S PEEDBO AT M A G A ZINE
INSIDE: FORT MYERS POKER RUN
SCORCHING, MAGNIFICENT
2019!
TICKFAW 200
GOES XXXL
J UN E 201 9
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TABLE OF JUNE 2019
COLUMNS 8 RAY LEE 10 BOB TEAGUE 12 INDUSTRY NEWS
FEATURES 14 DESERT STORM 2019
The annual duel in the Havasu desert continues to attract the heavy hitters—especially come Shootout time.
38 COBRA 270 PYTHON
The boys from Montclair, CA, are back with a lean, mean green machine armed with 825 hp from Teague Custom Marine.
42 TICKFAW 200
A bigger and more expansive itinerary augments the craziest poker run on the bayou.
54 BATTLE IN BURLEY
The 35th Annual Salmon River Jet Boat Races provided spectators with plenty of thrilling whitewater action.
58 FT. MYERS FLIERS
Stu Jones and his Florida Powerboat Club set course to Florida’s West Coast.
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Cover Photo by Todd Taylor Table of Contents photo by Todd Taylor
Speedboat.com Published by DCO Enterprises, LLC Publishers
Ray Lee
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Chris Davidson
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Editor Senior Tech Editors
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Bob Teague
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Jim Wilkes
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Tech Editors
National Sales Director Art Director Helicopter Services Photographers
BRETT’S COVE
72 FIGHT TO THE FINISH
Competition among Southern California Speedboat Club racers reaches a fever pitch in Bakersfield.
74 SPRING FLING AT MING
National Jet Boat Association competition gets under way for the 2019 season with a blowout bout at Lake Ming.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Speedboat Magazine, 9216 Bally Court, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.
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66 THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE
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RAY LEE
1,640.6 miles. That’s the distance between Lake Havasu City, Arizona to Springfield, Louisiana. Those two locations also happen to represent two of the largest and wildest events known to the performance boating world. Of course, I’m referring to the Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootout and the
Above: Todd Taylor (far right) and I, representing Powerboat Nation, with (from left) Kristen Czeczil, Jeff Guthrie and Dee O’Dell at the PBN party at Rum Buoys.
2 SPEED SAGAS, Back to Back
Tickfaw 200–which take place within two consecutive weeks of each other. The Speedboat Magazine team traveled to Arizona the last week of April to cover the Desert Storm event. We always represent big at this one and we are there for most of the week. Also, because there are so many of our clients and friends that travel from all over the country to be there, we try to take advantage of having everyone there on the West Coast with us. The weather for Desert Storm is always the X-factor and this year brought the high Arizona heat–especially on the day of the Street Party. The thermometer crested over 100º and it was well beyond that, being on the hot black asphalt all day. This one was particularly rough for me because of an unfortunate incident that happened during the morning setup of our display booths. Our task was larger than usual because this year, we had to setup both Speedboat and our sister digital outlet, PowerboatNation.com–which had us starting at 8 a.m. and tearing down until 1 a.m. I went to move a 20 lbs. black, square steel plate that was the sturdy base of one of our promotional flags–not realizing that it had been cooking in the sun for well over an hour. The heat immediately burned my hands, which caused me to drop that plate with the pointed end landing directly on my left big toe. Just my luck. The pain shot through my
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entire system and I watched my blue running shoe turn purple, as the front end became quickly saturated from the blood. Not having an adequate first aid kit on-hand, I cut a piece of clean rag and masking taped up my fileted toe to continue on as best as I could with the many tasks that had to be done. The Friday Poker Run saw over 180 registered boats and what an array of hardware it was! There were the familiar boats that never miss a Desert Storm Run, there were some of the brand-new boats– freshly delivered from the factory, some boats that we had never seen before and there were some old favorites that had returned, after a lengthy hiatus. Beyond that, I believe that there were more spectators that lined the Bridgewater Channel and the edges of the course than any Desert Storm in recent memory. The next day’s Shootouts enjoyed similar, if not more spectators on the waters of Lake Havasu. The weather again was picture perfect and the usual winds and/ or rains had taken a hiatus. There were over 20 boats that had entered (and ran multiple passes), all in the hopes of claiming the coveted title of “King and Queen of the Desert.” After it was all said and done, the high honors were awarded to “King” Vern Gilbert (along with his friend and partner-in-crime, Gary Smith) in his 40’ Skater infamously known as Predator
and to “Queen” Miranda Jones, also in a 40' Skater alongside her husband Tim, both powered by Carson Brummett firebreathing engines. Congratulations to new newly crowned “River Royalty.” Congratulations also go out to the newlyweds, Jimmy and Christina Nichols and the rest of their dedicated Storm Team for pulling off yet another successful event. They faced some unprecedented hurdles behind the scenes, yet managed to persevere to claim an overall success. Next year’s event has been scheduled for April 22-27, 2020. As quickly as Desert Storm had ended was as quickly as we had to change gears and head to Louisiana for the wild and wooly Tickfaw 200, which was started in 1996 by “Crazy Charlie,” 23 years ago. Easily one of the highest attended Poker Runs in the country, this event expanded its run to start a day earlier this year and now also runs into Mississippi–unofficially making it the Tickfaw 280. The appeal of this run, unlike most others, is the surprising lack of schedules. There are no start times, just as there are no end times. There is no specific order in which to hit the card stops, nor is there a mandate to hit them at all. The vibe is loose and casual, and that’s exactly how organizers Joey Fontenot and Casey Harrison prefer it. That’s not to say that they don’t work hard in putting this event on. Quite the contrary. Both guys work year-round to assure that everyone that attends, enjoys their time there. There are the countless things that speedboat.com
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Above left: Lauren Jean of Speedboat and Christi Callahan of PBN with the Pirate Cove girls at Desert Storm. Above right: The PBN judges (in black): comedian Ron White, John Woodruff and Kenny Armstrong. Bottom left: Ron White. make the Tickfaw 200 unique. Like the many RV’s that literally camp on the grounds of the Blood River Landing all week, the “Fun House” bar, which is an eclectic compound of cool and kooky collectibles, that stays well stocked exclusively for the thirsty fleet. There’s also the imminent possibility that you may boat right past an alligator, which call the swampy waters their home. This year, boating super-enthusiast and personal friend John Woodruff of the famed MTI Windship brought along his personal friend, celebrity comedian Ron White of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour to Louisiana and the performance boating community. He was cool, comedic and speedboat.com
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cordial to all who recognized him–shaking hands, taking pictures and, if you were lucky enough, sharing his brand of Juan Tequila with him. He even agreed to judge the Powerboat Nation Party’s bikini contest at the waterfront establishment, Rum Buoys Bar & Grill. Thank you, Ron! Four full (or half-full) days of boating, long nights at the “Fun House,” and loads of memories encapsulate the “Tickfaw 280-2019.” Thanks to Joey Fontenot–who not only made us feel welcomed back in Louisiana, he made us feel like family. And to Casey Harrison, whose seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm keep this run worthy of “Crazy Charlie’s” legacy. He would be proud. S P E E D B O A T | June 2019
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BOB TEAGUE Dear Bob: I have a 2002 21' Ultra with a 496 Mag and Bravo One drive. I’ve been banging my head trying to figure out why it takes on water. At first I thought the rear vents were taking on water via the wake when I come off plane, but I confirmed that is not the case today by temporarily blocking them off. I spent a lot of time idling/floating today while I looked around the engine
contain water and everything is secured and in good shape. When I got home today, I ran it on the garden hose and revved it up while in neutral to see if maybe the leak showed up at higher RPM but still no sign of it. I’m so lost! I already removed the rear seat. I guess my next step is to remove the hatch and take it for another spin with a driver so I can spend my time in the back looking for the leak. Can you think of any other possible ideas or recommendations for me? I’m attaching some photos, just in case. Matt Gleason Long Beach, CA
swim platforms, or anything mounted to the transom. Some manufacturers do not properly seal the rub rail and it will leak water into the boat especially if the rub rail is submerged during launching activities. If it were the bellows, water would leak in when the boat is at rest. The same is true for the transom assembly or anything attached to the transom. It does sound like you have covered most of the items in the above paragraph. I suspect that your leak is created by engine water pressure. At this point, after doing the above checks, you need to have someone run the boat while you observe the underside of the engine. It is important that you begin your test with everything completely dry. I suspect that you have a hole worn through a molded hose or a leaking cooler. Double-check the housing that the inlet hose connects to that is mounted to the inner transom plate. It is also possible that the raw water pump housing has a crack from being overtightened. If the boat is equipped with
compartment and I could not find the leak. The water level in the bilge while floating seems to stay the same. It appears to only take on water when the boat is moving. Of course, I was by myself today so unfortunately, I was not able to have someone drive for me while I looked for the source. The best I could do was to abruptly close throttle and run back to see if water came pouring in from the rub rail seam, or a through-hull bolt, or something like that, but nothing obvious. This leads me to believe the source is down below the engine. It’s not a small amount of water, either. The boat can definitely take on a good amount in a short ride. The bellows look OK to me. They are clamped securely, with no visible cracks. I’m not sure if this matters, but the exhaust bellow is the type that clamps only on the transom end while the other end just slips over the drive when trimmed down. My exhaust is through-hull anyway. Hull and transom are very clean with no damage or cracks. I followed all the hoses that
I think you are on the right track. The usual way to find a mysterious leak is to first make sure that the bilge and boat is completely dry. Then with the hatch off and the back seat out, take it to the ramp and back it in a little at a time. Observe the bilge at every level that you back the boat in for water entering. If it starts leaking right away, it could be the drain plug assembly. If it starts leaking when the transom assembly is partially submerged, it could be that the transom assembly is not properly sealed to the hull. If water starts entering from the outside corners, it could be from trim tabs,
a water pressure speedometer, check the hose that supplies pressure to the speedometer. Also check the fuel cooler that is mounted on the port side of the engine just inside the motor mount. A cooling hose is routed through this cooler. If it appears that water is coming from somewhere higher on the motor, check the heat exchange end caps. It is common for them to develop cracks. I am sure that you will be able to identify the leak if you get everything dry and watch the engine while someone else drives the boat.
Taking on Water
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RACE WORLD OFFSHORE to Mount Key West World Championships
T
he Key West Board of Commissioners, along with Mayor Teri Johnston, unanimously and
officially approved Race World Offshore (RWO) as the sanctioning body to run the World Championships in Key West, FL, ending the longtime regime of Super Boat International (SBI), whose contract with the city ended last year. RWO President Larry Bleil did not try to hide his enthusiasm at the news, telling Speedboat he was “ecstatic” by the news. “We’ve been working very, very hard on this for a long time,” Bleil said. “I’ve been involved with Key West for such a long time, and now we can make this
race the spectacle that it needs to be, getting it back to the glory days of the past and moving forward. We’re committed to that.” Bleil additionally revealed that RWO has also secured approval to mount this year’s offshore race in Clearwater, FL. Along with Bleil himself, several business associates and racers attended the meeting to speak in favor of RWO. “There were even a couple of people I had no idea were going to be there,” Bleil said. “It’s fabulous. I’m really excited. But now the work really begins.” RWO and SBI, along with Powerboat P1/Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA), had all submitted proposals to land the new contract. In March, each
group’s proposals were ranked and rated by a panel hired by Key West to grade them and determine which plan would best benefit the city. The RWO proposal scored best, and the panel made a recommendation to the city to hand the contract to that group. That recommendation won the board’s seal of approval. As former president of the Conch Republic Offshore Powerboat Racing Association for 10 years, Bleil brings a special set of credentials to RWO and in overseeing the Key West race. RWO decided to step up to the plate because the Key West event had become “stagnant for years and years,” he said. “It just time for a change.”
MISS GEICO WINS Season’s First OPA/P1 Race
The 10th Annual Thunder on Cocoa Beach ushered in OPA/P1 Superstock’s 2019 offshore race season, with Miss Geico taking the win in Class One. Driver James Sheppard and throttleman Steve Curtis, piloting their famous Victory hull, took the checkered flag and made short work of competitors #222 Offshore from Australia and #3 Victory team from Dubai, UAE. Meanwhile, in Supercat class, the New Zealand team Pro Floors took the lead out of the gate and stayed out in front for the entire race, although M-CON was often chasing them by only a boat length or two, at times taking on their com-
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petitors’ punishing rooster tail spray in the turns. Meanwhile, Myrick Coil and Johnny Tomlinson in Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s tried valiantly
to gain ground after having relatively little time to test their brand-new MTI. Though M-CON made excellent gains in the corners, Pro Floors continually shot ahead in the straightaways. Pro Floors took the official win, followed by M-CON, Performance Boat Center/ Jimmy John’s and WHM Motorsports. Winners in other classes included Shadow Pirate in Superstock, Fast Boys in ProStock V, Boatfloater.com in SVX, JRA/Hurricane of Awesomeness in VX, Simmons Marine in Class 4, JT Social/ Bronx Phantom in Class 5 and Rum Runner in Class 6. Look for full coverage in the July issue of Speedboat.
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Photography by
Todd Taylor, Kenny Dunlop and Ray Lee
Desert2019 STORM
Above: The Speedboat team at the Horizon Motorsports welcome party: Ray Lee, Lauren Jean (also at right), Todd Taylor, Christi Callahan, Brett Bayne, Chris Davidson and Kenny Dunlop.
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I
The annual duel in the Havasu desert continues to attract the heavy hitters— especially come Shootout time.
t was the sophomore year for the “new generation” of Desert Storm’s organizers, Jim Nichols Jr. and Christina Crane-Nichols,
to pull off the iconic Havasu powerfest in 2019. And, for the second year in a row, the London Bridge Resort were the event’s official headquarters. Otherwise, it was business as usual as throngs of spectators and participants came from all over the country to marvel at the incredibly popular Street Party on Thursday, April 25. As per tradition, the city’s McCulloch Boulevard was overflowing with muscleboats from coast to coast—DCBs, Nordics and Eliminators sharing the stage with MTIs, Mystics and Skaters. In addition to the boats, every conceivable high-performance products was on display as well, including big-hp muscle brought by Imco, Mercury Racing and Teague Custom Marine, with many other services and products vying for attention amid the go-fast wares; check out the following pages for complete coverage of the always-exciting Street Party. speedboat.com
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A stellar poker run was the highlight on Friday; it was won by Daniel and Debbie Marchand, who snared a straight flush (5-9 of Spades) and took 35 percent of the purse ($7,980). In second place was Vern Gilbert of West Coast Drives (with another straight flush), and in third place was Chris Winter (full house). Coincidentally, Gilbert and Winter were among the big stars during the event’s main event: Saturday’s annual Shootout. Gilbert, driving his famous 40' Skater Predator, went 185 mph in his second pass, clinching the coveted King of the Desert title. Miranda Jones, driving another 40' Skater, was named Queen of the Desert for her 128mph run. Meanwhile, Winter was first in his class driving his 27' Eliminator at a speed of 104 mph. DCBs were out in full force, with Justin Bach winning the NC31M class in his 21' DCB (124 mph), company co-owner Tony Chiaramonte winning MC35P and MC 290P classes driving an M35 (169 mph), and M29 (143 mph) respectively. Next year’s Storm is April 22-27. S P E E D B O A T | June 2019
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Left: An aerial view “DCB Row,” located on McCulloch Boulevard at Querio Drive, featured two M44s: Spooled Up Racing and Bananas XL. Below: A 32' Fountain Thunder Cat powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 400R outboard engines.
Left: The DCB M41 Widebody Perfect Pair Racing, with its scalemodel RC companion Perfect Pair Racing Jr., both owned by Kenny Gonzales. Right: The docks at Desert Storm’s headquarters, the London Bridge Resort, are jam-packed with some of the most amazing musclecraft imaginable.
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Gary and Rosemary Colledge’s 388 Skater, Colledgewood.
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Above: Throngs of spectators pack McCulloch Blvd. to get a glimpse of the incredible display of powerboats and products. Middle left: The Marine Technology Inc. (MTI) display included this factory boat, the carbon fiber 340X, powered by twin 400R outboards from Mercury Racing. Bottom left: At the Storm Productions booth, Jimmy Nichols and Christina CraneNichols register participants for the upcoming poker run.
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Right: An aerial view of the Speedboat Magazine and Powerboat Nation booths, where readers got a chance to sign up for subscriptions and meet the staff.
Above: The 368 Skater Cállate, owned by Larry Guillen. Bottom: Teague Custom Marine’s booth featured a variety of swag and merchandise. TCM also showcased a line of Bio-Kleen products, featuring the boat spray Teague Shine.
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Above: The new 26 Redline by Lavey Craft is a collaboration with Joe Malich of RPM Powerboats. “We did a lot of interior mods and brought a lot of West Coast flair to the boat,” says company president Chris Camire. Right: Performance giant Mercury Racing boasted a large display, showing off a cross-section of its immensely popular 300R and 400R outboards.
Left: Desert Storm title sponsor Kicker Performance Audio—fresh off its huge display at the recent Lake Havasu Boat Show— showed off its full line of audio systems for autos, boats, powersports, cycles and beyond, with speakers, amps, subwoofers and more.
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One of the Street Party’s notable events was Eliminator Boats’ dramatic unveiling of its all-new model, the 25' Speedster, powered by twin 300Rs.
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Left: Gene and Amanda Farris of Poundfoolish watches displayed their latest custom timepieces. Below: Night was the ideal time to check out the Boat Whipz tent. The product, a plug-in pole with an LED system, brightens up your boat and acts like a light saber for your stern.
Left top: Nordic Boats owner Randy Davis’s personal boat, a new 43' SS Enforcer, turned heads with its twin 1550/1350 dual-calibration engines from Mercury Racing. Bottom left: Performance Boat Center and Doug Wright Designs collaborated on the twin-outboard Wright Performance 360, which took the industry by storm a couple of years ago. The boat’s owner is Brian Blount.
Below: This DCB M31 sits atop an custom Adrenaline trailer. Both are equipped with LED systems that really lit up the display during the evening hours of the Street Party.
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Top left: Joe Amaroso’s Outerlimits SL44, dubbed Bada Bing. Top right: Troy Mcintosh of Interceptor Custom Boats in his Carbon Series 28 Koolkat powered by an 825-hp TCM engine. Above: James and David Branton in their 388 Skater. Left: George Argyros’s 48' MTI, Mayhem.
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Top left: Bananas XL, the DCB M44 owned by Dave and Buffie Magoo, powered by twin 1550/1350 dualcalibration engines from Mercury Racing. Top right: Bob and Holly Nixon’s Outerlimits SV43. Below: Frisco Cat, a 3600 Nor-Tech, is owned by Craig Caron of Redwood City, CA.
Above: Charlie Brown of Octane Marine drives his 36’ Eliminator Daytona.
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Left: Top Secret is Shawn Gibson’s DCB M35 Widebody, powered by Mercury Racing 1550/1350 dual-calibration engines.
Left: Mike Smith’s Nordic 43' SS Enforcer is powered by a pair of turbocharged Mercury Racing 1350 engines.
Left: Longtime participant Sam Panebianco of Lake Havasu drives his 32' Doug Wright hull, powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards.
Right: Don Verkuylen and crew in his 52' Lamborghini-inspired Super Veloce G7 MTI. Below right: This stylish 41' Donzi GT is a new boat brought by Iconic Marine Group dealer Texas Coast Yachts of Clear Lake, TX.
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Above: First-time Desert Storm poker player Chris Owens in his M3800 Mystic open-bow powered by triple Mercury Racing 400R outboard engines. Right: Jim Stansbury and numerous friends in his 38' Fountain, powered by triple 300 Mercury outboards.
Left: Temac Built is Tim McCormac’s 2002 42' MTI, powered by twin Sterling 875S engines. Below: William Thompson of Ripon, CA, in his 32 Nordic, powered by twin 502hp engines.
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Powerboat Nation is the world’s leading resource for Powerboating Videos, Photos, News and more!
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8/14/18 3:18 AM
Above and right: King of the Desert Vern Gilbert in his 40 Skater won with a speed of 185 mph.
Left: Queen of the Desert Miranda Jones, driving a 40' Skater, was clocked at 128 mph, her fastest of five passes.
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Above: Paul Landry drives this DCB M29, powered by a single Mercury Racing 1550 with M8 drive. Right: Josh Noack of Teague Custom Marine, driving his 26' Adrenaline, was the winner in NCO26S class with a speed of 108 mph.
Left: Lawrence Coelho drives his DCB 28 Extreme; he also drove his DCB F32 (Page 34). Below: Ryan McConnell, driving his 24' HTM to a speed of 131 mph, was the winner in NC24P class.
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Top: Dave Magoo, driving his original DCB M35 Bananas, was clocked at 162 mph and won in MC35P class. Above: Top Secret, Shawn Gibson’s DCB M35 Widebody, was driven by DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte to a speed of 169 mph to win MC35P class. Left, above: MTI’s Taylor Scism took first in MCO34S class with a speed of 114 mph. Left, below: Lawrence Coelho in his DCB F32 won in NC29P class with a speed of 122 mph.
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Above: Steve Wallace, in his 37' Outerlimits, was first in MV37P class with a speed of 100 mph. Left: Steve Sundling, driving his DCB M31, was first in NC31P class with a speed of 126 mph, his fastest of three passes.
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Above: A group shot of all of the Shootout winners, including the Queen (Miranda Jones) and King of the Desert (Vern Gilbert) at the center.
Above: DCB owners Paul Miller, Jeff Johnston, Rob Blair and Tony Chiaramonte. Right: Speedboat photographer Todd Taylor was honored for helping set up the docks at the event.
Above: MCO34S class Shootout winner and Queen of the Desert runner-up Taylor Scism. Right: Jeff and Nichole Johnston of DCB with customers Don and Kayla Paul of Saline, LA, and Stacy and Shawn Gibson.
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Above: Chris Reindl with MV24F class winner Kelli Klein (75 mph). Klein drove a 24-foot Reindl 1 Design. Above right: Josh Noack of Teague Custom Marine, winner in NCO265 class in a 26' Adrenaline (108 mph), with his son, Nixon.
Above: Horizon Motorsports sales manager Mike Misplay, winner in NP28P class (80 mph) driving a Trifecta pontoon. Left: Poker run winners Daniel and Debbie Marchand, who grabbed the honors with a straight flush (4-8 of Hearts).
Above, from left: Last year’s poker run winner, Chris Winter of Yucaipa, CA, was the third-place winner this year, as well as winner of the shootout’s NC27P class driving his 27' Eliminator (104 mph); Ryan McConnell, winner of the NC24P class driving his 24' HTM (131 mph); Lawrence Coelho, winner of NC29P class in his DCB F29 (122 mph); Jeff Hicks, winner in NC27S class in his 27' Eliminator (99 mph); and Steve Sundling, winner in NC31P class in his DCB M31 (126 mph). speedboat.com
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photography by
Todd Taylor
T
ime and time again, Cobra Performance Boats has proven that it practices what it’s been preaching since the
day the doors swung open to its Montclair, CA, facility: building some of the best-performing and best value boats on the market. The company’s initial idea for its 270 Python was to create a closed-bow cat. But after huddling with his staff, company President Jeff Bohn decided that a deckboat would be a better direction. Working with veteran designer Rob King, work began in late 2013, and the resulting craft features ideas and elements from
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270 PYTHON Ron Edhe and Cobra General Manager Hernando Rodriguez. “We wanted to make it look racy on the outside to please the husband, and a deckboat configuration on the inside to please the wife and kids,” Bohn says. “It’s very flashy on the outside and roomy on the inside.” Tooling on the 270 was completed in 2014; Speedboat’s November 2014 issue documented the build by showing photos of the plug to the finished product, commemorated by showcasing it on the cover. Our test team got a repeat ride on a sleek new 270 during this year’s Desert Storm—a version powered by an 825-hp engine built by Teague Custom Marine.
Visually, this 270 is a real eye-catcher; it’s a lean, mean, green machine featuring impressive gelcoat with an attractive builtin flake. We continue to be impressed by the overall fit and finish of the boat—it’s stylish, nicely sculpted, has a lot of bells and whistles and is quite roomy and comfortable. The owners of the boat, Chaz and Tara Delafosse, are repeat customers, and looking at the 270 tells you everything you need to know why they called on Cobra to build them another boat. “They were both very hands-on when it came to the design of the interior and the graphics and colors in the gelcoat, especially Tara,” says
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The boys from Montclair, CA, are back with a lean, mean green machine armed with 825 hp from Teague Custom Marine. COBRA 270 PYTHON Length: 28' Beam: 104" Engine on test boat: 825 TCM Color: Deep lime metallic blend with charcoal/silver metallic graphics Hardware: Matte Black Interior: Ultra Leather fabric Steering: Imco SCX/SC with standoff box Audio: Rockford Fosgate with 5 amplifiers, four 12” subwoofers, eight 8” speakers, etc. COBRA BOATS 5109 Holt Blvd. Montclair, CA 91763 (909) 482-0047 cobraperformanceboats.com speedboat.com
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For our latest ride in the 270 Python, power was courtesy of an 825-hp motor built by Teague Custom Marine. It was coupled to an Imco SCX/SC drive with standoff box and integrated steering. The drive spun a 15 1/4”x30"-pitch Bravo prop. The boat’s owners, Chaz and Tara Delafosse, are repeat Cobra customers, and were heavily involved in the design, color and graphics of their 270 Python, which features the full range of greens. Custom Livorsi gauges compliment the dash, along with an Isotta Carlotta steering wheel. The interior features Ultra Leather fabric and Gator Step flooring.
“The fit and finish of the 270 is impressive. I was pleased with the acceleration speeds in the Cobra. Midrange cruising is very nice, very flat and stable. Throttle response is excellent.” —Test team driver Rusty Williams 40
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200 TICKFAW
Above and opposite bottom: Attendees of the Tickfaw 200 get wild and rowdy at the popular Prop Stop Inn, located on the Tickfaw River. Above: An aerial view of Blood River Landing Marina, the event’s official headquarters.
Todd Taylor, Jeff Gerardi, Daren Van Ryte & Bonnie O’Shaughnessy Photography by
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T
A bigger and more expansive itinerary augments the craziest poker run on the bayou. he 2019 edition of the Tickfaw 200 Poker Run saw participants no longer confined to Louisiana—some
players went as far as Mississippi for a poker card this year. Headquartered at Blood River Landing Marina, the event expanded its run into the Magnolia State for the first time, adding an extra day to the itinerary. In addition, the poker run added Shaggy’s Pass Harbor, home of the original Shaggy’s restaurant in scenic Pass Christian Harbor, as a stop. This year’s course encompassed a total 280 miles. “It went really went smoothly,” says event co-organizer Casey Harrison. “We had a little rain on Saturday, which slowed things down, but that’s kind of typical. Everybody seemed happy.” Harrison said the expansion into Mississippi went extremely well, with one exception: “The marina over there said they would have enough 93 octane, and they didn’t. But we made it work out—luckily, a guy came through with a tank truck and helped us out.” Most of the Tickfaw regulars were present and accounted for, including Kenny Armstrong, John Woodruff and Todd Campbell, and at least two boats were sold at the event, including a 35 Statement and a 42' MTI. speedboat.com
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Beau and Tiffiney Renfroe with Jason Ventura of Brand X Hi-Performance Marine in his 368 Skater, Dirty Money.
Chris Vince of Baton Rouge, LA, won the poker run with a straight that included a 7 to Jack of Hearts.
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Nate Michel pilots Cloud IX, his 40’ MTI,
Rusty Williams of Performance Boat Center drives this 42 MTI-V center console.
John Woodruff in his iconic 48' MTI Windship.
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Jeff Ford pilots 26’ Redline.
Daryl Turner and friends in his Cigarette 46' Rough Rider. Rum Runner.
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Todd and Debby Campbell in their 57 MTI-V, Unbridled (left) moor alongside Bubba Chrisco and friends in his 39' Cigarette GTS center console, War Party. That’s comedian Ron White in the blue shirt aboard Unbridled.
Below left: Michael Drury in his open-bow 2750 Lavey Craft, powered by twin 300 outboards.
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Above: Jeff Campbell and friends in his NorTech 450, powered by quad 400R outboards from Mercury Racing. Right: Chris Ribiero drives his 52’ Nor-Tech, powered by twin 1350 engines.
Sequence below: Joey Brabec of Chicago is seen making a massive—and artistic—splash on the Tickfaw River driving his 2007 Fountain 42 Lightning, powered by twin 1000-hp engines.
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Kort Wittich and crew in his Sunsation 34CCX, Kort Ordered.
Daniel and Tara Laborde run their Mystic M4200, powered by quad Mercury Racing 350 outboards.
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Jeremy Roussel pilots his 36' Yellowfin center console.
Crazy Charlie’s Fun House hosted the poker runners at a party they threw every night of the event.
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Tomy Derouen in a C-18 turbinepowered 17’ Tahiti.
Michael Pierce and Bill Pyburn in the 388 Skater Pure Platinum.
Chris and Ashley Avery of Ft Worth, TX, in their 2019 MTI 340X.
Boo and Trish Keyes in their 28’ Eliminator Speedster, powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards.
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The 35th Annual Salmon River Jet Boat Races provided spectators with plenty of thrilling whitewater action.
BURLEY
Battle in by
Above: Ross Schotthauer (driver) and Nake Hedlund (navigator) race to first place in Unlimited class; they were also the overall winners. It was Hedlund’s first time navigating on these waters. Left: A group shot of the teams that participated in the Salmon River race.
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Brett Bayne •
T
photos by
Jeannette Mignerey-Klobetanz
e 2019 edition of the Salmon River Jet Boat Race came to Riggins, ID, and
gave whitewater jet boaters another opportunity to shred Idaho’s waters and generally show off to the delight of spectators. The race is considered the toughest course for jetboat river racers in the United States and Canada. Competitors came to Riggins to compete in four different classes: Unlimited, CX, FX and A Class. This year’s overall winners were driver Ross Schlotthauer and navigator Jake Hedlund, who also took first place in Unlimited class in their Burley boat with a speed of 0:50:30. It was Schlotthauer’s third time winning this event, and Hedlund’s first time navigating the Salmon River waters. Both men are from Post Falls, ID. Last year’s FX Class champion, Rump Shaker driver Chuck Thompson, bested the field with a repeat win and a time of 1:13:20. Thompson had a new navigator this year: Abe Gergamo; both men are from Lewiston, ID. Meanwhile, in CX Class, Jake Barney—a veteran racer from Lewiston—took the win (and second place overall) in Never Satisfied with navigator Allen Paul. Finally, taking the win in A Class (and third overall) with a time of 1:04:48 were driver Ryan Hudson and navigator Jeff Edwardsen in the Maniac/Sneaky Snake machine. S P E E D B O A T | June 2019
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BATTLE IN Left: Driver Jake Barney and navigator Allen Paul, both of Lewiston, ID, take first place in CX class and second place overall with a time of 1:03:24. The boat’s name is Never Satisfied.
Above: Rock Bottom, which took second place in CX class, is driven by Riley Stouffer and navigated by Clay Boyle. It was Stouffer’s second time racing on the Salmon River. They finished with a time of 1:10:10. Left: Maniac/Sneaky Snake was the first-place winner in A Class and third-place winner overall. It was driven by Ryan Hudson and navigated by Jeff Edwardsen. They finished with a time of 1:04:48.
Right: Here’s Backdraft, the second-place finisher in A Class. Driver Barry Fenton, a veteran Canadian racer from Grovedale, Alberta, teamed with navigator Dale Eastwood, his first time racing in Idaho. Their final time was 1:05:04.
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Left: Driver Shaun Flamengo and navigator Shawn Gilbert, in Always Satisfied, were the third-place finishers in A Class with a time of 1:24:50. It was Flamengo’s first time driving in the Salmon Race; he hails from Lewiston, ID.
Right: Driver Chuck Thompson and his new navigator, Abe Bergamo, were the winners in FX Class with a time of 1:13:20. Thompson is a 25-year venteral racer from Lewiston, ID. The boat’s name is Rump Shaker.
Left, above: Driver Adam Steffes, a veteran racer from Lewiston, ID, took second place in FX Class with navigator Justin Kelly (his first time navigating on the Salmon). The boat, Know Idea II, finished with a time of 1:14:32. Left, below: Third place in FX class went to Shay White (D) and Grady White (N) of White Boyz Racing. They started racing the Salmon River in 2012.
Right: Driver Chris Garger, a veteran racer from Orafino, ID, was the fourth-place finisher in FX class with navigator Chandler Lytle. They finished with a time of 1:23:21.
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Photography by
Jerry Wyszatycki
Above: The poker run gets started at the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina. Left: Mark and Eileen Fischer in their 399 Deep Impact center console.
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FT.Fliers MYERS W
Stu Jones and his Florida Powerboat Club set course to Florida’s West Coast.
hen the Florida Powerboat Club returned to Fort Myers in April, it marked three years
in a row of where FPC members could enjoy some of the best boating that the Sunshine state has to offer. The Fort Myers event had experienced an unstable past on the FPC agenda, appearing on the club’s roster only five times in the last ten years. But organizers took a renewed interest in the destination, which began with the ideal hosting venue. Event headquarters returned to the Pink Shell Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach—a landmark resort that offers luxury two bedroom beachfront condos, and a floating dock marina right across the street. Participants are therefore able to arrive by boat and never have to worry about driving their cars or trucks for the duration of the event. The other compelling reason for FPC to return to the Fort speedboat.com
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Myers area was a continued bond with are area’s largest performance boat builder: Nor-Tech High Performance Boats. Since Nor-Tech had scheduled its annual dealer meeting in conjunction with the Fort Myers Poker Run dates, the two events provided an ideal synergy, as visiting out-of-state dealers would be able to attend their conference over the weekdays, then finish the week with two days of boating to area hot spots. The combination of events provided a stellar lineup of 36 registered poker run teams, seven of which were campaigned under the Nor-Tech factory’s sponsorship program. With a three-day agenda, most teams arrived Thursday and were able to launch their boats by ramp or forklift at nearby Salty Sam’s Marina, which rolled out the welcome mat to the poker run attendees with a very reasonable $50 flat rate launch and three day truck/trailer parking fee. Friday provided a [Continues on page 64] S P E E D B O A T | June 2019
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casual fun-run format, which was attended by about 25 teams, splitting lunch between the area’s more desirable island hotspots, Cabbage Key and Useppa Island Club. After a successful run, the group assembled at Pink Shell Resort for an official check-in process, and a mandatory captain’s safety meeting to review the procedures for the more structured Saturday poker run event, which was mapped out to run on both the open Gulf waters, along with the protected waters of Pine Island Sound. The Saturday weather was postcard perfect, with the exception of strong westerly winds that would certainly play havoc with the offshore portion of the poker run course. The 36-boat fleet swelled to about 45 powerboats, as a handful of area spectators slid uncomfortably into the mix. As the poker run start was about to be signaled, FPC leader Stu Jones used his Project 1080 Cigarette to run some interference and explain to the
drop-ins that it was unsafe for them to “run with the pack.” Respectfully, the other boats moved off to the sides and a perfect start ensued. Within seconds, the big Mercury Racing-powered cats like the 50' Mystic Team Envy (along a handful of 48' MTI cats, a Nor-Tech 40' Roadster and a 388 Skater) were carving a course along with the western shoreline of Sanibel Island. In hot pursuit was an amazing fleet of performance center consoles, including two matching Deep Impact 399s, a Concept 4400 and a small group of Nor-Techs, including a 34’, the popular new 450, and one very sexy black metallic 56' Nor-Tech powered by Cummins diesels. As the seas began to build, it became a welcome exit from the coastal waters to duck inside the Redfish Pass for a poker card handoff from the 65' Sea Ray Chingona. Rather than circle back to the Gulf Coast route, every boat in the pack continued into
Left: FPC girls Stephanie and Kebrena. Frank “Shorty” Schultz in his 32' Donzi.
Above right: FPC girls Jordyn and Lauren getting poker cards at Gasparilla Marina aboard the 45’ Nor-Tech Hell Bent. Below: Lane Christianson in his 48' MTI, Fast Lane V.
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Tom Beasily and friends in his 36' Sunsation.
the protected ICW route in Pine Island Sound, to the group’s northbound destination, Boca Grand Marina, where folks could enjoy a tasty lunch at the Eagle Grill, and pick up another poker card. The warm summer-like temperatures continued as the afternoon format took teams further north to massive Gasparilla Marina, where a touch-and-go card stop provided a first-class powerboat show to
Jorge Arellano drives his 35’ DCB.
the marina staff and guests—all taking place in less than 20 minutes! Another stop at Useppa Island gave attendees a chance to enjoy the wonderful ambiance and casual vibe of this prestigious membership-driven community, so FPC is most thankful to the resort management to allow their visit. After a fabulous day on the water and lots of fun among the FPC members,
the group rallied together for one more festive occasion with the dinner/awards party at The Pink Shell’s Lido Ballroom. A wonderful dinner was served and teams played out their hands for a variety of prizes. Congratulations to the winners: third-place father-and-son teams John Wittenberger Jr. and Sr.; second-place winner Frank “Shorty” Schultz, and firstplace winner Dave Raisbeck, who attend-
Above and right: Massachusetts-based Dan DeSantis in his 388 Skater, McLaren Boston, grabs a poker card from the 65’ Sea Ray yacht Chingona at the Red Fish Pass checkpoint.
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ed in his Nor-Tech 390 Center Console. Stu Jones and the Florida Powerboat Club extend a very special “thank you” to all the attendees for joining, and to all of the manufacturing sponsors for their continued support. With the strongest attendance numbers in recent years, FPC is certain that this event is locked in on the event calendar for years to come.
Top: Raymond Roberts in his 56’ Nor-Tech, Double R Performance. Above: Stu and Tyler Jones in the Project 1080 Cigarette. Left center: Tim Hill drives the event’s safety boat, a Sunsation 32 CCX. Left below: Garry & Nancy Robertson in the 52' NorTech My Diamond.
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[continued from page 38] Rodriguez. “Chaz was more involved in the mechanical side of things.” Our dry-land inspectors gave a big thumbs-up to the boat’s dash layout, which features custom Livorsi gauges, as well as to the excellent wraparound windshields, which are clear and flawless. The engine installation was also perfectly executed. While our on-water test team experienced a bit of bowrise getting up on plane, the nose settles down nicely once you’re up and running at about 25 mph. We especially enjoyed the 270’s cruising at midrange speeds, where the handling was most stable and the ride very flat. Our drivers reported excellent throttle response and a very impressive acceleration response (6.7 seconds from 30 to 50 mph; 8.1 seconds from 40 to 70 mph). Water conditions and heavy Desert Storm boat traffic prevented us from doing a complete evaluation, but if you’re looking for a deck boat, this one is stylish, comfortable and very attractive.
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Brett’s
CHARGER RESTO
Josh Casper’s Home Project
Featuring
SCSC Bakersfield Bout
NJBA Spring Flight at Ming speedboat.com
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Here’s a father-and-son project: just the latest restoration of a 1972 Charger that continues looking better and better.
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photography by
Lindsey Clawson
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T
After 47 years, Fuelish Pleasure is still running a blown 468 engine. Our swimsuit model, Kaitlyn Ollom, helps make the Charger look even more breathtaking.
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he 1972 19' Charger featured in this article belonged to Josh Casper’s family when he was around 14 years old. The Washington State-based clan enjoyed trailering it from their hometown of Maple
Valley down to Northern California’s Lake Shasta, where the Caspers took their two-week family vacations on a rented houseboat. It’s 20 years later, and Josh Casper is still happily making waves in the same Charger, although you’d never guess it was the same boat, so meticulously and dramatically has he transformed it into a real show piece—not once, but twice. Casper, an underground utilities and excavating engineer, picked up the boating bug from his father Jerry Casper, who christened the rig Fuelish Pleasure back in the glorious Seventies. The boat’s blown engine provided numerous years of go-fast entertainment for the Caspers, who used to trailer it from their hometown of Maple Valley, WA, down to Lake Shasta in Northern California. “The boat had some issues,” Casper recalls. “It actually sank in Shasta around 2002. Some of the silicone around the intake suction housing had apparently developed a little bit of a gas leak before we went down there, and we didn’t realize it. So when we were running the boat, the bilge pump just couldn’t keep up, and it just went down.” By that time, Casper’s dad was pretty much done with the boat; he moved into a
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THE
Above: Casper created this panel to act as a template for his flame patterns—a mockup on a chunk of steel that he primered to act as a guide for what was to come.
Top: The Charger with its coat of primer, performed in Casper’s homemade paint booth. Above: After the boat was first painted black, Casper applied eight coats of Brandy Wine Candy paint from the House of Colors. He also added Intercoat Clear to the entire boat prior to adding the flame design. Left: Two sets of flames were put onto the Charger—first one set, followed by the other. After the first set of flames were added, they were Intercoat Cleared, then sanded, before the next set was applied.
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Left and below: The first set of flames are added to the scoop. A total of 188 “Alpha Jewel” flame tips were added to the flames on the boat.
Left: After the first set of flames, the scoop has been Intercoat Cleared. Above: Casper’s friend Josh Shattuck added the clear coat to the Charger. speedboat.com
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THE Left: Tape masks off the bilge area as the boat is being sprayed with paint. Soon the 468 engine will be reinstalled.
Above and above right: Casper is sanding and polishing the Charger. Below and below right: The boat is finally out of the garage. “I wanted the boat to have a classic hotrod paint job,” he says. “Once it came out into the sun, you could see how well it pops.”
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Carrera, and Josh took over the Charger, launching the first extensive rebuild back in 2008. Casper painted the boat black, added some cool flames, and proceeded to retool the boat’s engine as well, adding a 671 blower, intercooler and a few other components. Last year, it was time once again to freshen up the boat’s look, so with the help of a few friends, Casper proceeded to refurbish and repaint the Charger. “I’d been running the same motor for about six years,” he says. “I’ve had pretty good luck with it.” Casper’s elaborate restoration is chronicled in the photos and captions accompanying this article; it was an expensive labor of love that yielded one of the most eye-popping works of art we’ve seen in some time. [Continues on page 82] speedboat.com
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FIGHT to the
FINISH
photography by
Mark McLaughlin
Competition among Southern California Speedboat Club racers reaches a fever pitch in Bakersfield.
Above left: Classic Endurance featured a field of two boats. After Jim Best took the win on Saturday, the team took their trophy and went home. Since Best never races on Sunday, the only other boat, Robert Dekkers in #76 decided to pack it up and go home as the runner-up. Above right: There was a great showing of Cracker Boxes. The Hoot boys (owner Ray Hoot, driver Steve Hoot and rider Nick Hoot) took the overall win for the weekend.
Above left: The other great show of boats was the Sportsman Extreme class. Driven by Jamey Tavares, boat #01 had a super weekend, taking the overall win in the Extreme class. Above right: Casey Hoffman (shoeing for owner Tim Hoffman) had a good showing in the class in the #717 boat, with a fourth-place finish. Right: GPS 100 racers had a shootout on Saturday afternoon with Tim Hoffman (left) going up against Don Dunster (right). They raced so tightly at times that it looked like only one boat out there racing. After all of the smoke cleared, Hoffman was declared the overall winner in the class; Dunster finished fifth for the weekend.
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Kevin Curtis jumped into Roger Hewson’s 7C Sportsman Limited 20 Hydroplane for their heat on Sunday— and stuffed the boat entering the first turn buoy. Curtis did an acrobatic cartwheel, but was checked out OK. He was more frustrated than bruised after the incident.
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he Southern California Speedboat Club (SCSC) gathered in Bakersfield, CA, for the Lake Ming Regatta
and were graced with sunny weather with temperatures in the 80s. There were virtually no issues—with the exception of Kevin Curtis’s minor mishap of cartwheeling out of his hydro (see above). Cracker Box and Sportsman Extreme classes both had large turnouts. In
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Cracker Box, the Hoot clan took the overall win for the weekend: owner Ray Hoot, driver Steve Hoot and rider Nick Hoot made an exemplary showing in the P-111 The Hooter competitor. Meanwhile, Jamey Tavares, driving boat #01, had a super weekend in Sportsman Extreme, taking the overall win. The GPS 100 entourage had a shootout on Saturday afternoon with Tim Hoffman going up against Don Dunster. They raced so tightly at times that it
looked like there was only one boat on the course. After all the smoke cleared, Hoffman was the overall winner, while Dunster finished fifth for the weekend. Other winners: James Best (Classic Endurance), Jamey Tavares and Leonard Frederick (GPS 100), Spencer Love (Formula One), Jason Williams (Formula Lights) and Mike Wright (Sportsman Limited “A” Hydroplane). Next up: the 44th Annual Idaho Regatta in Burley, ID, scheduled for June 28-30.
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story and photography by
Mark McLaughlin
PRO COMP FLAT Above: Steve Boyce of Exeter, CA, drives the #545 Old School competitor to the championship. Left: Boyce takes the Pro Comp Flat trophy with his crew.
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National Jet Boat Association competition continues with an exciting freefor-all: the annual Spring Fling at Ming.
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Spring Fling he National Jet Boat Association (NJBA) gathered at Lake Ming in Bakersfield, CA, for its annual Spring Fling
at Ming. We’re happy to report that the boat turnout is gradually increasing from race to race. Temperatures were in the high 70s to low 80s—perfect weather, and the racers enjoyed a good crowd with zero incidents, just the way we like it. Plus, there was another Double Down winner, with Mike Ryckebosch taking victories in the Super Eliminator class and Top Eliminator.
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The event featured some first-time winners. Justin Perkins took home a trophy in Blown Gas Flat driving his Thrill Ride boat; meanwhile, newcomer Brian Gipe, driving his BattleBorn entry, went the distance and took home his first win in Top Alcohol Flat class. The ex-Blurred Vision Top Alcohol Flat machine, formerly owned by Kim and Eric Lyons, started off the year where Eric’s machine left off years ago—in the winners’ circle. The Pro Modified class finally had some racers to go up against Kevin Cornelius in the Bad Moon Risin’ mean
green machine. Ryan Baxter and his Bottoms Up Pro Mod competitor went to the finals against Cornelius, with Baxter taking the win. Along with Pro Mod, the NJBA also welcomed Pro Outlaw to the weekend’s racing. Basically, the same boats were featured, but with different finish lines. The dominant force in the field, Vic Esposito’s Freak Show, not only qualified #1, he also took out the #2 qualifier, Dave Wallingford in his Oregon-based Extratesticole machine. Vic and Dave put on a good final, with Vic prevailing. S P E E D B O A T | June 2019
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SPRING FLING
BLOWN GAS FLAT First-time winner Justin Perkins took home the trophy in his boat, named Thrill Ride. Right: Receiving his first BGF trophy, Justin was all smiles with his family.
PRO ELIMINATOR racers Bob Prigmore (near lane) and Bryan Gilday (far lane) go at it in the final round. Prigmore would end up with the victory, with points tying him with leader Gilday, and the trophy. Both drivers are tied for points going into the next race. Left: Prigmore with his trophy.
UNBLOWN FUEL JET The field was dominated by the #1 qualifier, Chase Grenke, who also took home the win. Left: Chase is shown here up against Dave Simmons in the far lane, more than likely testing before qualifying. Chase also was the #1 qualifier in the Quick Eliminator class.
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PRO MOD The class finally had some racers to go up against Kevin Cornelius in the Bad Moon Risin’ mean green machine (below right). Ryan Baxter in Bottoms Up (below, near lane) went to the finals against Cornelius, with Baxter taking the win. In the far lane is Tim “Harley” Ritson in the bright yellow Mayhem machine. Right: Ryan and his team/family accept their trophy.
QUICK ELIMINATOR The 6-second Quick Eliminator class had a large turnout with the #1 through #5 qualifiers going down early. In the finals, the #9 qualifier, Dan Jensen, was pitted against the #6 qualifier, Mike Davis. Davis would end up in the winners’ circle, with the trophy and the group shot with family and crew. Congratulations to the Davis camp!
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SPRING FLING
PRO OUTLAW Along with Pro Mod, NJBA competition featured Pro Outlaw—basically the same boats, but different finish lines. The dominant force in the field, Vic Esposito’s Freak Show, not only qualified #1, he also took out the #2 qualifier Dave Wallingford in his Oregon-based Extratesticole machine. Vic and Dave put on a good final with Esposito (far lane) prevailing.
STOCK ELIMINATOR In this 11-second class, #1 qualifier Tara Scribner went the distance, taking down the field—including George Corry (far lane). Tara and her sister, Tanya (left), pose for their trophies before heading home. Tanya took home runner-up points and a trophy in the 10-second Modified Eliminator class. Tara displays her first-place trophy. Congrats to both sisters!
TOP ALCOLHOL FLAT is back! At left, newcomer, Brian Gipe in BattleBorn went the distance and took home his first win in the class. Formerly owned by Kim and Eric Lyons, the Blurred Vision Top Alcohol Flat competitor started off the year where Eric’s machine left off years ago—in the Winners’ Circle.
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PRO GAS JET Kjell Adams and his Fluid Motion machine took the #1 qualifying position and the first-place trophy with a win against no one. The lone boat in the class is waiting for more competitors to come join the class.
PRO GAS HYDRO Another lone boat in the class, the Black Boat—driven by Josh Hayden and owned by Danny Day—took home the win. Hayden and Day are also looking for some competitors to come out and join them for some side-byside racing.
MODIFIED ELIMINATOR This 10-second class paired up Nick Pisciotta against Tanya Scribner in the finals, where they finished first and second, respectively. Pisciotta never looked back en route to his win and trophy, with Tanya behind by a half a boat length. (Scribner was shown on the opposite page getting her trophy with sister Tara.) Congratulations to the Another Royal Flush jetboat. speedboat.com
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SPRING FLING SUPER ELIMINATOR (below) The final put Ben Wurster (far lane) up against Mike Ryckebosch (near lane). Not only did Mike take the win in his Wake Up Call flatty, he also took home the win in the 9-second Top Eliminator class for the Double Down.
PRO COMP HYDRO competitors Blake Thurlow (near lane) and Jayne Bradley (far lane) are seen racing side-by-side at the half-track marker. But in the end, it was Thurlow who took the win. His Dead Man’s Hand hydro went on to take on Dan Jensen’s Without a Trace hydro in the finals, and Thurlow prevailed.
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THE [Continued from page 71] The restoration has been something of a dream, Casper says—one that holds a great deal of significance because it was so personal, completed at home. “We’re just some dudes who live out in the country, who built this boat,” he explains. “I didn’t take it to a professional with a big paint booth. I had to build my own paint booth in a 30' x 50' shop. This was a true homemade project.” As such, the boat has a great deal of sentimental value, he admits. “I’ll probably keep it until I die. It’s like a classic car to me—it’s something that I put a lot of time and money and effort into personally. I did the stringers and all the paint. Except for a guy doing the machine work on the motor and another one who did the interior, it’s all my work. I couldn’t imagine getting rid of it.” What does Josh’s dad, Jerry, think about the boat’s incredible transformation? “Oh, he digs it, because he was right there with me. He and I have built the boat together a couple of times!” The boat’s 468 engine is nimble and quick, pushing Fuelish Pleasure perfectly straight and without much nuisance. In addition to the 671 blower, its features include cast Merlin heads, Blower Shop intercooler, Snow Performance watermethanol injection and oil cooler; the jet drive is a Dominator pump equipped with a stainless A impeller. Casper reports a top speed of 96.7 mph on GPS. The boat’s ride has been fairly consistent, according to Casper. “I dynoed the engine and it made 798 hp on pump gas at 6,300 rpm.” Casper boats with a group called the Wingnut Regatta Crew, which his dad launched a few decades ago. Every second weekend in July, the group of about 20 gofast boaters gathers in Washington with their Eliminators, Carreras, Biesemeyers, Nordics, etc.; he’s excited about the upcoming event July 12-14—it’ll be the 27th annual meet for the Wingnuts. “It’s pretty cool,” Casper says. “It’s something that continues moving forward, stuck through tradition. We’ve got some really cool people involved, and it’s a lot of fun.”
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