March 2020 Speedboat

S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE

INSIDE: MIAMI VICE RESTO!

Magnificent Masterpieces from the

L.A. BOAT SHOW

VEE-BOTTOM SP EE D DEMON S !

We Test 5 East-Coast Luxury Rides

Mercury Racing Factory Tour: A Trip Through Wonderland M A R CH 202 0

MARCH 2020 $4.99US/CAN

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TABLE OF

MARCH 2020

COLUMNS

8 RAY LEE 10 BOB TEAGUE

26 VEE-BOTTOM SPEED DEMONS

FEATURES

46 MERCURY RACING FACTORY TOUR

16 2020 LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW

The West Coast’s longest-running boat show hits L.A. with new models and big muscle—and showgoers were in a buying mood.

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Our test team evaluates five awesome luxury performance rockets from Fountain, MTI, Cigarette, Donzi and Adrenaline.

Speedboat Magazine publisher Ray Lee heads to Fond du Lac, WI, to tour the plant that has powered a million muscleboats.

54 VICE SQUAD

This “Miami Vice” edition Scarab was built in the Eighties, but thanks to owner Sammy Tamburrino, it looks brand-new.

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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

Senior Tech Editors

Bob Teague

brett@speedboat.com bobteague@teaguecustommarine.com

Jim Wilkes

jim@speedboat.com

Tech Editors

National Sales Director Art Director Helicopter Services Photographers

Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins Ray Lee

ray@speedboat.com

Gail Hada-Insley Fred Young

fyoung@live.com

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

Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com

BRETT’S COVE 66 COOL COLE

Scott Broviak enlisted paint wizard Mark Tramontano to turn his TR-2 into a work of art.

72 HOT HALLETT

It was looking pathetic when its owner paid $700 for it, but Greg Shoemaker helped bring out its magnificence.

76 2020 HORSEPOWER

Continuing an annual tradition, the Southern California go-fast crowd celebrates the new year at Lake Elsinore.

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

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.

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

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.

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RAY LEE

Join me, if you will, on a journey back in time to the days of West Coast performance boating glory—pre-2008, AKA the catastrophic downturn of the economy.

Even more specifically, let’s go to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the early part of the year when the L.A. Boat Show would happen annually under the control of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

The show was huge, always well attended and everyone that was anyone in West Coast performance boating exhibited there. So large, in fact, that all of the product vendors selling their wares would be

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On With the Show! relegated to the downstairs area of the show, while the manufacturers and boat dealers would occupy the coveted upstairs areas. It was as much of a social event to co-mingle with the boating brethren as it was an opportunity to see, touch and feel all of the latest and greatest the industry had to offer, any given year.

Those days on the West Coast have been long gone for quite some time now but thankfully there’s a sign of life of its long-awaited resurrection. At least if the 2020 version of the four-day Los Angeles Boat Show is any indication.

Relocated to the more convenient venue of the Pomona Fairplex in 2017, the Duncan McIntosh Company, producers of other popular boat shows in Southern California such as the Fred Hall Fishing

Show, the San Diego and Newport Shows and the L.A. Harbor Boat Show, has started to enjoy the fruits of their labor with most of the performance-based exhibitors returning for the 64th annual show.

Manufacturers such as DCB, Nordic, Hallett, Eliminator, Lavey Craft, Cobra, Shockwave, Interceptor, Caliber 1, Barron, Advantage, and Howard Boats all were in attendance––most of whom were under a single roof dubbed the High Performance Powerboat Hall. So was Ontario-based Essex Boats, who made their first appearance at the show in almost a decade. The popular website and online forum RiverDavesPlace. com made their first-ever debut this year as an exhibitor, despite being at nearly [Continues on page 82]

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BOB TEAGUE

Force Feed or Pump to the Intercoolers?

Dear Bob: I have noticed that you run 2- or 3-stage raw water pumps on your supercharged EFI engines. What compensations do you make in the program that addresses the fuel puddling in the manifold under the intercooler? Are you just adding more fuel at idle or is there some other tricks?

I am currently force feeding my intercoolers but intend to rebuild the engines and outfit them with 2-stage water

Latham 2-stage Gen VI pump on a 600SCI Stage IV.

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Latham 2-Stage and 3-Stage pumps.

pumps, and a sea strainer for both the intercoolers and engines and remove the intercooler pickups.

The engines are custom built 509 cubic inch big block Chevys with WhippleChargers and MOAIC intercoolers.

Thanks!

Kim Bomanson Finland Aland, AL Our first-generation TCM800 EFI engines were 509 cubic inches with a 3.3 liter WhippleCharger. Most of those were built with a single stage water pump and the boat was outfitted with a second water pick up and sea strainer for the intercooler. At that time, the program was developed for that set up and it worked well. The TCM800 EFI was built on the same well established and validated platform as its predecessor which was basically the same motor with a 10-71 roots blower and a pair of carburetors on top of a SuperChiller intercooler. With the roots blown motor, we found that the idle quality was better without water flowing through the intercooler at idle. So, the same concept was initially followed with the first EFI engines.

As the power levels increased through the range of production motors, multi-

stage water pumps became necessary to provide adequate engine cooling.

Monitoring the manifold inlet temperature revealed that it was quite elevated at idle, so we changed to a standard of always pumping the intercooler with one stage of the pump.

It is a common occurrence for fuel to puddle in the manifold after the engine is shut off. This is especially the case when the fuel injectors are in the throttle body which means the air/fuel mixture is passing through the intercooler core. When the engine is shut off, the vapor turns into liquid and drips off the intercooler core. When the engine is first re-started after not running for 30 or more minutes, it draws the raw fuel that has puddled in the manifold which causes a momentary rich condition.

Usually there is a puff of smoke out of the exhaust that some people mistake as burning oil. It is fuel.

The best way to tune your engine is the way it is set up with either water pumping through the intercooler or not. Honestly, I have not seen much difference in programing requirements related to pumping water to the intercooler. But I am sure it is better to [Continues on page 63] speedboat.com

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Mystic Powerboats

Expands Manufacturing Facilities

M

ystic Powerboats has doubled the size of its existing production facility

by acquiring a building that neighbors its factory in DeLand, FL, according to company President John Cosker.

“The new facility gives us enough room to expand our model line without interfering with existing model production,” Cosker said. “It will enable expanded production on existing models as well.”

With the growing number of Mystics currently on the market, the company will be adding a dedicated service and warranty department in one section of the new facility.

The move is just the latest in a series of expansions for the builder of luxury highperformance catamarans and deep-vee center consoles. Mystic is the builder of the five-time Top Gun competitor at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, American Ethanol, a 51-footer owned and campaigned by Don Onken.

Mystic Powerboats was launched nearly 25 years ago in a barn located in John and Robin Cosker’s backyard in Melbourne, FL. In 1999, they moved their facilities into a rented 5,000 square-foot building in Port Orange, FL, after which they joined Marine Performance to build a 6,400 square-foot building a couple of years later.

In 2005, Mystic purchased three acres in an industrial park in DeLand, FL, to build a new facility. The following year, it completed phase one of construction on a 15,000-square-foot building and officially relocated to DeLand. Since that time, the company has continued to expand its facilities, adding more space and employees. Today, the compound consists of a total of 60,000 square feet on six acres of property.

Among the changes: Mystic has added a nicely appointed conference room / design center, where customers can come in to plan their boats out.

“Being a custom builder, this is key to customer satisfaction, and this new part of the facility will make this process easier and more effective,” Cosker says. “The new facility presents a better retail experience for existing and prospective customers.” Seven customers visited the new facility in the first month it was open.

MTI Announces 50V: Marine Technology Inc. of Wentzville, MO, has announced that it is building an all-new model to add to its line of luxury center console performance boats: the 50V. The vee-bottom boat will effectively bridge the gap between its 42V and 57V models.

Big Thunder Takes on Chris-Craft: Big Thunder Marine, the mega marine retailer and service center located in Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks, is now an official dealer of the Chris-Craft line. Big Thunder is a well-known dealer of the Iconic Marine Group brands (Fountain, Donzi, Baja), as well as Statement, Mastercraft and various runabouts, pontoons and more.

Pastrana, Lilly Join Miss GEICO Team: Steve Curtis, the throttleman of Miss GEICO, the famous 44' Victory competitor in Class One offshore racing, will welcome two two new drivers this year: Nitro Circus TV superstar Travis Pastrana, one of the world’s most influential extreme sports figures, as well as LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness driver Brit Lilly.

Mercury Wins Innovation, Marketing Awards at Miami Show “This is icing on the cake,” said Michelle outboard power in a lightweight package, Mercury Racing and Sea Ray, both part of Brunswick Corp., each won an NMMA Dauchy, Mercury chief marketing officer. as represented by Mercury’s 400-hp Verado Innovation Award at the 2020 Miami International Boat Show. Mercury Racing was honored for its 450R engine in the outboard category, while Sea Ray won an award for its groundbreaking SLX-R 400e outboard, which debuted at CES earlier this year. Brunswick brands have now won three Innovation awards over the past few weeks, as Crestliner took home an Innovation award for its AP-X hull design at the Minneapolis Boat Show in January.

During the show, the Marine Marketers of America (MMA) also honored Mercury Marine with three 2019 Neptune Awards for Marine Marketing Excellence.

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“At a Miami International Boat Show that featured more Mercury outboard engines in exhibits and on the water than any other brand, we were pleased also to receive recognition for our marketing efforts.”

Mercury took the top honor in the Advertorial/Native-Advertising category for its eight-page guide to becoming a bass-angling champion, which appeared in American Bass Anglers. In the Ad Series category, Mercury earned the top honor for its advertisements appearing in several outdoor, boating and fishing-focused magazines highlighting the performance and experiential advantages of having extra

engines.

Mercury also received an honorable mention in the Video Series category for its thoughtful “Bold Stories” short films.

Riffing on Mercury’s “Go Boldly” tagline, the inspirational videos tell the stories of people who dream about, are obsessed with, rely upon, and/or do good through life on the water.

The MMA’s 2019 Neptune Awards at the Miami International Boat Show drew more than 150 contestants across 20 categories this year. The awards cover all areas of marketing, from national magazine ads to social media to video. speedboat.com

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L

OS

E S L E G AN

0 2 0 2 t a o B

w o h S

story by Brett

Bayne photos by Ray Lee

F

or the 64th year running, the Los Angeles Boat Show came

to Southern California to promote performance and on-the-water fun, with a healthy dose of muscle machinery on display at the “High Performance Powerboat Hall.” The Southland’s leading go-fast powerboat manufacturers exhibited their latest beauties— replete with flashy paint jobs, plush interiors and powerful engines. For the fourth consecutive year, the show was mounted at Pomona’s Fairplex facility, about 30 miles east of L.A. Several halls were teeming with boats and marine products; in the pages that follow, we bring you the best of the performance-minded wares.

Nordic: The builder debuted two brand-new hulls, the outboard-only 31' Flatdeck catamaran and the 48' Poker Run vee bottom (above), and also showed off its 35’ Flatdeck true tunnel (left), which was introduced last year.

The West Coast’s longest-running boat show hits L.A. with new models and big muscle— and showgoers were in a buying mood.

Nordic / Hallett One of the most massive displays came from Nordic Boats of Lake Havasu City, AZ, whose booth for the last two years has included the Hallett brand it now owns. The builder unveiled two new Nordic models: a 48' Poker Run vee bottom and the 31' Flatdeck catamaran. Meanwhile, Hallett’s bestselling boat, the 275 open-bow walkthrough that debuted last year, was also on hand—and Nordic sold one on the first day of the show. Other models on display: Nordic’s 35' Flatdeck, a 26' Deckboat and a 29' Deckboat; and Hallett’s 210 and 255.

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Hallett: The best-selling boat in the line is the 275 open-bow walkthrough (the fourth out of the mold shown at top); also on display was the 210, powered by Mercury Racing 450R outboard engine (above). speedboat.com

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Eddie Marine The Rancho Cucamonga, CA-based manufacturer brought an incredible array of high-performance accessories for the muscleboat circuit, including their popular EMI Thunder Exhaust system, trim tabs, gauges, seat pedestals and numerous other parts.

Left: One of Eddie’s heavy-duty billet seat pedestals. Made from one-inch thick 6061-T6 aluminum, it can easily replace most stock pedestals. Above: the Eddie Marine display featured steering wheels, trim tabs, exhaust tips, battery boxes and more.

Mercury Racing Mercury Racing was back at the L.A. show for the first time as an exhibitor in several years. “The show has gotten more and more popular in the last couple of years, and we see a lot of our partners out here,” said National Sales Manager Kevin Skiba. “So we decided we wanted to come out here and support them with our support trailer. Now we can showcase our 450R outboards and our stern-drive products, and engage with the consumers.”

Left: Mercury Racing’s support trailer. Below (from left): The popular 450R outboard, introduced last year in Nashville; the 1350/1100 I/O package with M8 drive; and the all-new 600-hp rated CNC Propeller, designed to maximize top-end speed on performance hulls powered by Mercury Racing engines.

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LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW

Eliminator Eliminator Boats of Mira Loma, CA, covered a lot of real estate with a heavily populated booth, as usual. One of the star attractions was the new 36' Speedster powered by twin Mercury Racing 1350s. The boat featured a walk-off transom bustle and a pair of redesigned gullwing engine hatches that opened up from each side. The company also showed off its 25', 27' and 28' Speedsters. Another dazzler was the 28' Fundeck owned by Dustin Whipple of Whipple Superchargers, powered by a Teague Custom Marine 1,100-hp engine.

Top: Clockwise from near above left: the 28' Speedster, 36’ Speedster (with gullwing engine hatches), 25' Speedster, and 27' Speedster (above). Left and below: The 28' Fundeck, owned by Dustin Whipple. It’s powered by a 540-c.i. TCM 1,100-hp engine.

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DCB DCB Performance Boats of El Cajon, CA, pulled out all the stops, blingwise. At center stage was the enormously beautiful M35 with TCM 1450 engines, observable through plexiglass hatches. Also on display: a pair of gorgeous M28Rs (in both closed and open-bow configurations), as well as a unique M31 midcabin cuddy bowrider that’s convertible to a closed-bow via a removable deck panel. DCB is currently hard at work completing its new M37R model, which it hopes to have completed in time for Desert Storm.

Top (clockwise from left): The M33R; an overview of the DCB display, with the closed-bow M28R up front; the jaw-dropping M35 (above). Below: Cockpit view of the M33R. Bottom left and right: The open-bow version of the M28R. Below left: The open-bow M31 midcabin cuddy.

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LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW

Cobra Montclair, CA-based Cobra Boats displayed three boats: two of its 230 Razors (two open bows, including a walkthrough and midcabin cuddy version, above left), and one of its 280W Pythons (above right). The 230 Razor continues to be a great seller for Cobra, and “we wanted to go to the show with some more affordable boats that are on special,” says general manager Hernando Rodriguez.

“They’re all for sale—none of them are customers’ boats.” None of the boats contained an engine, “so people can pick their power,” Rodriguez said.

Meanwhile, the 280W Python (see cockpit view, top right) was displayed alongside a Speedboat review of the boat). Introduced in 2014, this 28-foot deckboat was originally known as the 270 Python, but has now been rechristened the 280W Python to acknowledge the boat’s full length.

Caliber 1 The Lake Havasu City, AZ-based builder displayed just one boat this year: its 230 Velocity, which is powered by a Mercury 6.2L V-8 engine.

This model was reviewed in Speedboat Magazine’s April 2018 issue, where it was described as “the perfect boat for an entrylevel user, and it’s one of the better-priced ones we’ve seen.”

Lavey Craft Company President Chris Camire brought two of its impressive creations to the L.A. show. The first, seen at last year’s massive Desert Storm Street Party, was the 26 Redline by Lavey Craft, a collaboration with Joe Malich of RPM Powerboats. Available in both closedbow and mid-cabin open bow configurations, this was a stunning closed-bow version (right). Also on hand was a closed-bow 29 NuEra (below and below right).

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LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW

Barron Boats Jerry Barron, son of late Hallett Boats founder Nick Barron, came to the L.A. show for his sophomore visit under the Barron Boats umbrella. He displayed his first model, the 290 Sport (far left), a walk-through twin ventilated step cat tested in the April 2019 issue of Speedboat, as well as a brand-new model, the 190 RS (near left). It’s a single-engine ski-racing machine set up to handle outboard, jet and V-drive engines. Next up for Barron is a centerconsole model that we’re sure will make an appearance at next year’s L.A. show.

Shockwave

The Corona, CA-based builder of catamarans, vee bottoms and deckboats had eight boats on display, most of them openbow family performance machines. They included a 29' Magnatude with Mercury Racing 520 sterndrive (above) and a pair of 22' Deckboats (above and below right). The overall shot of Shockwave’s booth (top) shows the popular 21' Skier (right, with wakeboard arch) and an attractive orange 28' Deckboat directly behind it.

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Interceptor

Southern California-based Interceptor came to the L.A. show with two of its awesome-looking deckboats—the 2800 and 2600 Kool Kats, both powered by I/O engines—as well as a new model, the vee-bottom 2500 XS, powered by a Mercury Racing 300 Pro XS outboard. “The boat has a lot of modern refinements,” says general manager Troy Mcintosh. “Going with the outboard was influenced by the East Coast market, which tends to love the outboards. You get great fuel economy and power-to-weight ratio.” Mcintosh told Speedboat that he’s already had some interest from potential customers who want him to build a closed-bow version of the 2500 XS. Top (left and right): The 2800 Kool Kat, powered by a TCM 825 engine.

Center left: Interceptor’s new 2500 XS, with a Mercury Racing 300 Pro XS outboard. Left: The 2600 Kool Kat, powered by a Mercury Racing 600 SCI.

Livorsi Marine The famous high-performance shop from Grayslake, IL, displayed many of its gauges, instruments, wheels, LED indicators and accessories, showcasing its line of hydraulic trim tabs.

They’re CNC-machined from billet aluminum and feature mil-spec hard-coat anodization to resist corrosion. Above: a display of Livorsi’s electric, mechanical and hybrid Platinum Series Controls. speedboat.com

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LOS ANGELES BOAT SHOW

Wozencraft

AO Coolers

Performance boating’s premier insurance experts, led by Devin

Currently celebrating its 30th year offering the highest-quality soft-side coolers on the mar-

Wozencraft (left), were on hand to answer questions by prospective customers, write new policies and greet existing clients. Wozencraft is known for its outstanding customer service and knowledgeable, friendly staff.

ket, AO Coolers showed off its entire line of products, which are guaranteed never to leak or sweat. The coolers will preserve ice for 24 hours in 120-degree heat. The company also sold insulated canteens, mugs and wine tumblers (top right).

CP Performance The mega-popular online marine dealership and mail-order superstore displayed the usual diverse array of boat parts, hardware and accessories, including fuel and electrical systems, trim tabs, exhaust systems, sea strainers, steering wheels, gauges and Berkeley jet-drive rebuild kits. An impressive display of Hardin Marine products was on display as well.

Far left: A display of Max Papis Innovations steering wheels. Near left: Hardin Marine exhaust systems and manifolds. Bottom left: A complete engine setup with Berkeley jet drive.

Pirate Cove

The world-famous Pirate Cove Resort was represented in typically dynamic fashion by the Pirate Cove girls, always upping the ante in charm and beauty. The resort, upriver from Lake Havasu, is the perfect desert oasis getaway, with family-friendly activities, evening entertainment and an award-winning restaurant.

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STORY BY

Brett Bayne PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Todd Taylor

FOUNTAIN 47 LIGHTNING Length: 47’3” Beam: 9' Engines on test boat: Mercury Racing 1550/1350 I/O engines Standard features: Isotta steering wheel, Merc DTS controls, Vessel View 703, Garmin 16” 7616 multi-function display, carbon fiber dash, 380 K Planes, 30 Amp Shore Power Service with battery charger, 1500 gph bilge pumps, hydraulic steering, underwater lights, sink with pressure system, motorized engine hatches, etc.

Optional equipment: Upgraded paint and graphics, powdercoat package, upgraded bolster seats, external mufflers, etc.

Manufacturer’s estimated top speed: 133 mph FOUNTAIN POWERBOATS 1653 Whichards Beach Road Washington, NC 27889 (252) 975-2000 fountainpowerboats.com speedboat.com

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FOUNTAIN 47 LIGHTNING

The redesigned 47' Lightning features extremely comfortable seating options, from the two rows of bolsters and the rear molded-in seats to the plush facing loungers in the cabin below. Our tester featured the very latest in Garmin and SmartCraft screens on the well-appointed dash.

0-5 seconds: 17 mph 0-10 seconds: 46 mph 0-15 seconds: 73 mph 0-20 seconds: 92 mph 40 to 60 mph: 4.46 secs.

40 to 70 mph: 5.94 secs.

60 to 100 mph: 11.63 secs.

The Lightning reacts to trim well, and turning this boat is also a pleasure. It carries itself with ease, and reacts like a much smaller boat if you an evasive maneuver is required. It’s very predictable and easy to run.

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MTI

D

V-42

ebuting in 2014, MTI’s V-42 center console model has established itself as one of

the builder’s bestsellers, thanks to being a speedy, fuel-efficient thoroughbred that handles like a sports car. MTI builds every boat custom, and there are innumerable ways to power and equip each model, whether you’re buying a center console or one of MTI’s raceproven catamarans.

Available in 42' and 57' models, the MTI-V series was designed to offer the quintessential performance and comfort

experience. The patented “Slot V” hull design utilizes twin keels, similar to a catamaran, yielding straight, stable, and predictable handling at all speeds. The step design also ventilates the hull and traps a boundary layer of air under the hull and between the twin keels. With the added bow flare, the MTI-V 42 is extremely dry riding even in extreme conditions in both head and following seas.

Powered by quad Mercury Racing 450R outboards, Speedboat’s V-42 was the epitome of style and class. In the cockpit, the area above the central cabin features

a front sun lounge that offers two of the most comfortable reclining seats on board. The contoured design cradles you comfortably and provides an extra feeling of security at cruising speeds. A spacious U-shaped seating area is located in the bow of the boat.

Behind the helm are two rows of threeperson bolsters, while the unique hard top is large enough to cover both rows of seats.

A large rear bench adorns the back of the boat, with plenty of room for passengers.

The cabin features a large forward berth with a comfortable mattress. When not in

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Performance boaters looking for a center console with exquisite styling and impeccable design need look no further than this beautifully appointed luxury machine.

MTI V-42 Length: 42' Beam: 11'6" Engines on test boat: 4 Mercury Racing 450R outboards Standard features: Carbon fiber hard top with integral windshield, bow thruster, transom storage lockers, 468-gallon fresh water system with 35-gallon cabin sink, head and transom shower, automatic bilge pumps, integrated bow seating with storage boxes, contoured sun lounge seating, queen size bed, electric head with 20-gallon holding tank and overboard discharge, etc.

Options on test boat: Custom paint, upgraded GPS system, upgraded stereo, SeaDek flooring, air conditioning in interior, etc.

Manufacturer’s Estimated Top Speed: 86 mph MTI 165 Enterprise Drive Wentzville, MO 63385 (314) 803-8842 marinetechnologyinc.com speedboat.com

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MTI V-42

Above the central cabin are front-facing loungers that are two of the most comfortable seats on board. Two rows of three bolsters are positioned under the T-top. Three large Garmin screens are integrated into the dash. In the cabin, a large forward berth features a queen-size mattress.

0-5 seconds: 32 mph 0-10 seconds: 57 mph 0-15 seconds: 75 mph 30 to 50 mph: 4.81 secs.

40 to 60 mph: 5.44 secs.

40 to 70 mph: 8.11 secs.

“These boats are built by people who boat. You can do slaloms with it, and it’ll do whatever you tell it to do. It’s one of the best-handling vee bottoms in that respect.”

—Bob Teague 32

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Cigarette

42X

Ever wonder why they call Cigarette an American offshore legend? One ride in this twin 1350-powered rocketship tells you all you need to know.

C

igarette Racing of OpaLocka, FL, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year,

an event that was reflected in its display at the 2019 Miami International Boat Show—especially with the patriotically painted 50th Anniversary Top Gun. Company President Skip Braver says that his staff will now firmly set their focus on the next 50 years (and they’ve done a great job by debuting its biggest machine yet, the 59’ Tirranna performance center console).

As the company begins its journey into the next 50-year phase, one of its most popular and enduring high-performance offerings continues to be the 42X, which

made an uncharacteristically quiet debut on the poker-run circuit 17 years ago. “We may have introduced it quietly, but by the end of the season, everyone was talking about this boat!” said Cigarette’s executive VP Neill Hernandez at the time.

Since its debut, the 42X has been redesigned at least once, and a test of the newest incarnation was featured in the January 2016 issue of Speedboat, as powered by Mercury Racing QCV4 1100 engines. That package packed quite a punch, as we reported then: “How hard does the boat accelerate? When our driver was behind the wheel cruising at 70 mph with a fellow team member standing behind his bolster, he punched the throttles, catapulting his

coworker’s backside into the rear bench almost instantaneously. So the boat doesn’t just have some push—it will literally knock you on the floor if you’re not careful.”

We got our latest ride on a 42X at the most recent Lake of the Ozarks Shootout event. It’s a customer’s boat, dubbed Another Bad Habit, in pristine condition (it was originally built for Performance Boat Center co-owner Mark Waddington, who then sold it to longtime PBC customer Scott Rosenbach). It’s powered by twin 1350s—one of the few 42X models set up with that engine package, at least to our knowledge.

Three colors—red, white and dark grey/ black—have been incorporated into every-

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CIGARETTE 42X Length: 41’7" Beam: 8' Height: 6’6” Freeboard: 44" Fuel capacity: 238 gallons Weight: 11,800 lbs.

Engines on test boat: Twin Mercury Racing 1350s Standard features: Cigarette paint job, two 12" high-definition touch-screen Garmin 7612s with depth finders, carbon-fiber gauge cluster with Cigarette logo, premium JL Audio sound system, bluetooth with Garmin interface, CNC-machined billet bolsters, Livorsi gauge cluster.

CIGARETTE RACING 4355 NW 128th St. Opa-Locka, FL 33054 (305) 931-4564 cigaretteracing.com speedboat.com

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CIGARETTE 42X

Cigarette has adorned the dash with Garmin 7612 screens and Livorsi analog gauges, with speedos built in to the back of the bolsters for the rear passengers to view. This rear seating area consists of three separately molded areas, and as we say, they’re plush and extremely comfortable.

“This boat is bad to the bone. It handles perfectly; I really loved cruising at 100 mph. The bottom works extremely well— it doesn’t do anything tricky. The 1350s really give it a lot of punch.” —Bob Teague 36

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Iconic Marine Group re-introduces a classic hull with elegant and sophisticated styling.

Donzi J ust as Iconic Marine Group has been endeavoring to reestablish Fountain Powerboat’s legacy as a top muscleboat contender with the re-introduction

of the 47' Lightning (see Page 26), the Fred Ross-owned corporation has also been working its magic beefing up its Donzi Marine brand. Last year, it unveiled the Icon 44, an all-carbon fiber sport cat powered by quad Mercury Racing 400R outboards designed to deliver a top speed of 120 mph. And now Donzi has re-launched a pair of its beloved go-fast hulls: the 22' Classic and the 38 ZRC. Speedboat got a chance to run the latter of these two marvels at a private event

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38 ZRC

recently held at Iconic’s North Carolina headquarters. The ZRC was once wildly popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, and has continued to have a healthy following.

“It’s the quintessential performance luxury craft, and the interior really came out beautifully,” says Iconic CEO Jeff Harris.

“The fit and finish on the boat is second to none. It’s absolutely perfect in every way.

People looking at it at the [Fort Lauderdale] boat show just can’t believe it.”

The latest incarnation of the 38ZRC features a number of new styling twists: for example, the high-tech carbon-fiber dash allows for optional port or starboard steering. Donzi’s unique fighter jet canopystyle windscreens practically scream “high

performance” in every way. And where the fiberglass meets the water, Donzi’s Positive Lift Double-Step bottom design gets the boat on plane in a jiffy. Donzi’s engineers have worked hard to make sure the boat delivers a rock-solid ride at cruising speeds—and blistering speeds at the top end.

Looking at this boat, three words instantly spring to mind: “timeless, classic beauty.” Like the 22 Classic, our 38' tester had been impressively painted using a color known as black cherry. There was nothing extravagant or flamboyant about the scheme or the design; it just harkened back to a simpler, more elegant era of powerboating. [continues on page 80] speedboat.com

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DONZI 38ZRC Length: 30' Beam: 8'2" Engines on test boat: 2 Mercury Racing 860s with #6 drives Standard features: Positive lift double-step hull, Livorsi 1050 highperformance hydraulic trim tabs, Shadowcaster LED underwater & interior lighting, LED nav lights, sport bucket seats w/ electrically actuated footrests, Garmin 8610, Livorsi sport controls, custom steering wheel w/ leather trim, premium JL Audio system, etc.

Manufacturer’s estimated top speed: 120+ mph DONZI MARINE 1653 Whichards Beach Road Washington, NC 27889 (252) 975-2000 donzimarine.com speedboat.com

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DONZI 38ZRC

Our ZRC featured a beautiful black cherry paint job with the ZRC logo featured on the side of the boat, as well as emboidered into the bucket seats. On the dash is an array of Livorsi gauges and a large Garmin screen. The seats on this boat are so comfortable it’s like you feel wrapped inside them.

0-5 seconds: 18 mph 0-10 seconds: 34 mph 0-15 seconds: 48 mph 0-20 seconds: 64 mph 40 to 60 mph: 7.61 secs.

40 to 70 mph: 10.97 secs.

60 to 100 mph: 16.63 secs.

Donzi’s engineers have worked hard to make sure the ZRC delivers a rock-solid ride at cruising speeds—and blistering speeds at the top end.

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47-ZRX

Adrenaline O ne of the highlights of last year’s Miami Boat Show was the on-water exhibit of Adrenaline Powerboats, which showed off two of

its amazing designs, the 45' Speede and

the ZRX-47. Both are all-carbon boats with CNC-cut tooling; everything is designed in CAD at the factory and boast magnificent detail work and supercar-style design, fit and finish, etc.

While Adrenaline is busy tooling a new 54' “big brother” to the 47', Speedboat recently got a chance to test the pristine, 1100-powered 47' at the Lake of the Ozarks.

It’s a stunning boat, very sleek and painted in yellow and silver. The rigging and engine installation is nothing short of impeccable—the boat is a veritable work of art fea-

turing a four-step bottom design and twin staggered Mercury Racing twin turbo 1100 engines as base power. It’s a boat that’s very much in its own league.

In the cockpit, there are three pairs of bucket seats, with steps between the back two seats leading up to the engine compartment. With a single touch of a button, a specially designed console opens electronically to allow walk-in cabin access. The cabin, which features a pair of long lounge seats, gets some good ventilation between a deck hatch and the cockpit entrance. This deck hatch opens to reveal a jaw-dropping array of speakers, amps, woofers and other audio components—one of the coolest sound systems we’ve ever seen. There’s no galley or head down below, so the 47' is basically an ultra high-performance day

boat. Every bolt, stitch and wire is very high-quality throughout, and there’s a great deal of high-tech stuff going on. Also worth mentioning is the extensive amount of billet work and the aluminum parts that have been made for this boat, including some impressive hood hinges, all fabricated in house by Adrenaline.

“Everything we build is epoxy infused,” says company owner Mike Layton. “We have a lot of things going on under the surface of our builds that you may not notice at first glance, but it kind of shows our drive to keep pushing harder toward a more perfect build.” For example, for the helm seats, Adrenaline CNC cuts tooling to have their own foam molded. In the performance boat world, that’s something of a rarity.

“I wanted to get away from the multiple-

[continues on page 80]

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speedboat.com

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This sports car-inspired model debuted in 2017.

Since then, the builder has dramatically ramped up the “wow factor.”

ADRENALINE 47-ZRX Length: 47'4" Beam: 10'3" Engines on test boat: 2 Mercury Racing 1100s/#6 drives Standard equipment: Forced air system for cooling passengers, 12” Garmin GPS display, proprietary touch screen electronics, rear engine one-touch lift hatch with custom billet lift package, forward entertainment one-touch lift hatch with 8 speakers and 4 horns, 2 cupholders per passenger, SeaDek flooring, custom swim pad with SeaDek, trim tabs and K-plane tabs, touch screen lighted graphic control center, etc.

Manufacturer’s estimated top speed: 135+ mph ADRENALINE POWERBOATS 1110 Commerce Dr. Lincolnton, GA 30817 (706) 359-6899 adrenalinepowerboats.com speedboat.com

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ADRENALINE ZRX

Among the myriad cool features of the ZRX-47: the cool console between the front bolsters that pivots up to allow access into the cabin (above). On the deck is a hatch that opens up to reveal an amazing array of speakers, subwoofers and amps (below left) that make up one of the coolest sound systems we’ve ever seen. Cockpit seating consists of three rows of side-byside bolsters, with a staircase between the rear seats that allows access to the twin Mercury Racing 1100 engines (left).

“The entire boat is built like a high-tech race boat with sophisticated electronics and a Ferrari flair. Mike is kind of an innovator in this respect and has a very good feel for it.”

—Bob Teague 44

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story and photos by Ray

Lee

MERCURY

Racing

Factory Tour

Speedboat Magazine publisher Ray Lee heads to Fond du Lac, WI, to tour the plant that has powered a million muscleboats.

B

ack in 1939, a young, ambitious engineer named E. Carl Kiekhaefer acquired a defunct engine man-

ufacturing plant in Cedarburg, WI, that included 300 outboard engines with the purchase, that had been rejected by a dissatisfied retailer for various reasons.

Having worked a short three-month stint at Evinrude Motors over a decade earlier combined with his unrelenting drive for excellence, he had the idea to redesign and resell the engines to the then retail giant Montgomery Ward–largely in part to raise money to build magnetic separators for the local dairy industry.

These reimagined engines proved to be exceedingly popular, thus the magnetic separators were subsequently shelved and the Kiekhaefer Corporation, and eventually Mercury Marine, was born.

Fast forward to 1973, after gaining great success with his Mercury Marine engines, when Kiekhaefer started a separate subdivision, then called Mercury Performance Products. It was designed specifically for performance product development and to promote the brand of Mercury through boat racing–adopting the phrase, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” The extensively tested power packages quickly gained notoriety (and victories)

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against industry rivals such as Johnson and Kiekhaefer’s former employer, Evinrude.

Today, Mercury Performance Products is now globally known as Mercury Racing and the subdivision of Mercury Marine is the leading manufacturer of high performance outboard and sterndrive engines packages, as well as their massive array of performance propellers and parts and accessories–all built in-house.

There is no other company that comes close to their dedication, innovation and race-proven performance.

Speedboat magazine had the rare opportunity to an exclusive, all access tour of the Fond du Lac, WI facility shortly after the industry giant revealed their popular 450R–a supercharged V8, 4.6L outboard engine that has quickly been rivaling its predecessor, the inline six-cylinder, 2.6L 400R. All of the 126 dedicated and fiercely loyal employees were busy on the floor to complete orders to be shipped all over the world.

Along with the 400R and 450R outboard engines, Mercury Racing offers the 300R and 250R. “Racing’s” sterndrive packages include the 1550/1350 dual calibration engine, the 1350, the 1350/1100 dual calibration engine, the 1100, the 860, the rereleased 700SCi, the 600 SCi, the 565, the 540 and 520. speedboat.com

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Above: An aerial view of the Mercury Racing facility, after hours.

Just moments before, this parking lot was filled with the vehicles of the 126 dedicated employees that are committed to the company.

Left: The flashy reception desk that welcomes you as you enter the building—complete with two versions of the company’s well-recognizable logos. Small scale models of their vintage outboard engines occupy the left rear portion of the wraparound desk.

Above left: Mercury’s 8.2 liter engines on fixtures that hold them in place across the assembly line.

Above right: Performance propellers await the final precision touches from the experienced craftsmen. speedboat.com

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Left: Templates hang for each and every propeller ever made.

Above: Polished props almost complete and ready for shipment to somewhere across the globe.

Below left: Plug-in transmissions along with M-series gimbal rings getting their proper treatment. Below right: Mercury Racing imprinted valve covers prepped for paint before installation. Bottom left: The pristine paint booth where all Mercury Racing parts get expertly painted. Bottom right: Lower gear cases ready for shipment.

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Different stages of assembly for various Mercury Racing sterndrive engines.

All blocks, crankshafts, valves, camshafts, cylinder heads, electrical systems and other parts are repeatedly and meticulously inspected by trained technicians prior to final approval and subsequent shipment.

speedboat.com

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Here we see the different stages of assembly, testing and inspecting the coveted new 450R outboard engines.

Bottom left: One of the most important and utilized pieces of equipment on site: The Dynamometer, or “dyno� for short, is a device for simultaneously measuring the torque and rotational speed of an engine so that its instantaneous power may be calculated.

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Left: Mercury Racing technicians assembling the gear sets of lower (left) and upper (right) units of different outdrives, which include the Bravo One XR series, the Bravo Three XR, the high-horsepower capable M6 and M8 series and the various outboard applications.

Right: Assembling an “M� series gimbal housing assembly. The race-proven M6 and M8 outdrives utilize an innovative dry sump lubrication system for maximum efficiency, power output and is maximum power rated up to an impressive 1650 horsepower.

Bottom left: Gear sets and bearings and prop shafts, oh my!

Bottom right: Mercury Racing Trim Tabs / K-Planes fresh from the paint booths and ready to find their final home on the transoms of various vessels.

speedboat.com

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Top: The always bustling Shipping and Receiving departments is ready to ship products as large as complete engine/drive packages or as small as an oil filter.

Inset: A vintage traveling requisition from Kiekhaefer Mercury, circa 1968-1969.

Left: Mercury Racing’s fitness center, known as MercFitness Zone 36, is where the staff can to go pump iron and relieve stress.

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Right: Tiles on the famed “Walkway to Success” inside the plant–signed, dated and sealed by Craig Colabella (Lake X) and former Mercury Racing President and innovator Fred Kiekhaefer. Fred is the son of Mercury Marine founder E. Carl Kiekhaefer.

Below: Engines on display in the lobby: a classic 1956 Mercury 30-hp Mark 30H outboard engine alongside a current Mercury Racing 1550/1350 dual calibration engine on an M8 outdrive.

Left: A 2001 Mercury Racing 300ProMax outboard engine and an original 1969 125hp Mercury 1250-bp outboard engine– often referred to as the “stacker motor.”

speedboat.com

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by Brett

Bayne photography by Keith Marchand and Dianne Tilocco-Bird

VICE SQUAD

This “Miami Vice” edition Wellcraft Scarab was built in the ‘80s, but thanks to owner Sammy Tamburrino, it looks brand-new.

O

f the 30 or so “Miami Vice Edition” Scarabs built by Wellcraft in the 1980s, one

has just received a major facelift. The boat has been completely overhauled by its owner, Sammy Tamburrino of Ohio-based Fine Line Auto Body and Collision.

Although the shop’s specialty is insurance-related auto and marine body work, owner Tamburrino has the resources to perform major restorations on boats— and after dreaming of owning one of these Scarabs for decades, he finally got his chance in August 2016. It was the beginning of a 19-month odyssey that involved re-painting, re-glassing, re-rigging and plenty of other words starting with “re.”

Tamburrino’s boat—the ninth Miami Vice entry, for those counting—was origi-

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nally owned by a gentleman in Monroe, MI, who had it for about 30 years. It was then sold to a buyer in Naples, FL, who then sold it to Tamburrino.

From there, he totally disassembled the boat, installed new stringers and bulkheads, rebuilt the interior and cuddy cabin, updated all of the electronics, refreshed the engines, etc. The boat features 650-hp engines coupled to Mercury Racing XR Sportmaster drives. The boat may have been built in 1986, but it looks like a brand-new boat.

Tamburrino’s passion for the Scarab began around the time the Miami Vice edition was released in the 1980s. “It was featured at the Cleveland Boat Show,” he recalls. “I walked in and there it was. I would liked to have bought it right there on the spot, but I couldn’t afford it at the

time—it was $140,000.”

Ironically, about 10 years ago, he came face to face with the boat again in Monroe, MI. “There it sat on a trailer, at the same marina where I was attending a perch fry.

I saw it and walked away…I didn’t even want to look at it. But ultimately, in the end, I wound up with it.”

All of the work was done at Fine Line, which is located about an eighth of a mile from Lake Erie. The completely restored boat was shown off at the street parade during this year’s Offshore Grand Prix powerboat race in Mentor, OH. When the weather becomes more conducive, the folks at the shop plan to start some serious water-testing and dialing-in on the Wellcraft.

The boat sits on the original Myco trailer that Tamburrino restored. speedboat.com

2/18/20 11:01 PM

Tamburrino gives special thanks to the following individuals: • Jeff Wagner, who built the Scarab’s engines, custom brackets and other hardware.

• Good friend Randy Trebec, “Glass Dave” Sikorsky, Bob Peterson, carpentry wizard Frank Lino, Randy Biro, rigger Steve Lapinta, Mike Delembo, Dave Davis, Mike Mays at CP Performance and John Salvatore at Marine Mat. • Brian Holmes, who owns the exact twin to Tamburrino’s boat. “They were both built at Wellcraft next to each other from October to December 1985,” Tamburrino says. “He bought his about three years ago and restored it, and I helped him with the rebuild. Then he helped me work on mine, doing all of the rigging and wiring on it.” speedboat.com

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The project begins with the teardown of the original 1986 400 Cyclone engines and TRS drives.

Below: A new transom was fabricated out of three sheets of 3/4" plywood.

Above: Tamburrino built all-new stringers for the Scarab.

Right: All of the holes have been filled with fiberglass.

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Right: A jig is used to cut out holes in the new transom.

Far right: The new 572 Chevy engines (650 hp) are temporarily placed inside the restored engine compartment.

A view of the new engine well and transom. New Bravo drives will join the 572 engines.

Below: This sequence details the restoration of the dash and controls.

Above: Construction begins on the rear seating. The floor of the cockpit area has been opened up for the fuel tank; new side pieces show where the glassing will take place.

New battery boxes are constructed out of plywood, later covered over with resin. speedboat.com

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Here’s a damaged part of the bow where extra TLC was needed.

Top right: A six-color faded stripe down the side of the boat is being freshened up in the paint shop.

Right: The original seats were recovered and new Eddie Marine seat bases were used.

Below: The Scarab’s original arch was restored and refinished.

Bottom right: The boat’s original engine hatch looks as good as new!

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Left and below: The paint is now done and the hull is being buffed by Bob Peterson.

The new Bravo XR drives are installed.

The spruced-up cabin looks cool with mood LED lightning. speedboat.com

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Sam Tamburrino originally spotted the Wellcraft Scarab at a fish fry in Monroe, MI. “I walked right by it,” he says. “I couldn’t even look at it. I ended up finding it down in Naples, FL, where it had been purchased by a gentleman named Tony. He wanted to sell it

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[MTI continued from page 30]

[FOUNTAIN continued from page 26]

use, the rear of the bed folds up to create a limo-style seat for riding or to escape the out of doors. There’s a galley area and an electric flush head concealed below an additional seating area.

One other popular feature of this boat is the bar/fridge built into the back of the second row of bolsters. Our MTI had a couple of bottles of wine on the racks to bust out in case of a thirst emergency.

Cupholders have been strategically placed all over the boat.

“This boat is gorgeous,” said evaluator Bob Teague. “These boats are built by people who boat. It’s big enough to do just about everything—not overwhelmingly large, and a real comfortable ride.”

Fit and finish throughout the boat is simply spectacular, with SeaDek floors and impeccable layout and workmanship. The dash features three large Garmin screens and the pilots are protected from wind by flares on either side of the windshield.

Teague gave high marks to the boat’s wiring and access to minor services: “Everything like that is first-rate,” he says. “Seat construction and steering are extremely well done.”

Performancewise, the boat’s nimble and quick, taking just about 3.2 seconds to get on plane and taking barely 20 seconds from dead in the water to 77 mph.

Even with nobody in the bow, we were able to reach plane with virtually no loss of horizon visibility—it comes up nice and flat. As Teague says, “That’s pretty darn good.” Another huge plus is the boat’s ability to turn well, especially for an outboard-powered center console. “You can do slaloms with it, and it’ll do whatever you tell it to do. It’s one of the besthandling vee bottoms in that respect.”

Our team really admired the boat’s handling characteristics. We did note that the trim doesn’t need much coaxing—just give it a little tap, and it responds quickly.

The boat tracks perfectly, with phenomenal throttle response. It did take a while to squeeze out the last few mph out of it, but we did wind up with 83.3 on the top end.

This boat is a stunner.

Driving some larger boats can be intimidating for those who haven’t had a lot of seat time. In particular, maneuvering around the docks in a boat this big can be challenging. But the combination of this hull and the state-of-the-art Mercury Racing engines is really a game changer. Virtually everything about the 47 Lightning was very easy and predictable.

Maneuvering and driving it actually does not require as much input as you might expect. The 1550/1350s make docking and getting on plane—everything boaters used to struggle with in the past with big power—is infinitely easier now. In addition, these engines are much quieter and more docile.

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Once you roll the boat up on plane, you’ll know what we mean. It doesn’t require a lot of effort, but at the same time, you definitely know you’ve got an abundance of power behind you. The Lightning reacts superbly, and turning the boat is also a pleasure. It carries itself with ease, and reacts like a much smaller boat if you an evasive maneuver is required. As we say, it’s just very predictable and easy to run.

Although we did record some acceleration data, our team did not attempt to get a top speed, as wind and water conditions did not permit it. But Fountain predicts 125 mph in 1350 mode, and 138 in 1550 mode. We’re counting the days until our next opportunity.

[CIGARETTE continued from page 34] thing in this boat, from the gelcoat and the interior to the cabin and the engine compartment. It’s a very attractive design, executed flawlessly.

The comfort factor on this boat is, like most of the other boxes ticked off by evaluator Bob Teague, a perfect “10.” The seating in the cockpit has been fabricated with plush Alcantara fabric, which is always a beautiful sight to our test team. The cabin down below features two facing loungers with a bed in the nose of the bow and carpeting on the floor in both the cabin and the cockpit. The reds in particular really “pop” on this boat.

Cigarette has adorned the dash with Garmin 7612 screens and Livorsi analog gauges, with speedos built in to the back of the bolsters for the rear passengers to view.

That rear seating area consists of three separately molded areas, and as we say, they’re plush and extremely comfortable.

“There’s just nothing not to like about this boat,” Teague says. “Not only is all the mold work great, the paint job on it is beautiful. It’s got great upholstery with a mix of vinyl and Alcantara.” Teague also admired the device for hydraulically opening the engine hatch. “The installation on the engines is as good as it gets,” he adds.

The 42X features a deflector-type windshield that does a nice job. It’s got a bitchin’

JL Audio stereo system, which sounded great as we were doing our customer dryland inspection. All of the wiring has been executed in straightforward manner and in great style. Custom billet hardware, including a very attractive swim step, foot rests, etc., can be found all through this boat, another stylish touch. Everything else about the boat, including the overall fit and finish, carpet installation, steering and attention to detail—received a “10” from Teague. That’s about as good as it gets.

Teague called this his favorite boat to drive during LOTO, which is saying quite a lot. The way this boat has been set up, it’s an accelerating phenomenon—hit the throttles, and the result is much like the previous 42X we tested. It’s fast out of the hole, and it charges hard through all of the speed ranges. After all, this was the fastest Cigarette at the Cigarette Rendezvous gathering for the last two years running.

“This boat is bad to the bone,” Teague says.

“It handles perfectly; I really loved cruising at 100 mph. The bottom works extremely well—it doesn’t do anything tricky. The 1350s really give it a lot of punch.” Test driver Myrick Coil got the 42X to go 132 mph, which makes it one of the fastest Cigarettes out there—at least, we don’t know of any others that go faster. speedboat.com

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Brett’s

Featuring HOT Hallett

New Year’s Regatta speedboat.com

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COOL photography by

Ray Lee

COLE

Scott Broviak enlisted paint wizard Mark Tramontano to turn his TR-2 into a work of art.

The Cole TR-2 is powered by a 540-c.i. big-block Chevy with 1471 blower, AFR heads, Casale V-drive and Lenco clutch.

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ans of the National Jet Boat Association race circuit may

recognize the name Scott Broviak, who has campaigned a few different boats in classes like Blown Gas Flat and Blown Alcohol.

His current rocketship is a 1984 Cole TR-2, which races in the BGF class on Lake Ming.

Broviak’s passion for power began, as it does with many of us, as a child.

His family had a residence at the river, and his dad used to take the kids to the dragboat races at Long Beach. “That’s kind of how it all started,” he recalls.

Later, Broviak raced motorcycles— until he got hurt a couple of times, and his doctor ordered him off the track at the ripe old age of 22. “So I got a boat, and that was that,” he chuckles.

Among the boats he’s raced include a Cole TR-1 and a Mako, the latter of which propelled him to a Comp Jet championship in NJBA. He briefly made the switch to Blown Alcohol, then left the sport for a spell before returning to campaign a 1978 DiMarco known as The Black Boat, which he ran in the Blown Gas class.

His newest boat, the red Cole TR-2, is powered by a 540-c.i. big-block Chevy with 1471 blower, AFR heads, Casale V-drive and Lenco clutch. The boat was “pretty much a junk deal” when his friend Mark Tramontano of AquaDynamics (Glendora, CA) saw it as a bare hull sitting out in the high desert. He notified Broviak, who picked it up and Tramontano started working on it at once (see the following pages for restoration details). “It took a long time to get done,” he says. “It took real patience, and I’m grateful to all my friends who helped me along the way.” Tramontano has given the Cole a truly gorgeous custom paint job, as our photos testify.

Broviak gives special thanks to motor guys Dan Douglas of Midnite Marine and Lew Larson Racing.

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COOL

Above and right: The Cole in its original condition when Tramontano received the hull. Left: Finishing up all of the body work that needed to be done on the hull at home.

Below: The boat is flipped upside down as the sides and the bottom are prepped.

Above: Tramontano has finished priming the bottom and the sides. Above right: The final primer has been completed, then off to the shop.

Below right: The fiberglass bodywork including final grinding of fiberglass is completed as well as the final black gel coat/clear flow coat. With the floors done, the boat is now ready for some color.

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Above: Graphics and fading are laid out on the deck, sides and transom. After the base coat fading is completed, it’s time for the transparent candy red to be applied.

Left: Mark’s son, Jonathan Tramontano, outlines the deck for gold stripe masking. He is learning each step to know how much work goes into painting a boat.

Below: Unmasking the final coats of clear. Mark added his company logo, AquaDynamics.

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COOL

Left and below: Broviak drives the Cole TR-2 on Lake Ming in Bakersfield at a 2019 National Jet Boat Association race. He competes in Blown Gas Flat class. He previously campaigned a DiMarco and a Cole TR-1 in competition.

Bottom left and right: Details of the interior, dash and engine. The hull is a genuine show piece, and really attracts a lot of attention from spectators.

A lot of the engine components were acquired from race legends Andy Dement and Bill Diez; the blower was supplied by Fred Hart.

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These photos were taken at Lake Elsinore, CA, during last year’s Summer Swimsuit photo session by Speedboat Magazine co-publisher Ray Lee. Our model Nicole looks simply stunning on board the Cole!

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Hallett

Hot

T

his 1974 Hallett is owned by Brandon Johnson, who alternates between living for two

weeks in Southern California and then spending two weeks working at the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field in Alaska.

As a young man, his father Mark owned an old Witchcraft hot boat, and his uncles had boats as well. Brandon always wanted a boat, so he picked up a 1978 Bahner. But marriage, children and other responsibilities forced him to get rid of his boat. Now 47 and remarried, he’d been wanting to pick up another boat when his Dad was driving down the

story by

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Brett Bayne

and photos by

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street in Rancho Cucamonga in 2018 and spotted the Hallett with a $700 price tag.

It was full of garbage—not to mention some dead rats and birds. “So then we just decided, OK, let’s do this. And the rest is history,” he says.

The boat required a major dose of TLC, including new paint, new power, new interior, etc. Johnson got in touch with Greg Shoemaker of GS Marine, who oversaw the complete restoration of the rig: new fiberglass, gelcoat, interior, etc., and installed a Berkeley jet with impeller.

Brandon’s father Mark Johnson is owner of the Eliminator 260 Eagle XP

midcabin cuddy prominently featured in the July 2019 issue of Speedboat. His boat’s 540 big-block Chevy engine was built by George at J&M Speed Center (Riverside, CA), so he was hired to build a 512 motor for Brandon’s Hallett as well. “It’s nothing super fancy—675 hp, which makes it capable of hitting 86 mph,” Brandon says.

“I think next year, I’d like to put a blower on it, because the way that boats sits, I think it would look really cool.”

Johnson uses the boat all summer with wife Cindy, mostly on Lake Elsinore and the Colorado River. The boat sits on the original 1974 trailer.

Ray Lee

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This beauty was looking pretty pathetic when owner Brandon Johnson paid $700 for it a couple of years ago. Greg Shoemaker at GS Marine helped bring out its magnificence.

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Above: Here’s how the Hallett looked when Brandon’s father Mark spotted it with a $700 price tag on it. Working with Greg Shoemaker of GS Marine, the Johnson clan was able to see it transformed in a genuine show piece.

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Above: Shoemaker installed a new Berkeley jet drive with impeller. Working with the 512-c.i. motor, the Hallett is capable of speeds up to 86 mph. Right: The boat’s freshened dash. The driver utilizes a foot pedal.

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story and photography by

Mark McLaughlin

2020

Horsepower

Above: Dino Iacovino piloted his 1965 Stevens Silhouette around the lake with copilot Joe Bolin, who was standing on the launch ramp just itching for a ride. Left: The famous hand-carved sign hanging over the entrance to the launch ramp is close to 40 years old, built by Bill Goss, previous owner of the park.

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Continuing an annual tradition, the Southern California go-fast crowd celebrates the new year at Lake Elsinore.

F

or the 10th year running, Wade Addington has opened the doors of his Weekend Paradise

RV Park, located at Southern California’s Lake Elsinore, to the local go-fast boating crowd to ring in the new year. This informal get-together for enthusiasts and racers includes a beach area and barbecues. As you can see by the photos, the weather and water conditions were perfect for the more than 600 spectators, who enjoyed a free lunch, compliments of hosts Wade and Gloria Addington. Over 1,000 hot dogs were

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served, and around 50 boats were on hand to celebrate the arrival of 2020.

The opening act for New Year’s Day would prove to be a memorable one.

Chris Schock got the OK to put his 2002 Biesemeyer K Boat in the water first for the beginning of the regatta. His 468 Chevy-powered blown injected monster machine surely woke up the New Year’s Day sleepyheads as he went out and tore up the course. The Scott Steele-prepared hull just glowed in the morning sun with the wild colors all over the boat and helmet.

Also tearing up the New Year’s Day water Craig Haller in his Cole flatbottom, which was about three years under construction. Prepped by Don Mumma Fantasy Rigging, the boat features an impressive dual-tank configuration (Haller decided to be a little bit different by ordering this setup). His 1978 TR-2 was stripped of all its hardware and was totally re-gelcoated, with new carbon fiber floors added, along with a new paint job. He also dropped in a 500-c.i. injected Donovan. It’s a must-see machine for restoration enthusiasts.

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2020

Boats are all lined up on their trailers, and none other than Wade Addington’s own 1970 Kindsvater 542 blown Chevy is seen sitting in the front row! Right: Patrick Kelley shoes his 540-c.i. blown Dart-powered Sanger Shovelnose hydro.

Above and right: Dual-fuel tank setup

by Don Mumma in Craig Haller’s Cole flatty. The boat has been under construction for over three years by owner Haller.

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Right: Tim Wingfield in Ugly Customer makes some laps around the course. His ’82 Canyon flatty has a 532 Chevy on blown gas behind him. With that power, Wingfield suits up properly with all the safety gear, including jacket and helmet.

Left: This 1988 Howard is owned and driven by James Stevens, and co-piloted by Taylor Stevens. Their GN boat has been featured before in previous magazines and is pushed by a 496 with 1471 blower.

Right: With his motor home set up, along with his boat, trailer and tow rig, Mike Chadwick clearly wanted a good pit spot! Riding alongside him is Regina Golecki in his 1975 Record flatbottom race boat.

This boat of Chadwick’s is running with a 482 Chevy on E-85 fuel.

Left: Chris Schock got the nod to put his 2002 Biesemeyer K Boat in the water first for the beginning of the regatta. His 468 Chevypowered blown injected monster machine surely woke up the New Year’s Day sleepyheads! The Scott Steeleprepared Biesmeyer just glowed in the morning sun with the wild colors all over the boat and helmet. speedboat.com

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2/19/20 3:00 AM

[DONZI continued from page 38] The boat was equipped with F16-style quarter-canopy windshields that offered 20/20 clarity and custom yellow-tinted Livorsi gauges on top of a carbon-fiber dash, along with a Garmin screen. Our Donzi had been equipped with port-side steering, with shifters and controls set up on the driver’s right side. Seats throughout the cockpit, beige in color, were extremely comfortable—so plush and accommodating, in fact, that you’re likely to feel like you’re virtually wrapped inside your seat.

Everything was meticulously laid out and ergonomically correct, like the nice wide armrests. Behind the pilot’s bucket seat, there’s an agreeably roomy cockpit with three molded-in bolster-type seats in the back with dedicated armrests for each passenger. The Donzi ZRC logo was stitched into the center of the three seats, as well as the two front seats. SeaDek flooring and a top-of-the-line JL Audio system were two

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[ADRENALINE continued from page 42] other excellent flourishes.

Our drivetrain consisted of staggered Mercury Racing 860 engines coupled to #6 drives and Mercury Racing five-blade 17.5x32 stainless steel propellers, which afforded a very stable ride at high speeds.

We can’t say there’s an abundance of power on the low end, but it’s got decent acceleration and gets on plane relatively quickly.

Then, when you get into the rpms above 4,000, the boat really comes alive and the naturally aspirated turbos start making some real power. Because of weather conditions, we did not attempt a record a top speed, but Donzi says it has had it to 120 mph.

Iconic Marine Group has done a superlative job preserving the classic Donzi feel, look and legacy with the ZRC. It’s a boat that will undoubtedly prove popular with the more mature boating customers, and hopefully attract new converts as well.

part seats where the a lot of pads are screwed together,” he says. “So if you look at the seat back, it’s a one-piece cover, and it’s got a lot of lumbar support.” Adds Bob Teague: “The entire boat is built like a high-tech race boat with sophisticated electronics and a Ferrari flair. Mike is kind of an innovator in this respect and has a very good feel for it.”

As for the performance, the marriage of this hull and the 1100s is an ideal union.

The boat weighs only 11,000 pounds, so the drivetrain gave us blistering acceleration and a smooth, steady ride that carved through the waves with ease. Adrenaline reports a top speed of 135+ mph, and might be propped for even higher speeds, but you’d lose that great holeshot performance. The 47' has made a huge impression on the poker run circuit, and we can’t wait to drive the 54'.

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RAY LEE

every previous L.A. Boat Show as an attendee, selling their T-shirts, hats and other swag.

Other notables were CMI/Livorsi, Eddie Marine, AO Coolers, Wozencraft Insurance, and industry powerhouse Mercury Racing, who was also displaying for the first time in nearly 10 years.

CP Performance and Hardin Marine came all the way from Florida to be at the show and hasn’t missed one in years.

“We travel across the country to be in L.A. because it’s a huge enthusiast market. ‘So Cal’ was the innovator of custom boats and being the largest specialty supplier means we’re here to support all of the boaters,” they explained.

But it isn’t enough to simply display at the show. They are all there to sell their products.

And sell, they did.

Thane Tiemer, General Manager of Nordic Boats and Hallett Boats, admits that they had a great four days of the L.A. Boat Show and their “best first day of the show, ever.”

“We took a total of seven deposits (for new boat builds) on the opening day of Thursday. I think it was a record for us,” said, Tiemer.

Tony Chiaramonte, co-owner of DCB Performance Boats reports that they had a great show, as well––selling three of their popular M28R walk-through, open bow catamarans, each with two of the exceedingly popular Mercury Racing 450R supercharged outboard engines.

Although the L.A. Boat Show hasn’t quite returned to the heyday of the “good ol’ days,” it’s fair to say that it is well on its

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[Continued from page 8]

way. All exhibitors reported having good/ great results from being a part of it. And with any luck and a continued strong economy, maybe soon it will. Because there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of

enthusiastic performance boaters.

The 65th Annual Los Angeles Boat Show will again be hosted at the Pomona Fairplex and run from Thursday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.

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