Speedboat January 2019

S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE

INSIDE: MONSTER STORM AND DCB REGATTA

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SUNSATION’S NEW

40CCX

PLUS THREE MORE AWESOME OUTBOARDS

Offshore Drama in J AN U A RY / FE B R UA RY 20 19

KEY WEST FULL COVERAGE JAN / FEB 2019

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TABLE OF contents

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019

Miss Speedboat, Brittany Dunn, displays the November 2018 issue in Key West.

COLUMNS

8 RAY LEE 10 TEAGUE ON TECH

36 MYSTIC C3800

FEATURES

40 SKATER 30’

14 DRAMA IN KEY WEST

It was a shattering week for some and sheer utopia for others, as SBI racing reached a climax in Key West, FL.

28 SUNSATION 40CCX

The newest center console from the Michigan builder is its biggest, roomiest and most luxurious.

32 MTI 340X

This outboard-powered cat is a modification of MTI’s 48' race hull with a carbon-fiber layup.

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Mystic introduces its first outboard-powered catamaran, a scaled-down version of the builder’s 44' stern-drive tunnel.

Dale Rayzor’s famous muscleboat is the recipient of a full I/O-to-outboard conversion project.

44 MONSTER STORM

Desert Storm’s “sister show” brings some scarifying frights and unimaginable terrors to Lake Havasu.

48 FT. FAST

East Coast boatbuilders and accessory manufacturers showcase their wares in grand style at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

52 SCOPE POKER RUN

Members of the Southern California Offshore Powerboat Elite head to Catalina— and raise money for Operation Gratitude. speedboat.com

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Speedboat.com Published by DCO Enterprises, LLC Publishers

Ray Lee

ray@speedboat.com

Chris Davidson

chris@speedboat.com

Editor Senior Tech Editors

Brett Bayne

brett@speedboat.com

Bob Teague

bobteague@teaguecustommarine.com

Jim Wilkes

jim@speedboat.com

Tech Editors

National Sales Director Art Director Helicopter Services Cover photo by Todd Taylor Table of Contents photo by Kenny Dunlop

58 DCB REGATTA

The London Bridge Resort hosts the latest gathering of the Southern California-based builder of high-powered catamarans.

62 LAKE POWELL

Aside from being one of the most scenic poker runs around, the Lake Powell Challenge raises big bucks for a great cause.

70 ENDURO 300

Nearly 40 boats came to race in the Parker, AZ, test of endurance—but only about 10 ever ended up crossing the finish line.

74 LUCAS OIL WORLD FINALS

It was an exciting wrap-up for Lucas Oil drag-boat season. But alas, it’s also the end of the line for the powerhouse boat series.

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

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

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Photographers

Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins Ray Lee

ray@speedboat.com

Gail Hada-Insley Fred Young

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

Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com

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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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Observer’S SEAT RAY LEE

Key West, Florida.

It’s the southernmost point of the continental United States, less than five square miles in size and the home of the Superboat International (SBI) Offshore World Championships–where race teams come from all over the globe to battle it out on the turquoise-blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean for three full days of racing action.

At least, it used to be.

The five-year contract awarded to SBI to host their weeklong event of offshore speedboat racing expired after the conclusion of the final contest on that Sunday in November 2018. Thus, opening the door (and the bidding) for other race outlets such as Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA–who recently partnered with the P-1 SuperStock organization), Race World Offshore (RWO) in its sophomore year of producing races and SBI again to claim the coveted venue as their future home.

The appeal of Key West is easy to see, which is why it is expected to be quite the all-out bidding war. It is one of the few race venues that is spectator friendly, has great tourist attractions and is a true boater’s paradise. Which is why the Florida Powerboat Club couples their Miami-to-Key West Poker Run to coincide with “Race Week,” furthering its reach to the performance boating masses.

Wednesday, Race Day 1 took us to the pits to scope out the lay of the land.

We familiarized ourselves with where each team was within the large pit area and the race schedules for each day.

Having been there many times before, we knew where the best photography vantage points would be for each race and we staged up accordingly–spreading the team all across the course.

The racing all week was fast, furious and exciting. All competitors were there for one common goal and that was to WIN! From the Production classes to the Unlimiteds, all racers and their dedicated crews knew their duties and were

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Speedboat team members Todd Taylor, Jay Forbes and Ray Lee pose with Irish Kevin English (second from left), owner of the wildly popular pub Irish Kevin’s on Duval St.

THEIR COMMON GOAL: WIN!

deadly focused on carrying them out.

But with such determination brings actions, which sometimes brings consequences–which usually brings controversy. Friday’s race, specifically in the Unlimited class, saw some additional drama that raised the stakes for the teams. Initially and unofficially, the results appeared to have the Team Victory #UAE-3 boat, all the way from Dubai with USA throttleman John Tomlinson and driver Salem Ali Aladidi finishing first, Team Victory #UAE-3 with driver Steve Curtis and throttleman Mohammed Abdul Rahman in second and Team CRC/ Spooled Up #7, driven by Mike DeFrees and throttled by Jay Muller, placing third.

Not long after the racing had closed for that day, race officials determined that some of the rules had been violated and therefore, penalties were to be handed down. SBI charged that the Victory teams had prematurely jumped the start, prior to the green flag being raised. They also charged the massive red 54' MTI Team HUSKI Chocolate boat with “blocking” out some of the fleet. After some debate, the penalties were ultimately assessed and the World Championship title was again “up for grabs” for most of the class due to Sunday’s double points scoring, leaving this Unlimited competition the highly anticipated showdown of the weekend.

Starting roughly around 2:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018–seven Superboats all idled out into the Key West limelight, all

determined to secure the checkered flag.

But none, it seemed, more so than Team Wake Effects #17 with owner/driver Rusty Rahm and veteran throttleman Jeff Harris.

The 48' MTI catamaran jumped out in front early and never relinquished the lead.

After 12-3/4 grueling laps complete, they would again claim the title of “Superboat Unlimited–World Champions,” the team’s second in three years.

Team CRC/Spooled Up (sponsored by Barrett Custom Marine of Lake Havasu City, AZ), who was campaigning their backup Wile E. Coyote race boat after a crash in Michigan City, IN, came in second place overall and would come up only ½ point shy from stealing it all from Wake Effects. Team Victory #UAE-33 placed third, Zabo Racing in fourth, Team Victory #UAE-3 in fifth (who rolled over in the last race without injury), Team Lucas Oil/Silverhook took sixth and the rookie team HUSKI Chocolate placed seventh in their first offshore race competition.

Congratulations also go out to Superboat International World Champions 2018:

• Superboat Class: Team WHM Motorsports #5–Jay Muller (t.) Billy Mauff (d.)

• Superboat Vee: Team Marker 17 Marine #117–Brian Forehand (t.) Vinnie Diorio (d.)

• Superboat Stock: Team CR Racing/Anchoring. com #S-8–Casey Boaz (t.) Rob Unnerstall (d.)

• Superboat Mfr.#3: Team WIX Filters #P3-3– Eddie Tambarino (t.) Scott Brown (d.)

• Superboat Mfr #4: Team Two Cruel #P4-76– Daniel Racz (d.) Craig & Cynthia Belfatto (t.) speedboat.com

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TEAGUE ON TECH BOB TEAGUE Add a Pickup

Dear Bob: If I have a Bravo XR Sportmaster lower and I want to add a supercharger with an intercooler, do I need to add a water pickup or will the drive supply enough pressure for the cooler and motor?

Justin Farmakakis San Marcos, TX The only way that I would recommend that you use your drive as a pickup for both the engine and the intercooler is if you are using a two-stage water pump. I am assuming that this is not the case. If you add a supercharger to your engine, it will need all the cooling water to keep the temperature low and the increased flow will help prevent steam pockets from occurring in your motor. If your engine is going to have carburetors on top of the blower, it is usually better to force feed the intercooler with a separate

the outlet on the high side which keeps the intercooler core full while under way.

When you come off plane, the intercooler will drain and improve your idle quality around the docks.

Pickups are available that mount on the transom as well as through the bottom. On a single engine application with a right-hand rotation propeller, it is best to mount the pickup on the port side of the keel or in the port sponson, because with all things being equal, the port side of the boat runs slightly deeper in the water because of the propeller torque. Throughhull dumps will need to be added for the intercooler water going overboard.

I do not recommend stealing water from the engine cooling water. I have seen installations where a sea strainer has an outlet to feed the intercooler. This is not a good idea because the sea pump can draw air backwards through the intercooler and cause water starvation and an overheat condition at idle. Even if a check valve is in the system, this is risky because a small piece of debris can compromise the check valve, causing it not to seal, which will result in air being drawn back to the sea pump—causing possible overheating and damage to the pump and impeller.

Whipple Carb to EFI

pickup. Having water flowing through the intercooler at idle causes the fuel to puddle and may result in poor idle quality. Fuel injected applications can be programmed to compensate for water being pumped to the intercooler during idle conditions.

The best way to do it with a single stage water pump is to add a pickup plumbed through a sea strainer that forces water through the intercooler when the boat is on plane. I would not add a supercharger without including an intercooler. Using a SuperChiller, you should add a pickup that feeds a separate dedicated sea strainer that is routed to the intercooler on the low side with

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Dear Bob: I have a custom carbureted engine with a 3.3 liter Whipple Charger that had been dynoed at over 800 hp. I’m considering converting it to an EFI with a kit because I’ve been told that I can expect more reliability and performance. Is this true? What are the pros and cons with converting my motor over?

Eugene Travis Hammond, LA If your motor is running good and is reliable in its current configuration, converting it to an EFI set up might not be the best answer. That being said, more than 90 percent of the Whipple Charged engines that I build are EFI. That is because we have programs that are validated and emissions compliant.

Not knowing what your engine actually

is, it may be difficult to create a one-off program that will replicate what your carbureted set up is providing.

Carburetors have a way of compensating for various conditions, if properly set up. An EFI program has to be more exact because it is somewhat isolated (but not completely) from various conditions.

The carbureted version of the Whipple SuperCharger is referred to as a 3.3R which is different than the EFI version known as an AX. The AX version utilizes a throttle body feeding the supercharger from the rear instead of on the top. The normal 3.3AX uses eight injectors in the throttle body. Port injected versions are also available but really not necessary depending on how complicated you want the program to be. Normally, for your application, batch fired injectors in the throttle body are sufficient. Also having the injectors in the throttle body helps cool and lubricate the supercharger.

The only way you can convert your Whipple Charger to an EFI is by utilizing some sort of throttle body instead of the carburetor. Using a throttle body on your current blower might put you into uncertain territory. I am sure it has been done by somebody, but I have not attempted it.

If your carbureted version is running well and has decent idle quality and so on, I cannot guarantee converting it to EFI will create more reliability or power.

The one factor that you should consider is the expense of the conversion compared to the benefit. By the time you purchase all of the components you will need including harnessing, computers, sensors, programming, and so on, you could spend in the neighborhood of $5,000 to $10,000. If you decide to convert to a 3.3AX, the cost will be more. If your set up is a one-off, it will likely require dyno testing and the program validation in the boat, as well. My gut feeling is to be happy with what you have. On the other hand, if you are intending to keep the boat for a long time, you might feel it is worth making the conversion. speedboat.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Todd Taylor, Jessica Irving-Marin and Ray Lee STORY BY

Brett Bayne

Above and left: Superboat Unlimited World Champions Rusty Rahm and Jeff Harris in Wake Effects, a 48' MTI. Below: Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing, a 42' MTI featuring owner/driver Mike DeFrees and throttleman Jay Muller, finished in second place overall.

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It was a shattering week for some and sheer utopia for others, as SBI racing reached a climax in Key West, FL.

Key west photography ph p ho ott og o g rra a ph phy b byy

Daren D aren Van Van Ryte Ryte & Ray Ray Lee Lee

L

ike any great offshore boat race, the Super Boat International’s Key West World Finals was a week of harrowing catastrophes, heartbreaking losses

and triumphant come-from-behind victories. The sting and agony of defeat was, as always, offset by skyrocketing celebrations. In some cases, teams would experience the full gamut of emotions in the space of a few days.

Take, for example, the case of #55 Shadow Pirate. The Superboat Stock competitor, owned and throttled by Nick Scafidi, was about to defend the World Championship he’d earned with his son. But going into the World Finals, his son suddenly became unavailable, leaving Scafidi scrambling to find a replacement driver. Luckily, he found a great one: eight time World Champion Marc Granet, the former driver of Miss Geico.

But finding a replacement driver wasn’t the only thing pressing on Scafidi’s mind. He was also griping with his fellow Superboat Stock competitors, who were miffed that Scafidi’s 32' Doug Wright hull had a jackplate installed, claiming it gave him an unfair advantage. Scafidi got rid of the jackplate and vowed that he’d race stronger than ever. Which he promptly did—especially on the first two days of racing. The Pirates bested their eight competitors on Wednesday and Friday, leaving Scafidi with an immense feeling of validation.

And then his hopes of retaining his World Championship ended on Sunday, when CR Racing grabbed the checkered flag, leaving Shadow Pirate in third place. It was a paralyzing loss, and one that Scafidi challenged by filing a protest, claiming that second-place finisher Team Allen Lawn Care had committed an

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key west SUPERBOAT UNLIMITED Victory Rollover

Photos by Loren Morrisey

UAE-3 Team Victory, a 40’ Victory piloted by driver Steve Curtis (of Miss Geico fame) and Elsa Mohamed Abdul Rahman of Dubai on throttles, flipped and landed upside down in Turn 1 early in Sunday’s final race. Both men were OK.

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key west SUPERBOAT WHM Motorsports, a 40' Skater owned and driven

by Billy Mauff and throttled

by Jay Muller, captured the World Championship in Superboat class after taking the win in Sunday’s race.

AMH Motorsports, a 38' Skater owned and driven

by Aaron Hope and throttled by Anthony Smith, run neck-andneck with Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s, with driver Myrick Coil and throttleman John Tomlinson, which finished in second place overall.

M-CON, a 40' Skater driven by Tyson Garvin and throttled by owner Tyler Miller, had a great race on Wednesday, finishing in first place. The team finished in third place overall after Sunday’s competition.

Pro-Floors Racing, a 38' Skater with Wayne Valder (D) and Grant Bruggermann (T), led on both Wednesday and Friday before breaking down. Then their engine got swamped on Sunday.

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key west SUPERBOAT STOCK & VEE

Above: Superboat Stock World Champions CR Racing, a 32’ Doug Wright with driver Rob Unnerstall and throttleman Casey Boaz.

Left: Nick Scafidi and Marc Granet finished in second place overall in Superboat Stock racing Shadow Pirate.

Above: Superboat Vee World Champions Marker 17 Marine, a 29' Outerlimits driven by Brian Forehand and throttled by Vinnie Diorio.

Left and below: From the beach, it looked like Steve and Stephen Kildahl had spun out in Boatfloater.com, but the father/son team were actually just having a little trouble negotiating a buoy.

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key west PRODUCTION 3 & 4

Left and above: Production 3 National and World Champions Wix Filters, with driver Scott Brown and throttleman Ed Tamberino.

SimmonsMarine.com (near lane) finished in second place overall in Production 3 class.

Above: Two Cruel, with driver Daniel Racz, and Craig Belfatto and wife Cynthia trading off on the sticks, were the the Production 4 World Champions. Left: Team Woody / J&J Construction, a 28’ Lavey Craft piloted by driver Billy Shipley and owner/ throttleman Chad Woody, won the first Production 4 race on Wednesday, but finished in second place overall.

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key west STREET PARTY

Above left: CR Racing gets some recognition in front of the world famous Sloppy Joe’s bar. Above: The engine compartment of AMH Motorsports was a genuine eye-catcher.

Below left: The Street Party was off the hook, as usual, and the captivating Miss PBN Brittany Dunn lit up every booth she visited. Below and below left: Throngs of spectators bustle on Duval Street, where the Street Parade drew thousands to see the bling and power. Bottom right: The UAE-3 Team Victory, a 40’ Victory, proudly displays the Speedboat Magazine logo.

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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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STORY BY

Brett Bayne PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Todd Taylor

The newest center console from the Michigan builder is its biggest, roomiest and most luxurious.

40CCX

Sunsation L

aunched in the early 1980s, Sunsation Powerboats built its well-deserved reputation on a superb stable of go-

fast vee bottoms ranging from 29 to 43 feet that were among the most polished—and fastest—boats around. The firm began backyard-style, with Michiganbased Schaldenbrand brothers turning their dream of a family-run, value-laden operation into reality.

As the center console market began to grow in popularity, the guys started tooling their own version back in 2012, and introduced the 34CCX (Center Console

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Extreme) at the 2013 installment of the Miami International Boat Show. Sexy and magnificent, this model was popular enough to warrant a slightly smaller version. The 32CCX, which followed shortly thereafter, has turned into one of company’s all-time bestsellers.

This year, Sunsation has gone in the other direction, crafting the larger 40CCX. Powered by triple Mercury Racing 400s, the boat offers more room and more fun while still delivering speeds around 75 mph. Let’s start with the cabin, which measures a full 12 feet long, 5 feet wide and 7 feet tall— roomy enough to stand up inside.

Brett Manire of Performance Boat Center, one of Sunsation’s dealers, says this large cabin is one of the boat’s best selling points. “I get excited selling this boat because there are so many features and benefits,” Manire says, “from the way the new starboard-access dive door is designed, to the fact that you have all of these USB ports conveniently located to charge phones. Customers love to learn about all of these features, but there are so many things I want to show them in the short time I have with them.”

If you’re already familiar with the 32 and

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Sunsation 40CCX Length: 40' Beam: 10'6" Engines on test boat: 3 Mercury Racing 400R outboards Available options: Air conditioning lithium ion batteries, battery charger, cabin Bed Filler Cushions, Generator, Garmin GPS 17” or 22” touch screens, sonar depth finder, radar, autopilot, VHF radio, Mitcher T custom graphics, rear seat livewell, rod holders, SeaDek flooring, transom shower, underwater LED lights, Vessel View 502, wash down system.

Top speed: 75 mph @ 6,400 rpm SUNSATION 9666 Kretz Drive Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4888 sunsationboats.com speedboat.com

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SUNSATION 40CCX

One of the coolest features of the 40CCX is the new starboard-access dive door (far left), which makes re-boarding from the water a breeze. The driver’s helm (above) is rigged with the latest Garmin GPS touch-screen technology.

The cabin (bottom right) is very roomy, with plenty of space to stand up.

“I get excited selling this boat because there are so many features and benefits. There are so many things I want to show our customers in the short time I have with them.”

—Brett Manire 30

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MTI

340X

This outboard-powered cat is a scaled-down version of MTI’s 48' race hull with a carbon-fiber layup.

T

his year’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout was a special one for owner Randy Scism of Marine Technology Inc. (MTI), the Wentzville, MO-based builder of luxury high-

performance cats and vee bottom center consoles. Scism and his 22-year-old daughter Taylor had teamed up at the August event to co-pilot the striking red 340X cat seen on display at February’s Miami International Boat Show.

Powered by Mercury Racing 400R Verado outboards, this head-turning machine was seen making ten separate passes at the Shootout, and were twice clocked at 116 mph on the shortened course. It was the

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inaugural race for Taylor, who officially launched her career at MTI in a sales and marketing role. For the thousands who witnessed their spectacular runs, it had the added benefit of serving as a savvy marketing tool for the company Scism launched in the late 1990s. His products have set industry standards since the beginning, and continue to expand into stratospheric proportions.

The 340X is basically a scaled-down version of MTI’s 48' race hull; it sports many of the same proportions, hydrodynamics, tunnel width and sponson width of the larger boat. But it’s far from a small boat or a lake boat—you can drive it to the Keys or the Bahamas just like the 48'.

The first boat out of the mold, a redand-white model, debuted at the 2017 Miami International Boat Show, and acted as the company’s demo boat until it was sold. MTI has built one 340X a month, totaling more than 20 to date. The all-red version featured in this story is MTI’s current demo boat; in addition to competing in the Shootout—where it won its class—it has since traveled to Key West to be displayed at the SBI World Finals and participate in MTI’s Fun Run in Key West. This 340X features a full carbon-fiber layup, so it’s about 700 pounds lighter than the traditional build.

With its 10-foot beam and state-of-

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MTI 340X Length: 34' Beam: 10' Engines on test boat: 2 Mercury Racing 400R outboards Standard features: Fully molded composite construction from CNC built tooling, infusion layup using epoxy resin, molded swim step with grabhandles, six seats, lined storage locker, etc.

Options on test boat: Carbon fiber layout and deck, colored deck and cockpit gelcoat, bottom gelcoat, buttom and hull sides, custom graphics, Garmin 8617, Alcantara accents on outer seating surfaces, battery charger, SeaDek flooring, etc.

Manufacturer’s Estimated Top Speed: 122 mph MTI 165 Enterprise Drive Wentzville, MO 63385 (314) 803-8842 marinetechnologyinc.com speedboat.com

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MTI 340X

MTI loaded up our 340X with a terrific array of options, including SeaDek flooring, special graphics package, Garmin 8617 GPS, custom Alcantara accents on the outer seating surfaces, dash blower vents and dual high performance blowers. The boat features a full carbon-fiber layup, which makes it considerably lighter.

There’s a reason MTIs perform so well on the water—just ask Rusty Rahm and Jeff Harris of Team Wake Effects, who won the Offshore World Championship in their enclosed-canopy 48' MTI in November.

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Mystic introduces its first outboard-powered catamaran, a scaled-down version of the builder’s 44' stern-drive tunnel.

D

eLand, FL-based Mystic Powerboats are the ranking kings of speed, an achievement they have earned repeatedly by

claiming Top Gun titles at the Lake of the Ozarks and GLOC shootouts in American Ethanol, the 9,000-hp 51-footer throttled by company owner John Cosker and occasionally driven by Slug Hefner.

Hefner, of Poplar Bluff, MO, is about as close as you come to being royalty in the kingdom of high-performance boating. One of his current boats is Dirty Duck, a 50' Mystic powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 1550/1350 engines—the 17th 50' built by the company, delivered to Hefner

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a couple of years ago.

Recently, Hefner approached Mystic about wanting something a bit more downsized. Cosker responded by creating the C3800, the company’s first outboard cat on the market. Essentially, it is a derivation of the Mystic 44' stern-drive cat.

Slug took delivery of it this year; it has has been painted to look exactly like his larger boat—the “Mini Me” to Hefner’s 50'. Since it’s the first out of the mold, Mystic has dubbed it the C3801.

“It’s kind of a lake cruiser,” Cosker says.

“It’s a little more of an open cockpit configuration, where you can really walk around in the boat. We took what we learned in our center-console line and we transferred

it over to this outboard cat. So you get the reliability of the outboards, along with the fast speeds—80-100 mph cruises—but you can swim easily off the back of it. It’s a lot more user-friendly, and that’s what the market is looking for now.”

The great thing about the 38’s cockpit, which features a cool flip-down lounge seat, is that it can be reconfigured according to the customer’s wishes. Cosker says the idea came about by taking what Mystic’s designers learned about combining the usability of their center console models and Mystic’s expertise with speed capabilities.

“With the open configuration, we can

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MYSTIC

C3800

MYSTIC C3800 Length: 38’6" Beam: 10'9" Engines on test boat: Twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards Standard features: 16" Garmin GPS with C-Zone digital switching, two in-deck stowage lockers with removable tubs for access to rigging below, stereo system, 200-gallon fuel tanks.

Options on test boat: Dual-helm configuration that allows a different driver to take control of the helm; full, thicker-style SeaDek flooring throughout the cockpit; custom Dirty Duck gelcoat graphics.

Top speed: 95+ mph @ 6,700 rpm MYSTIC POWERBOATS 1848 Patterson Ave. DeLand, FL 32724 (386) 736-2247 mysticpowerboats.com speedboat.com

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MYSTIC C3800

The first C3800 out of the mold features the “open configuration” cockpit with the cool flip-down lounge seat and four buckets seats. The Garmin GPS has the C-Zone digital switches, an electronic option that eliminates the need for toggles or a switch panel. And check out the awesome Dirty Duck hood ornament!

“We have a number of different cockpit layouts. We can seat up to 7 pretty easily, and we still offer the traditional ‘two plus four’ arrangement that we did in our 44' and 50' stern-drive cats.” —John Cosker 38

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Skater30' Dale Rayzor’s famous muscleboat is the recipient of a full I/O-to-outboard conversion project.

W

hen Dale Rayzor of Northern California placed his order for the very first Skater 30' back in April 2003, it

was before company owner Peter Hledin even had the plug finished. At the time, Rayzor hoped to power the boat with outboard engines, as his current ride was a 28' Skater with Mercury 300s.

Rayzor recalls wanting to get into something a little bigger, with quarter canopies to shield him from the wind, and with bigger outboard to go along with it. There had been rumors that Mercury might be releasing a 400-hp outboard at the 2004 Miami

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International Boat Show. But when that failed to materialize, Rayzor bit the bullet and ordered a 30' Skater with 800hp naturally aspirated 588-c.i. Sterling engines and Arneson 7M drives. The payoff: a top speed of 158 mph.

Fast-forward a dozen years after taking delivery of the boat. Now the Mercury Racing 400R Verado is as common as table salt, and Rayzor wanted to wash his hands of the maintenance issues and the failures that come with practically every 150+ mph machine. So, at the end of the 2016 boating season, Rayzor called Hledin to launch a very special conversion project. The boat was completely derigged and shipped back to the Skater

factory for a complete makeover. Rayzor knew his revamped 30' would no longer be the fastest boat in his neck of the woods, but he was also aware that after four major drive failures that the 400Rs would be significantly more reliable— and that the tamed Skater would be safer to drive as well.

The resulting transformation has been well-chronicled online, with each step of the conversion profusely illustrated with accompanying photography and explanation. Bottom line: numerous body modifications were made, the hull was totally re-rigged, an incredible new paint job was put on, and Rayzor’s original

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SKATER 30' Length: 30' Beam: 9' Engines on test boat: 2 Mercury Racing 400R outboards Details of boat conversion: I/O engines removed and replaced with outboards, custom paint job by Chris Mills, revised and enhanced dash layout featuring flat-panel Simrad displays, Lee Aerospace wraparound windshield, single rear hatch to replace the twin hatches for the inboards, rear deckline dropped 3�, tunnel extension for stairs down to the water, deck hatch removed, etc.

Top speed: 120 mph DOUGLAS MARINE/SKATER POWERBOATS 6780 Enterprise Dr. Douglas, MI 49406 (269) 857-4308 skaterpowerboats.com speedboat.com

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SKATER 30'

For a boat released in 2005, the Skater 30' is now nothing short of state of the art, with a dazzling new paint job—done, as the original was—by Chris Mills of Boat Customs & Aero Paint Works of Caledonia, MI. The former I/O engine compartment (below left) now offers an abundance of storage space.

What Rayzor sacrificed in top-end and acceleration speed is offset by engine reliability and fuel efficiency—plus, the former inboard engine compartment offers loads of newfound storage space.

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12/4/18 12:29 AM

Above: Chris Hall in his 30’ Kachina Drone 4 Sale Below: Loren Hoffman, 29’ Nordic Deck Boat

photography by

Todd Taylor & Ray Lee

Desert Storm’s “sister show” brings some scarifying frights and unimaginable terrors to Lake Havasu.

StormPokerRuns.com

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Scott and Dana Keele Heber in a DCB M29 Never Satisfied.

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I

t was another fright fest at the London Bridge Resort in Lake Havasu City, AZ as the 2018

Monster Storm Poker Run (formerly known as Monster Bash) slithered its way back onto the docks. Also known as the sister event to the über-popular Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootouts held each spring, this event unofficially signals the end of the boating season for most, on the West Coast.

The event was created in 2009 to coincide with Halloween and to give the diehard poker runners one last reason to shine up their boats, as well as dress up for the coolest costume contest on the Colorado River. Storm Poker Runs speedboat.com

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Top: Charlie and Claire Brown in their Eliminator Daytona. Above: James Ward in his 36’ Nor-Tech Hazardously Wasted.

Left: Chris Hamlin of Prestige Marine in his Wellcraft Scarab.

organizers Christina Crane and Jimmy Nichols Jr. welcomed over 80 boats and their crews to the desert oasis for a weekend of horsepower and horrors and the costumes of the attendees nothing short of “remarkable.”

Holding steadfast to its name, early morning storms threatened the run and kept a few of the fleet either on the docks or dry in their garages or storage units. But the weather cleared beautifully just prior to the designated start time, to a reveal a picture-perfect October day–complete with blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds. The rain did not scare off most.

The evening brought on the costume dinner that included a five-star meal,

awards presentation and dancing late into the night. Speedboat Magazine Publisher Ray Lee was bestowed the unenviable task of choosing the best costumes. After some agonizing consideration, the winners were:

• Best Female: Karen Poletti {Dia De Los Muertos} • Best Male: Don Johnson (wife: Christine Johnson) {Buddy the Elf} • Best Group: Daniel Lamb, George Hill {Brunch - wine, cheese, egg, bacon} • Best Overall: Loren Hoffman, Don Cullen, Joe Barrera {Kavanaugh and the Accuser w/FBI} • Scariest: Charlie and Claire Brown {Clown Clan} S P E E D B O A T | January/February 2019

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monster STORM

Best Group: Daniel Lamb, George Hill and company {Brunch - Wine, cheese, egg, bacon}

Scariest: Charlie and Claire Brown and company {Clown Clan}

Best Overall: Loren Hoffman, Don Cullen, Joe Barrera {Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey-Ford with the FBI}

Best Male: Don Johnson and wife Christine Johnson {Buddy the Elf}

Best Female: Karen Poletti {Dia De Los Muertos}

The SCOPE fleet passes by the U.S.S. Iowa battleship.

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12/3/18 6:43 PM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Brett Bayne

T

in

East Coast boatbuilders and accessory manufacturers showcase their wares in grand style at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

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he 2018 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was a terrific place to gape at megayachts, but perfor-

mance junkies could also shop for some of the best outboard-powered catamarans between 32' and 38'—as well as center consoles on steroids. Mystic, MTI, Wright Performance and Fountain showed off models from the first category, while Mystic, MTI, Sunsation, Nor-Tech, Statement, Midnight Express and a few others grabbed the center-console spotlight. MTI unveiled its first 340X “Special Edition” outboard, while Mystic had its first C-3800 at the next dock over.

Not to be outdone, Iconic Marine Group displayed its Fountain 32 Thunder Cat around the corner.

Meanwhile, Performance Boat Center, dealer of Sunsation Powerboats, took orders for the 32CCX and the brand-new 40CCX center consoles (as well as for Cigarette’s 42X and the Wright Performance 360 catamaran that Performance Boat Center itself co-designed. On the accessory side, there were products from Latham Marine, Garmin and Nick’s Creative Marine, among others.

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photography by

Daren Van Ryte & Ray Lee

Randy Scism MTI

Joe Schaldenbrand Sunsation

John Cosker Mystic

Billy Moore Iconic Marine Group

Trond Schou Nor-Tech

Left: Mystic’s first C-3800 (see Page 36). Above: MTI’s 340X-SE (Special Edition), a carbon-fiber version modified to reflect the personal touches of repeat customer Ron Schwartz.

Above: Fountain’s 32 Thunder Cat, the first outboard-powered catamaran from Iconic Marine Group. Right: Nor-Tech’s 450 Sport, powered by five Mercury Racing 400R outboards.

Left: Performance Boat Center showed off the new Sunsation 40CCX center console and a a 42X Cigarette with Mercury Racing 860s.

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FT. FAST

Here’s the largest center console model ever built: the 6500 Estrella from HCB Center Console Yachts of Venore, TN.

Left: Jim Wilkes, publisher Chris Davidson and editor Brett Bayne of Speedboat Magazine enjoy the nightlife in Fort Lauderdale after show hours.

Above: Allan “Brownie” Brown shows off his recently published book Tales from Thunderboat Row. Right: Ferretti Group America displayed the specacular Riva Aquariva Super 33' retro rocket.

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The Latham Marine crew (engineer Scott Brundage, Robert and Kathy Latham, and Ted Chance) displayed their world class hardware, including a 15" Competition Sea Strainer (right), that allows ultrahigh flows for high-performance applications.

Far left: Kansas-based Garmin showed off its entire line of state-of-theart radar, GPS and chartplotting systems, including the popular 8617 model.

Left: Jean-Pierre Louis of Westrec Marinas poses with Stu Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club just prior to the group’s annual trip to the Key West World Finals.

Left: Several center console models at the show were powered by Yamaha’s new 425-hp 5.6liter V8 XTO outboard.

Left: Randy Sweers of FB Marine Group worked at the Statement Marine booth, then headed south to race at the Worlds in Key West. speedboat.com

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Members of the Southern California Offshore Powerboat Elite head to Catalina—and raise money for Operation Gratitude.

Left: This unique 40' Nordic Ocean Cat is piloted by Thane Tiemer and John Lovell.

Above: SCOPE members exit the Port of Long Beach, past the big cruise ships and freight/cargo from the container ships, en route to Catalina.

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T

photography by

Daren Van Ryte & Ray Lee

he Southern California Offshore Powerboat Elite (SCOPE) loves to have fun off the Golden State

coast. But the group is even more passionate about raising money for charity. That’s why, every year, the gang raises a bundle after their annual poker run. It’s given to Operation Gratitude, which has delivered more than 2 million care packages for our heroes in the U.S. military serving overseas and here at home. The 2018 donation from SCOPE totaled $6,700. A terrific way to express your appreciation, folks!

Finishing up his first year as SCOPE president, Pete Boyer picked up where “Junkyard Bill” Steiner left off after a four-year stint leading the group. Under his supervision, this year’s poker run attracted about 25 boats and a decent turnout of participants, with home base at the beautiful Maya Hotel in Long Beach. (Many participants stayed at the hotel Friday and Saturday night.) This year, SCOPE was able to secure a pavilion for the event, so there were no restrictions on how late the band could play, so they kept the tunes going until midnight.

In addition to their donations, SCOPE members in about a dozen boats provided rides to veterans for tours of the famous U.S.S. Iowa WWII battleship. Saturday’s poker run to Catalina went off without a hitch. “The water was excellent,” Boyer says. “I sure would have loved to have seen it that way that during the Catalina ski race!”

Boyer told Speedboat he’ll complete at least one more year as SCOPE president.

Poker Run speedboat.com

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SCOPE POKER RUN Saco Ulekyan flies his 43' Scarab Second Chance, powered by twin TCM 1335s.

Below: Scott Shank and friends in his 35' Shockwave Magnatude, powered by twin 700 Mercury Racing engines.

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Above: Catalina Ski Race veteran and 2018 champion Sean Clancy in his 38’ GAC, See Spot Run. Left: Matt Bauer of Bauer Motorsports pilots his 34’ Sleek Craft Heritage.

Below: Nicolas Melby shreds the waves in his twinstep 38' Fountain.

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SCOPE POKER RUN Craig Cleaver, another Catalina Ski Race veteran, drives his 46' Outerlimits.

Above center: The SCOPE board, past and present, at the poker run party included (back row) Ron Songrath, Wayne Lee, Jeffrey Cheng, Lu Lyall, Craig Cleaver, Ken Bowen and Chris Grayson; and (front row) Steve Wallace, Pete Boyer, Kimberly and Scott Shank. Above: Thane Tiemer of Nordic Boats croons the Elvis Presley smash hit “Little Sister.” Tiemer’s brother is a professional Elvis impersonator.

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Above center: Dave and Kimberly Davis (with Mr. Slate, their chihuahua) show off their raffle win, courtesy of AO Coolers, custom branded with the SCOPE logo. Above: Don and Karen Bliss, winner of the poker run, donated back their winnings to the Operation Gratitude charity. speedboat.com

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Don and Karen Bliss show the crew of the crude oil tanker DHT Leopard what a rooster tail looks like in their 36' Nor-Tech, Executive Decision.

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photography by

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DCB regatta T

he crew at DCB Performance Boats recently invited their customers to their 2018 regatta, which proved to be a typically festive, well-attend-

ed event teeming with some of the wildest West Coast muscleboats around.

Company President Jeff Johnston called the turnout “fantastic,” saying that he was pleasantly surprised when the anticipated 55 boats turned into 73 entries. “We had great weather

The London Bridge Resort hosts the latest gathering of the Southern California-based builder of high-powered catamarans. and a great venue,” Johnston says. “We moved to the London Bridge Resort to see what it would be like, and the reception seemed just great. The resort was very hospitable, and everybody liked the layout and the dock arrangement.”

DCB augmented the resort’s dock layout by adding two extension docks to help accommodate the large influx of guests. “I think we were able to park over 50 boats instead of 25, so it really enabled us to have more people in the dock space. We don’t like to play favorites.”

At the regatta, DCB delivered a brand-new M31 Widebody powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 1100 engines to a third-time DCB owner from Rancho Santa Fe, CA—making him the “shoe-in” for the event’s Newest Boat award.

Meanwhile, the Oldest Boat award went to a DCB 22 Extreme owned by regular regatta attendee Chuck Foley that dates back to 1997.)

One of DCB’s current projects is the new M44 powered by Mercury Racing 1550 engines for longtime DCB customer Dave Magoo, who currently owns and operates the M35 Bananas. The boat’s likely name? Bananas XL. speedboat.com

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DCB REGATTA

Stephen and Kelly Marino in their M35, powered by Mercury Racing 1100s.

Forrest Myers in his M29, powered

by Mercury Racing 400R outboards.

David Monnig in his F32, equipped with TCM 800 engines.

DCB co-owners Tony Chiaramonte and Jeff Johnston pilot this brand-new M31, powered by Mercury Racing 1100s. Steve and Connie Sourapas of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, took delivery of the boat the weekend of the regatta.

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Left: The team at Teague Custom Marine (left table) and Wayne and Lynn Monasmith of Adrenaline Trailers (center table) were part of the gigantic banquet attendance.

Below left: David Hoekstra (with DCB Regatta girl Amanda Haneline) wins a 70" flatscreen TV in the raffle.

Below: DCB staff attendees include (from left) Eric Winebarger, Taryn Polcyn, Rob Blair, John Armas, Shauna Harless and Greg Viehmann.

Left: Poker run winners Gary Lange Jr. and Gary Lange Sr. Below left: Winner of the Farthest Traveled award was a tie between Grant Bernardy of Minnesota and Stephen Marino of Alabama.

Below middle: Susan Bennett won a pair of custom DCB lifejackets in the banquet’s raffle. Below right: John Shope, owner of Phoenix-based motorcycle and bike-apparel dealership Dirty Bird Concepts, was the winner of the “Most DCBs Owned” award.

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photography by

Kenny Dunlop, Tom Leigh and Ray Lee

Lake Powell challenge

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T

he 2018 Lake Powell Challenge was “definitely the largest we’ve ever had,” according to event producer Burl Griswold. “And it was also one

of the best—everything went exceptionally well.”

Indeed, the event helped raise in excess of $620,000 for charity this year.

Now in its tenth year, the Challenge is headquartered at Antelope Point Marina in Page, AZ, and comprises stops across both Arizona and Utah. The event raises money toward finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, with proceeds going to the Mountain Valley chapter of JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

The run began at the marina and took participants through Wahweap Bay and the Castle Rock Cut to the second stop, Warm Creek (a charming bay with beaches and coves), and then to either Face Canyon (about 22 miles up lake) or to the mouth of the Escalante River (about 69 miles up river) for the third stop.

Next up was Dangling Rope Marina (stop #4), followed by the

mouth of Last Chance Canyon (stop #5); a “bonus card stop” was at Lone Rock Beach, back toward Wahweap Bay, where burgers and hot dogs were grilled for lunch. “A lot of people beached their boats, got out and mingled,” Griswold says.

Feedback from participants was typically enthusiastic. “I didn’t hear a lot of complaints from anybody,” he chuckles.

“People seemed to have a blast at Saturday’s poker run—they absolutely loved it. And everything just went smoothly, even down to little things, like how easily the flow of boats left the marina with the pace boats.”

Following the poker run, folks returned to the marina and prepared for the famous auction, where numerous lucrative items have been donated—and which routinely fetch the big bucks for the charity. “I am in absolute amazement over the money we raised,” Griswold reports. “My jaw was dropped at the end of that night. Being involved in this kind of fundraising is one of the proudest things I do all year.”

Aside from being one of the most scenic poker runs around, the Lake Powell Challenge raises big bucks for a great cause.

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Lake Powell CHALLENGE Bob Teague in his DCB/TCM M31 Stacked Deck One-Six, powered by twin TCM 1400 EFI engines.

Mike Brask in a 35’ Nordic Flame, Direct Materials.

Bob Bull’s 48 MTI, #3 CMS.

Above: Jeff Hicks’ Eliminator Daytona, Pay Zone.

Right: Mark and Jennifer Schouten’s 43 MTI, El Gato Patrón.

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Above: Participants beach their boats for a bodacious barbecue.

Right: Rick Marshall in a 27’ Ultra Shdow named Miss America.

Below: Greg and Samantha Timmons and friends in his DCB M28, aptly named Blue Streak.

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Lake Powell CHALLENGE Left: The Wired Up Crew again dressed up for the ’80s-themed dance party on Friday night in full Risky Business regalia.

Erik Anderson of Calculated Risk fame does his part to help the JDRF.

A questionably obtained street sign went for big dollars at the Saturday night auction.

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Left: JDRF Volunteer Wally Clark holds up a Shot-Ski donated by Eliminator Boats AZ and Carstar for the live auction.

Bottom right: The 10th Annual Lake Powell Challenge ice sculpture, created by Food & Beverage Director Roland Schebesta.

JDRF’s T1D kid Lila Jackson brought a basket of items to auction. She’s with her mom and dad, Sue and Greg Jackson, and brother Nick.

Left: Burl Griswold (aka Richard Simmons) and Megan Bobroski (aka Indiana Jones) are the lead organizers of the Lake Powell Challenge. Below left: Brett Baur sits atop Dave Magoo on a amazing header chair donated by Barrett Custom Marine for auction. Below: A grand fireworks display marked the conclusion of the LPC-X.

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SUNSATION, MTI, MYSTIC & SKATER REVIEWS SUNSATION 40CCX [continued from page 28]

MTI 340X [continued from page 32]

34-foot versions, be aware that the new Sunsation 40CCX features a completely redesigned interior that features more room in the front of the boat, as well as the ability to convert the rear to add a second row of seating. Additionally, a bow thruster and dive door are standard. To the long list of standard features, Sunsation also offers an array of state-of-the-art electronics options, custom interior appointments and personalized graphics and own the water with style and performance.

According to Schaldenbrand, customers almost always order the boat with SeaDek flooring; not only does this surface look great, but it’s so soft and springy

the-art bottom design, the 340X boasts six bucket seats with plenty of leg room, a huge, impressive wraparound windshield and abundant storage lockers. If you’ve ever piloted one of MTI’s larger cats, you’ll instantly realize how similar this 34' is able to offer the same driving characteristics—same ability to negotiate the rollers, same nimble turning traits, same ease of getting on plane with a minimal amount of throttle. Simply push the sticks and you’ll soon be cruising effortlessly at 80 mph. It won’t be long before you’re craving speeds surpassing the century mark. The 340X cuts the water the same way the bigger MTIs do. Forced to describe the attitude of the boat at high speeds, we’d go with “superb handling.” That has long been MTI’s trademark: their machines can turn hard and remain level. There’s a reason MTIs perform so well on the water—just ask Rusty Rahm and Jeff Harris of Team Wake Effects, who won the Offshore World Championship in their enclosed-canopy 48’ MTI in November.

to stand and walk upon. Other options include battery charger, cabin bed filler cusions, underwater LED lights and a wash-down system. Finally, most customers opt for the unmistakable graphics packages of Mitcher T. Custom Painting & Design, who has been lending his talents to Sunsation Powerboats for longer than we can remember.

At press time, the first two 40CCXs had been delivered to customers, and the third was in the mold and planned to be displayed at the 2019 Miami International Boat Show. The boat can be ordered in either triple or quad 350 or 400 Mercury Verado outboard configurations.

MYSTIC C3800

[continued from page 36] pretty much put an owner in the cockpit and say, ‘Where do you want your seats?’”

Cosker says. “We have a number of different layouts. We can seat up to 7 in the cockpit pretty easily, and we still offer the traditional ‘two plus four’ arrangement that we did in our 44 and 50 foot sterndrive cats.” He adds that customers are split about 50/50 on doing the “open arrangement,” with half choosing the typical seating configuration.

Powered by twin Mercury Racing 400 outboards, the 38’ offers plenty of storage, with room in the sponsons accessible from on top of the deck, as well as in the back of the boat. Since outboard-only boats require no I/O engine compartments, there are drop-in storage tubs where an I/O would typically be. The rear-facing lounger completely flips up, so there’s storage for all your fenders and lines and everything you need inside.

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In addition to the open-cockpit arrangement, other amenities on the Dirty Duck include a 16" GPS (with an option for a 22"), a dual-helm configuration that allows a different driver to take control of the helm, a full, thickerstyle SeaDek flooring throughout the cockpit, and his special Dirty Duck gelcoat graphics.

Full disclosure: When we took the 38' on our test drive, conditions were far from ideal to try to get the ultimate top speed, considering the massive amount of boat wakes on the lake. We took it to nearly 95 mph at 6,700 rpm. The boat was equipped with cleavers, so getting it on plane fast and efficiently was futile. We admired the boat’s low-speed tracking ability; at low speeds, we had the motors tucked all the way in, so the trim was all the way down. Mid- and high-speed tracking would be ideal in flat water, which we did not have.

Some of the things we liked best about the 38' was its low-speed maneuverability around the docks, its visibility coming on plane (it comes right over and stays flat), placement of controls, deceleration response, and slaloms in all of the speed ranges—the boat turns exceptionally well. The boat’s overall cockpit arrangement is also a 10. For the first boat out of the mold, the 38' shows a great deal of promise.

“The boat works really well—it’s a great pleasure boat now. The Mercury engines are so docile around the docks. It’s easy to use. It’s getting around 2 miles a gallon.”

Rayzor now also owns the 46' US-1 Freedom Skater, the former offshore

race boat previously owned by Jim Lee, Tom Borisch and, most recently, Win Farnsworth. He plans to run the boat in the Miami Boat Show Poker Run in 2019, after which it will go to Michigan to have the motors pulled and massaged.

skater 30‘ [continued from page 40] vision of the boat’s power was finally realized. The 2005 model-year Skater now looks like a 2019. It hit the water for the first time at the 2018 Lake of the Ozarks Poker Run & Shootout, where Rayzor began to dial everything in; its fastest top speed (so far) with the new power package is 120 mph. What he sacrificed in top-end and acceleration numbers is offset by engine reliability and fuel efficiency—plus, the former inboard engine compartment offers loads of newfound storage space.

“What it was before was basically a race boat that I used as a pleasure boat,” he says. speedboat.com

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The start of the Parker Enduro....all 38 participants could be seen taking off from the beach all at once.

Overall winner John Haddon, in his #147 outboard boat, finished first in the Division 6 class and finished first overall of all the boats, with a 53-lap, 4-hour and 7-minute run.

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ENDURO photography by

Mark McLaughlin

300

Nearly 40 boats came to race in the Parker, AZ, test of endurance—but only about 10 ever ended up crossing the finish line.

T

he 1960s was the Golden age of endurance boat racing. In those days, marathon

events flourished with events like the Salton Sea 500, Lake Havasu Outboard World Championships and the Parker Nine-Hour Enduro, arguably the most famous of them all. But by the mid 1980s, endurance boat racing had all but evaporated from the competition scene.

In recent years, though, the Parker Enduro has been revived as the Enduro 300, an event that aimed for 300 miles along the Colorado River in a “run what you brung” format. Sponsored by Nordic and Hallett Boats and presented by Nick Rose Insurance, the 2018 BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker Enduro continued to challenge participants to complete 300 miles (60 laps on a five-mile course) to get to the checkered flag. This year, the GN class pooled a gigantic $82,500 to give the winner of their class the whole pot. The winners (and recipient of the Big Check) were the GN #92 boat owner Mike Smith, driver Tom Thompson, powerplant owner Paul Fitzgerald, and Timmy Hoffman. All three drivers combined for a 52-lap first place finish in Division 4.

Sadly, this year’s event was marred by a tragic accident. Division 6 racer Kevin Taylor, 63, of Henderson, NV, was killed after his boat became airborne during his eighth lap. He did not survive after being ejected from the boat. The staff of Speedboat offers its condolences to his family.

Left: The GN #92 entry, driven by Paul Fitzgerald, Timmy Hoffman and Tom Thompson, finished 2nd overall and 1st in Division 4, running 52 laps in just over 4 hours 8 minutes. They also took home the big money that was put up in the Grand National class. speedboat.com

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ENDURO 300 Left: Mike Hill shoes his outboard boat #007 all by himself to a third-place finish overall—and first place finish in the Division 2 class.

Right: Flat bottom drivers Joe Masek, Matthew Roach and Tony Scarlata share the wheel to the Division 1 win and ninth overall with 37 laps in the #034 boat.

Left: Todd Kelm drove the Angry Bird #7 boat to a first-place finish in Division 3 and seventh overall with 41 laps completed. Here we see the driver/observer during the ski enduro, held prior to the main event.

Right: Boat #31, driven by Mike LaPagllia, had a great day, finishing 43 laps en route to a thirdplace finish in Division 2 and fifth place overall. Here Mike catches some air going down the straightaway toward turn #1.

Turbocharged powerplant boat #54, driven by Dirk Olsen, Ryan Heiser and John Cogan finished first in Division 7 class and sixth overall in the race with a 43-lap, 4-hour, 7-minute effort.

Above: The big money went to GN92, the first GN boat that crossed the finish line first under power. Winners were Mike Smith, driver Tom Thompson, Paul Fitzgerald (owner of the powerplant) and Timmy Hoffman.

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Division 6 racer Kevin Taylor, 63, passed away as a result of an accident during the the 2018 BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker Enduro.

Taylor, of Henderson, NV, was driving boat #234 in the eighth lap of the competition when the boat went airborne, ejecting him.

Originally from Saginaw, MI, Taylor studied at Michigan Technical University, where he earned his degree in engineering. After moving to Nevada in the 1980s, he purchased R&R Props, a small boat repair and custom prop shop located in Henderson. A longtime member of the American Powerboat Association, Taylor was passionate about boats and was very active on the racing scene.

Among his awards was the COR Division Championship at the 2011 Thanksgiving Regatta. The staff of Speedboat Magazine extends its condolences to his family.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Mark McLaughlin

Thr for a p the L o

Above: In round one of Top Fuel Hydro eliminations, Jarrett Silvey (near lane) ran a slower speed of 196.15 in the Lou Osman-owned Speed Sports Special while Tyler Speer went through the traps at 200.26 in the Shockwave fueler. The holeshot by Silvey gave him the win to put him up against Kebin Kinsley in the final. Right: Liquid Voodoo, owned by Top Fuel Dragster owner/driver Scott Palmer and Tommy Thompson Motorsports, and piloted by Kebin Kinsley, laid down the quickest and fastest pass ever, at over 265 mph in 3.11 seconds. With that win in Round One over Mike Robbins in Nitro Nuts, Kinsley proceeded to take the new record holder to the top for the first time, winning the Lucas Oil World Finals.

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LUCAS OIL

WORLD FINALS

Thrills, chills—and blessedly no spills—made for a particularly satisfying year-end wrap-up for the Lucas Oil season. But alas, it’s also the end of the line for the powerhouse boat series.

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F

arewell to another season of Lucas Oil drag-boat racing.

And farewell to Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing itself.

The organization wrapped up its 2018—and final—season in grand style. The talk of the race weekend was who could break the Top Fuel Hydro speed and elapsed time records. They were falling fast at the previous races with the new finish line being set at 875 feet. In round one of eliminations, Jarrett Silvey ran a slower speed (196.15 mph) in the Lou Osman-owned Speed Sports Special while Tyler Speer went through the traps at 200.26 mph in the Shockwave fueler. The holeshot by Silvey gave him the win to put him up against Kebin Kinsley in the final.

Meanwhile, Liquid Voodoo (owned by Top Fuel Dragster owner/driver Scott Palmer and Tommy Thompson Motorsports), piloted by Kebin Kinsley, laid down the quickest and fastest pass ever at over 265 mph in a blistering 3.11 seconds. With that win in Round One over Mike Robbins in Nitro Nuts, Kinsley proceeded to take the new record holder to the top for the first time, winning the Lucas Oil World Finals.

In a six-boat field, Bill Diez took the War Party Top Alcohol Flat to the victory over Tony Scarlata’s Shazam flatty. Diez’s holeshot of .03 reaction time and 148-mph pass took it to Tony’s .24 reaction time and faster 158-mph pass. Congratulations to owner Nancy Davis and the entire War Party crew.

On Nov. 8, Lucas Oil announced it was ending its nearly 10-year-long run as the premier dragboat racing sanctioning body in the world, making the World Finals the final race.

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LUCAS OIL WORLD FINALS

In a 6 boat field, Bill Diez (above) took the War Party Top Alcohol Flat to the victory over Tony Scarlata’s Shazam flatty (right). Diez’s holeshot of .03 reaction time and 148 mile an hour pass took it to Tony’s .24 reaction time and faster 158 miles an hour pass.

Congratulations to owner Nancy Davis and the entire War Party crew.

The Black Draggin (above) came out for the first time this year in competition and qualified #1.

After some handling problems earlier in qualifying, Kent got her straightened out and ran down the field of 11 boats in Top Alcohol Hydro including the newly acquired Okie Flash (left) with Randy Ball at the wheel. The Flash is the previous record holder in the class that was owned by Bob Pizza, called What a Tomato. Ball would end up as the runner up in TAH.

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Left: Top Eliminator winner Jake Yeager had to go 5 rounds in the 23-boat field to earn his first-place trophy in this largest class of the weekend.

Below: Ronnie Jennings qualified #2 in Modified Eliminator and also had to go 5 rounds to take the podium over Gary Henning.

Right: In Modified Eliminator competition, Gary Henning took the top qualifying spot all the way to face Ronnie Jennings in the final. Jennings emerged as the victor.

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LUCAS OIL WORLD FINALS A great turnout of 18 Pro Outlaws fought it out with #2 qualifier Jason Mullican and his Hillbilly machine (right) taking the win over Robert Leas and his Wildfire hydro (below).

Another large turnout of Quick Eliminators had Ed Anderson’s Red Hot (above) qualifying 7th, going up against Jeff Luehring’s Sucker Punch (right) in the #1 qualifying spot. This was another class that the finalists had to go five rounds to make it in the finals.

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Pro Mods were led by Shawn Reed, but he was not anticipating a faster Shelby Ebert (shown here in her Can’t Touch This pink hydro). Ebert had to really run Reed down at the end in a very close finish. Ebert’s 5.58 at over 168 to Shawn’s 5.57 at over 157, with Ebert taking the victory.

Glendon Boehme in Blackie’s Magic (above) defeated Scott Dolezal in Thunderstruck (left) with a slower E.T. and speed to take the win. Boehme’s 10.33 at 70+ mph holeshotted Dolezal’s 10.09 at 78+ mph. speedboat.com

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LUCAS OIL WORLD FINALS Before Lucas Oil decided to end the drag-boat racing part of its empire, Speedboat Magazine photographer Mark McLaughlin got an opportunity to spend some time with the Top Fuel and Pro Outlaw team of Tyler Speer’s crew and family for the finals out in front of their motor homes. “Great friends and awesome food” was the comment from McLaughlin.

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DRAMA IN key west [continued from page 15] infraction. (At press time, the results had not been altered.)

But in the mercurial world of offshore racing, Scafidi wouldn’t be licking his wounds for long. Racing with longtime friend Scott Porta only a week later, he went on to win the OPA World Championships for Shadow Pirate in Super Stock class.

A similar disappointment was handed down in Superboat Vee class. Having scored victories on both Wednesday and Friday, LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness—a 30' Extreme owned and driven by Brit Lilly and throttled by Kevin Smith—was on track to win the Worlds. But while maintaining a fifth-place position on Sunday racing, the boat did a hard 180 spin around Turn 3, relinquishing any hope of defending the team’s World Championship. Marker 17 Marine, a 29' Outerlimits owned and driven by Brian Forehand and throttled by Vinnie Diorio, took the trophy. (The boat is the old Snowy Mountain Brewery competitor.)

Undoubtedly, the highest-profile race belonged to the big boats racing in Superboat Unlimited class, which were coming off a preposterous event only weeks earlier during the final regular race of the season in Clearwater, in which a naked and intoxicated man swam out onto the race course, effectively bringing the competition to an end. This was a shattering event for the world-famous Team Victory, which had sent two racers and two Victory hulls halfway around the world to participate in their first USA races. (Miss Geico took the win, securing a National title for the team.)

But since Geico inexplicably sat out the Key West event, that set the stage for the Victory hulls to compete against Wake Effects, Team CRC, Zabo Racing, Lucas Oil Silverhook and Huski Chocolate to battle for the World Championships.

Things were looking pretty bright for the UAE-33 Victory and UAE-3 Victory (which enjoyed the front-page cover of this magazine’s November issue) in the first day of racing, when the boats grabbed the second and third positions, respectively. Friday’s race seemed to go even better, with #33 (a 41' Victory driven by Salem Ali Aladidi of Dubai and

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throttled by John Tomlinson) finished in first place, followed by a second-place finish for #3 (a 40' Victory piloted by driver Steve Curtis and Elsa Mohamed Abdul Rahman from Dubai on throttles). However, on Saturday, a shocking announcement from SBI jolted the field when both Victory hulls were penalized for jumping the start. (Huski Chocolate was penalized as well, for crowding the pace boat.) All of this worked out well for Wake Effects, the 48' MTI featuring owner/driver Rusty Rahm and throttleman Jeff Harris, which on Sunday’s big race stole an early lead held by Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing to give Rahm and Harris the World Championship— with a half point lead.Now, that’s some wild competition!

A second-place finish was all AMH Motorsports needed to capture the title in Superboat Class at the Key West World

Championships in Sunday’s third of four races. And that’s exactly they had for most of the race—until a mechanical issue took them down to fifth place and out of title contention, handing the World Championship to WHM Motorsports. Defending World Champion Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s, a 38' Skater driven by Myrick Coil and throttled by John Tomlinson, finished in second place; M-CON, a 40' Skater driven by Tyson Garvin and throttled by owner Tyler Miller, finished third.

Wix Filters dominated in Production 3 class, taking the World Championship after wins on Wednesday and Sunday, with SimmonsMarine.com and Thee Dollhouse finishing second and third.

In Production 4 class, the World Champion was Two Cruel, with driver Daniel Racz, and Craig Belfatto and wife Cynthia trading off on the sticks.

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