November 2019 Speedboat

S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE

INSIDE: LAKE POWELL’S POWER & POKER

LAKE OF THE OZARKS

SHOOTOUT

SHOWDOWN SEE PAGE 12

FULL COVERAGE:

N O V EM B E R 20 19

D Lake Powell Challenge D Big Cat Poker Run D Clearwater Offshore Race D Skaterfest D Emerald Coast Poker Run N OVEMBER 2019 $4.99US/CAN

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FIVE FOR FIVE! Cosker and Battiato Take American Ethanol To 201 mph for Top Gun Trophy #5

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TABLE OF

NOVEMBER 2019

COLUMNS

8 RAY LEE 10 BOB TEAGUE 11 INDUSTRY NEWS

38 BIG CAT POKER RUN

FEATURES

Race World Offshore officially takes the reins of the popular Florida competition.

12 SHOOTOUT SHOWDOWN

50 LAKE POWELL CHALLENGE

Don Onken’s 51' Mystic American Ethanol wins Top Gun honors at the iconic shootout for the fifth consecutive year.

34 SKATER CELEBRATION

Organizer Ron Szolack brings Skater owners together on Lake St. Clair for a wild and crazy show of muscle.

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Dozens of muscleboats set course for Discovery Bay, CA, for a weekend of fun, sun and cards.

44 CLEARWATER OFFSHORE NATIONALS

Arguably the most picturesque setting for a poker run, this world-famous event helps raise big bucks for charity.

58 EMERALD COAST POKER RUN

Stu Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club leads 90 teams on a 120-mile course through the sun-drenched Gulf Coast.

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Cover Photo by Tom Leigh Table of Contents photo by Tom Leigh

Speedboat.com Published by DCO Enterprises, LLC Publishers

Ray Lee

ray@speedboat.com

Chris Davidson

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Editor

Brett Bayne

Senior Tech Editors

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Jim Wilkes

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Tech Editors

National Sales Director Art Director Helicopter Services Photographers

62 SNAKE SHOCKER

The Idaho jetboat race is cut short after two separate boat crashes end in tragedy.

68 SHOCKWAVE REGATTA

Company President Bob Anderson throws a season-ending party for his faithful customers in Lake Havasu.

72 PERFECT PROTECTION

Lucas Oil Marine Products provide heavy-duty protection for your boat’s engine.

76 LONG BEACH SPRINT NATIONALS

The Southern California Speedboat Club overcomes thorny legal hurdles to put on a truly spectacular show.

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

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Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins Ray Lee

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Gail Hada-Insley Fred Young

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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.

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10/18/19 10:28 PM

RAY LEE

For every up, there must be a down.

For every in, there must be an out.

And for every beginning, there must be an end.

That “end” came for Mercury Racing’s Senior Marketing Manager Rick Mackie

Celebrating Mercury & Mackie on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, and I was fortunate enough to be there with him (along with many of his colleagues) in Fond du Lac, WI to celebrate his illustrious career of over three decades.

Mackie, who I am blessed to call him a friend, achieved his boyhood dream to work for and make a life’s career at the very company he admired growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, WI. Then called Mercury Hi-Performance, he started as a delivery van driver and eventually worked his way up to the esteemed position of Senior Marketing Manager, where he has completed his work to the admiration and respect of not only his peers at “Racing,” but the entire performance boating industry. (Full story in Industry News, Page 11.)

After hearing of his impending retirement, I jumped at Rick’s invitation to come out to Wisconsin to tour both the Mercury Racing and the Mercury Marine facilities during his final days.

Despite being a very busy time for us here at Speedboat, I knew this would be an opportunity of a lifetime to be escorted by my friend around the hallowed grounds of where so many dreams and memories of families and enthusiasts were created.

Even before my trip was booked, Rick had my itinerary filled with cool things to do–both professionally and casually. So I made my arrangements accordingly and planned to stay the full week in the town

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Top: Mackie’s Jeep Grand Cherokee sits in front of Mercury Racing’s main facility.

Above: Front row, L-R: Tom Holt, Andrea Jansen, Denise Reichow, John Skroski, Kevin Skiba, Krista Skiba. Second row, L-R: Scott Reichow, Rick Mackie, Nick Petersen, Ryan Russel, Chris Moore. of Fond du Lac. My Mercury Racing tour was scheduled for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13. This was to be my first time there and I was geeking out over all of the cool things I was about to see. This tour, personally conducted by Mackie for a party of one, did not disappoint. In fact, it far exceeded what I had even hoped for.

I was shown around the entire facility while getting to speak to a few of the 120 dedicated employees on the floor that produce the hardware that quite literally propels our industry.

The day ended several hours later with riveting and candid conversations with

the omnipresent Global Supply Chain Analyst Dale Rose and current General Manager Stuart Halley, respectively.

Rose, who had started at Mercury working under Carl Kiekhaefer since back in the day and was also retiring after 40+ years, shared amazing stories of how Mr. Kiekhaefer would run the fledgling plant with an equal balance of an iron fist and a contrastingly gentle touch. And to hear the passion and dedication of Mr. Halley’s vision for the future of Mercury Racing had me excited to see what more they could possibly bring to the industry.

It was an exclusive journey of past, present and future of this company that I was speedboat.com

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Far left: Pouring steel into propeller castings. Left: Dale Rose with Rick Mackie. Below: Mackie with propeller technician Andy Fiedler. Bottom: Mercury Racing brand manager Andrea Jansen hugs Mackie goodbye on his final day.

honored to take part in. I earned a better understanding of just how much the team from Fond du Lac puts into their products and preserving their legacy.

My Mercury Marine tour was then scheduled for 10:15 a.m. the next day where Rick and I were to join a dealer group tour from Brazil. Now, I had been thoroughly impressed with the previous day’s tour of “Racing” but this “Marine” tour was on another level. With mandatory safety glasses, steel toe slip-on “sandals,” yellow neon construction vests, and photo ID badges, this tour of the 2.5 million square foot facility that employs 3,600 Wisconsinites, was serious business.

From outboards to propellers, gear sets to prop shafts, Mercury Marine proved why they are the leading force in boating, with no intentions of letting that honor go. Around-the-clock, robotic “employees” kept assembling engines while actual humans did the same in different areas of the plant. It was a sea of coveted Mercury parts, going together like a mechanical symphony. But the most impressive part of the tour, which was saved for last, was the casting of the propellers.

Specialists wearing full protective gear, reminiscent of the outer space comics from the 1950s, poured molten hot liquid steel into the casts of individually specific propellers. You could feel the intense heat emanating from these pours. Once cooled, the casts are broken away to reveal the nearly finished propeller that will reside on the business end of an outdrive. This process was so speedboat.com

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exclusive that I had to get special permission to take photos of it. A full Factory Tour of both facilities will be featured here in upcoming 2020 issues.

Friday, Aug. 16, was Rick Mackie’s official “last day” of work at Mercury Racing.

They had originally scheduled his sendoff party for that evening but had to postpone it, due to scheduling conflicts.

But a celebration was crucial for that special day so his fellow “Racing” colleagues, Andrea Jansen, Scott Reichow, Kevin Skiba, Nick Petersen and several others gathered at a cool local restaurant/bar called “Big Al Capone’s,” which was named after the infamous gangster who reportedly frequented the establishment. With a machine gun-riddled 1947 blue Chevrolet sedan in the background, fond memories, smiles and cherry bomb shots were shared well into the night to celebrate the man with the infectious

laugh and heart of gold.

Thank you, Rick, for all that you’ve contributed to the world of high performance boating. I hope you’re enjoying your retirement and I look forward to getting back out on your Mercurypowered, Led Zeppelin-fueled Sea Ray SDX 240 to meet up with the Jansen’s at Stretches again for some chips, dip and inappropriate humor.

Cheers!

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10/18/19 10:28 PM

BOB TEAGUE Headers for 454 Magnum MPI Dear Bob: I have a 27’ Checkmate with a 454 Magnum MPI. Currently, the exhaust is stock MerCruiser cast iron manifolds and risers. The boat is also equipped with the Corsa Captain’s Call switchable system that diverts the exhaust through the propeller hub when activated. I need to keep the ability to silence the engine. I was planning on doing some upgrades to the engine soon with a more aggressive camshaft profile that is similar to what is used in the Mercury Racing 525EFI.

CMI 454/502 E-Top (polished version).

I have been told that my stock exhaust system will hinder performance and their use may result in exhaust water reversion with the increased cam duration.

I was considering the CMI part number 13186, but I need to know if they can be installed in conjunction with my current Captain’s Call system. If not, what system will work?

Thanks, Damian Zapata Odessa, TX The CMI 13186 is the satin finish 454/502 one-piece Elbow Top header.

This header is also available in a polished

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finish for an additional charge. These headers are the same as the 496 Elbow Tops but do not have the required sensor fittings that are used with the 496 engines.

Some single engine boats similar to yours, such as those built by Baja, used a spacer between the exhaust manifold and riser.

If your current stock exhaust has that 2” spacer, then the 13186 CMI headers would not work. If it does not have the spacer between the manifolds and risers, then the 13186 CMI headers will work. If you have the 2-inch spacer blocks between the stock manifolds and risers, the header is also available in a 2-inch taller version that should work the same in that application depending on the location of the exhaust ports in the transom.

If your engine is completely stock, you should opt for the mounting brackets that are added to the headers for the shift bracket, ECU mounting box, and the oil filter mount. These brackets are welded onto the headers, so the stock accessories end up in the same place on the motor. The oil filter mounting bracket varies from engines equipped with vee-belts compared to the engines using a serpentine belt.

The 525EFI cam has a 236 degrees intake duration and 244 degrees exhaust duration at .050” of camshaft lift. Make sure your version has a 114-degree lobe separation which will help control exhaust water reversion. The cam you selected is normally used with a 502 to 509 cubic inch motor. When used with a smaller cubic inch motor by comparison, the cam will be a little more radical.

You will not be able to use the stock valve springs with the more aggressive higher lift camshaft. You should select a dual dampened spring that will install at about 150 or 160 pounds on the seat and is close to about 480 pounds “over the nose” with at least .080” coil bind clearance. If your heads are stock, with stock length valves, Competition Cams part number 929, or PAC TVS 1632 are decent choices at reasonable prices. They install at 1.880” to achieve the desired set up. I would go with 10-degree locks and steel retainers that fit the spring properly. If the valves are

too short to accommodate the needed installed height, .100” longer valves are available. Remember, the exhaust valves must be Inconel or Super Alloy.

Isky Tool Room part number 9925 is a premier spring that will install correctly at about 1.950 inches with the longer valves. I also recommend upgrading to higher performance hydraulic roller lifters. If your motor is a Gen VI, with the lifter guide blocks, do not use the guide blocks and “spider” that holds them in place and opt for high quality short travel lifters with tie bars. We use a lifter that is made to our specs by Johnson Lifters that require push rods that are about .175” longer. The late model Crane lifters seem good lately and use the same length push rod as the stock lifter, with all things being equal. This would also be a good time to upgrade your rocker studs. The Gen V and VI heads use a stud that is 3/8-16 on the underside and 7/16-20 on top. The best choice is the ARP RRS-6H stud available in a kit (part number 135-7102) which is made of their best material.

Most of the good aftermarket lifters have taller bodies. In some cases, the button that holds the tie bar can hit the valley tray that is under the intake manifold. It may be necessary to put 8 dents in the tray to provide clearance. Do not omit the valley tray because it provides oil control to protect the underside of the intake manifold from excessive heat and more importantly serves as a baffle to prevent oil from being sucked up by the PCV valve on engines so equipped.

Your 454 Magnum uses a MEFI 3 ECM which is no longer supported. If you change the cam profile, and add headers, the ECM will have to be reprogrammed, Ultimately, you might want to have O2 bungs installed in the headers so that you can verify the new program with a wide band air-fuel ratio monitor. Also, it would be a good idea to modify the fuel system adding an adjustable fuel pressure regulator. Having the extra power might require higher operating fuel pressure. speedboat.com

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ADRENALINE POWERBOATS Building ZRX-54 and 47' Center Console

M

ike Layton, owner of Lincolnton, GA-based Adrenaline Powerboats,

has announced that the company is currently tooling two new go-fast vee hulls: the ZRX-54 and a 47-foot center-console model.

Adrenaline has been wowing the industry with two ultra-luxurious speedboats: the outboard-powered 45 Speede and the ZRX-47, equipped with sterndrives. 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. Both have been shown at the Miami International Boat Show, and have participated

in events like the 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run and the Jacksonville River Rally.

Layton told Speedboat that the new 54 will be “the big brother” of the 47.

“They’re very similar and share a lot of tooling,” he said. Meanwhile, the center console model—as yet unnamed—is a design that Adrenaline has been working on for some time. Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Layton shared an image of an artist’s rendering of the boat to social media. “It’s a sort of teaser picture,” Layton says. “I couldn’t take it anymore—I just had to show people.

Mercury Racing Veteran RICK MACKIE RETIRES

When any new era begins—like when Mercury Racing unveiled its 400R outboard—it’s like the sound of a door opening.

And when any existing era ends—like when Senior Marketing Manager Rick Mackie retires this month after a 30-year association with Mercury Racing—the speedboat.com

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sound of a massive door slamming shut will be deafening.

In a career that has encompassed everything from two-seater tunnel boats to the introduction of the new 450R outboard, there’s very little that Mackie hasn’t witnessed in the marine industry. His ten-

The design is not completely fleshed out yet, but it’s very close.”

Layton said the new boats will follow the same construction plan as the ZRX-47 and 45 Speede. “They will follow suit with the other boats that we build,” he said.

“Everything we build is epoxy infused.”

The base engines on the 54 will be twin staggered 1350s, while the center console will typically feature Mercury Racing 450Rs, which is how the first customers have ordered it.

Expect to see the center console by Spring 2020; the first 54 out of the mold will likely be later that year.

ure at Mercury Racing pre-dates even the very name of the company: He joined the staff of Mercury Hi-Performance in 1988, when he was 26 years old.

“I’ve been near the water all of my life, and I’ve always been around Mercury,” Mackie says. “We had Mercury power on our family boats, and my brother was a Mercury tech during the summer. As kids, he and I built race boats together that were always Mercury-powered.

It was almost my destiny to work at Mercury, and for 30 years my dream came true.”

A product support specialist focusing on tunnel boat competition, Mackie drove a “box van” (a precursor to today’s hightech marketing trucks) equipped with Mercury-branded apparel and merchandise to races across the U.S. and Canada.

It could also haul a spare powerhead and gear case, along with a two-seater tunnel boat, on which he gave rides to members [Continues on page 67] S P E E D B O A T | November 2019

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Lake of the Ozarks

SHOOTOUT

photography by

Todd Taylor, Tom Leigh

and Ray Lee

Above: Driver Rob Unnerstall and throttleman Casey Boaz make a pass in their 32' Doug Wright CR Racing (they achieved 121 mph). Below left: Brittany Dunn, representing her fiancé’s Cigarette center console, War Party, at the Supercat Fest bikini contest.

F

or the fifth consecutive year, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout saw Onken Racing’s American Ethanol—the 51' Mystic catamaran campaigned by driver Tony Battiato and throttleman John Cosker—take Top

Gun honors for clocking the best speed on the course. The streak began in 2015, with a 208 mph run (with Myrick Coil and John Cosker in the cockpit), followed up with a blistering 217-mph run in 2016 by Battiato and Cosker. With the course shortened to 3/4 of a mile in 2017, the duo hit 204 mph both that year and in 2018. This year, the boys had to settle for 201 mph, because the boat (powered by quad, piston-powered Onken Racing custom engines with around 9,000 hp) threw a propeller blade that damaged its hull when they sought a better number. But it was enough to earn them a “five-peat,” as no other competitor broke the 200-mph mark.

Event organizer “Captain Ron” Duggan said this 31st annual event, which comprises a street party, poker run, silent auction and other activities, went off extremely well this year, “especially the participation in the poker run—our numbers were way up on that,” he told Speedboat. The LOTO event raises cash for more than 35 charities and organizations. Duggan said that $357,000 was raised this year.

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Top left: Destiny McMurray, Christy Wright and Cat Kahrig get into the spirit of the shootout.

Above: The Shootout on the Strip, presented by Waves and Wheels.

Left (left to right): Tony Chiaramonte of DCB with three DCB customers: Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine (owner of the M31 TCM 31), Dave Megugorac (owner of the M44 Bananas XL) and Brad Benson (owner of an M33R).

Below: The Shootout’s radar crew (from left): Sandy Laffoon, Toni “Juggs” Wagner and Michael “Radar” Wagner with Speedboat staff members Ray Lee, Carter Bahde and Todd Taylor.

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10/19/19 8:41 PM

STREET PARTY

Top left: Throngs of spectators check out the impressive displays at the Street Party.

Above: Poly Lift’s 39’ Nor-Tech center console on display in front of Lake Style Apparel retail shop.

Left: Fountain Powerboats’ new 43NX center console model, the first one out of the mold.

Above: The r8tr team promoted their prepurchase vehicle evaluation application with a logo-branded McLaren and Lamborghini.

Right: Mercury Racing showed off several off several of its big-power packages, including the company’s new 450R outboard.

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STREET PARTY

Above: Don Onken’s 51' Mystic American Ethanol, powered by Onken Racing engines, would go on to earn its fifth straight overall Top Gun title.

Below: This Nor-Tech 450 center console, powered by quad Mercury Racing 400Rs, is owned by Shelby Smith.

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Left: The stunning ZRX-47 from Adrenaline Powerboats is powered by twin Mercury Racing 1100s and features all-carbon construction with CNC-cut tooling.

Above: Slug Hefner’s new Mystic M4200 center console.

Left: The magnificent canopied Outerlimits SV43 Crypto, powered by twin Merc 1550/1350s, was exquisitely painted

by Stephen Miles Design.

Left: This MTI 48' catamaran was completely overhauled by MTI and Performance Boat Center for the boat’s new owner, Scott Rosenbach. It’s powered by twin Mercury Racing 1550/1350 dualcalibration engines and features an all-new interior and paint job.

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STREET PARTY Below: Mike Wright’s Super Stock competitor WIA Marine Insurance/Wide Open Racing, a 32' Doug Wright, would go on to take the first win of its rookie season at OPA’s Fort Myers Roar Offshore event.

PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER PARTY

Above: Speedboat co-publisher Ray Lee with Performance Boat Center’s Myrick Coil at the PBC party.

Right and above right: Hundreds attended the PBC party and enjoyed a massive display of fireworks.

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SHOOTOUT

Above: Joseph Cardella was clocked at 113 mph driving his 2003 Hustler 377.

Below: Tyler Crockett, in his 2007 Joker hull, hit the 128 mph mark.

Below: Tom Kennedy made four passes in his 28' Skater and wound up with a top speed of 119 mph.

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Left: Here’s one of two Tuff 28' models driven by Thomas Weigl at the Shootout; he hit 112 mph in this blue model.

Below left: Andree Bakkegaard earned a speed of 93 mph in this Draken Marine 35 SS powered by triple Mercury Racing 450R engines.

Above: Mike Misplay’s speed of 83 mph in a Trifecta pontoon was the best of his four passes.

Left: Randy Vance, driving the 100% electric-powered hull by the Canadian Electric Boat Company, achieved 30 mph.

Bottom left: Carrie Sixkiller, driving a Baja 24' Outlaw, was clocked at 67 mph. She has been running in this event for 12 years.

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SHOOTOUT

Top: After seven passes, Del Flores’s best speed in his 39' Velocity was 96 mph.

Above: Bob Bull drives his 52' MTI with company founder Randy Scism. The pair made two 162-mph passes.

Above right: Dave Megugorac ran 156 mph in his DCB M44 Widebody, powered by twin Mercury Racing 1550/1350 engines.

Bottom right: Larry Wiser, driving an Eliminator, achieved a speed of 111 mph.

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Above and right: American Ethanol at speed and at rest.

John Cosker (throttles), Earl Moorman (crew chief) and Tony Battiato (driver) conduct a powwow on the deck of the 51' Mystic; the boat was the Top Gun winner for the fifth year in a row.

AMERICAN ETHANOL Left: Brad Benson, in DCB M33R Widebody powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 400R outboards, achieved a speed of 113 mph.

Bottom left: Ricky Maldonado, driving a Victory X32 Pleasure model powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 400R outboards, was clocked at 110 mph.

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10/19/19 12:52 AM

SHOOTOUT

PPERFORMANCE ERFO BOAT CENTER Performance Boat Center made a strong showing, with three different raceboats: The retired Jimmy John’s Skater hull (above), now privately owned

by Ron Szolack; the Auto Alert Super Stock competitior (right), a 32' Doug Wright hull (running alongside CR Racing), and the current Jimmy John’s MTI (below), shown in an exhibition run duelling with a stunt plane.

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Below: Driver Taylor Scism (with her dad, MTI founder Randy Scism) pilot a 340X (with twin Mercury Racing 450R engines) to a speed of 123 mph.

Below: Mauricio Vivanco, driving his DCB M31 Widebody Open Bow with twin Mercury Racing 700SCis, achieved a speed of 123 mph.

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10/19/19 12:52 AM

POKER RUN

Left: Mark and Jennifer Schouten in their 43' MTI El Gato Patron.

Below left: Michael “Doc” Janssen in his Outerlimits SV53.

Center left: Ron Szolack drives his 388 Skater.

Bottom: Mike Maasen in his 2004 42’ Cigarette.

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Mike and Angela Goldbaugh in their 368 Skater, powered by a pair of 700 SCi engines.

Charlie Roll’s MTI 42V center console, with quad Mercury Racing 450Rs. Ed Villanyi drives his brand-new Eliminator 27 Speedster.

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10/19/19 8:43 PM

POKER RUN

Left: The HCB 53' Sueños, driven by company owner Elias De La Torre III. Bottom left: Bubba Chrisco in his 39’ Cigarette GTS, War Party.

Below: John Woodruff drives his 48’ MTI Windship.

Above: Todd Crosley drives his 44' MTI cat.

Left: Dave Weyer of Advantage Marine drives his 28’ Advantage openbow.

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2/11/19 10:51 AM

SUPERCAT FEST

Camden on the Lake (top) played host to Supercat Fest, which featured a smokin’ hot bikini contest. (That’s Ashley Krystelle, above.) The event’s theme was #bikinilivesmatter.

Left: an HCB center console was one of the boats participating in the event-within-the-event.

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Powerboat Nation is the world’s leading resource for Powerboating Videos, Photos, News and more!

There’s no better place on the web to live the powerboating life!

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8/14/18 3:18 AM

AWARDS A

C

D

B

A: Rusty Williams and Myrick Coil of Performance Boat Center; they ran the Doug Wright Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert offshore competitor. Posing with them is Myrick’s oldest son, Preston.

B: Tim Kowalski and Tracy Lynn Hall of Team Bio-Kleen. Tim achieved a speed of 80 mph his Bio-Kleen boat.

C: Randy and daughter Taylor Scism of MTI. D: Chad and Kari Engel. Chad, the paint shop manager at Performance Boat Center, hit 110 mph in his 42' Fountain Lighting.

E: Brad and Pattie Benson. Brad drove his DCB M33R Widebody to a speed of 113 mph.

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E

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G: Mike Misplay of Horizon Motorports reached a speed of 83 mph in his Trifecta pontoon.

H: Dave and Buffie Megugorac, owners of the DCB M44 Bananas XL. I: Playcraft owners Jim and Carolyn Dorris with their staff and family members.

J: Tony Battiato, John Cosker and Don Onken of the American Ethanol team.

G

K H F

I L

J K: Jeff Casebier, shown here with his daughter, Sydney. Casebier was clocked at a speed of 93 mph in his 36' Sunsation.

L: Tim Schoening, senior sales associate of Big Thunder Marine, picked up a speed of 68 mph driving a Tri-Toon. speedboat.com

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SKATER Celebration photoography by

O

Todd Taylor

wners of Skater Powerboats, built by Douglas Marine, con-

verged on Lake St. Clair to flex their muscle during the eight annual Skaterfest gathering in Harrison Township, MI. The event, which debuted in 2011, is organized by Ron Szolack, and transforms the area into a muscleboat paradise. With more than 40 Skaters and their crews in attendance enjoying near-perfect weather, the Douglas, MI, builder had plenty of its gorgeous offerings on Lake St. Clair to represent its illustrious array of beautiful, highperformance catamarans.

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Szolack originally launched the event as a way to enjoy a weekend with his friends who owned Skaters, inviting anyone from anywhere to bring their Skater and attend his “house party.”

Since then, it has outgrown his private residence and was relocated to the spacious surroundings of Lake St. Clair Metropark, which offers a wide, multilane launch ramp with plenty of dock space reserved for Skaterfest guests.

“This was definitely the best Skaterfest ever,” Szolack says. “It keeps getting better and better every year.

We had a lot of newcomers who had never been here before, and it’s so great that they get to experience what we do.

The camaraderie among everybody is just unbelievable. When you come to Skaterfest, everybody knows everybody else by the time you leave. It was just a spectacular time, and we had a lot of newcomers.”

One bonus was that two new Skaters were delivered during the event: a 368 was went to Bill Munyan of Bradenton, FL, and a 388 went to James Branton of Covington, LA. (Both Skaters were on display at this year’s Miami International Boat Show.) “I’m glad they went to good owners,” Szolack says.

Skaterfest is a great place to see some older models, including some from the 1990s, while a few of the newer boats

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Left: Todd Fountain in his 46' Skater.

Below: Event organizer Ron Szolack.

Bottom: David Schaller in his 32' Skater.

Organizer Ron Szolack brings Skater owners together on Lake St. Clair for a wild and crazy show of muscle.

Above and below: The Skaters dock for lunch at Pepper Joe’s, located on the banks of the Pine River in beautiful St. Clair, MI.

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CELEBRATION

Above: Justin Yurgens drives his 36' Skater.

Below: “Party Marty” in his 28' Skater.

Below: Chris LaMorte drives his 36' Skater.

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Above left: Ron Szolack is his 388 Skater.

Below left: Don Doty in his 426 Skater.

Below: John Sheker drives his 388 Skater.

Below: Tom McAllister drives his 32' Skater.

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boast incredible power packages. One of the most famous Skaters in attendance was the 438 Skater Rockette, powered by Mercury Racing dual calibration 1550/1350 sterndrives. “That boat ran 180 mph in 1350 mode, so that’s a pretty fast boat,” Szolack says. “Steve Gordon has a 46 skater with 1875 twin turbo Sterlings in it, and that boat is capable of running 200 mph.”

Also in attendance was Skater President Peter Hledin. “He can tell you about every single boat there,” says Szolack. “His mind is incredible. He can tell you how every boat was laid up, even the little 28 Skaters from 1996. He’ll tell you exactly who owned them, how they were built, how they were laid up, what he did to build them for each owner. It’s pretty mind-blowing.”

Among the farthest traveled were Greg and Yvonne Harris, who trailered their 32’ Skater Mad Props all the way from South Florida.

“It just keeps getting better and better,” Szolack says. “The people are incredible, and they’re such good friends who travel all over the country once a year to come hang out with me. It’s really special.”

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story by

Brett Bayne • photos by Ray Lee and Erick Bryner

CAT CALL N

orthern California’s biggest speedboat event of the year is undeniably the

Big Cat Poker Run, and the 2019 edition was an incredible experience. Participants embark on a boating adventure that takes them through the unique waterfront community of Discovery Bay, to Pittsburg and Stockton, CA, and all through the California Delta, before returning to Discovery Bay (located about 60 miles from San Francisco).

Presented by Teague Custom Marine and Colledgewood Inc., Big Cat is so named for the Discovery Bay Lion’s Club, which produces the event. Its president is Glenn Hoffman (owner of a 2006 38' Eliminator Eagle with TCM 1020 power), and he is justifiably proud of how well the event comes off every year, the money that is raised for charity, and the positive vibes elicited from the participants.

“Every year we try to improve upon the previous year and just make it better,” he says. “We’re not necessarily trying to make it grow—we’re just looking to make it better.”

The overall concept remains the same: the cost is $150 to participate; there was a VIP dinner on Thursday at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, with the official start on Friday that took the fleet on a lunch run to Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill in Antioch. Historically, the Friday lunch run rotates between three or four different restaurants. This year, the group dined at the new Smith’s Landing waterfront eatery, and it was a major hit. “The owners and proprietors are friends of mine,” Hoffman says.

“They put together a really nice event.

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Dozens of muscleboats set course for Discovery Bay, CA, for a weekend of fun, sun and cards.

For $20 a head, they gave our people an all-you-can-eat seafood lunch. The facility is beautiful, with great docking.

We had 190 people there for lunch, and everyone was very, very pleased.” A welcoming party and registration follows on Friday evening. Saturday is the poker run, with the poker draw and party afterwards.

Another lunch was served at Hoffman’s own restaurant, where upand-coming celebrity chef Roberto Rose, originally from Italy, whipped

up a delightful meal. “With any luck, he will be famous in years to come,” Hoffman says.

Saturday’s poker run featured two routes, a shorter run for slower boats and a longer run for larger and fast boats. The short run started at Discovery Bay, then to Sugar Barge Resort, Tower Park for lunch and back to Discovery Bay. The longer run kicked off at “Disco,” then to Pittsburg Marina, the Stockton Hotel for lunch and then back. speedboat.com

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Above: Event organizer Glenn Hoffman drives his 2006 Eliminator 38 Eagle, powered by a pair of TCM 1020 engines.

Left: Gary and Rosemary Colledge’s 388 Skater, Colledgewood.

Below: Boats dock for lunch at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel in Stockton (left); event sponsors pose for a group photo (right).

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Above: Jay and Misty Catucci of Antioch, CA, in their DCB M29 with twin Mercury Racing 400Rs. Also on board is Misty’s cousin, videographer Kris Wesenahgen of KKJ Media. Right: A brand-new Nordic 35’ cat powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards. Below: Warpath is Mike Avila’s 2012 Nordic 43' catamaran.

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Above: Sean Roberts drives his Lavey Craft 29 NuEra midcabin cuddy model.

Right: Ed and Jean Stewart in Disco Kat, their 42 MTI catamaran.

Left: Jennifer Lowe and friends in her 18’ Donzi.

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10/18/19 10:36 PM

Left: Rob Storelee and friends in the 32’ Skater Full Coverage.

Below left: Mark and Tina Milani in their Outerlimits 42’ Legacy.

Below: This 42' Fountain, Hav’n Fun, is owned by Chuck Marino.

“The poker run would not be successful without the support of our many sponsors,” Hoffman says. There are 43 sponsors total, with the major ones being Teague Custom Marine, Colledgewood, DCB Performance Boats, Eliminator Boats and Labor Unlimited.

Among the participants: Dave Megugorac in his new DCB M44 Bananas XL, Bill Lyons in his Skater 40SS Mass Disruption, Gary Colledge in his 40’ Skater Colledgewood and Bob Teague in his 44’ Skater (with Speedboat Magazine co-publisher Ray Lee on board for the ride). Also attending was MTI President Randy Scism, who drove a 340X cat.

Hoffman gives special acknowledgement to the city of Pittsburg for their generous accommodations at the Pittsburg Marina, which provided tents, refreshments and food, free of charge.

“The most important thing is that we had a safe run,” Hoffman says. “Aside from Dave Magoo losing a prop and a couple of outboards losing power heads, the event was incident free. And that’s phenomenal.”

Next year, the Big Cat Poker Run will celebrate its 20th anniversary, and Hoffman promises that it will truly be an affair to remember.

Below: Bob and Andrea Teague, Glenn Hoffman, and Roe and Gary Colledge.

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Brett Bayne photos by Jeff Gerardi / freezeframe.us story by

Race World Offshore officially takes the reins of the popular Florida competition.

T

he year 2019 will prove a significant one in the offshore racing’s history books.

It will be remembered as the

year the Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA) joined forces with Powerboat P1, leaving Superboat International (SBI) floundering. This time last year, Speedboat was reporting on SBI’s Clearwater race—the capper of an abbreviated three-race regular season leading up to SBI’s

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Offshore Nationals Key West World Championships. This year, SBI lost all of its races—Cocoa Beach and Michigan City went to OPA, while Clearwater and Key West were snatched up by Race World Offshore.

Transition is never easy. At SBI’s final Clearwater race last year, the event boasted nearly 40 race teams.

For 2019, Race World Offshore lured only 14 teams to Clearwater, but even that was a significant improvement over attendance at its first race in

Dunkirk, NY, which could be charitably described as anemic. The Super Stock field drew seven participants, the same as last year’s SBI Superboat Stock class, while four teams came to represent Super Cat class; three other boats were unopposed in their classes.

Representing the big boats in Super Cat, WHM Motorsports (with driver Billy Mauff and throttleman Jay Muller) took the checkered flag; they were followed by New Zealand’s speedboat.com

10/18/19 10:36 PM

Left: WHM Motorsports, with driver Billy Mauff and throttleman Jay Muller, took top honors in Super Cat Class.

Top right: Pro-Floors Racing, the Kiwi team with driver Wayne Valder and throttleman Grant Bruggemann, took second place in Super Cat; Small Change, with Chris Hanley and Chuck Broaddus, finished in third.

Middle right: M-CON, with driver Tyler Miller and throttleman Tyson Garvin, finished fourth in Super Cat. Right: The Hulk, with Robert Nunziato and Dan Lawrence, was first in Super Stock class. speedboat.com

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OFFSHORE NATIONALS

Super Stock competitors Robert Bryant and Gary Ballough in FJ Propeller (second place) eventually caught up to and passed Nick Scafidi and Scott Porta in Shadow Pirate (fifth place).

S-11 Wicked Powerboats, featuring driver Mike Bethan and throttleman Todd Defilipps, took third place in Super Stock class. This Wicked is a custom-built 28'10" hull built by Defilipps.

Above: Turtle Cove Marina, with driver Tom Kennedy and owner/throttleman Ryan Beckley, took fourth place in Super Stock.

Left: Deep Vee Cats, with driver John Robinson and throttleman Lee Austin, took sixth place in Super Stock.

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OFFSHORE NATIONALS

Above: Super Vee Extreme racers Steven Fehrmann and Steve Miklos ran unopposed in Sun Print.

Right: Scott Brown and Edward Tamberino of Wix Filters ran unopposed in Bracket Class 3.

Bottom right: Daniel Racz and Jimmy Jensen in Two Cruel ran unopposed in Bracket Class 5.

Pro Floors Racing (Wayne Valder and Grant Bruggemann), Small Change (Chris Hanley and Chuck Broaddus) and M-CON (Tyler Miller and Tyson Garvin). Memorably, Pro Floors and M-CON collided at last year’s Clearwater race, causing substantial damage to both hulls.

Meanwhile, in Super Stock class, the winner was The Hulk, with driver Robert Nunziato and throttleman Dan Lawrence. They were chased by FJ Propeller, Wicked Powerboats, Turtle Cove Marina, Shadow Pirate, Deep V Cats and Jackhammer.

Sun Print ran unopposed in Super Vee Extreme class; veteran racers Steven Fehrmann and Steve Miklos have had an exciting year in OPA in their equivalent class. Meanwhile, Wix Filters and Two Cruel each ran unopposed in their bracketed classes (3 and 5, respectively).

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Tom Leigh, Kenny Dunlop and Ray Lee photos by

LAKE POWELL Challenge Arguably the most picturesque setting for a poker run, this worldfamous event helps raise big bucks for charity.

F

or 11 years running, the Lake Powell Challenge has given participants the opportunity to play poker while helping

to raise impressive amounts of money for local charities—most notably, the the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). This poker run, which is headquartered at Antelope Point Marina in Page, AZ, comprises stops across both Arizona and Utah.

The action plays out against some of the most breathtaking scenery in the USA,

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including stunning cliffs, charming bays and Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural bridge in the world.

Although the boat count was commensurate with previous years, “Some of our regular attendees were not able to make it,” says co-organizer Mark Schouten. “But that enabled a bunch of other people to show up.”

The run is rather unique, in that destinations are limited because the area is largely uninhabited. Thursday and Friday consisted of fun runs, including

to the famous Rainbow Bridge, plus a ’70s-themed disco party on Friday night.

Saturday’s main poker run included stops at Dangling Rope Marina, Navajo Canyon, Face Canyon, Last Chance Bay and Lone Rock Beach. The event culminates with a silent auction, which helped raise money for the Utah chapter of JDRF, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix, Operation Smile and the Navajo Nation Scholarship Fund.

Larry Fussy, winner of the poker run, donated his winnings back to charity. speedboat.com

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Below: Don Bliss in his MTI 340X catamaran Blissfull rides alongside Chris Avery in his own 340X. Both boats are powered by Mercury Racing 400R outboards.

Top: Dave Hoesktra of New Mexico in his DCB M35.

Above: Event organizer Mark Schouten drives his MTI V-42 center console with four Mercury Racing 450R outboards.

Below: Eric Hammond enjoys the Powell scenery in his Outerlimits 46 Limited.

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CHALLENGE

Top left: 32 CCX Sunsation.

Above: Mike Bolin’s 2006 Outerlimits 39 GTX. Near left: Jerry Moyes, owner of Antelope Point Marina, in his MTI V-42 center console with triple Seven Marine engines.

Left: A pair of 35SS Nordics run alongside each other: Nordic sales manager Bob Maguire in the company demo boat (near lane), powered by twin Mercury Racing 400Rs, and Paul Wallner’s twin 450R-powered model in the far lane.

Bottom: Dillon Jensen in his Eliminator 36' Speedster.

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CHALLENGE

Left: Steve Lyman drives his 39’ Nor-Tech center console. .

Below: Adam Ramirez of Kali Kustoms in his 40’ MTI.

Right: Brian Blount drives his Wright Performance 360.

Left: The DCB F32 Wild Side, owned by Larry Fussy, who also won the poker run.

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CHALLENGE Left: Participants danced at a 1970s-themed disco party.

Below: The event is commemorated by an intricately designed ice sculpture featuring the logo of one of the title sponsors, Positive Beverage.

Above: Mark Schouten (center) with some of the Boys & Girls Clubs members.

Above center: Shannon Argyros with some of the JDRF kids.

Above and right: DCB and Barrett Custom Marine collabored on this unique bar fabricated from a DCB M41 sponson, which was one the items auctioned.

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10/18/19 10:38 PM

EMERALD COAST Poker Run story by

F

Brett Bayne

and photos courtesy

or the 27th year running,

poker-run teams geared up for the Emerald Coast Poker Run. Stu Jones, head of the Florida Powerboat Club, organized the poker run that took 90 teams on a 120mile course from Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort (Miramar Beach, FL) to Pensacola Beach.

According to Jones, participants came from as many as 20 different states, driving a wide variety of craft that included cats, performance vee-bottoms and luxury center consoles. As usual, headquarters for the five-day event was the Emerald Grande in Destin, FL; most of the fleet docked at Harborwalk Village

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Florida Powerboat Club

and AJ’s in Destin Harbor.

The agenda kicked off with a trucksand-boats parade on Wednesday, followed by a fun run to Niceville, FL, on Thursday. Thursday night featured the popular Miss Powerboat Week Contest at Margaritaville-Destin Restaurant, located on Harborwalk Village (the first time this venue has hosted this contest).

On Friday, it was time for another fun run, this time to Juana’s Pagodas and Sailors’ Grill in Navarre, FL, approximately a 50-mile round trip from Destin.

Friday night brought the AJ’s Destin Captains Party, which allowed sponsors to show off their newest boats.

Picture-perfect weather was on tap

for Saturday’s poker run, which featured seven checkpoints, starting in Destin and moving westbound on the Intracoastal Waterway-protected route to Pensacola Beach. Saturday night’s awards party took over the new Margaritaville venue, with 400 guests in attendance. Winner of the poker run was Georgia resident Brad Hancock, owner of the Nor-Tech 477 Rock N Taco. A total of $40,000 was raised for local charities through Florida Powerboat Foundation.

According to Jones, a safety-management program enlisted over a dozen support boats from local fire departments, county sheriffs deptartment, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation speedboat.com

10/18/19 11:39 PM

Stu Jones leads 90 teams on a 120-mile course through Florida’s sun-drenched Gulf Coast.

Above left: Boats pass under the landmark Brooks Bridge. Note the wide variety of performance cats, V-bottoms and center consoles.

Above: Beaching at Juana’s Pagodas & Sailors’ Grill in Navarre.

Left: Stephen and Kelly Marino in their DCB M35. speedboat.com

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Below: The 30' Baja Blue By You is driven by owner Todd Capella of Texas on his first-ever Emerald Coast event. ..

Below: Jos Bekkers of North Florida in his hand-built, one-off 43' Saltwater Steel Yacht.

Top: Florida Powerboat Club girls Amber and Faith enjoy the sun.

Above: Heading back eastbound through Fort Walton Beach to Choctawhatchee Bay towards Destin.

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Left: Brad Hancock, in the 47 Nor-Tech Rock’n Taco, powered by Mercury Racing 1350s (near lane) drives alongside Mike Pasco in Instigator, his Cigarette 42X powered

by Mercury Racing 860s.

Commission, and civilian-support teams, with dive/rescue staff on board.

Turning heads was a bevy of new models from various muscleboat manufacturers, including: • The new Cigarette 59 Tiranna, 6 Carat, powered by six new Mercury Racing 450Rs. • A new DCB M35 delivered to Jorge Arellano, powered by Mercury Racing 1100/1350 engines.

• Deep Impact’s 369, making its poker-run debut.

In addition, Glasstream Powerboats—a local boatbuilder from nearby Dothan, AL—returned to the event as a Diamond Sponsor, winning Best Center Console for its new, affordably priced 360, powered by triple Mercury 350 Verados.

Meanwhile, Jones’ Project 1080 Cigarette completed is Summer Poker Run Tour at Destin, reaching 110 hours since launching in January 2019.

Stu Jones told participants that after 21 years of running the Emerald Coast event, he will be turning the reins over to a local committee headed up by Chairman Ryan Christen, who will organize the 2020 poker run.

“It’s been a great run for over two decades,” Jones told Speedboat. “I have fallen in love with the boating and the people here. I’d like to see the event go to the next level, and I firmly believe that by creating a new local team, FPC management can achieve an even greater outcome here for the participants, the local community and the charities we support.”

Asked if he planned to personally attend the event in future years, Jones said, “Oh, I very much plan to be here every year...but I will be enjoying the run in my Project 1080 Cigarette as a participant, not as an organizer.”

Middle: Mark and Eileen Fischer of Florida drive their Deep Impact 399, powered by quad Mercury Racing 400Rs. Above: Mike Pasco in his Cigarette pulls up for a poker card in After Hours, a 70' Maritimo Yacht.

Checkpoint sponsored by Coyote Ugly. Right: Jorge Arellano in Team OGP, a brand-new DCB M35 with Mercury Racing 1100/1350s, on its maiden poker run. speedboat.com

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SNAKEShocker Brett Bayne photos by Jeannette Mignerey-Klobetanz story by

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The Idaho jetboat race is cut short after two separate boat crashes end in tragedy.

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Right: Unlimited driver Chad Burns in #339 Bad Habit has been racing for 12 years.

He’s won many awards, including world titles.

Middle right: Unlimited driver Gord Humphrey began racing in Whitecourt, Alberta, in 2003. He has many racing awards, including several world titles.

Above: Ross Schlotthauer (D) and Jason Hedland (N) were named the overall and Unlimited class winners in #377 Burley.

Near right: Bryan Austin (D) and Aaron Toews (N) in Unlimited competitor Dirty Sanchez. Austin is a veteran Canadian racer who always puts on a show. speedboat.com

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O

sne of the year’s boat-racing highlights is the famous Thunder on the Snake competition held on the Snake River in Idaho’s Lewiston-Clarkston

Valley. The event features boats racing at 150+ mph speeds on sometimes dangerous waters.

Unfortunately, the 2019 edition of the race was canceled after two boats crashed in separate incidents—resulting in one fatality and three others injured—as the eighth annual competition was getting underway on Saturday morning. Steve Wessels Jr. was killed after his boat hit a rock and rolled three times. It was the first fatality on the Snake River in more than 35 years of racing events. Navigator Wessels, who was in the boat with driver Cory Kelly (both of Clarkton, WA), was participating in MX Class racing.

Despite the race being cut short, #377 Burley—with driver Ross Schlotthauer and navigator Jason Hedland, both of Post Falls, ID—was named the 2019 USA1 Overall Champion, with a first-place finish in Unlimited class. It was the first time ever that an American won the Canadian World Race and the U.S. Championship in the same year.

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SHOCKER

A CLASS: The father-son team of Shaun and Gage Flamengo in Always Satisfied (top) are the 2019 A Class USA Champions. Second from top: Ryan Hudson and Scott Beplate in Sneaky Snake.

CX CLASS: Jake Barney and Allen Paul (third from top) in Never Satisfied, the class’s USA world champions. Left: Leighton Lillie and Riley Brooks in Preventing Insanity.

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SHOCKER

FX CLASS: Clockwise from top left: Rump Shaker, the class’s USA Champion (with Chuck and Jaxon Thompson; the father-daughter team of John and Megan Howell in #57; White Boyz Racing, with Shay and Grady White; and Know Idea II, with Adam Steffes and Justin Kelly, who took second place in FX Class. Below: Fatal Attraction, the third-place USA champions, featuring Chris Barger and Chandler Lytle.

MX CLASS: The #22 boat, driven by Cory Kelly, hit a rock and rolled three times on Saturday morning. Navigator Steve Wessels Jr. was killed in the crash. It was the first fatality on the Snake River in 35+ years of racing events.

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[Continued from page 11] of the media. (That brush with the media was a turning point for Mackie—one that would have reverberations for decades.) In these early days, Mackie would also experience ride-alongs with some of the sport’s most famous racers, from Bill Seebold and Scott Gillman to Chris Bush and Gregg Foster.

“I got to ride with all these top-notch drivers, because they needed someone in the back,” he recalls. “It was a lot of fun.”

In due course, Mackie became more heavily involved in the marketing and public relations side of Mercury, and in the 1990s was taken under the wing of PR guru Tom Mueller (famous for his experience with Wrangler Jeans). “He got me more into the media side as assistant marketing manager, and I started writing press releases,” he says.

One of his first gigs was writing a daily preInternet facts blast called Speed Faxes. “I’d write up press releases about tunnel and offshore race results and put it through the fax machine,” he says. “That was my very first experience in media and event writing.”

[Continues on page 82]

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SHOCKWAVE Regatta story by

Brett Bayne

• photos by

Todd Taylor

Company President Bob Anderson throws a seasonending party for his faithful customers in Havasu.

S

hockwave Custom Boats of Corona, CA—builder of performance vees, catmarans and deckboats in the 20' to 35' range—gathered its customers

for the 2019 edition of its regatta in Lake Havasu City, AZ, Sept. 13-14.

The event kicked off Friday with a registration party at the London Bridge Resort, that included pool fun, volleyball, music, games and family fun, at the resort’s Kokomo dance club for the 60

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teams that participated. Late registration and a driver’s meeting on Saturday morning led to a run to Pirate Cove in Needles, CA, for lunch, live music, games, a raffle and a helicopter shoot. Sunday featured a brunch run to Havasu Springs Resort to finish off the weekend.

Shockwave opted not to do a poker run at their event this year. “I wanted to do something more laid back, where people could just hang out and have lunch,” said company owner Bob Anderson. “So we

did the raffle right on the beach up at Pirate Cove, and people could hang out at their leisure. We didn’t really even have a specific destination on Saturday night, although a bunch of us ended up back in the channel hanging out together.”

The regatta was a great place to see some of the many models built by Shockwave during the past quarter century, including Tony McLean’s 1997 model: “That was probably the oldest boat there,” Anderson said, adding that the boat with the biggest speedboat.com

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Left: Albert Sanchez and friends in his 2017 Shockwave 28’ Deck Boat.

Above right and center: Beaching at Pirate Cove Marina in Needles, CA. Below right: Ken Hampton and family enjoy lunch at Pirate Cove.

muscle was the one he brought himself—a 21' jetboat with a 1,200-hp custom engine.

“The giveaways at this event were huge,” Anderson says. “Practically everybody who attended got something. What we gave away definitely surpassed all of the registration fees, including about 40 AO Coolers, some floating pads, an array of Boat Bling cleaning products and a lot of Shockwave bags.

We also debuted a new line of women’s clothing, including branded T-shirts, hats and tank tops.” speedboat.com

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Below: Mike and Susan De Los Rios drive their 2018 25’ Tremor.

Below: James Green in his 2019 28’ Deck.

Above: Brad Simons drives his 2019 28’ Deck Boat

Above: Tyler Woodard in his 2012 28’ Deck Boat.

Above: Moe and Kim Duran in their 2017 25’ Tremor.

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Left: Rudy Acosta in his 2020 25’ Tremor.

Near left: Tom Tellez drives his 2005 29’ Magnatude.

Below: Cristian and Helen Aguayo in ther 2019 26’ Cat.

Above: Ken Sorenson drives his 2016 22’ Deck.

Right: Marcus Jones in his 2017 28’ Deck Boat.

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Perfect

Lucas Oil Marine Products provide heavyduty protection for your boat’s engine.

U

nlike their four-wheeled counterparts, most boats are not running every day.

This raises unique issues for boaters and their watercraft that most automobilists rarely think of.

What is the long-term stability of the gas in your boat’s fuel tank? Will a synthetic oil help your boat’s performance more than a conventional blend?

These are all legitimate questions any responsible boat owner should ask themselves, and to help provide clarification, we are going over Lucas Oil’s

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new and improved line of marine-specific products.

Founded in 1989 by Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte, Lucas Oil Products is an American-based manufacturer and distributor of additive and lubricant products designed for use in a wide range of engines, vehicles and heavyduty machinery. Lucas Oil’s recently expanded range of marine products are formulated with problem-solving additives and manufactured to optimize the performance of your high-performance boat, be it inboard or outboard.

FUEL STABILIZATION Maintaining fuel stability is critical when operating in a fresh or salt water environment. When stored, gasoline degrades almost immediately and, if not treated in a matter of weeks, causes clogging in the carburetors and fuel injection system.

Lucas Oil’s Marine Fuel Treatment is made to be used with every fill-up in gasoline and diesel engines, 4-stroke or 2-stroke, and designed specifically to address these issues. Marine Fuel Treatment is formulated with powerful speedboat.com

10/19/19 12:09 AM

OUTBOARD ENGINE OIL Specially made to withstand the harsh conditions high-performance watercrafts operate in, Lucas Synthetic SAE 10W-30 and 10W-40 contain a unique blend of synthetic additives that improve wear protection and increase the catalyst life in 4-stroke engines. These outboard oils are designed to last long and are also safe to use in inboards and personal watercrafts. Lucas synthetic outboard oils are fortified with a special formula of additives that coat all moving parts to guard against rust and moisture during long periods of storage.

detergents, including polyether amines, to improve cleanliness in the fuel system and internal engine parts.

Key Benefits: • Designed specifically for watercraft engine and fuel systems.

• Fights corrosion.

• Keeps fuel lines, carburetors and fuel injectors clean and free of deposits.

• Improves internal engine parts.

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Key Benefits: • Excellent for use with supercharged, turbocharged or nitrous oxide high-performance engines.

• Protects against rust and moisture during long periods of storage.

• Safely blends and is compatible with synthetic and non-synthetic oils.

• Provides rust and corrosion protection in both freshwater and saltwater environments.

• Long-lasting.

• Resist extreme pressure.

• Extreme friction reducer.

• Contains a special additive package to improve wear protection and increase catalyst life in newer outboards using catalytic converters.

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cooled 2-cycle outboards and personal watercraft. This synthetic blend gear oil is fortified with Lucas Oil’s unique additive chemistry and an ashless detergent inhibitor package to minimize pre-ignition and ring sticking.

• Effective water resistance.

• Long-lasting.

• Resist extreme pressure.

• Extreme friction reducer.

Key Benefits: • Minimize spark plug fouling.

• Fortified with unique Lucas additives.

• Specifically formulated for watercooled 2-cycle outboards and personal watercrafts.

Lucas Oil’s Marine Grease is a premium, extreme pressure, multipurpose, heavy-duty OBCS grease containing unique polymers, antiwear agents and tackifiers with inherent rust and oxidation resistance to provide the highest performance properties. Marine Grease is designed to lubricate under the most severe operating conditions in marine applications, and because it contains adhesive properties, it effectively stays in place.

SYNTHETIC MARINE DIESEL ENGINE OIL Lucas Oil Marine SAE 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil resists oxidation and thermal breakdown for total protection in new and high-mileage marine engines.

Marine SAE 15W-40 provides increased lubricity, lower oil temperature, reduces engine noise, increases oil pressure and reduces soot levels. Suitable for use in gasoline and diesel-powered engines.

Key Benefits: • Increased lubricity.

• Increased oil pressure.

• Lowers oil temperature.

• Reduces engine noise.

SYNTHETIC BLEND 2-CYCLE MARINE OIL Lucas Synthetic Blend 2-Cycle Marine Oil are specially formulated to address the performance requirements of water-

SYNTHETIC MARINE GEAR OIL Lucas M8 Synthetic SAE 75W-90 Gear Oil is a pure synthetic, nonfoaming, super slick, long-lasting lubricant designed especially for marine applications. Originally created for high powered offshore racing boats, the M8 Marine Gear Oil contains seal conditioners and an exclusive blend of synthetic additives that protect from damage caused by long periods of storage.

Key Benefits: • Fortified with anti-foaming agents to prevent cavitation at high rpm.

• Safely blends with all other known gear oils and additives.

• Protects against rust and moisture during long periods of storage.

• Provides rust and corrosion protection in both fresh water and salt water environments.

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MARINE GREASE

Key Benefits: • For universal marine applications including trailer wheel bearings, trailer chassis and outboards.

• Provides extreme pressure properties with Timken OK load of 85 pounds with a Dropping Point of 550 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Contains special adhesive properties that allow the grease to stay in place.

• Provides rust and corrosion protection in both freshwater and saltwater.

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HEAVY DUTY OIL STABILIZER The Lucas Oil Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is a multi-use oil supplement that helps control noise, heat and wear in manual transmissions and differentials. Its special formula is designed to eliminate dry starts and reduce friction, heat and wear in any type of engine. Use the High Mileage Stabilizer in gear oil to stop leaks, reduce operating temperatures and increase the life of your gear oil.

Key Benefits: • Increase oil life at least 50% longer.

• Reduces oil consumption.

• Eliminates dry starts.

• Raises oil pressure.

• Increases power and miles per gallon Lucas Oil’s complete line of marine products can be purchased at select automotive watercraft parts retailers nationwide.

Visit LucasOil.com to find a retailer and pick up these products today! speedboat.com

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story and photography by

Mark McLaughlin

LONG BEACH

P

resented by Nick Rose Insurance, the 2019 edition of the ARP Long Beach Sprint Nationals enjoyed capacity

crowds over a beautiful weekend. A total of 12 classes competed, with more than 80 entrants and thousands of spectators watching from both sides of the stadium. Officials faced a truly monumental hill to climb to get the permits to have the race with the insurance and new city safety requirements. This race has been held at Long Beach Marine Stadium since 1946.

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The Southern California Speedboat Club overcomes thorny legal hurdles to put on a truly spectacular show.

A tribute was paid to two people we lost during the last year—36-year-old driver Greg Duff and Bergeron Marine founder Phil Bergeron—with the “missing man formation” ceremony.

The Classic Endurance class had a sixboat field. Ken Neal was the winner of the overall weekend racing trophy.

The spectacle of the weekend belonged to Randall Dilworth in the Comp Jet class.

On the last lap of the last race in the category, Dilworth took a wild ride in his CJ 171 jetboat. He spun around, lifted the back of the boat up in the air, got tossed

to the passenger side of the boat, and ended up back in his seat, right side up.

With a six-boat field, Dilworth still finished up #1 in the overall and the National Championship.

In the GPS 100 class, boats are not allowed to go over 100.999 miles per hour.

Tim Hoffman, shoeing the Fredricks/ Hoffman #717 entry, took the win over Jeff Wooton in the #346 boat and four other competitors. Wooton would end up the bridesmaid behind Hoffman in both the overall for the weekend, and the National Championships. speedboat.com

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Above: The Classic Endurance class had a six-boat field, with the #169, #20 and #10 entries making a lap around the stadium.

Scott Dayley (near lane), Ken Neal (middle) and Austin Kenyon (far lane). Neal won the Overall Weekend racing trophy.

Below: In the GPS 100 class, boats may not go over 100.999 mph. Tim Hoffman, shoeing the Fredricks/Hoffman #717 entry, took the win over Jeff Wooton in the #346 boat. Wooton would end up the bridesmaid behind Hoffman in both the Overall for the weekend—and the National Championships.

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LONG BEACH

SPORTSMAN A HYDRO: The class featured a stacked field of nine entries. Wesley Gildart in the 477 hydro (above) kneels way over as he passes the finish line bouy, while Kassidy Jones trails behind on the back stretch. In the end, Gildart would take the overall win and the National Championship.

FORMULA LIGHTS: Turnout in the class was light because of the race in Colorado just weeks before. Kevin Curtis, driving Bill Reiter’s #41 machine (left, near lane) took the overall win and the National Championship. Maureen Gurth sandwiched in the middle, finished second overall, and third in the championships. Jolley Waite (far lane) finished third in the overall and second in the championships.

Below: On the last lap of the last race in the Comp Jet category, Randall Dilworth took a wild ride in his CJ 171 jetboat. He spun around, lifted the back of the boat up in the air, got tossed to the passenger side of the boat, and ended up back in his seat, right side up.

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SPORTSMAN “20” HYDRO: Kevin Curtis in the #7 boat (left) was the overall winner; Mike Wright in the #9 boat finished fourth.

GRAND NATIONALS: Heath Hiebert (top, near lane) and daughter Kaylee went back and forth all weekend changing positions.

Electrical issues forced Kaylee to sit and watch in the course as Heath crossed the finish line first for the overall and the National Championship.

SPORTSMAN “C” HYDRO: Roger Hewson in the 7-C boat (left) was the winner.

Right: Unblown Flat champion Ty Newton pilots the Wild Child machine for Dave Rankin (far lane) alongside Mike Purczyski, driving Gary Koeller’s 151 Sportsman Extreme machine. Both drivers won their respective classes.

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LONG BEACH KRR: K16 boat driver sensation Jay Hart (left), jumping into John Guthrie’s machine for only the second or third time, gave Duff Daily fits as Hart either kept up with Duff or passed him on the straight part of the track. Hart finished first for the weekend.

CRACKER BOX: With a stout eightboat field, Lance and Scott Stump (right) came out on top in the Orangoutang P88. The Stumps won both the overall and the National Champions. Congrats to all who participated and supported this race. We could not have done it without all the support from the long list of individuals, companies and teams.

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[Continued from page 67] Mackie’s experience with Mercury gave him an up-close view of how the company’s innovative power products evolved over the years. “One of the big stern-drive milestones for us was the MerCruiser 1000SC (supercharged),” he says. “On the outboard side, when I first started, we had the 2.4 EFIs, and in 1991, that segued into the 2.5 EFIs. That was a really popular motor in the outboard stock class.”

Mackie got used to wearing many hats within the Mercury organization, becoming a “jack of all trades” who mastered the fine arts of public-relations, catalogs, advertising, calendars—anything to do with promoting the company as a spokesman and in print.

On July 20, 1990, Brunswick Corp. (owner of what was then called Mercury Hi-Performance) acquired Kiekhaefer Aeromarine, and the two companies merged. The son of Mercury founder Carl Kiekhaefer, Fred Kiekhaefer had taken the reins of Kiekhaefer Aeromarine in 1983 when Carl passed away; he then took over as president of Mercury Performance Products in 1990. Merging together presented significant challenges for employees in both organizations.

“It was a big adjustment,” Mackie says. “But working with Fred Kiekhaefer was a real learning experience. That was a very interesting era, from 1990 through 2012, when he left. All of the different products that we came out with was incredible.”

Mackie’s extensive work in Mercury’s catalogs helps him think of the products in what he calls “little time capsules,” and he’s able to reference back to them whenever it becomes necessary. He recalls the carbureted 500-hp engine’s release, followed by the HP500EFI in the late 1990s. “That one really stood the test of time, both as a recreational engine and in racing,” he says. In fact, Mackie just returned from a vacation to his hometown in Michigan, where a poker run was taking place, and saw an interesting boat there. “Brian and Wilma Ross were running their Donzi F2-46 race boat, SnapOn Tools, which still has the 500EFIs. It was like something out of a time warp.

And it still looks like it came right off the factory showroom.”

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After 30 years with Mercury Racing, Mackie has experienced bumper-crop seasons as well as an economic downturn that spelled doom for dozens of boatbuilders. “I guess I could call myself a survivor,” he chuckles. “That terrible recession was one timeframe where I thought, well, this may be the end of the dream ride. But we held on, and I think because our department was so lean and mean, that helped us survive.”

Another of Mackie’s brilliant efforts was to take the initiative to create an architecture for Mercury Racing’s social media environment. “I remember one day thinking, ‘I’m going to start a Facebook page, and I’m going to start a blog and a Twitter account, and a YouTube channel,’ all at once, around the time the Internet was really taking off,” he says. His handiwork led the

NMMA to award Mercury with the ‘Best Website’ award. “That was a pretty cool accomplishment,” he says.

But arguably Mackie’s biggest accomplishment online to date has been his incredibly popular and informative Mercury Racing blog, which commands a gigantic readership. Profusely illustrated and cutting edge, this blog has been the quintessential document to keep the industry informed about all of the innovations coming out of Fond du Lac, WI. It’s just one of the many reasons why Mackie is one of the best-known and respected people in the world of highperformance boating.

Speedboat salutes Rick Mackie, who plans to spend some quality time with his young son for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for all your accomplishments.

Nobody could have done a better job.

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