Speedboat Online December 2015

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Where true luxury meets speed and dependability at over 110mph.

Your next boat purchase is an investment in both your family and yourself. Make the right choice.

www.NordicBoatsUSA.com

50 years of serving the custom boat industry.

The 28SS with twin 300s... The fastest way to get to 100mph! LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA • 800.279.5398 • E-MAIL: sales@NordicBoatsUSA.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS November 2015

COLUMNS 8 CHRIS DAVIDSON 10 RAY LEE 12 ALEXI SAHAGIAN 14 JIM WILKES

FEATURES 16 AMERICAN BEAUTY Don Onken’s 50' Mystic earns Top Gun honors at this year’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.

34 EYE CANDY

40 LION’S DEN Muscleboats roar through the California Delta for another edition of the Big Cat Poker Run.

44 SBI HEROES Offshore competitors take Michigan City by storm for the Great Lakes Grand Prix.

48 SCOPE POKER RUN The Southern California muscleboat group raises more money for Operation Gratitude.

52 COAST BUSTERS The Florida Powerboat Club tackles the state’s Panhandle again with an abundance of style.

Speedboat’s editors present the very best images of our favorite all-time swimsuit models. Cover photo by Ray Lee Table of Contents photo by Todd Taylor 6

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Speedboat.com To find your nearest location to purchase a copy of Speedboat Magazine go to: www.WheresMyMagazine.com

Published by DCO Enterprises, LLC Publishers Ray Lee ray@speedboat.com

Chris Davidson chris@speedboat.com

Editor Brett Bayne brett@speedboat.com

Senior Tech Editors Jim Wilkes jim@speedboat.com

Alexi Sahagian alexi@speedboat.com

Tech Editors Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins National Sales Ray Lee Director ray@speedboat.com Art Director Gail Hada-Insley Helicopter Services Fred Young

BRETT’S COVE 62 QUICK RICK Rick Hollingworth is crowned the 2015 World Jet Boat Champion in Alberta, Canada.

66 A BEZER REBORN Greg Denton transforms a former Super Stock raceboat into a world-class pleasure performer.

fyoung@live.com

Photographers Todd Taylor, Andrew Gates Randy Nuzzo, Kenny Dunlop, Paul Kemiel, Jeff Girardi, Mark McLaughlin Operations Manager Michele Plummer michele@speedboat.com

Subscriptions Valerie Snedeker valerie@speedboat.com

VP of Business Wes Nielsen Development wes@speedboat.com

72 BATTLE IN LONG BEACH

Webmaster Craig Lathrop

Fierce competition highlights the ARP Long Beach Sprint Nationals.

Web Design Blair Davidson blair@marketitmobile.com

76 FREE ‘SPIRIT’ Top Fuel hero Scotty Lumbert is victorious in Spirit of Texas, while the sport bids farewell to beloved racer Mike Fry. 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 Performance Boats’ right to edit and comment editorially. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher. Postmaster: Send address changes to Postmaster: Send address changes to Speedboat Magazine, 9216 Bally Court, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

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Editorial Offices 9216 Bally Court Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (888) 577-2628 (BOAT) SPEEDBOAT MAGAZINE (ISSN#1941-9473) is published 8 times a year by DCO Enterprises LLC. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Domestic $34.00 for 8 issues, Canada $56.00 for 8 issues, International $60.00 for 8 issues. All prices are for one year and in US funds. For subscription info: call (888) 577-2628. 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.

SPEEDBOAT |

November 2015

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MY VIEW CHRIS DAVIDSON

Evolution of a Massive Event

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The LOTO Shootout is unquestionably one of the biggest high-performance boating events each year. Twenty years ago, it was considered much more of a regional event sponsored and promoted by Powerboat Magazine. The big number to shoot for in the early 1990s was 100 mph. Things have changed. The jump from 100 mph to 200 mph is vast, though it happened relatively quickly. American Ethanol ran a blistering 208 mph this year. Very impressive. The crowds had expectations of a participant besting the previous two years’ Top Gun marks established in 2013 by Bill Tomlinson in his 50' Mystic, My Way, which ran 224 mph with twin Lycoming turbine-powered engines. That record was smashed last year by The Spirit of Qatar at an even more unbelievable number of 244 mph, also in a 50' Mystic. Nice work, John Cosker. The numbers achieved the past several years will not likely be bested by anyone anytime soon. Congratulations again to the American Ethanol team for getting most spectators’ jaws to drop for several passes that weekend in late August. Prior to the LOTO Shootout event, Speedboat tested some of the finest East Coast hardware on the water. Twelve boats were run, with the owners of the boats and our team drivers for speed 8

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runs and testing. The event was put together by Brett Manire and Mark Waddington at Performance Boats Center on Lake of the Ozarks. PBC’s facility is the most comprehensive facility that we have ever visited. They have a full-service storage facility that sits on several prime acres on LOTO. In addition to the beautifully designed retail facility full of inventory ready to hit the water, they’re also one of the few fully authorized Mercury Racing shops in the area. In addition, there is a sports bar and restaurant on the property with a most unique name: the Redhead Lakeside Grill. The restaurant was very clean, with friendly, attractive staff and a mouthwatering menu. We ate there several times to enjoy the comings and goings of the boats on the water, the waitresses at the restaurant and the pretty bikini-clad models working the fuel docks. Performance Boats Center is also a stocking dealer for Sunsation, Statement, Skater, Outerlimits and Princess Cigarette, Yachts. Sunsation’s new 36 SSR is one of the finest rides that has ever hit the water. The 36' is the perfect size boat for LOTO and handled very well, both in the rough water and while maneuvering around the dock under blustery conditions. Brett Manire is the operating owner, and he works there from morning to dusk each day. Brett has a great attitude and warm heart that trickles down to every staff member. His partner, Mark Waddington, is a sharp, subtle visionary who has enabled PBC to become the #1 facility on Lake of the Ozarks. Great job,

Team PBC! One evening during the Shootout event, we were invited to a barbeque at the waterfront home of Jared Morris, who recently partnered with the Schaldenbrand brothers, Wayne and Joe. Jared is a straight, no-nonsense businessman that has Sunsation continuing on a great path with exciting new models coming out of the factory in Algonac, MI. The dinner they provided of giant steaks and barbecued chicken made for a great time and evening for the Speedboat Magazine team. While we were in town, we visited with Mike and Mark Maasen of Poly Lift. While visiting their retail location in Osage Beach, a customer would have no idea about the size and scope of their actual operation. The brothers took us over to their manufacturing plant, which sits on several acres with activity everywhere. They have hundreds of Poly Lift and Roto Lift Boat Lift systems in various stages. They have used systems being rebuilt, used systems ready for delivery and a production assembly of new boat lifts being assembled by the dozens. Each lift is custom built to shield your boat from the elements, both in the slip and out of the water. The hydraulic lift eliminates the need for bottom painting and acid washing, allowing each hull to run at top efficiency year round. Poly Lift was active throughout the week as a sponsor of the Shootout and poker run, as well as the charity event. The Speedboat team attending this event consisted of Jay Forbes, Todd Taylor, Tom Chen, Alexi Sahagian, Fred Young, Tony Scarlata, Ray Lee and myself. Eight team members in one six-bedroom condo for the week made for the best of times and the worst of times, depending on the day of the week. But that’s what makes for a great team, and we have one of the best. speedboat.com

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OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE

Men on a Mission

In late August, the Speedboat Magazine Team traveled to Central Missouri to cover the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout and Poker Run. We brought eight members of the team to the Show Me State, and we were definitely not disappointed. LOTO (as it’s more frequently called) showed us all of its best and more. Between the incredible hardware that arrives from seemingly everywhere and the genuine friendliness and charming hospitality of the locals, it’s no wonder why this event has risen to the top and is a must-attend event for all high-performance boat enthusiasts. We usually spend four or five days covering this event. However, this year we scheduled a boat test/photo shoot early in the week with the help of Brett Manire and Mark Waddington of the remarkable Performance Boat Center and Redhead Yacht Club in Osage Beach. We had a total of 12 boats arrive to participate in our shoot, including Mystic’s beautiful new C5000S with Mercury 1350s that company owner John Cosker brought to us himself. There was also a healthy mix of Cigarettes, Outerlimits, a Sunsation, a Skater and even a Statement center console model, all of which will be appearing within these pages in upcoming issues. With a lot of variables out of our control, it was challenging to coordinate all of the tasks that needed to be done. But with the cooperation of the boat owners, their crew and the diligence of our test team, everything went off without a hitch. All 10

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of the boats arrived on time and highly polished, the photography was shot cautiously and methodically, and even the scheduled helicopter appeared over the awaiting fleet, almost on cue. Thanks to all that participated and invited us onboard your vessels. We had a great time with you. The next event was the Street Show held on the Strip near Bagnell Dam. They had moved it from the local dirt lot fairground to the paved asphalt Strip this year, which I assume the exhibitors appreciated greatly. More than 100 boats lined the street with each display as impressive (or more so) than the last. We walked up and down the Strip repeatedly, long after the sun fell, to make sure we didn’t miss any of the hardware that awaited our eyes and camera lenses. The next night was the kick-off party and registration at Performance Boat Center and Redhead Yacht Club. Participants and Shootout fans converged shoulder-to-shoulder for the festivities. The masses were treated to a sumptuous catered dinner, open bar, a lively band and wonderful company while “bench racing” was occurring in every corner of the immense facility. Seasoned veterans of the event were overheard giving the newbies sage advice while the storied rivalries continued to gain momentum. It was a great night with great people. The next day was the Poker Run sponsored by Poly Lift Boat Lifts. Team members Tony Scarlata, Fred Young and I

were fortunate enough to be invited onboard Billy Allen’s 38' Cigarette Top Gun for a couple of the card stops. Shortly after the start of the run, the water got pretty bumpy and rough. I quickly aborted the mission of trying to photograph the nearby boats and adopted the new mission of simply holding on! But Captain Billy’s throttling skills proved to be strong and I quickly threw my trust into him and started clicking away again. The rest of our team was not as fortunate as we were, which you may or may not read about in Chris Davidson’s column. Finally, the Shootouts were upon us. We made our way up onto the “secret bluff” where we have positioned ourselves to shoot pictures for several years now. We were welcomed like old friends by “Click and the Gang,” and the LOTO Speed Team, which consists of Sandy, “Juggs” and “Speed.” They are the ones responsible for the official mph of each boat that makes a pass, and they are very skilled at what they do. We had assignments for each team member to offer the most comprehensive coverage of the LOTO Shootouts possible. Todd Taylor shot images for the magazine while Alexi Sahagian uploaded photos and speed results to our “sb.mag” Instagram page. I shot stills and reported speeds for our Speedboat Magazine Facebook page, while Tony Scarlata simultaneously uploaded videos and speeds there, as well. Jay Forbes posted images and speeds to our newly launched forums at speedboat.com, and we were all doing it just in time before the next boat took their turn down the liquid mile. After two full days of this grind was finally complete, we knew that we had accomplished what we had traveled there to do. We were definitely exhausted after this extended adventure, but our mission was complete—and it was completely awesome! speedboat.com

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ON THE DYNO ALEXI SAHAGIAN Overheating Enigma Dear Alexi: I have an Eliminator Daytona with a Mercury 525 that you did the supercharger on a long time ago. It runs good but now, but it seems to want to overheat if I hold it wide open for a long period of time. I have a new impeller and still beeps at me around 100 mph. I had every shop around me look at it and they say that everything is OK, and it scans just fine. I am frustrated! Any help would be appreciated. Joe Poliky Austin, TX

the heat exchanger if everything else looks good. Usually the inside of the engine stays clean due to coolant, but the fresh water side can create corrosion and cause flow issues. After time, the rubber end gaskets can also swell into a partial blockage position. Yes, it seems odd, but it happens! Anyway, make sure that you have adequate water pressure at the exchanger, and that there is no blockage in the header on the exit side. Weird things can frequently happen. I've seen the CMI jump tubes collapse inside, not allowing the fresh water to flow properly through the engine, and it's barely detectable. If you’re frustrated out of your mind, please do the following: Change the header jump tubes, back flush the heat exchanger, replace the end rubber seals (assuring that they do not block the passage), get a new impeller, top off the coolant, back flow the headers, back flow from raw water pump to drive/pick up. On older boats where the water enters the engine from the drive, we have even seen corrosion block the water inlet 75% at the mid gimbal area. It’s crazy! Anyway, follows these few steps and try it. It should be back to life. Remember, the stock heat exchanger has barely enough cooling capacity to handle a supercharged version of a 525 or 496, so it does not take much.

Fuel Pump Craziness The supercharged 525s are great little packages, no doubt about it. If everything seems normal except for an overheating condition at WOT, then we have to look at the basics. You should start by checking the water psi to heat exchanger after assuring your coolant levels are in order. On the 525s, there are a couple of things to look into. One is sensor issues, most frequently in fresh water of all places. The sensor can give a false reading, cause alarms, etc. Depending on the gauges you are using, it may fake the dash readings out as well. Check the end gaskets on 12

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Dear Alexi: I have a twin-engine MTI with 1075 Mercury Racing engines. When I go to start my boat, I key it on and the fuel pumps kick on for eight seconds, then shuts off. The problem seems to be that when my port motor starts, it has 50 psi of fuel pressure, but my starboard engine (although I hear the pump) has no pressure and won’t start. All of my fuel valves are open and the pump is working. Please help, as my beautiful boat won't run with one engine. Thanks! Alvin Haynes Fort Lauderdale, FL

The 1075 is a cool engine and generally very reliable. If you hear the pump, and the tanks contain fuel—and assuming you have no air leak—here’s my best guess. Most 1075s are set up with

a Weldon 2025a fuel pump—the same ones we use here at Boostpower Marine on several applications. It has a coupler in it between the top electric motor side and the pump section below. If the pump gets any debris in it, it is designed to break away and not melt the electric motor or pass debris to your engine. So if it keys on and you hear it, it is likely that the coupler broke. It’s a quick fix. We have the couplings or contact Weldon directly (ask for Jim). Simply fasten the electric motor and install the new coupler after removing the bad one. Please remember that something made it break away. Remove debris and change the fuel filter (I prefer the Ramco RF500m). Try that and you should be good to go! speedboat.com

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V-DRIVE TECH JIM WILKES pressure point and go to the V-drive unit. |I like this method of plumbing because you always have water pressure to the V-drive. With the V-drive holding just over a pint of oil, it is my opinion that keeping the oil cool makes for longer bearing life. Remember to change your V-drive oil once a year.

Prop Query 660s or 750s? Dear V-drive Tech: I am currently running reworked dual 4224 with 660 carbs on a BBC LS7 (.060 over) and solid full roller .660 lift. I am debating on switching over to 750s. What are the limits of the 4224 carbs? I kind of like them, but I was told my motor needs more air and I am not sure if I need more than 1,320 cfm to drain the tanks. The engine’s maximum rpm is 7,500, but don’t think it will see north of 7,000 unless there’s a good reason. I am anxious to hear your thoughts. Harold Bradlee Houston, TX If I remember correctly, your LS7 had a static compression of 12.5:1. You didn’t list any information about your heads or whether they have been reworked or if the block had been decked on your rebuild. Based on the information you have given, the CFOA (cubic feet of air) per minute your engine would use is 997.69 CFOA at 7,500 rpm. Your carburetors will allow for 1,320 cfm, so as you can see you have more than enough carburetor cfm for you engine. If you decided to switch to 750 cfm carburetors, I recommend using Holley HP series 750 carbs. They will allow for more fuel adjustments than stock 750 Holley carbs. Normally, when you go to 14

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a larger cfm carburetor, you lose some bottom-end torque. I have spent a lot of time on the dyno testing different cfm carburetors, and have learned bigger is not always better when it comes to carburetors. Keep in mind that not all engines respond the same way.

V-Drive Plumbing Dear V-drive Tech: What is the best way to plumb a water-cooled V-drive? I have a small block Chevy with a Halcraft water-cooled V-drive and Neovane pump. What is the proper way to plump this set up to cool the V-drive? Tim Gibbons Gainesville, FL There is no right way to plumb your V-drive—just the most simple way. I will give you some ideas on ways to run water to you V-drive unit and hopefully this will help. Some boats have a water pickup installed by the V-drive, and the water exit on the shaft log seal housing or on the shaft log itself. Sometimes the water exit is a separate water pick-up installed by the V-drive and turned around so it will dump the water out. Another way is to come off the water exit point on the intake manifold (thermostat housing) or any other water

Dear V-drive Tech: I have a 1970 Campbell 20' 468 dynoed at 478 hp at 5,200 rpm. It’s got a three-speed Turbo 400 transmission with reverse and park and a Champion V-drive (1.15 gears). I ran WOT 47 mph at 6,200 rpm with a bronze nickel 14 (13.5) x 14 and chunked that prop. Then I tried a steel 11.5 x 15 and got the same numbers. The motor felt more free, and it was easy to climb through the rpm. I feel like I could go faster, but not sure what I should try. Any advice on gears or props? Thanks! Mark W. Reynolds Raleigh, NC Stop, stop, stop using a bronze nickel propeller! They were never designed to 7,130 propshaft rpm. The blade flexes too much at top rpm, and yes—the blade breaks. You need to step up and get either a stainless or steel propeller. I sell both types of propellers, but I prefer the stainless-style prop. Most of the time when I sell a propeller, I need to rework it to get maximum performance. Propellers are like fingerprints—no two are identical, and what works on one boat may not work the same on another boat. Not having all the information (i.e., strut location, strut angle, etc.), my suggestion would be to try and find a 11.5x15 big round-ear propeller. I have worked on a few 20 V-drive Campbell boats over the years, and when we finished, they worked well for a heavy 20-foot boat. Good luck with your project. speedboat.com

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American Beauty Don Onken’s 50' Mystic earns Top Gun honors at this year’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.

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merican Ethanol, a 50' Mystic cat, the fastest boats at LOTO, with a blistering 179-mph run that captured the coveted Top Gun prize earned the trophy in Non-Professional Cat class.

for owner Don Onken at this year’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. Clocked at 208 mph, Ethanol was driven by Myrick Coil with Mystic President John Cosker on throttles. The boat is powered by four supercharged V-8 engines that produce an estimated 7,700 hp. Its motors run on homegrown American ethanol, which performs better and burns cooler than regular gasoline. In addition, the boat employs the ECU (electronic control unit) system provided by AEM Performance Electronics. Meanwhile, the fastest vee-bottom was a 43' Black Thunder owned by Dennis Parvey, who snared the Non-Professional Vee award with a speed of 145 mph. Win Farnsworth of Denver, CO, winner of the 2015 Desert Storm shootout in his Low Altitude Mystic, was another of 16

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The Shootout event enjoyed a spike in both attendance and vendors, according to organizer “Captain Ron” Duggan. “At every single event, we’re bigger,” he told Speedboat. “We had more sponsorships involved, more people donating money. The auction was three times what it had ever been in the past. The money we raised exceeded my goals, so I’m really excited about that.” This year’s shootout comes on the heels of last year’s tragic accident that resulted in the death of Michael Fiore, owner of Outerlimits. Fortunately, the 2015 event was accident-free. “We didn’t have any problems at all, from anywhere,” Duggan said. “Every year, the first thing we do is re-evaluate is the safety aspect, because if we can’t keep these guys safe, they’re not going to come.” speedboat.com

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Story and photos by Todd Taylor and Ray

Lee

The American Ethanol team, including owner Don Onken, driver Myrick Coil and throttleman John Cosker (president of Mystic Powerboats) accept their Top Gun trophy.

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American Beauty

2nd Amendment, a 36' Spectre, won top honors in Bravo Cat class with a speed of 121 mph. Inset: the crew (including Neil Wobbe and Karl Steger) accept their award.

John Chilton (inset) drove his DCB M35 (below) at a speed of 160 mph. The boat is powered by Mercury Racing 1350 engines.

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American Beauty

The turbine-powered Low Altitude Mystic was clocked at 179 mph. Accepting the Non-Professional Cat trophy is owner Win Farnsworth’s wife, Melissa (inset).

Gone Again, a 32' closed-canopy Skater, won the Top Gun award in Professional Cat class for owner Kenny Mungle (inset, with team) with a speed run of 188 mph.

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FLORIDA POWERBOAT CLUB presents the

GENERAL AGENDA TWO Departure Days: Wednesday, Nov 11th, 2015 Thursday, Nov 12th, 2015 Departure times: North Miami Haulover: 9:30 am South Miami Coconut Grove: 10:30 am

November 10-16, 2015

Florida Powerboat Club’s signature poker run event, attracts a global roster of participants and features scenic cruising from Miami to Key West, through the beautiful Florida Keys. Checkpoints along the way take participants to Florida Keys’ hot spots in Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, and Bahia Honda. Paceboats provide navigation through the winding backwaters of the Florida Keys, allowing participants to enjoy the ride in more protected waters, with the final 40-mile leg offshore and into the protected Key West Harbor.

REGISTER, SUBSCRIBE, OR MORE INFO ONLINE AT: WWW.FLPOWERBOAT.COM or CALL 954-545-1414

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American Beauty

Above: Ryan McClay and his team accept the Center Console Top Gun award. Left: Their quad-outboard powered center-console Nor-Tech.

Myrick Coil took Mark Waddington’s 52' Outerlimits to 139 mph, capturing the Top Gun award in Vee Professional class.

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American Beauty Andy and Lacey Miller of Wichita, KS, drive their 32' Aerotek, American Outlaw.

Sunsation Powerboats customer Adam Carpenter of Clearwater, MI, drove his new 34' CCX to 87 mph, powered by triple 400 Mercury outboards. It’s the first all-black center console Sunsation has built. The boat is called Discrete.

The 52' MTI #3 catamaran, powered by twin Mercury Racing 1650s, went picklefork to propeller with a stunt plane.

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9/25/15 11:06 AM


American Beauty

Dan Kleitz achieved a speed of 115 mph in his Outerlimits, winning him the award in Manufacturer Vee.

Dennis Parvey, driving this 43' Black Thunder, hit the 145-mph mark, winning the award in Non-Professional Vee class.

Summer Richardson of Swoop Motorsports / My Garage APP was the fastest female solo driver at LOTO—at least unofficially, as there is currently no such class in the unsanctioned race. “Going into this Shootout, I thought I might get a trophy in some type of women’s division, not knowing that there really is no class bracket for the mph that I did…but they had nowhere to put me,” she laughs. Richardson hit 147 mph in her DCB F32, powered by TCM 1025s. She hopes the attention she captured will inspire the creation of women’s classes for future Shootouts.

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The LOTO Street Party was a seemingly nonstop parade of bling and horsepower. Among the boats on display were Rusty Rahm’s 52' MTI (above), Poly-Lift’s 42' Cigarette (right) and the American Ethanol 51' Mystic (below).

The Gone Again Skater team sold T-shirts at their booth, above right. (The boat would go on to win the Top Gun award in Professional Cat class.) Right: The Skater 40SS Wicked Addiction is powered by TCM 1200 engines.

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American Beauty

Top left: At the Performance Boat Center party, Alana Bukaty and Amy Lepper kept the drinks flowing all night. Top right: PBC owner Mark Waddington (white shirt) ensures everyone is having a good time. Above: Some of the guests found great reading material at their tables.

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Speedboat caught a ride at the LOTO Poker Run with George and Dawn Ogden’s 30' E-Ticket (above left). Also participating were Grant Freeman in his Donzi 38ZR (above), a past Top Gun winner in his class; Billy Allen’s Cigarette 38 Top Gun (below); and Chris Wimberg and Lance Thurman in their 91-mph Reindl Ultimate Racing Experience “bat boat” (bottom). Below left: the mandatory morning driver’s meeting.

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S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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American Beauty

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9/30/15 6:58 PM


Welcome, Bax! As head of the Des Moines Moines-based based Baxter Construction Company, Tony Baxter builds a magnitude of projects, including casinos, car dealerships and housing for seniors. The fourth-generation company is in 15 states and continually expanding. Along with wife Cindy, Baxter enjoys his MTI 42' center-console—which, after owning various houseboats and runabouts, is the family’s first true high-performance boat. He says he’s especially delighted by the four low-volume Mercury 400-R Verado outboards. “Those engines are so quiet,” he says. “You can actually have a conversation with people. Every time I dock, someone says, ‘Your engines are running.’ I forgot to turn it off!”

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American Beauty

Pontoons grabbed a lot of attention at the 2015 Shootout. Participating “toons” included a new Playcraft Xtreme 2500 driven by J.T. Dorris (above) and a 2700 Extreme driven by Carolyn Dorris (right). The boat has a 520 engine with Bravo III drive.

Left: Brad Rowland captured the “Top Toon” award for fastest pontoon in his 2010 925CR South Bay pontoon boat, the tripleengine Tooned In Two. The 25’ monster is powered by three Mercury Pro Max 300X outboard engines.

Right: Glenn Katka in his 2016 Playcraft, powered by a 627 outboard engine.

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9/30/15 6:58 PM



Photos by Brett

Bayne

Theresa graced this Schiada V-drive in a Needles shoot back in 2010.

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9/30/15 7:02 PM


Left: smoldering Cherie graces a 36' Nor-Tech Supercat at the Lake Cumberland Poker Run in 2007. Above: Ute gets comfy on the deck of a Sanger shovelnose hydro.

Eye Candy speedboat.com

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Speedboat’s editors sort through tens of thousands of photos to bring you the very best images of our favorite all-time swimsuit models. (You’re welcome!)

S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Eye Candy

Last year’s LOTO Shootout gave Brittany a chance to relax on a Skater.

Above: At our 2008 tests, held at the Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake Mohave, Celeste poses on a DCB.

Left: Elaine looks sultry in the engine compartment of a Statement in Jacksonville, FL.

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9/30/15 7:02 PM


In Lake Havasu City, stunning Nicollete shows off the engine hatch of a Cobra 260 Venom in 2008.

Miki adorns the deck of a SleekCraft afloat on Lake Elsinore back in 2007.

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Luscious Lexi poses on a wood-deck Miller V-drive.

S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Eye Candy

We won’t soon forget Cheri’s encounter with this open-bow canopied Eliminator from 2011.

Left: This outtake is from Danielle’s August 2008 cover shoot. Right: Aptly named Amor joined us for our swimsuit shoot back in 2011 on California’s Irvine Lake.

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9/30/15 7:02 PM


Before she was a reality-show superstar, we worked with sexy Kendra Wilkinson. Anne was one of the standouts of our 2011 summer swimsuit shoot at Irvine Lake.

Cara helped us showcase the P-9 Miss Suncoast Crackerbox competitor in 2009.

speedboat.com

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S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Lion’s Den

M cleb Muscleboats Musclebo l b bo roar through the California Delta. Californi

Volunteer organizer Glenn Hoffman and crew in his 38' Eliminator Eagle.

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speedboat.com

9/30/15 11:10 PM


Photos by Scott Vincent

Derrick Boler of Discovery Bay, CA in Busted, his 35' Nordic Flame.

Ron and Robin Sharp of Folsom, CA, in their 26' Commander Signature, powered by a Raylar HO 525-hp engine.

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P

resented by Discovery Bay Lions Club and major sponsor Teague Custom Marine, the Big Cat

Poker Run once again hosted participants in Discovery Bay, CA, for an event spanning the California Delta. As usual, big-muscle catamarans and vee-bottoms from all over the state helped to raise thousands of dollars for local charities. The event kicks off Friday with a fun run to Sugar Barge Resort & Marina (Bethel Island, CA) and an evening registration party, while Saturday’s main event takes participants to various stops, including the Pittsburg Yacht Club. This year, organizers tried a slightly different format, making two different routes available. The traditional route (for the bigger, faster boats) kicked off from Discovery Bay to Pittsburg Yacht Club, to Nena’s Mexican Restaurant in Stockton for lunch, and then back to Discovery Bay. The new, shorter run for the smaller and not-quite-as-fast entries routed them to Sugar Barge Resort, to Tower Park for lunch, then back to Disco Bay. Cherilyn Teague Noack of TCM said attendance seemed strong, with some first-time participants and strong organization by key volunteer Glenn Hoffman. “Having him involved really made big difference this year,” she said. “He has a 38' Eliminator Eagle, a big vee-bottom model that I don’t see very often.” The usual lunch stop at the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel was changed to Nena’s this year, which Noack said was refreshing. “They had a big tented shade area set up for us,” she said. “It accommodated everyone just fine. There are newly redone docks on that side of the water now, so that was a treat.” S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Lion’s Den

Darla Nagengast of Discovery Bay in her 29' Shockwave Magnatude, powered by twin Mercury HP500s.

Ralph Rast of Orangevale, CA, in his 29' Fountain Fever, equipped with TCM’s 900 EFI package.

Time Flies, a 28’ Conquest Boss Cat with Paul Pfaff 750-hp engines.

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Bob and Andrea Teague pilot an Eliminator 28' Speedster powered by twin TCM 825 EFI engines.

Rick Cannon’s DCB F-29 alongside Ron Grove’s 28' Nordic.

Phil Scott of Wilton, CA, in ShoDog, a 47' Fountain Lightning with triple Mercury 525s.

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SBI

Of ore competitors Offshore O competito p tit i ors rs tak ta take take Michigan Michiga Michig chigan hig gan Cit City C yb by storm sto t m for fo o the G Great Lake Lakes kes s Grand Gran Gr G ra and a nd Prix. P Prix r ix

Heroes Story and photos by Paul

Kemiel

2nd Amendment, a 36' Spectre cat, is aglow after its win at the Blue Chip Casino awards banquet.

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speedboat.com

10/1/15 12:22 AM


Left: CMS, a 48' MTI cat, glides over the Lake Michigan race course with a 93.97 mph average for Superboat Unlimited winners John Tomlinson (throttles) and Jeff Harris (driver), above.

A massive crowd of spectators enjoy race day at the Great Lakes Grand Prix.

S

pectators gathered along the shoreline of Lake Michigan recently for the 7th

Annual Great Lakes Grand Prix SBI Offshore-sanctioned race in Michigan City, IN. The Washington Park beach was crammed with racing fans and sunbathers—an estimated 135,000 people, setting a record for attendance. The three-day event was chock-filled with a variety of activities, from the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony, VIP and racer parties, boat parade, and the Taste of Michigan City block party. Leading up to Sunday’s races, a total of 24 entries competed in seven classes on a picture-perfect, sunny 82-degree summer day. The first race with an 11 a.m. start time was with the Superboat Stock class running 12 laps. Smart Marine, a 32' Doug Wright [Text continues on page 60] speedboat.com

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SBI Heroes

WHM Motorsports flies off a wave to victory in Superboat class, left. Above: A rare view of owner/driver Billy Mauff and throttleman Jay Muller taking care of business in the cockpit.

The 40’ Fountain Hooters /Instigator claimed victory in the Superboat Extreme class. Above: Driver Johnny Stanch and throttleman Peter Meyer.

The 2nd Amendment crew of Neil Wobbe and Karl Steger with team (above) accepts their Manufacturer Production P3 class. Right: 2nd Amendment, a 36' Spectre, in action.

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speedboat.com

10/1/15 12:23 AM


The FJ Propeller team of owner/throttleman Gary Ballough (right) and driver John Tomlinson beautifully trimmed their Doug Wright cat to snare first place in the Superboat Stock class.

Owner/driver Daniel Racz and throttleman Glen Gray (above) took first in the Manufacturer Production P4 class with Two Cruel, a 30' Phantom vee (right).

Superboat Vee winners Steve Miklos and Jason McGonnel (above) pilot Sun Print, a 29' Extreme vee hull (left). speedboat.com

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S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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10/1/15 12:23 AM


SCOPE

POKER RUN

The Southern CA group raises more money for Operation Gratitude.

Story and photos by Ray

Lee

SCOPE President Bill Steiner (far left) and board member Bob Patterson (far right) with Tommy Briles (who donated $500), Gary Smith (who donated $1,000). 48

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9/30/15 7:09 PM


T

he Southern California Offshore Powerboat Elite (SCOPE) hosted its 19th annual poker

“Junkyard Bill” Steiner in his 38' Cigarette (near lane) and Steve Wallace in Bada Bing, an Outerlimits, drive past the USS Enterprise at the Midway in Long Beach, CA.

Jack Ohanesian of Laguna Niguel in Twisted, a 42' Fountain.

run in San Diego, CA at the picturesque resort of the Kona Kai. More than 30 boats ranging in size from 28' to 48' participated in the event that turns over the all of the proceeds to the charity, Operation Gratitude—an organization that prepares and ships care packages to our troops overseas. All attendees enjoyed the mild sunny weather and the calm seas that made for fun runs to the designated card stops. The first stop at the Barefoot Bar & Grill allowed the fleet to grab lunch and refreshments, at their own pace and leisure. SCOPE President Bill Steiner was pleased with the event and was appreciative of all the Board members and volunteers that made it happen. “It was a lot of work to put together but overall I was happy and thought it went off without a hitch. The highlight was taking 45 military veterans on fast boat rides, in honor of their service.” The evening brought on the awards dinner to reveal the winning hands of the day’s poker run. Gary Smith, of Tucson, AZ took the top prize with four Jacks, but quickly returned the money to SCOPE to donate back to Operation Gratitude. In fact, all card hand winners returned their winnings to benefit the worthy cause. [Text continues on page 58]

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SCOPE

caption

Rick Bowling in Gone Again, a 37' Fountain.

Gary Smith in Alien, a 42' Outerlimits Legacy.

Thaddeus Findley in the Ragamuffin Skater (near lane) drives alongside Clay Rodrigues in his 488 Skater SLV.

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9/30/15 7:09 PM


Sean Clancy in his 38' NuEra by Great American Concepts.

Scott Struthers in Strut, a quad-outboard powered Hydra-Sport.

caption

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S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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COAST BUSTERS The Florida Powerboat Club tackles the state’s Panhandle again with an abundance of style.

A bird’s eye view of the famous Emerald Grande Resort in Destin, FL.

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speedboat.com

10/1/15 12:31 AM


Photography by Jerry Wyszatycki

F

rom anyone’s viewpoint—whether organizers, participants, spectators, hoteliers,

Richie Barr of Louisiana in Wired Up, a 36' Eliminator.

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local merchants or charity volunteers—the 23rd Emerald Coast Poker Run went off without so much as a hitch. Shuffling the event to the fourth weekend in August received some skepticism by the powerboat community in the earlier stages—namely, that the Florida Panhandle event might receive stiff competition from its big brother to the West, the annual LOTO Shootout. Indeed, the concerns may have been valid, as Emerald Coast growth numbers may not have set any historical records. However, in spite of all the that, great weather, stellar beaches, first-class accommodations and five days of vibrant, fun-filled parties ensured that the 150+ registered boats and their crew, went home with full bellies, mild hangovers and memorable experiences. Little was done to modify the previous nine-stop poker run course from Sandestin to Pensacola Beach, but in a series of captains meetings, event co-organizer Stu Jones emphasized to participants, the importance of enjoying the entire course, focusing his message on the owners of the faster V-bottoms and hi-performance cats. “Guys,” he explained, “this course has nine checkpoints in all for all the right reasons, and that is to get you all to enjoy the high-performance of your boats and stretch it out in the faster zones to the east (Sandestin) and to the west (Pensacola Beach). If you spend all your time on an anchor, or beached at one of the checkpoints, you’ll miss the chance to really run your boats in some near-perfect waterways.” And cruise they did, as checkpoint volunteers at Pensacola Beach’s Bamboo Willies, claimed that a record [Text continues on page 61] S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Coast Busters

Jason Birdwell of Mississippi in Max Bidder, a 40' Profile.

Jorge & Ann Arellano in their DCB M35.

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9/30/15 7:11 PM


Above: Weston Bass of Louisiana in his 39' Cigarette, Change Order. Left: Brian Manning of South Carolina in Wild Thing, a 42’ Outerlimits GTX. Below: Boats are beached for an afternoon lunch stop.

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S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Coast Busters

Scott and Allison Stinson of Georgia in Poker Face, a 41' Liquid Glass Luxury Cat.

Chris Shipp of Texas in Firewater, a 30' Baja Outlaw.

Stu Jones (right) with contestants in the Miss Boat Week contest.

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Coast Busters [Text continued from page 53] fifty-plus boats made it all the way to the west end of the poker run course, logging in more that 120 miles for the day. More importantly, many of those participants discovered that the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk had so much to offer, with plenty of docking, a bustling beach and a myriad of great dining options in air-conditioned comfort. Boat Week parties were staged for six consecutive days, and even the early birds were treated to a Fat Tuesday Poker Run parade through Main Street in Harbourwalk Village, at the doorstep to the luxurious Emerald Grande resort. Wednesday moved to the popular Helen Back Cafe, Thursday night offered the eye-popping Miss Boat Week contest, and Friday night featured boating bling at its finest, as AJ’s dockside displayed Nor-Techs, MTIs, Outerlimits and Cigarettes stunned thousands of visitors with their brilliant lighting and nightclub sound systems. But Saturday night, as always, was the big headliner, as the Emerald Coast Foundation, the event’s beneficiary, pulled all the stops for riproaring party that topped the charts. With live entertainment from Ron “Elvis” Adams, a local icon, great food, open bar, and charity auction stacked with incredible items, the party buzzed with energy. When the nine-seat “final table” whittled down to just two poker players, Texans Kenny Armstrong and Cher Floyd squared off in the final round, as the clock approached midnight, with Kenny taking home the Grand Prize Ford F150 XLT pickup and a Harley Davidson Street Glide motorcycle. Special thanks to prize sponsors Hub City Ford and Emerald Coast Harley Davidson, for their great prize contributions and sponsor support. For the 1,200 participants who attended and the army of volunteers that kept the charity wheels turning, anybody would agree that the $160,000+ in funds raised for four local youth charities, was well worth the price of admission.

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SCOPE [Cont. from page 49]

But that wasn’t the only act of generosity that night. Numerous others reached deep into their pockets, including Brian Golie, who donated an additional $4000 in the name of charity. SCOPE is already looking forward to celebrating next year’s 20th Annual Poker Run by returning it to its roots. Plans are in motion for a Long Beach to Catalina Island Run, as they did years ago. “I challenge and welcome all performance boaters to return to SCOPE for the Catalina Run next year! We’re hoping to bring back all of the old SCOPE members and others boaters to join us for the fun,” said Steiner. Plans are tentatively scheduled for the third weekend of September, 2016.

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10/1/15 12:39 AM


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7/9/15 1:52 PM


SBI Heroes

[Cont. from page 47]

cat in the hands of owner/driver Chris Schoenbohm and throttleman Taylor Chastelet, had a fierce battle with Talbot Excavating, another 32' Doug Wright hull, powered by a pair of 280-hp Mercury outboards, with owner/driver Kyler Talbot and throttleman Jay Muller. After finishing the third lap of competition, a pair of fighting cats entered into the Lighthouse turn #1 as Talbot Excavating made contact with Smart Marine and barrel-rolled. Apparently, neither crew saw each other while racing, and they collided. Talbot and Muller escaped with no major injuries. The craft sustained two punched holes on the port side of the boat. “First time flying a boat over,” Talbot said. “The canopy strength

44-47,60,82_SBIheroes_1115-RL.indd 60

did its job throughout the entire process. When the boat rolled over, there was very little water in the cockpit. Chalk it up to a racing accident.” This set the stage for FJ Propeller— sitting in third place at the time of the incident—to inherit first place. And after the remaining nine laps, the 32' Doug Wright cat (propelled by two 200-hp Mercury outboards) secured the victory for owner/throttleman Gary Ballough and driver Johnny Tomlinson. It was Ballough’s 113th career win. In the Superboat Vee class, Sun Print, a 29' Extreme hull powered by a single 610-hp Scorpion inboard engine claimed victory for driver Jason McGonnel and Steve Miklos on the

throttles with an average speed of 71.77 mph. Meanwhile, the Manufacturer P3 class winner was 2nd Amendment, a 36' Spectre cat with a pair of 500-hp Mercury I/Os. The boat ran fast and strong from start to finish, thanks to driver Karl Steger and throttleman Neil Wobbe, whose average speed was 77.65 mph over the 11-lap race. “There were holes at turn #1 and a third of the way up the back stretch,” Wobbe said. “Lake Michigan is very challenging. Short waves coming from all directions. Hard to read the freshwater.” There were five entries in the Manufacturer P4 class, including Two Cruel, a 30' Phantom vee hull hooked up to a 615-hp Mercury I/O. With owner/driver Daniel Racz and Glen Gray on the throttles, the boat averaged 65.58 mph and picked up the trophy. The second race with a 1 p.m. start time began, with four competitors in the Superboat class. Out of the box quick and furious was WHM Motorsports, a 2015 40' Skater cat powered by a pair of 750-hp Sterling engines. The winning crew of owner/driver Billy Mauff and throttleman Jay Muller put the gas sticks down with a great start and never looked back, with a start-to-finish 92.97 mph average. Muller fueled the fire with their fastest lap of 95.7-mph on lap two over the 19-lap race distance. “Smooth water in the turns created smooth turns for our new cat,” Muller said. “She purred all the way.” In the Superboat Extreme class, the team of driver John Stanch and Peter Meyer on the throttles in Hooters Instigator, a 40' Fountain hooked up to a pair of 710-hp Scorpion engines, ran flawlessly. Their deep-vee hull climbed over the two-foot chop to create an average winning speed of 80.33 mph over the 15-lap race. The offshore racing enthusiasts were all eyes and ears to see and hear the power of the three entries in the Superboat Unlimited class. Envy, a 50' Mystic cat powered by a pair of 1,500-hp Stotler Racing engines (and decked out with a beautiful green paint scheme) made competitors “green with envy” as driver Brady Bragg and Herb Stotler throttled the boat to a second-place [Text continues on page 82]

10/1/15 12:23 AM


Brett’s A BEZER REBORN! ALSO: • Long Beach Spring Nationals • Lucas Oil Racing • World Jet Boat Championship

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9/30/15 7:14 PM


Quick

Rick

Photography by Frank

Mignerey

Rick Hollingworth is crowned the 2015 World Jet Boat Champion in Alberta, Canada.

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9/30/15 11:39 PM


Unlimited class and overall World Champions Rick and Jodi Hollingworth (inset), the husband-and-wife team in Little Smokey. They won with a time of 4:06:43.

R

ick Hollingworth of Held on five rivers, including the class, which was won by Jeremy Hand Valleyview, Alberta, Wapiti, Peace and Athabasca, the race and navigator Felix Bergeron in their Canada, was named featured 52 competitors from the U.S., boat Easily Influenced with an overall

the 2015 World Jet Boat Champion after a 12-leg race held in Whitecourt, a city in central Alberta. Along with his navigator—wife Jodi— Hollingworth took his Eagle hull, Little Smokey, to an overall time of 4:06:53, making him both the champion of Unlimited class and the entire event. The boat is powered by a turbine engine capable of speeds in the 140-mph range. speedboat.com

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Canada, New Zealand and Mexico on a course that totaled more than 500 miles through the 12 legs across seven days. They raced in five classes, including Unlimited, Unlimited Spec, A, CX and FX. Seven former world champions competed in this marathon, which was viewed by thousands of spectators from around the world. Only 32 boats completed the race. A total of 21 entries competed in CX

time of 5:02:32. Ryan Rogers of Lewiston, ID, the top U.S. jet boat racer, took the checkered flag in Unlimited Spec class with navigator Larry Keatts. He has helped many racers to get involved in the sport and also sponsors class events at the Salmon River race. The 2016 World Jet Boat Championship will be held in Idaho in May 2016. Good luck to all of the competitors! S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Quick Rick Left: FX class winner Nathan McLeod of Alberta, Canada, pilots Surface Tension with navigator Ben Johnson. Below left: UFO’s Craig Sparkes and navigator Glen Dodgson took second place in FX class. Below right: Driver Kelly Lock, driving Temper Mental, finished 3rd in FX Class with navigator Travis Bengston. It was rookie driver Lock’s first race.

Unlimited Spec winner Ryan Rogers, the top U.S. jet boat racer, has helped many racers get involved in the sport. He and navigator Larry Keatts were also fifth overall.

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CX Class competitors included Jeremy Hand in Easily Influenced (1st place, left), Jason Young (2nd place, above), Ivan Buchholtz (3rd place, below left) and Barry Fenton (4th place, below).

Unlimited driver Chad Burns (2nd place) in Bad Habit.

Unlimited driver John Derry (3rd place) in Going Places.

Unlimited driver Spencer King (4th place) in Sunset Shaker.

The A Class field included winner and 10th overall finishers Mark Rodacker and Spencer Rodacke (far lane).

speedboat.com

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RESTORATION Story by Brett

Bayne

A BEZER REBORN

R

ecalling his inroad into fast boating, Greg Denton talks about how, as a child,

he would watch in amazement when Chris Blevens ran his 1971 Hondo drag boat, Church Mouse, on Bass Lake. “He was my hero,” Denton says. “I told myself, ‘Someday I’m gonna have a V-drive with black headers.’ And I did—all because of him.” Years later, working with his buddy 66

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Greg Denton figured his purchase of a former Super Stock competitor would be a “plug and play” project. But guess what ended up happening?

Mike Pelphrey, he was re-inspired by his coworker’s V-drive. “Let’s go for a ride,” Pelphrey said. Shortly thereafter, Denton was the owner of a Hallett Barron Sprint. “So I blame it all on them,” he laughs. Denton attempted to restore the Hallett, but it proved challenging, as the boat was falling apart. Then his friend Scott Houghton, driver of the PS-12 Hallett Barron Sprint, suggested that Denton get into a Biesemeyer or a Bezer style hull. A few days later, a 1989 Bezer appeared

on his radar. It had been raced by Mike Darner of Phoenix as the Super Stock entry Mango Maddness. “He wasn’t exactly excited about getting rid of it just yet, but he needed to,” Denton says. And so the two struck a deal. “I had every intention of putting the motor from my Barron Sprint in the Bezer, and that would be it,” he recalls. “It was just going to be a plug and play.” But as many of us know, that proved to be entirely too optimistic. “All I needed when speedboat.com

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Far left: the Bezer shortly after purchase in June 2012. Left: The Casale V-drive setup. Below: By July 2012, Denton has started to peel away the layers of paint and filler. The silver is the original gel color.

Below: the Bezer in its barenakedness—hardware and engine are gone; nothing left on it but the original gelcoat and the fiberglass.

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A Bezer Reborn

Denton didn’t want holes in the dash, Left: Delaminated sideboards were removed and brand-new ones were fitted and added all the way up to the front of the bow. Right: Denton so wood is glassed in behind the repairs cracks in the chines and strakes, and strips off the old Speedcoat. dash for a nice clean look.

The new balsa floor is in, with newly reglassed stringers.

The boat is back in Denton’s garage. The boat has coat of primer; the boat has had numerous hours of sanding to smooth out the glass.

A 30" wide racing stripe was laboriously added to the middle.

The Bezer is now completely painted, and the hardware and engine are ready to be reinstalled.

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I bought the boat was an engine, a driver’s seat and a fuel tank,” he continues. “So when I got it home, I took it over to ‘Billy B’ [Berkenheger], because he runs a Bezer. I was showing it to him to see what he thought of it. Well, there was a little crack in the paint. It was a super hot day, and he was sitting there picking at that crack. He got his finger underneath it and just pulled on it. And that paint on the driver’s side of the boat peeled off like a vinyl sticker! I said, ‘I wasn’t planning on painting the boat, Billy, but I guess I am now!” Inspecting the Bezer carefully, Berkenheger noticed the many telltale signs of race-day repairs from the rig’s illustrious history, all of which needed to be properly addressed. He cautioned Denton not to put the boat in the water until he knew more about what was going on with the hull’s integrity. “I ended up stripping the paint off,” Denton says. “It was so thick that I was able to take it off with a heat gun and a putty knife.” By the time he was done, the gunk weighed in at 37 pounds— the sheer number of layers that had been slathered on the Bezer was “insane,” in Denton’s words, but it didn’t end there. “Then, once I got through that, I was able to collect another 28 pounds of body filler that came off the boat.” Once stripped of everything, Denton could take stock of all the repair work the boat had. This, after all, was a Bezer born to race. “It came out of the mold and went right into racing as a Pro Stock boat, first raced as Yahoo,” Denton says. “It wrecked a lot of times, was in bad crashes, was run over by other boats and even sank a number of times. In fact, Mike Darner told me that the boat was competing with Tony Scarlata when the two boats somehow got tangled up, and Tony’s prop and skeg went right across the deck of the boat and chewed it up.” Denton, a mechanic with extensive fiberglass experience,

knew that this project was beyond anything he could do by himself. Enter Stu Sutherland of Tracer Marine (Norco, CA), who took charge of the glass and body work. With Stu’s help, Denton discovered no fewer than eight major repairs. “We cut out all the sideboards because they had delaminated,” he reports. “Then we cut out the toe kick. And up forward from that, we added the sideboards all the way up to the front of the bow. I was planning to run the boat on rough water, so we wanted to stiffen the hull so it would handle a little bit better.” Thus did Denton’s dream of a “plug and play” project gradually morph into a massive three-year complete restoration on the Bezer. Sutherland projected that it would be a six-week round of glass work and painting—but six weeks eventually turned into 14 months. Denton was eager to put some of his own blood, sweat and tears into the restoration as well, so when Sutherland got backed up at the shop, Denton would haul the rig home for a couple of weeks’ worth of sanding. Later, the Bezer would be taken back to Tracer Marine for more of the

The Casale V-drive is installed as the re-rigging process begins.

Lou Valentine at A-1 Canvas (Upland, CA) put the upholstery on the boat’s Kirkey aluminum Sprint Car seat.

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A Bezer Reborn The Bezer originally had an air assist down pedal, which Denton eliminated and replaced with a three-piece plate, which he says makes driving the boat much more user-friendly. It’s designed to allow the air underneath the hull escape easier from the center rather than from the sides, cutting down on chinewalking. The center plate is 3/16" higher than the other two.

Above and below: the completed boat at Lake Elsinore, CA.

The tip of the Bezer’s bow features a touching memorial to Denton’s childhood friend, Brenda Christine Signorino, who passed away from cancer in 2012. It reads, “Hope for the fighters, peace for the survivors, prayers for the taken.” 70

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The transom of the Bezer includes a shout-out to Denton’s brother, whose nationally known Amphion security company was launched in 1999 with Denton’s help. Below: the Bezer finally gets its half chrome, half black ceramic-coated headers in September 2015. heavier lifting. “I probably got a couple hundred hours in it myself of sanding and blasting and whatnot,” he grins. The engine also required an overhaul. While the hull was being finessed, Denton did a motor inspection to make sure everything looked OK—after all, it’d had four or five pretty hard seasons on the Hallett. He took the engine to Scott Schatz at S&S Performance & Marine (Corona, CA), who’d helped Denton dial in his Hallett Barron Sprint. What started off as being just a quick little change of the bearings and reassembly turned into another colossal project. “The bottom line is, there’s nothing original on that engine from when I pulled it out of the older boat except the tunnel ram and the block. It went through a whole ordeal

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just like the boat did.” Schatz completely rigged the Bezer, built a legal Pro Stock engine and fabricated many parts for this build. “He deserves a lot of credit for making this boat run as fast and flat as it does. It took very little tuning once we hit the water,” Denton says. The project was completed at the beginning of September 2015—the day Denton installed his black ceramic-coated headers. “That was the final element,” he says. “I had to scrounge up $500 to send them out and have them done. That was the finishing touch that I put on it.” Denton, whose brother has a house on the river in Needles, enjoys cruising on the boat down to Pirate’s Cove.

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13 Grand National boats line the shores of Marine Stadium. This LeMans start for the GN class makes for some very exciting action.

Battle in Fierce competition highlights the ARP Long Beach Sprint Nationals.

Long Beach

SST-45 J Jason Willi Williams in #10 and R.J.West in #93 went head to head all weekend. Williams eventually took the lead and the win in the class. 72

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Pro Stock Ty Newton, driving for John Grijalva in the #640 machine, took both the win and the APBA National Championship, while James Gregory shoed his own redand-white checkered boat #75 to third place overall.

Story & Photos by Mark

McLaughlin

6-Litre Australia’s Chris Pugsley in Oxygen Thief held off Chris Kenner in the red #77 boat for the win.

W

ith perfect weath- the APBA National Champion. Heibert class, Steve Sequeira in his Back to the er and a record would finish second overall for the Future capsuled K-24, not only took home the event win, but also snared the crowd of more weekend. Australia’s Chris Pugsley in Oxygen APBA National Championship in the than 16,000 for the

weekend, the ARP Long Beach Sprint Nationals put on quite a show with 13 Grand National boats lining the shores of Marine Stadium. In this much talked-about “race of the weekend,” Andrew Barker—who barely made the show in his GN-227—took on points leader Heath Heibert in the GN-369 machine. Barker took the lead in the final and never looked back en route to the overall win; he was also speedboat.com

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Thief held off Chris Kenner in #77 for the win in the 6-Litre class. There are now four of these Aussie-style machines in the U.S. looking for some great action this next season. Comp Jets put on a great show, with a total of seven entries. Mark Yunker, the leader in his CJ-169 green machine, took wins in the class both days, including the APBA National Championship. Meanwhile, in K-Racing runabout

class. Following Steve was Duff Daily in his K-999, El Cid. Dave Rankin rolled his K-69 over on Sunday, but was unhurt in the incident. In Pro Stock action, Ty Newton (driving for John Grijalva) took both the win and the APBA National Championship in the #640 entry. Jason Williams, in his #10 boat, went head to head all weekend with R.J.West in SST-45 class. Williams would eventually take over the lead and win. S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Battle in Long Beach

Cracker Monday morning before race day, and Mike Schatz (with rider Cole Noble) in the Cracker Box P-92 and Heath Heibert in his GN 369 make few laps around the course for KTLA Channel 5, with Gayle Anderson reporting.

Comp Jet Comp Jets put on a great show with seven entries. Mark Yunker, leader in the CJ 169 green machine, waves to the crowd. He took wins in the class both days, including the APBA National Championship. 74

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KRR Steve Sequeira, driving K24, not only took home the event win, but also snared the APBA National Championship in the K Racing Runabout class.

GN Andrew Barker, barely making the show in his GN-227, took the challenge from points leader Heath Heibert in the GN 369. Barker took the lead in the final and never looked back en route to the overall win; he was also the APBA National Champion. Heibert would finish second overall for the weekend. speedboat.com

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FREE SPIRIT Top Fuel hero Scotty Lumbert is victorious in Spirit of Texas, while the sport bids farewell to beloved racer Mike Fry. Story and Photos by Mark

McLaughlin

Top Alcohol Hydro Mike Fry, the TAH points leader going into Augusta, ran consistent numbers until he went up against Mike DeClark in round 1 of eliminations. Fry was a little jumpy at the start and red-lit, giving the win to DeClark. Still ahead in points after Augusta, Fry’s Mean Streak went into Marble Falls to deal with DeClark’s #1 qualifying spot, but Fry crashed in the first round of eliminations and did not survive to see the results.

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Top Fuel Hydro Reigning TFH champion Scotty Lumbert, driving for Dave and Dewanna Kirkland’s Spirit of Texas machine, not only qualified #1 in Augusta, but put a leg on the record for the speed and reaction time with a 3.53 at over 262 mph, en route to another victory this year. Lumbert is currently the points leader again, as of Marble Falls.

A

s Lucas Oil racers Dewanna Kirkland’s Spirit of Texas The Pro Outlaw team put on a great moved from Georgia’s machine, but put a leg on the record for show in Augusta: Shannon Beal’s Split Augusta Nationals to the speed and reaction time with a 3.53 Decision 2 mowed down the field

Marble Falls, TX, Mike Fry—the Top Alcohol Hydro points leader in Mean Streak— did not survive a catastrophic crash in the first round of eliminations. It was a sad day for dragboat racing; Speedboat mourns his loss and offers condolences to his family. Scotty Lumbert, the reigning champion in Top Fuel Hydro, not only qualified #1 in Augusta driving Dave and speedboat.com

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at over 262 mph, en route to another victory this year. Lumbert is currently the #1 points leader again as of Marble Falls. Top Alcohol Flat #1 qualifier Bill Miller took his Smirnoff Ice-sponsored Party to the Max flatty to a very respectable 5.38 at over 155 mph for the win. Party got a little sideways and tore off some of the hull in Marble Falls, where he finished third overall.

to take the win. Pro Mods put on a great show in Augusta: Randy Benson in the beautifully done Texas Bounty Hunter machine runner-upped behind Marty Logan’s Livin’ tha Dream. The two bright-orange boats made a great showing as they came down the course side by side, with Logan taking the win. Benson would also go on to runner up in Marble Falls and take the lead in points in Pro Mod. S P E E D B O A T | November 2015

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Free Spirit Top Alcohol Flat #1 qualifier Bill Miller in his Party to the Max machine (right) took the win over Ronnie Hays. Miller’s flatty ran a respectable 5.38 at over 155 mph for the win. Below right: Miller collects his trophy Sunday night. In Marble Falls, the Party boat got a little sideways and tore off some of the hull. The problem was fixed, but Bill would finish third overall in Marble Falls. Meanwhile, Randy Ball’s The Oklahoman (below right) had problems in Augusta, leaving the venue without a podium finish. Coming into Marble Falls, he seemed to figure out the problems and took home the first-place trophy.

Pro Mod IIn Augusta, A t Randy R Benson in Texas Bounty Hunter runnerupped behind Marty Logan’s Livin’ tha Dream. Benson would also go on to runner up in Marble Falls and take the lead in points in Pro Mod.

Modified Eliminator Tyler Salsman (left) qualified #3 in his Bad to the Bone outboard and went all the way to the top by the end of the weekend.

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Pro Outlaw Split Decision 2, driven by Shannon Beal (inset), mowed down the PO field to take the win. Lee Warren’s Say When machine (far lane) didn’t fare so well in Augusta, but a runner-up podium finish in Marble Falls made the tour worthwhile.

Quick Eliminator QE winner Ronnie Smith (inset) shoes his Fish Killer hydro to the win. He qualified #1 and leads the points in the Quick Eliminator class for Division 3 of the Lucas Oil Drag Boat circuit.

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Free Spirit

River Racer It’s About Tyme that River Racer owner/driver Mark Creel won the class and finished in the #1 one qualifying position as well. Creel also leads the points in River Racer in his Tyme machine.

Top Eliminator Th TE final The fi l pitted itt d J Jeff ff Fi Field (inset) against Kelvin Perkins. Field’s #2 qualified Flat Nutz flatty took home the win over Perkins’ Blown Money hydro (far lane). Perkins’ #1 qualifying position and runner up podium finish kept him in the points lead after Augusta.

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SBI Heroes [Continued from page 60] finish, with a 89.94 mph average for their first race of the 2015 season. But the star of the show was CMS #03, a 48' MTI catamaran powered by a whopping two 1,650-hp Mercury engines. Accomplished veterans Jeff Harris and Johnny Tomlinson made for quite a spectacle that kept the fans in awe as they witnessed the orange-andblack cat take the checkered flag with a 93.97-mph average over the 19 laps. CMS established its fastest lap of 97.5 mph on lap 17 over the 4.2-mile course. Overall, it was quite an exciting weekend, with a slew of go fast-boats on display. The racers expressed their love for this Midwest race venue, stating the hospitality and friendship that was extended to them, making Michigan City poised to become one of the top race circuits on the Superboat International series schedule. Come on up to Northern Indiana for the 2016 race and experience it for yourself.

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