story by
Brett Bayne
The H:Craft line from the UAE’s Hayaari Marine is preparing to make a Victory-sized splash in the USA.
PROJECT
MANATEE
I
f you are a fan of offshore racing, you’ve no doubt witnessed the fearless team piloting S-42 JackHammer, the infamous 32' Victory hull. Owned and driven
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S P E E D B O A T | June 2021
by Reese Langheim and throttled by Ricky Maldonado, the boat has been a fierce competitor in Super Stock class, taking first place in last year’s 2020 Crystal Coast Grand Prix (better known as the OPA World Finals). Maldonado and his son Julian—himself a decorated offshore racer—have a passion for the Victory brand that transcends the race course. The pair are the U.S. dealer for the brand, which is built in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Their dealership, Manatee Marine Unlimited (Palmetto, FL, north of Bradenton and Sarasota) rigs, powers and sells Victory hulls, as well as another intriguing brand built in the UAE: Hayaari Marine’s H:Craft. This line starts with an 18' skiff and
moves up to the 44Z center console, with numerous sizes in between. H:Craft boats generally fall into three categories of vees: smaller skiffs, center console models (branded as CC) and the Z series, which feature sportier decks; virtually all can be set up for fishing and/or speed. On the smaller end of H:Craft models built to accommodate serious power options is the H23Z, a twin-step vee hull that features a 6'6" beam. “This is the sports car in the H:Craft range of vessels,” says Manatee Sales Director Julian Maldonado. “It’s basically the sports series model for the local weekend guy who just wants to go [Text continues on page 56] speedboat.com
