout just celebrated its fifth year, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

OUTLAW Nationals Photography by

F

Daren Van Ryte

or an event that bills itself as “unsanctioned and unauthorized,” the Outlaw Nationals

is shaping up into a legitimately successful on-the-water bonanza.

After five years of steadily increasing popularity, it’s easy to see why. Produced by Norm Turley, a retired California police officer and current owner of the 1.5-acre Sundance Saloon in Parker, AZ, the Outlaw Nationals was originally put together by drag-racing legend Tony Scarlata, who recently relocated to Oklahoma.

Co-organizer Turley has kept the tradition alive, tapping into the boating communi-

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ty’s desire to get out of the house and have some fun—and included Scarlata, as well as the usual big-hp heavy-hitters (Shane Westerfield, Brock Keenan, et al).

“Everybody was so supportive that we wound up with 40 people wanting to run their boats. We actually had to turn some people down,” Turley told Speedboat. “We thought we’d be lucky to get 15. Things just snowballed from there, and it ended up being super successful.” According to Turley, the County of La Paz, AZ, allowed him to block off the street in front of Sundance, and the local law enforcement was extremely supportive as well. “We’ve

gotten so big, that with all of the Covid stuff, we were afraid someone was going to come and close us down,” Turley said.

Part of event’s success, he adds, is thanks to Scott Steele, the local party animal and go-fast aficionado who owns an array of K-boats. “When he got involved, he brought his entourage and it just made the show,” Turley says. Also lending a big hand was Leonard Pope and his family, who drove their fifth-wheel trailer in from South Carolina. “They showed up the Wednesday before Thanksgiving with their boats, and just really helped out,” Turley said. speedboat.com

Left: The #292 DiMarco Let’s Do It carves up the water.

Below: An aerial view of the Sundance Saloon, the hosting venue in Parker, AZ.

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OUTLAW NATIONALS

Left: Brock Keenan’s boat had just been completed, and this was his first weekend getting seat time. It’s an 1975 18' Hondo Sprint Boat called Cherry On Top, powered by a 540-c.i. Hilborn-injected BBC built by Rick King. As an alcohol competitor, it was originally raced by Bob Daily, then was a family boat for Jerry Griffin. Its unofficial top speed is 119 mph.

Chris Grey and his dog Blue in their DiMarco, The Spoiler. This boat was converted from an outboard to a full stringer jetboat, powered by a 427 big-block Chevy.

Above: Mike Brink drives his Howard 21' daycruiser. It’s got a Casale V-drive, Turbo 400 transmission, and 572 big-block Chevy with a 1272 blower by Heath Hiebert.

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Mid-Life Crisis, a 1978 DiMarco, first appeared in our magazine in July 2003, when it was owned by Ken Simonds. It was most recently showcased in our August 2018 edition. Today the boat is owned by 28-year-old ambulance worker Michael Stene of Garden Grove, CA.

Oxidean Marine CEO Bill Oxidean drives his Corporate Jet Placecraft, powered by a 548-c.i. big-block Chevy.

This 21' RaysonCraft GN boat was built by Spring Family Motorsports of Torrance, CA, a father-son team. It’s an old race boat that they rescued and completely redid—the new gelcoat, powdercoating, rigging, motor and drive were all done in house.

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OUTLAW NATIONALS Steve Dickerman Sr.’s Sanger hydro, II Grumpy, is powered by a blown 468 Chevy on E85. The boat, originally called Blown Loose, is a former Blown Gas Hydro competitor. The name II Grumpy is a tribute to Dickerman’s late father: “Our ski boat when I was a kid was named the Grumpy One,” he tells Speedboat.

Wet Spot is a 1977 ProStock blown gas flat 5/8 runner bottom, and weighs in at 2,000 pounds. “I bought WetSpot from Leonard Pope back in December 2019,” says owner Jimmy Shy. “She has a full roller 496 in her, and makes 950 hp.” Built by GCR racing out of San Diego, CA, the boat was tuned by Reese Motorsports. “She’s not the fastest boat on the river but she’s a great family river boat for my son Jayden and fiancé Reva Wilson,” says Shy.

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Chris Schock’s 2002 Biesemeyer K Boat is a blown injected, 468 Chevy-powered monster that was set up by Scott Steele.

It was previously showcased in Speedboat’s July 2018 Swimsuit Section.

Yee-haw! Boat racing superstar Tony Scarlata takes a ride on Scott Steele’s K-boat, Alcohaulin Ass.

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story and photography by

Mark McLaughlin

NJBA

Season Finals

The National Jet Boat Association bids adieu to the 2020 season with a World Finals that had no vendors or spectators.

I

t was a rather depressing end for the National Jet Boat Association, as the group’s Finals capped a not-so-memorable season of dragboat racing. After all the can-

cellations, guidelines and recommendations from the County of Kern in Bakersfield, CA, the NJBA got to put on the final race of the season with zero spectators or vendors.

Unfortunately, a higher authority stepped up, and brought some weather to the meet. Competitors got to do some testing and tuning on Friday—and then proceeded to qualify everyone on Saturday

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before the man upstairs decided that he wasn’t going to let us finish out the year. Aside from a final or two on Sunday morning, all of the winners were determined by the number-one qualifying position from Saturday.

Among the highlights was the full 8-boat field of Blown Gas Flats. The current leader in points, Shane Westerfield, continued where he left off in October, nailing down the championship with the number-one qualifying position, followed closely behind by Jeff Martin in Westerfield’s flatty. Congratulations to both team members!

Top: Blown Gas Flat points leader Shane Westerfield (near lane) continued where he left off in October, nailing down the championship with the #1 qualifying position, followed closely behind by Jeff Martin (far lane).

Above: With a 3-boat field in Pro Outlaw, Craig Collett made the trip down from Oregon to set the pace in the class of heavy hitters. He took the win with his #1 qualifying position, tying with Kevin Cornelius for the points championship. speedboat.com

Rick and Angie Allen made the long haul from Fort Smith, AK, with the Top Alcohol Hydro Total Kaos. And man, did he raise some! Not only did Rick lay down the quickest pass at a 4.23-second elapsed time, he just put notice to the other four Top Alchohol Hydros that he was the king!

Bill Diez and the War Party Top Alcohol Flat made the party. They showed up to finish off the year with the NJBA after all other associations were completed. Diez laid down some stellar passes—along with the number-one qualifying position—to end his year on a high note.

Congratulations to the entire War Party team!

Kjell Adams in his Fluid Motion Pro Gas Jet boat set the index early, and it stuck for the weekend as he ousted Josh Patridge’s Lights Out machine. Both drivers were either the only class that got to finish on Sunday, or right there. I can’t remember another final on Sunday. Kjell takes the win! speedboat.com

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NJBA SEASON FINALS

Pro Gas Hydro: The lone boat in the class, Danny Day’s Black Boat, just kept doing what they do: setting the index, winning and having fun. Josh Hayden, shoeing for Danny, drives this Pro Gas Hydro like he’s in a cadillac.

Pro Eliminator: The 8-second class only had a pair this weekend. Here’s the Pathologicole flat, owned and driven

by Alan Asbe since day one when he purchased it new back in the 80s. His winning elapsed time was an 8.05.

Super Eliminator: Here’s another long hauler, coming all the way from Clarksville, TN. The Bounty Hunter, owned and piloted by Mike Edmondson, would go to the top in the class, but would end up nowhere in the ladders as a “what happened?” deal.

I cannot explain this one.

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Stock Eliminator: Jake Walz (above), driving the Bad Company hydro, was the lone qualifier and the winner in this 11-second bracket class. Walz was helped out by his father, Jeff Walz, a former flatty racer.

Top Eliminator: Top Eliminators made the trip in the 9-second class to fight for the number-one position.

Don Blayney (left) stepped up in his Steppin Up jetboat to take the number one spot away from the rest, and the win.

Quick Eliminator: Another full field of boats came to play in the this class. All eight boats were trying to get that elusive number-one spot, but in the end, it was Mike Davis who nailed down a blistering 6.01 elapsed time to hold off the field and take the win. The War Child could not be denied.

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NJBA COVID-19 SHOWDOWN Pro Comp Flat: Tony Scarlata’s newly repainted flatty had some boats chasing him down the course, as the other eight entries could not come to play like Tony does.

Mr. Scarlata flew the Wet Dream machine for Ron and Joey Grose, and took home the win with a 5.73 elapsed time in qualifying.

Modified Eliminator contestant Trevor Grisenti takes the numberone spot in the class with an 11.67 ET. Grisenti was shoeing the Dry Ice machine out of Orange, CA.

OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE

Left: Pool party at Kenny Armstrong’s residence at the Texas Outlaw Challenge. Right: Crazy Charlie’s Funhouse at the Tickfaw 200.

[Continued from page 8]

bial “bucket list,” but that trigger has yet to have been pulled. We can benefit from the 2020 hindsight and make this a banner boating year.

Our perceived “inalienable rights” were

utterly compromised in 2020. I mean, how was the quality of your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness last year?

2021 is the time. Our time. We’ll see you on the odyssey.

City, AZ to take my boat out, disconnect for a while and run wherever I felt like, with whomever I chose. It was truly liberating from the strict regulations of my home state of California.

Just as we try to support our suffering local restaurants and establishments that have been forced to either close their doors or have been severely hindered to even earn a sustainable living, I implore you to support your boating events, near and far, if you are able. 2020 dealt them a harsh blow and their futures may depend on your support and participation. Even the worthy charities that are dependent on the revenue from our generously donating events have suffered without these much-needed funds.

Whether it be a boat show, boat race or poker run, LET’S GO! It’s a common misconception that only big, fast, expensive boats can attend a poker run. All are welcome and encouraged to join them, at your own pace—whatever that may be.

So, as a twist on the 1968 cinematic classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey—let’s call it our 2021: A Speedboat Odyssey. Let’s change our fortunes from dismal to promising. Let’s embark on a voyage together to traverse the many waterways that are both familiar and foreign to us. This can be our spiritual quest to help making boating events great again, simply be attending and participating in the events you’ve long read about within these very pages. The ones that have long been on your prover-

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