Speedboat May 2018

SPEEDBOAT MAGAZINE

JETBOAT COMBAT!

DAZZLING

DAYTONA Eliminator’s 22’

Packs a BIG

Punch

MAY 2018 MAY 2018

ALSO: MTI Fun Run • Tampa Bay Poker Run • Lake Havasu Boat Show speedboat.com

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

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

www.NordicBoatsUSA.com

50 years of serving the custom boat industry.

The 28SS with twin 300s... The fastest way to get to 100mph!

LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA • 800.279.5398 • E-MAIL: sales@NordicBoatsUSA.com

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Table of Contents MAY 2018

COLUMNS 8 10 12 14 16

RAY LEE JET TECH ON THE DYNO V-DRIVE TECH INDUSTRY NEWS

28 LAKE HAVASU BOAT SHOW West Coast builders grab the spotlight at Arizona’s early-spring exhibition of raw power.

36 TCM FACTORY TOUR Speedboat tours Teague Custom Marine, one of the busiest high-performance shops in the universe.

42 TOP GEARS Offshore hero Vern Gilbert discovers how to lengthen the life of his drives with the help of Rev-X’s lubricants.

FEATURES

46 MIAMI BOAT SHOW POKER RUN

18 MTI FUN RUN

The Florida Powerboat Club offers up a change of venue for its 23rd annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run.

The Missouri-based builder takes its customers on a wild trip from Miami to the Florida Keys.

24 CATCH 22

54 TAMPA BAY POKER RUN It’s another change of venue for FPC, as the group leaves the St. Petersburg waterfront for downtown Tampa.

Eliminator’s 22 Daytona is proof that some of the best things come in small packages.

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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

Brett Bayne brett@speedboat.com

Senior Tech Editors Jim Wilkes jim@speedboat.com

Alexi Sahagian alexi@speedboat.com

Tech Editors

National Sales Director Art Director

Greg Shoemaker Jim Wilkes Valerie Collins Ray Lee ray@speedboat.com

Gail Hada-Insley

Helicopter Services Fred Young fyoung@live.com

Cover photo by Todd Taylor Table of Contents photo by Florida Powerboat Club

BRETT’S COVE

Photographers

Operations Manager Michele Plummer and Subscriptions michele@speedboat.com

60 STRAIGHT OUTTA NEEDLES

5840 W. Craig Rd Suite 120, #386 Las Vegas, NV 89130-2730

It’s Hot Boat heaven as musclecraft head to Jack Smith Park for a power parade.

Webmaster

66 CRACKER CALAMITY At the 2017 Thanksgiving Regatta, our photographer captured two scary Cracker Box blowovers.

68 NJBA SEASON OPENER The National Jet Boat Association kicks off its 2018 season in style at Bakersfield’s Lake Ming.

74 SCSC SPRING CLASSIC The Southern California Speedboat Club tears up the water in Parker, AZ.

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

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

Todd Taylor, Pete Boden, Kenny Dunlop, Paul Kemiel, Jeff Girardi, Randy Nuzzo, Mark McLaughlin

Craig Lathrop craig@speedboat.com

Web Design

Blair Davidson Market It Mobile, Las Vegas, NV blair@speedboat.com

Editorial Offices

9216 Bally Court Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (702) 313-1400

SPEEDBOAT MAGAZINE (ISSN#1941-9473) is published 8 times plus a bonus issue this year by DCO Enterprises LLC. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Domestic $34.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue, Canada $66.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue, International $77.00 for 8 times plus a bonus issue. All prices are for one year and in U.S. funds. For subscription info: call (702) 313-1400.

PRINTED IN USA These rates represent Speedboat’s standard subscription rate and should not be confused with any special rates or premiums otherwise advertised or offered.

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OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE

It’s the hap-happiest time of the year!

No, not Christmastime. Not even backto-school time for the kids, as the TV commercial for a popular retail store claims either. It’s the start of the new boating season!

As most boaters are gradually and

The Calm Before the Storm and the Season

methodically preparing their boats for the upcoming long, hot summer, we here at Speedboat are doing the same.

Only difference is that we are readying ourselves to cover all of the goings-on across the nation (and beyond) and bringing it to you in consecutive issues through September.

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As I write this, we are preparing for our first big event of the year––the Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootout held in Lake Havasu City, AZ, on the clear waters of the beautiful Colorado River. We tend to go bigger for this event because it is essentially in our backyard and local to the majority of our team.

It is a weeklong flurry of chasing boats, selling subscriptions and renewals and reporting on all of the shenanigans that occur under the warm Arizona sun. This year marks the inaugural spring production helmed by the new management known as Storm Poker Runs, who puts on Desert Storm and its sister event, Monster Storm, occurring later in the fall.

Former event producer Jim Nichols of Lake Racer, LLC, sold the wildly popular Desert Storm event to his son, Jim Nichols Jr. and his longtime girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Christina Crane––citing lack of time to invest into the event properly, due to his full-time job’s demands. Together, Jimmy and Christina are looking to rejuvenate the West Coast’s largest run and inject fresh, young enthusiasm into it.

“We’re doing good, and we’re super excited! The (Thursday) Street Party will be bigger than ever with 135 exhibitors/ vendors and we’ve got a lot of preregistered boats already signed up for the Poker Run––but we are expecting quite a few more. I expect to have 150 and we’d be happy with that. If we hit 200, we’d be through-the-roof ecstatic!” said Crane.

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Jet Tech GREG SHOEMAKER

Old-School Twin Turbo Dear Jet Tech: My Checkmate has an old-school Gale Banks twin turbo setup. I’m getting ready to start installing it on my 454. Do you have any advice before I get started? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Roger Willoughby San Dimas, CA The problem you are going to run into is that system made 7 to 8 pounds of boost, and with today’s fuel, you’re going to have to knock the boost down to around 5 pounds if you are going to run pump gas. Good head gaskets, severeduty valves and a free-flowing fuel system are musts. Is the compression on the engine around 8 to 1? Is this engine a steel crank with forged pistons? There’s a lot to cover when installing a turbo system.

Stuck Throttle & Pump Cable Dear Jet Tech: I own a 1976 Sutphen jetboat with a stuck throttle and pump cable. I cannot push the lever forward—only backward. Do you have any advice about how to lubricate these parts in order to free up the cables? Any direction would be helpful. I am pretty sure it does not have a cable, but a steel rod that slides back and forth.

Thanks!

Ward Vogel Lake Havasu City, AZ I assume you have a hand throttle. By the sound of your problem, if the cables were replaced, they have been installed incorrectly. Hand throttles are a little tricky, so cable installation is extremely important.

If the cables were not replaced, then a cable replacement is in your future.

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Good head gaskets, severe-duty valves and a free-flowing fuel system are musts.

Engine Query Dear Tech Tech: I am curious: Why weren’t Dodge 440s used in boats the way that the Olds 455s, Chevy 454s and Ford 460s were?

I am a Chevy guy, mostly because of the old cars that I enjoy. Brand loyalty aside, why do you suppose the Dodge/ Chrysler 440s were not as prevalent in all of the old performance boats of the ’60s and ’70’s? If I recall correctly, the 440 was produced between around ’65 to late the late 1970s, when all of these boats were getting rigged with 460s, 454s and 455s. I have no plans to build a Mopar-powered boat, but I’ve often wondered why they weren’t as common.

Might it have something to do with relatively thin cylinder walls, cylinder wall flex and/or likelihood to experience core shift? I don’t know much about the Mopar big blocks.

James Henderson Phoenix, AZ Interesting question, but I’m not sure I have the definitive answer. While I was working at Eliminator as a rigger, the engines that we were supplied were the 460, 454 and the 455. These were the engines that came from Harman Marine, Indmar and Guardian Marine.

They were the engine suppliers, and

those powerplants were their engines of choice. I have installed a few 440s, and they proved to be a good engine to run in a jetboat. Glenwood still lists engine mounts and exhaust systems for the 440, but whether they still offer these parts, I have no idea.

Flat Keel Dear Jet Tech: I have a 1979 Eliminator Sprint with a light layup and a flat keel. How far down should I shim the back-cut shoe?

My engine is a 468 BBC with Berkeley B impeller, droop snoot, shoe/ride plate, loader and MPD inducer. I’m just looking for a basic starting point, being that it’s a flat keel.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Chris Cooper Dallas, TX The Eliminator Sprint has a 1-degree delta pad. With a back-cut shoe, you will install the intake at 4 degrees off the bottom of the boat and the biting edge of the shoe should be approximately a 1/4 inch below the keel. With the flat keel (unlike a radiused keel), the biting edge will be below the keel.

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ON THE DYNO Alexi Sahagian Oil Filter Screens Dear Alexi: I have a twin-engine 42' Fountain. It is equipped with Super V spec V8 engines that were built by a guy here in Florida. I am new to the boat, as I just purchased it. It has HP6 oil filters on it and I just had the oil changed. I noticed these square flat manifolds that the dry sump oil lines go to. It says “Oberg” on the top. It must be a check valve or something to do with the oil system. Anyway, I took it apart after my oil changed and it seems to be a filter screen. It had a ton of debris in it. I asked the previous owner if his service center ever changed or cleaned it and he said they only changed the oil filters on the engine upon service. I am planning to clean these, but I was wondering what you thought. These are supposedly fresh engines from the previous owner. Now I am a bit concerned.

Jason Bleakly Ocala, FL You are spot on! These Oberg square sandwich plates are oil filter screen housings. We use them on the dyno to verify wear on engines and race applications that require constant checkups. It is a fine micron screen that catches small debris so you can monitor engine wear and/or debris in the system. Our practice is to change the engine oil filters and inspect and clean the Oberg filters upon every oil change.

Even the Mercury Racing engines have this additional filter, and I can’t begin to tell you how many shops disregard the inspection and cleaning of these engines. If the screen gets clogged, it makes for an oil supply issue. Your oil pressure can go wild, causing engine damage. So it’s good that you inspected and cleaned them.

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No engine is perfect and free of debris.

As you start to see, more and larger debris form in this; it will then be time to review your engine internals. People freak out, but they do not realize that your oil pump has metal to metal gears, and if it is a dry sump, it may have as many as eight gears rubbing together, emitting debris into the oil system. Your bearings will eventually emit a bit of debris, parts of braided hose, distributor gears, timing gear drives, timing chains, etc. Basically, anything that wears gives off some fine debris as the engine lives. Thus, make sure you just keep a good record of the change in debris. The change in the volume of debris is when you worry. No engine is perfect and free of debris, but they can be minimal in a perfect world.

So, good job of cleaning it! I would use it for a weekend and check the screen and perhaps cut open the main oil filter to see what the wear status is on your engine.

Heavy-Duty Rods Dear Alexi: I have a 496 Chevy in my Eliminator. It has stock GM rods. I want to put beefy ones in so that I can put a supercharger on it at some point. Can I just swap the rods to a larger one and run it? Many thanks for your help.

Frank Miller Lake Havasu City, AZ With heavy-duty rods, you must be aware of certain things. First, make sure you use the same length if nothing else will change.

Second, make sure you rebalance the assembly to assure it won’t vibrate etc.

Remember, this rod is usually heavier and requires balance changes. Third, make sure the bigger rod clears the block, gasket and oil pan. At times, bigger rods fit on the crank, but the larger rod bolt and sheer size of the connecting rod will contact parts.

Use at least .060 clearance where you can.

Don’t forget to also check the cam lobeto-rod clearance. This is often overlooked

and can be a huge problem, as the timing chain wears in and perhaps allows contact.

Most don’t think of this, but always check.

Make sure you review all of these items to assure good quality assembly and that no surprises will show up later.

Header Woes Dear Alexi: I have an Ilmor 625 engine. It has been a reliable engine, but recently I keep getting water in my oil. It’s not too bad, but when I had it serviced, the shop told me water was present on the spark plugs. What seems to be the cause, in your opinion? I have 280 hours on it.

Joe Melkin Lake Havasu City, AZ The Ilmor 625 is a great v10 engine.

Usually when water is present in the oil, one would naturally think of a bad head gasket or oil cooler breach. Often, folks do not realize stainlesssteel headers have a lifespan. If a header dribbles into a chamber each time you shut the engine off, you might never really be aware that a crack was presenting itself within. Think about it, you start the engine and the header is dry for 10-12 seconds, then water starts to flow out the tailpipe. The exhaust pressure can usually blow the mist of water from a minimal leak out the tail and go un noticed. As the leak gets bigger each time you shut the motor off, the water seeps into the cylinder and dribbles past the rings, and slowly starts to contaminate the oil. I always say it is good practice to pressure test the headers. At times they will pass pressure test and only leak when warmed up. This is a nightmare to diagnose at times.

I would look into checking the headers.

Non-supercharged engines usually don’t have header gasket these days and oil coolers are pretty robust. Look into the headers.

Perhaps you can scope your cylinder; the rust will be present fairly quick after a day and show a rust haze. As I always say, headers are like tires—they wear out! You can repair them at times; however, it will just happen again soon. It is like a disease! speedboat.com

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V-Drive Tech JIM WILKES Shaft Log Leak Dear V-Drive Tech: I had a fairly good leak from a shaft log last summer. I checked the bolts and every one of them was loose. I tightened them up, but two are stripped, and I still have a very small leak in that area. I’m planning to pull it up soon and fix it. What would you use to seal it back down? Or does it matter so long as it doesn’t cure hard? They are not through-bolted. I haven’t taken it up

Years ago, GM started making all the Gen V blocks four-bolt main engines.

Do not use silicone or you will be resetting your shaft log shortly. Fuels and oils dissolve silicone.

There is no need to use an insert or heli coil just run a tap down the hole and set the bolts in with the epoxy putty. Run your tap in all the holes for the shaft log.

In my opinion, the closer you can run your propeller to the back of the strut barrel, the more strut bearing support you will have. For pleasure boats, I will set the prop back about 3/8” from the back of the strut, allowing ample room for the prop pulley. In my opinion, 3/4” is too much distance. Good luck!

7.4L Gen IV vs. Gen V

yet but I was expecting for there to be nut plates in the fiberglass. From what I read, that’s probably not the case, so I imagine they just drilled a hole and ran a tap in it. The bolts are pretty short and nothing wrong with them. I’m going to do as suggested and try heli coils and reseal.

Also, I have 7/8” between the strut barrel and prop with no spacers or space between the V-drive output and prop shaft. Is that too much? Some say 3/4” is the maximum, and some say no more than what I need to get a prop puller in.

What do you say?

Melvin Kohn Wichita, KS The best way to fix your shaft log assembly is to remove it from the hull and clean both the shaft log and the hull. You need to rough the hull with sandpaper to allow for a better bond.

Now that you have everything clean and are ready to re-assemble, you need to use Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty or Heavy Duty Sea Goin’ Poxy Putty.

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Dear V-Drive Tech: I have a V-drive equipped with a Gen IV 454 big-block Chevy. I have been thinking of replacing the engine with a milder Gen V 454 MerCruiser engine. I’m wondering if all the marine hardware on the Gen IV will fit the Gen V. Does a Gen V have fourbolt main caps?

Thanks, Eddie Baird Bell, CA Years ago, GM started making all the Gen V blocks four-bolt main engines. It was easier and less expensive to run one set of tooling than changing it each time they needed a two-bolt pattern and then a four-bolt pattern. Keep in mind that most of the engines’ two-bolt and fourbolt used a cast crankshaft but did have a four-bolt pattern. The high-performance GM engines used a forged crankshaft.

Most of the equipment will fit from a Gen IV to a Gen V block. You will need to get a different oil pan, as the Gen V uses a one-piece rear main seal assembly, not a two-piece style like the Gen IV uses.

Oil Filter Magnet?

Dear V-Drive Tech: I was planning to put a magnetic drain plug on my oil pan, but I can’t because I have it plumbed for easy draining

and basically can’t put one on. Recently, I ran across the oil filter magnets that wrap around the filter and they are pretty expensive. I’m just wondering if these things are worth it? Are they any good? Since I have a flat tappet, I’d like something that can give me an early warning if the cam or anything else starts to go. I know I can just cut the filter open, but I’m just wondering if the magnet helps any. Some people have warned me that they might even harm an engine. What’s your opinion?

Willie Harrison Sacramento, CA I have a good friend who has done a great deal of work with magnets in the oil system with great success. You have a couple of options with your oil pan magnet. One is to weld a bung in the oil pan and keep your easy oil drain system.

Now for the oil filter magnet. Yes, they seem a little costly to me, but I don’t see where it can hurt the engine.

The unfortunate part with the oil filter magnet is that your engine filter system is a bypass system. A small percentage of the oil goes through your oil filter at any one time—hence, the bypass oil filtering system. As the oil filter starts to get contaminated, less oil will be filtered.

One thing my friend has been working on is a magnet system that works in the oil system where 90 percent of the oil will run over the magnet. The magnet that is being used is not you common refrigerator magnet. This unit is so powerful for a small type unit that if you get your fingers between the two parts, it will actually pinch the hell out of your skin.

I am a believer in the magnet system, but I’m also a believer in good engine oil. Really good oil will keep your engine happy for many years. speedboat.com

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4/20/18 2:53 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS

Performance Boat Center Acquires Doller Offshore Doller Offshore, the Hollywood, FL-based marine dealership launched by Ron Doller in 1979, is being acquired by Performance Boat Center of the Lake of the Ozarks. Doller will change its name to Performance Boat Center of South Florida, but aside from adding a storage warehouse, a new showroom and some other cosmetic changes, the company will remain the same.

“I’m still going to be involved,” said company owner Mindi Doller. “I’ll be here for at least three years.”

According to Doller, Performance Boat Center wanted to have a South

Florida location, since they have numerous customers in the area, and originally approached her about becoming a partner. Instead, she pitched them on the idea of handing her an exit strategy. “I’m going to be 60 years old soon,” she told Speedboat.

“We’ve done business together over the years, and I really enjoy working with those guys, so we worked out a deal.

They have the same commitment to customer service and business model that I do. We have a real synergy.”

The company will continue to grow, she said, and she looks forward to

remaining part of it for the foreseeable future. “I just delivered a brand new 52' MTI today that I sold,” she said. “Selling and delivering boats, and making customers happy, is what I do best. I’m very excited. Industry response has been fantastic.”

Cobra Readies New 280 Montclair, CA-based Cobra Performance Boats, builder of high-performance catamarans and vee bottoms, is nearing completion on its all-new 280 Venom Sport Cat. According to company owner Jeff Bohn, the 280 extends its line of Sport Cats beyond its 260 Venom and 270 Python models; it’ll be available as an I/O cleseddecker this summer, with an outboard version to follow in 2019.

“It’s similar to the other boat,” Bohn told Speedboat. “We just closed the bow

and changed the back of the boat somewhat to make it look more sporty.” In addition, the windshield has been “leaned back” a bit.

“I have a customer who wants us to build a 31, but I didn’t want to jump from a 26 to a 31,” Bohn explained. “So we did a 28.” Power will begin with an 8.2 HO priced at $129,900 and move up from

there. The first boat out of the mold will feature a Mercury Racing 860 with an M6 drive, and has been sold to customer Al Solorio. “It will be spectacular,” Bohn said.

Barron Boats Preps Mid-May Launch Sometimes when one door closes, another one opens.

And so it is with Jerry Barron, son of the late Southern California boat building icon Nick Barron of Hallett Boats.

After more than four decades in the boating industry, Jerry Barron has taken the leap into boat manufacturing for

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himself under the banner Barron Boats.

“I’ve spent the entirety of my business career involved in all facets of the marine industry. I believe I still have the ambition, skills and experience necessary to make this new venture a success,” said Barron upon his recent decision to carryon the 50+ year Barron tradition and extend the legacy of building award winning custom recreational sportboats.

Barron strategically forecasts a stag-

gered roll-out of four totally new models over the next 18 months. “We’re on target to debut our first new boat this coming May,” said Barron. “It will be a 29' family deckboat with fresh, contemporary styling and unique amenities unlike anything else currently on the market. Not far behind the introduction of the 29 Sport will be a smaller 25'6" Sport deckboat version, which will be ideally suited to deliver

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The Missouri-based builder takes its customers on a wild trip from Miami to the Florida Keys.

MTI

Miami Fun Run

F

or the third straight year, the folks at MTI (Marine in attendance since its inception: 18 attended the inaugural event Technology Inc., Wentzville, MO), builders of high-quality in 2016; 25 participated last year, and this year’s run attracted 32 catamarans and vees, gathered with their customers MTI owners. More than half, he said, were new faces that had not

for a unique Fun Run. The 2018 edition took the groups through the Florida Keys, and as always, it was a showcase for virtually every model MTI builds—as well as a tremendous show of bling and power.

“We had everything there,” says MTI Sales and Marketing Manager Tim Gallagher. “Everything from 400 outboards to 1350s.

Don Verkuylen was there with his 52 Lambo with 1550s. You had the whole gamut. Derek Wachobs was pumping race fuel from his 340X Black Diamond Express into his canopied 52 Black Diamond.

The boat actually has a separate set of fuel tanks to allow for that.”

According to Gallagher, the Fun Run has gradually expanded

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joined the caravan in previous installments.

“We do these events not just for our relationship with the customers, but for their relationships with the other customers,” Gallagher says. “They get to know each other and spend time with each other. They get to meet new people and develop boating relationships for the future.”

Of the approximately 240 attendees, Brett Baur and Brad Barney towed their boats all the way from Utah. “They’re West Coasters, but they come down just for this,” Gallagher says, adding that MTI is planning a few other Fun Runs for 2018. “I’d like to do four of these a year. That’s our goal.” speedboat.com

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STORY BY

Brett Bayne PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Pete Boden

Left: Mike Stordhal in his new 340X. Above: Don Verkuulen’s 52’ Lambo, powered by twin 1550s.

Below: Stefano (from Italy) in his 42” with 1350s.

Bottom left: Johnny O’Loughlin in his 48' with 1550s.

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MTI Fun Run

Left: Ron Schwartz pilots his 340X. Above: Doug Comrie and Eric Belisle in an immaculate 48' powered by twin 1100s.

Below left: Brett Baur of Utah in his 48' with 1350s.

Below right: Jake and Gina Nossaman in their 48' with 1350s. Jake also had his new MTI-V 42' with quad 400s on the run as well.

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MTI Fun Run

Above: Gary Prewitt pilots his 48' Terminator, powered by 1350s. Above right: Wade Keith in his brand-new MTI-V 42, powered by quad Mercury Racing 400 outboards. Below: Ron Schwartz in his 340X, powered by twin Mercury Racing 400 outboards.

Above: The infamous Lucy was a guest aboard Ron and Dina Schwartz’s 340X.

Below: Bob Ladas’s MTI-V 42', powered by quad Mercury Racing 400 outboards.

Above: Derek Wachob’s 340X, Black Diamond Express. This is the “support and fuel tanker” for his 52' Black Diamond.

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T

he 22 Daytona may be one of the builder’s more diminutive offerings, but according to

Eliminator’s Jake Fraleigh, the rig feels much bigger than it is. “I call it the biggest little boat on the market,” he says. “The 22 is a traditional Daytona—it’s got a lot of freeboard and offers similar performance to our 25' and 27' Daytonas.”

Speedboat got the opportunity to drive this little dynamo on Lake Havasu just before the Lake Havasu Boat Show, where it was one of the beauties on display in Eliminator’s booth. It was

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only the second time in the water after being rigged for longtime customer Cliff Ashford of Oklahoma—currently the owner of two other Eliminators (a 28' Speedster and a 28' Fun Deck).

The 22' Daytona model has been around for about eight years. One of the hallmarks of this particular 22' is that it features a super-light Kevlar layup, so at 2,800 pounds, it’s designed to go fast. It’s powered by a single Mercury Racing 400-R outboard, so the empty I/O compartment is freed up for storage space. This 22' also has some cool flat windshields, trick

West Marine billet tunnel tabs, Livorsi Monster gauge, a Mercury Vessel View monitor and under-the-deck carpeting. The gelcoat, along with everything else, was created at Eliminator’s factory in Mira Loma, CA. As we expected, the boat is incredibly responsive, very light and speedy.

It’s the perfect boat for a guy who wants to climb into the boat by himself and go out for a run or a hot lap down the lake—a super fun boat that still feels like a big boat. And the 400-R outboard makes the perfect power package for this particular model.

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This Eliminator Daytona is proof that good things come in small packages.

Photography by

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Todd Taylor

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Catch 22

Eliminator’s 22' Daytona features a super-light Kevlar layup—it’s designed to go fast. It’s got some cool flat windshields, trick West Marine billet tunnel tabs, Livorsi Monster gauge, a Mercury Vessel View monitor and under-the-deck carpeting.

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Lake Havasu T

he official start of Lake Havasu’s boating season has been marked for the past 27 years by the early

April Lake Havasu Boat Show in what has now become the largest boat show in Arizona and Nevada. This year was another record-setter, with 150 exhibitors and vendors packed into the popular Lake Havasu State Park Windsor 4 outdoor venue offering show visitors the opportunity to see and enjoy boats both on-land and in the water. It was far and away the most successful selling show in Havasu history, which bodes well for a strengthening marine industry economy for the rest of 2018. Numerous exhibitors reported multiple sales made at the show. In all, more than 60 different brands of boats were on display, several of which were available for inwater demos. The Lake Havasu Boat Show was again co-sponsored by Jet Renu and Mohave State Bank and presented by the Lake Havasu City Marine Association. The 2019 Lake Havasu Boat Show is scheduled for April 5-7. More information is available at lakehavasuboatshow.com.

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by Bob

boat show

Brown photography by Kenny Dunop and Todd Taylor

Storm Poker Runs Organizers of Lake Havasu’s biggest and most exciting boating events were busy promoting their upcoming Desert Storm Poker Run & Shootout, set for April 18-22. speedboat.com

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Nordic Boats The Havasu-based builder proudly displayed its beautiful 43’ Enforcer (with twin MR 1350s, top) on a tilt trailer. The company’s competitive line of deck boats and catamarans were on hand for showgoers to enjoy. speedboat.com

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Lake Havasu Boat Show Shockwave Introduced in 2008, the company’s 22 Deckboat features a recent redesign.

A jet version of this model was tested in Speedboat last year; it earned rave reviews for its superior ride, handling and ability to negotiate Havasu’s rough waters.

Boat Bling Zack Bale showed off the full line of his company’s highquality boat cleaning products. “The star of the Havasu show is our Condition Sauce UV protectant,” he says.

“People know us for our Hot Sauce, but the Condition Sauce offers an extreme level of protection, and you can use it on textured plastics like on side-by-sides.”

Cobra Boats It was great to see the Montclair, CA-based builder of vees and cats back in Havasu after sitting out the 2017 show. Their 27’ Sport Cat (right) was one of the most talked-about creations at the exhibition, and Cobra will unveil a new 28' in the coming months (see Page 16). Company owner Jeff Bohn and General Manager Hernando Rodriguez both greeted showgoers at their booth.

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DCB Right: The company’s new M33; below, its M28 and M31 in outboard and I/O configurations, respectively.

DCB offered test rides to prospective customers all day Sunday.

Caliber 1 Boats Boat buyers looking for affordable value had plenty to see at the Havasu Boat Show.

This 230 Velocity open-bow model from Caliber 1 Boats (left) was an eye-catcher... and so was the price.

Caption speedboat.com

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Lake Havasu Boat Show

Aqua Lily Pad Joined by his team from the Ohio-based maker of the wildly popular foam floating pad, Ron Almada and Andy Trent schooled showgoers on their super-fun on-water “floating islands.” The Aqua Lily Pad is the ideal water accessory for all ages— especially on Lake Havasu!

Mercury Racing Fresh off from making several innovative debuts at the Miami International Boat Show, Mercury Racing invited attendees to check out the company’s new dualcalibration 1350/1100 turbocharged engine, the latest generation of its exclusive QC4V (quad cam four valve) platform.

Interceptor Lake Elsinore, CA-based Interceptor Custom Boats featured its latest deck boat: the 26’ Kool Kat, powered by a single Mercury Racing 520. The company is offering three different seating designs, including dual captains chairs and the original L bench.

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Lake Havasu Boat Show

Howard Howard Custom Boats was on the scene with its newest creation, the 255 VTX Sport Deck (top left). The boat’s innovative “hydro-V tunnel” design combines the best of Howard’s vee-bottom and airentrapment hull technologies into one exceptional family-performance package. Below left: Howard’s 288 Sport Deck offers too many cool features to mention here. You need to see it in person to fully appreciate it.

River Whips The popular social media group, led by Greg Adkins, showed up to sell T-shirts, stickers, hats and other merch. The group is doing gangbusters business on Facebook, where it continues to attract new views and members by the boatload.

Retro Wagon The Havasu Boat Show was filled with cool stuff everywhere you looked, and it didn’t necessarily have to be a boat. At right, Horizon Motorsports showed off this stunning 1933 Ford woody surf wagon built by Hercules Hot Rod Woody’s.

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Domn8er Undeniably, outboards have surged back to the forefront in the performance sportboat market. Left: Domn8er’s 22 Outboard (with a single Mercury Racing engine) generated lots of attention.

Conquest As usual, the Havasu-based builder Group One Marine displayed its popular 28’ Top Cat II. This deck boat features an 8'6" beam and weighs in at 4,800 lbs.

Horizon Motorsports What has happened to the pontoon market? It’s all about performance, as evidenced by this Playcraft pontoon with twin Mercury Verado 400R outboards, offered by Horizon Motorsports.

Poundfoolish Evan Hobgood and Gene Ferris (above) educated customers on their custom watches, which can be matched to any boat company logo.

They’ve made them for owners of DCBs, MTIs, Skaters and even Speedboat Magazine! speedboat.com

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photographer :

Ray Lee

TEAGUE

Custom Marine

Speedboat travels to Valencia, CA, to tour one of the most celebrated power palaces on the planet.

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Opposite page: The TCM crew poses by the company support truck (top) and the TCM storefront (bottom). Top: One of the two rigging shops shows a 41' Apache, which used to belong to Ben Kramer; behind it is Don London’s 388 Skater, Dial 911. Above left: The apparel department in the showroom.

Above middle: The front sales counter. Above right: A few of the many photos, reviews and awards hang on the wall at Teague Custom Marine.

I

t is just short of unbelievable to realize that Teague Custom building the hull. “But we do everything else,” Bob says. “We manMarine first opened its doors for business in 1972. Originally ufacture all of the installation hardware for a lot of companies,

based in Burbank, CA, the firm has been assembling highperformance engines and parts for 46 years, and they’re still going strong. Back in the ’70s, how would you react to the idea that TCM would someday be building motors capable of 1,400 hp? Perhaps something akin to your reaction upon learning what they’ll be making 50 years from today.

Owner Bob Teague moved his company to Van Nuys before eventually relocating to his current digs in Valencia, CA. The shop now occupies a staggering 30,000 square feet at its location there, with 19 employees focusing on virtually every facet of performance boating. There are two rigging shops, as many as 50 boats on site to be powered, rigged or repaired, and on a regular basis, you’ll find 40 to 50 engines here to be built.

To call TCM a horsepower playground is an understatement.

Speedboat recently toured the factory to get an insider’s view of the assemblage, and we were amazed at all there was to see.

TCM’s motto is “We have everything but the water” for a good reason: The company is involved in all aspects of a boat except for speedboat.com

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including DCB, Eliminator, Nordic, Advantage, Howard, MTI, Cigarette, Formula and several others.” Many builders purchase components from TCM, which in turn fabricates custom pieces and develop exclusive products for their lines. Go to their website (teaguecustommarine.com), and you’ll find a wide variety of parts available for the ordering, but it’s only a fraction of what they make—only about 20-30 percent, in fact, of the approximately 34,000 parts that are available.

“It’s just a flavor of what we can do,” Bob says. “The fact is, if you send us a drawing on a napkin, we can make the part that day. Our business is solving people’s problems. A lot of times, when people call us and say ‘I want to do this or that,’ we often say, ‘We’ve already tried doing in that way and it doesn’t work.

But this is how it will work.’ And we get them going down the right path.”

Teague’s commitment to quality control begins with the passion he has with his own boats. He owns more of them than most of us do—eight in all—and he treats them the same S P E E D B O A T | May 2018

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Teague Factory Tour

Above: Bob dyno tests a new version of TCM’s 1050 engine. Below: This new 1400-hp behemoth is one of two engines being readied to power Bob’s 31’ DCB.

Above right: This engine is one of the new 1,200-hp offerings with the 4.5-liter Whipplecharger. It’s ideal for those customers who are experiencing clearance issues. Below right: A peek inside the drive department reveals a pair of upper units being serviced.

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Teague Factory Tour way he does his customer’s boats. “We build ourselves project boats, and we learn how to make new hardware,” he explains. “Right now we are building a 31 DCB. Once DCB sees some of the things we’ve come up with, they may start having us make that hardware.

So we develop systems along the way.

The difference between us and everybody else in our business is that we actually manufacture parts that we use. When we manufacture something a few times to solve the same problem, it becomes a part number.”

The Valencia shop is a wonderland of high-performance activity. It is divided into areas devoted to rigging, drive rebuilding, and stainless fabrication areas. Beyond that, there are several inventory locations, many of which have been strategically placed around the facility in different hardware bins (i.e., bolts and nuts) so employees don’t have to walk too far.

There is a manual machine room with Bridgeport mills and lathes for the one-off parts TCM makes. Then there’s a complete engine machine shop where they perform all of their own boring, decking, honing, pin fitting, etc. We also spotted a very powerful DC Magnaflux machine where TCM does all of their “mag” inspection work. For the custom water pickups fabricated by TCM, the company actually employs sections of the boat bottoms to use as a template. So much goes on at this factory that it practically defies a comprehensive listing; for example, did you

know that the company manufactures Superchiller intercoolers, along with parts for Whipple kits? And if you think it’s all geared toward I/O applications, think again—TCM does a great deal of work for the V-drive crowd as well. “Basically, we do everything, and that’s why we have a database of 30,000 customers,” he says.

“It’s just never ending.”

The proof is right here at the shop, where you’ll find boats and engines from all over the world being worked on—from Japan, Australia, Europe, Brazil, Canada and beyond. TCM’s recent projects include complete rebuilds on a 35' DCB owned by Larry Peak, a 33' Hallett for Bill Vukanovich at SoCal Super Trucks of Anaheim, and a 40' Hallett for Rick Pfaff that used to belong to Imco Marine. “We do a lot of restorations,” Bob explains. “A lot of times, someone will bring a boat that was previously worked on somewhere else, and things didn’t work out, and we’ll help them move forward.” TCM has also been working on engines and installations for some of the newer boatbuilders, such as Adrenaline and Interceptor (for whom the factory is creating an 825 package).

Entering the engine building room, you’ll notice it seems like an operating room in a hospital. It is both temperature- and electrostaticcontrolled—everywhere you look is squeaky clean. Separately, there’s an engine teardown area, where some motors have been prepped to be torn

[continues on page 82]

Top: This engine assembly cart contains a variety of parts, including rods and pistons, prior to assembly. Second row: Mufflers and adjustable water pickups are 100% fabricated at TCM. Middle: Bob Ponek, one of the skilled welders in the fabrication department. Fourth row: A small portion of TCM’s 4,000-square-foot prop room, where there are 300 propellers in stock.

Bottom: Bob Teague’s 368 Skater, one of two Skaters he owns (a raceboat and a pleasure model). This one competes in Super Cat (750 Class); it’s powered by a pair of TCM 510-c.i., 9 1/2-to-one with single carbs. They are 7,000-rpm spec motors.

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TOP GEARS H

igh horsepower/torque vs. the outdrive. It’s an ongoing battle

that’s been escalating since the introduction of supercharged and turbo motors, and it’s usually a fight where the outdrive rarely comes out on top. It is clearly the proverbial weak link of your boat. From the “easy on, easy off” throttle method to performing overly frequent outdrive oil changes, boaters have tried everything to make them last as long as possible.

Those who are familiar with these battles have most likely experienced that sickening feeling of when the outdrive horrifically fails. After that outing has been ruined, there’s the issue of repairing the outdrive(s) and the high cost associated with such a failure. What if the outdrives are damaged to the point that you need to replace them? How long will it take to get your boat back on the water? For some, it can end their boating experience altogether. For others, it is a viscous circle that is seemingly endless. If only there

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were something available to resolve these failures and ease your mind of constantly worrying about when—not if—the next time an outdrive will fail.

The folks at Rev X Products are confident that they have the solution to these problems and many more. Rev X Products has been producing lubricants and additives for engines and outdrives for high performance marine applications for more than 11 years. They’ve been amazing their customers with the products’ ability to lengthen the life of their drivetrains in the harshest conditions possible—racing.

One of their newest supporters is Vern Gilbert of the famous West Coast Drives, the Lake Havasu City, AZ-based shop where Vern services, installs and sets up drives on some of the fastest boats in the nation. You’ve seen his personal boat, a 40' Skater, in the pages of Speedboat. What you may not know is that Vern’s own drives were failing under the massive amount of power he was running at an alarming rate. After participating in a shootout, he’d

routinely strip down his drives to find how out how severely damaged the drives were.

Upon inspection, most of the gear sets had suffered catastrophic damage, and replacing them several times per season became a common practice, not to mention a serious financial burden. So much so that Vern actually made the unthinkable move to start limiting how much time he spent on the water.

Then, at last year’s Desert Storm event, Vern met the Rev X crew (Dan and Andy Wilson) and informed them about the problems he’d been having with his drives.

“Normally, after we finish an event, the first thing I’d do is to pull the drain plug and see how much metal I have on the magnet to determine if the drive was toast,” Vern says. Part of the issue, he says, is that many drives that were designed in the 1980s and 1990s were intended to accommodate 850 hp, and the same drives are now expected to pull 2,500 hp and beyond—or much more, in some cases).

“They were turning 6,500 rpm, and speedboat.com

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Vern Gilbert of West Coast Drives puts Rev X’s lubricants to the ultimate test.

we’re now turning 8,200+ rpm with 1,700 foot/pounds of torque or more,” Vern says.

“So I fully expect to break a drive once in a while. It’s just part of the deal. It’s like running a 10-bolt rear end in an old Camaro— you’re bound to blow a pinion gear.”

He adds: “They are not producing the steel gears anymore. The production gears are now nitrate coated. They’re all right, but they really require good protection.”

So the guys educated Vern on Rev X’s Marine Lubricants, including Drive-H, a high-performance outdrive and lower unit lubricant. The focus of Drive-H is to provide unmatched protection by eliminating metal to metal wear on gears, bearings and shifting components in racing and high-performance applications where high loads and heavy abuse is the norm.

Drive-H provides the highest increases in load capacity and shock load protection of any heavyweight outdrive lubricant currently available. Naturally, Vern was skeptical: He’d already tried anything and everything under the sun to eliminate the speedboat.com

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problems. However, he told Dan, “If you’ve got something that works, put it up.” Dan happily agreed to do just that.

Vern began testing the Lubricant just prior to attending the Texas Outlaw Challenge on June 21-25, 2017, making quite a few passes with his Skater. He began to observe positive results almost immediately, and started calling Andy to express his surprise at the results he was seeing. “I didn’t have metal on the magnet anymore,” Vern says enthusiastically.

“I kept pulling the drain plug and there was no metal on the magnet. Normally, I have just come to expect to see a failed drive. After all, we’re putting three times the horsepower (or much more) to the drives than they were really designed for. I am behind Rev X Products 100%. I’m really happy with this lubricant.”

Vern was able to run the entire 2017 season, which included two top-speed shootouts, Lake Cumberland Poker Run, Catalina Poker Run and the Monster Poker Run, utilizing the same components in the

Above: A pair of gear sets that were not used with Rev X’s lubricants. Both show breakage and failure caused by metal hitting the teeth of the gears.

Opposite page: The Drive-H lubricant provides the ultimate protection for your high-performance outdrive and lower unit.

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Top Gears

Above: Rev-X’s lubricants, high-performance oils and and fuel additives give a competitive edge to raceboats like LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness.

Brit Lilly’s team won the 2017 National and World Championships.

Right: This unique display was created by Rev-X to show the dramatic effects of gears that benefit from its lubricants—and gears that do not. drives all season long with the Drive-H outdrive lubricant. “That is the kind of reliability Rev X Products brings to anyone that uses our products,” says Dan, who’s quick to point out that Vern received no special treatment. “We worked with him the same way we work with anyone else in the high-performance or racing industry,” he explains. “We gave Vern the same product that we actually sell, because it is exhaustively tested to greatly exceed any demands placed on it. We only sell the best lubricants and additives to our customers so they can truly enjoy their boating experience to the fullest.”

Is Vern’s experience typical for the average user of Rev X’s products? Dan’s answer is an unequivocal yes. “Look at Art Lilly’s boat,” he says of the celebrated offshore racer, whose LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness took both the 2016 and 2017 National and World Championships in the Superboat Vee class with their 30' Extreme, which has been using Rev X’s lubricants for years. Art’s son, owner/driver Brit Lilly, added the product to the engine oil of the boat and began to see gains in horsepower

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and torque on the dyno. This obviously added to the team’s success, including an increase in reliability that led to a lack of equipment failures that allowed them to complete the entire 2016 season of racing, utilizing one engine and one outdrive—an unheard-of feat, for sure.

“I honestly don’t know how Vern was ever able to fully enjoy his boat with the failures he kept experiencing with his drives,” Dan says. “Vern is just one

example of how the products from Rev X Products are helping to make any high performance boat perform better with increased reliability.”

Have we found a way to win the horsepower/torque vs. the outdrive battle?

Based on the experience of both Vern Gilbert and Lilly Sport Boats, it looks like the future on the battlefield could be brighter with an ally like Rev X Products fighting the battle with us. speedboat.com

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Above: Jon and Bryn Wax depart from Haulover Marina for start of the run in their 36' Cigarette Gladiator, Poker Face.

Bottom left: Jeff and Brenda Jacobs pilot their 36' Cigarette Gladiator, We’re Back.

Bottom right: Deris Ceresa in his 38’ Donzi Comp.

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Miami

boat show P O K E R

R U N

photography by

Jerry Wyszatycki/Florida Powerboat Club

H

urricane Irma, which passed through the Florida Keys in September 2017, forced the Florida Powerboat Club to make a change-of-venue for its 23rd

annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run. Several marine resorts in the Florida Keys, including Post Card Inn (Islamorada) and Hawks Cay Resort (Near Marathon) were still closed and resorts in the Florida Keys couldn’t host a 50-boat poker run in February. The solution was to keep the event based in Miami Beach, and use Key Largo as a lunch-run destination for the Saturday poker run.

A Friday fun run got the early birds out for a shake down run, as about 40 teams took a scenic ride through the Intercoastal Waterways of Miami Beach, avoiding rough offshore seas. The cruise mostly stayed in the protected waters of Biscayne Bay, and passed by the scenic landmark cottages known as Stiltsville, before heading up the Miami River to lunch hotspots that included The Wharf and the all-new American Social. Both establishments are popular with Miami boaters, and it was a first time for many FPC members to take a ride up the historic Miami River.

By late Friday, more boats had staged and launched at Haulover Marine Center, and hundreds of guests enjoyed luxury accommodations at the Trump International Resort at Sunny Isles Beach. The area’s largest waterfront restaurant, Duffy’s Sports Grill provided a warm and friendly rendezvous location for poker run teams, and it was here that all attendees checked in with FPC staff, attended the captains meeting, then enjoyed a poolside Miss Florida Powerboat Club 2018 bikini show.

Saturday morning, the boats launched from Sunny Isles and headed south to Miami, then proceeded 50 miles on Biscayne Bay towards Key Largo. With rough seas offshore, it was the ideal poker run course, and a long established waterfront restaurant, Sundowners in Key Largo, served a robust lunch that everyone enjoyed. The new poker run format provided a welcome change for many members, who felt the Miami-based event provided easier access, a great selection of hotels, a comfortable casual vibe, and greater choice of after-hours entertainment options. After all, more than 80% of the attendees had just weathered a cold northern winter, and were ready to play hard!

Congratulations to Grand Prize winner Bryan Houtchens who trailered all the way from California with his 34' Kachina to attend his very first FPC Poker Run!

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Miami Boat Show Poker Run Below: Participants get into formation for the Saturday poker run start near Haulover Inlet, Miami.

Above: The new 35’ luxury V-bottom from SV Yachts, with company owner Mauricio Velez and Nikolai Sass on board. Below: Sal Olivia of New York in his 42X Cigarette, X-Scape from New York. Right: It’s a center-console bonanza, with four of Florida’s top builders all lined up! Nor-Tech, Statement, Blackwater & Deep Impact make their their way to the Miami River.

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Miami Boat Show Poker Run

Above: Two Midnight Express 43s line up for the money shot.

Company owner Eric Glaser (near lane) and David Landsman in his new 43 with five Mercury 400R’s

Rafting up at Sundowners in Key Largo for lunch.

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Performance Boat Center’s new 360 Wright Performance Cat, with World Champion throttleman Myrick Coil at the helm.

Left: Donnie Snyder of Connecticut in his 46' Outerlimits, Blueprint.

Below left: FPC President Stu Jones in his 2000 Cigarette Top Gun, Full House. It’s slated for a full restoration under code name Project 1080.

Below: Mark Munro took delivery of this new 360 Wright Performance Cat at the Miami Boat Show.

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OBSERVER’S SEAT RAY LEE [continued from page 8] She is also excited to present the new host venue of the London Bridge Resort to her guests, which is a departure from the longtime beachfront host location of the Nautical Resort.

“I expect it to be a very relaxed, yet close-knit, type of gathering. Everything is right there! You can check on your boat, hang out by the pool and clubs, walk to different restaurants and enjoy the beautiful, picturesque London Bridge. Plus the staff there is so friendly, and accommodating, and nice! I think that’s what our guests will notice and appreciate immediately.”

Following directly behind Desert Storm, we will be off to the Bayou Country of Louisiana for the infamous Tickfaw 200, hosted out of the unique Blood River Marina.

Now, I had heard a lot about this event and have been very intrigued by it and wanted to experience it for myself.

With the help of Louisiana’s Livingston Parish Tourism, event co-producer Casey Harrison and his team are welcoming us to a weekend of down-home fun––complete with fast boats, good folks and crawfish!

Billed as the “Sturgis of Powerboat Poker Runs,” this event promises to not disappoint, and I believe it hosts the largest number of participants of any performance boating event in the country. But it’s not their claim. It’s mine.

“We look at it differently than most.

Most want to hear a boat count but boat counts don’t benefit anything for charity if they don’t buy poker hands.

So we have never broke down all the numbers for hard number of what’s what,” said Harrison in his trademark Louisiana drawl.

“But every other person that puts on a run has never disputed our numbers claims after coming.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS [Continued from page 16]

Barron Boats fun-to-drive performance with moderatesized propulsion options.”

Then, in 2019, Barron plans to unveil two more models, this time both are stepped deep-vee hulls configured as versatile center consoles. "You can’t deny that the large lake and offshore recreational markets are trending aggressively in favor of center console vee-bottoms, especially catering to the outboard buyer,” remarked Barron. “I’m banking on the fact that the West Coast market is hungry for East Coast style center consoles with features and interiors that address our type of boating on the Pacific Coast.”

Since all future Barron models are derived from completely new and original tooling, it affords the opportunity to break from the past and establish its own identity moving forward. “We’re not copying or using anything from previous designs,” said Barron. “I’ve had these ideas and concepts in my brain for a long time. I have a good idea of what boat buyers want and expect from their new boat. This is my chance to put those things into practice and raise the bar with an entirely new product line.

I’m anxious to get started and get the first model wet. We are actively booking orders on the new 29-footer right now.”

For loyal Hallett customers, the new home of Barron Boats might be familiar territory although a dramatic renovation to a building that was once Hallett’s tooling, lamination and R&D headquarters has little resemblance to what it once was. “You can’t operate a business for that many years and not become identified with a neighborhood,” said Barron.

“To move out of the San Gabriel Valley just wouldn’t seem right. We’re here for the long haul in a stunningly refurbished building that has a lot of great Hallett history. We’re ready to build a new brand and reputation that will only embellish what has been accomplished in the past.”

Visit barronboats.com for more information, or call (626) 633-9000. speedboat.com

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Christiansen Leaves Mercury Racing Mercury Racing general manager Erik Christiansen will be leaving the company to pursue an opportunity outside of the marine industry, the company announced.

Christiansen, who ran the racing business for Mercury since taking over for Fred Kiekhaefer in 2013, had spent more than 20 years at the company. He has been instrumental in the successful launch of many of Mercury Racing’s most well-known products, including the 400R FourStroke outboard and the 1,750-hp racing sterndrive, Mercury’s largest engine offering in the portfolio.

Steve Miller, Director of Marketing,

Sales and Service for Mercury Racing, has been named interim general manager. Miller has been with Mercury since 1993 and has been a part of the success of the Mercury Racing program over the past three years. Prior to that, Miller helped in the launch of many of our mainline outboard projects, including the 150-hp FourStroke and the introduction of the Verado line.

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Below: Chris and Quinn LaMorte of New Jersey drive their blue Skater (far lane) while riding alongside Chris Ryder of New York in his 36 Skater, Crisis Management.

Tampa Bay

FPC

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

Stu Jones • Florida Powerboat Club / Pete Boden

P O K E R

R U N

Left: Rafting up on Friday’s fun run at Riviera Dunes Marina, for lunch at Blu Mangrove.

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4/18/18 3:13 PM

M

oving an established poker run event to a new venue after a seven-year run is not always an easy task. But Florida Powerboat Club was faced

with a possible reduction in its Tampa Bay Poker Run roster for 2018, as the hosting hotel—the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg—squeezed the room inventory and available poker run slips to the lowest numbers ever. “We stood to see a reduction of at least ten poker run teams under this scenario, and here we are trying to grow the Tampa Bay Poker Run to fifty or more boats,” said organizer Stu Jones. “It was just time to move the event to a larger venue.” So Jones convinced his FPC members that it was time to leave the charming St. Petersburg waterfront and give downtown Tampa a try. Ample dockage from the Tampa Convention Center and Marriott Marina, combined with two major hotels, the Westin and Marriott Waterside, provided all the facilties necessary to get the roster up over 40 teams.

The late March weather was ideal as teams began arriving as early as Wednesday to enjoy the vibrant Tampa nightlife, which started with an Ybor City pub tour on Thursday evening.

A Friday fun run got the boating activities off to a good start, as about 30 teams visited the Blu Mangrove, a charming waterfront eatery on the Manatee River in Bradenton. By late Friday, almost 40 teams were settled in at the docks in Downtown Tampa, and the party kicked off at the neighboring Jackson’s Bistro, a popular restaurant that has been a landmark on the downtown scene for almost two decades.

Saturday morning saw warmer temperatures and lighter winds, and by 11 a.m., the 40-boat fleet was off the docks, grabbing its first card from two lovely bikini clad ladies, then headed toward the open waters of Tampa Bay for some high-

Above: The “money shot” of boats passing under the famous Sunshine Skyway bridge.

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Tampa Bay Poker Run Bob & Madelyn Christie of New Jersey in their new MTI 340X Cat, the lucky winners of the Tampa Bay Poker Run!

speed thrills. Boat captains stopped about one mile before the Sunshine Skyway bridge to get re-assembled and run a group under the scenic bridge, with the chopper high above, seeking that coveted “money shot.”

A second card was handed off by a volunteer boat at Egmont Key, and then a third at the Vinoy Basin in St. Petersburg. Then the group settled in for an amazing lunch at Hula Bay Club.

It turned out to be a safe, fun-filled weekend for all 43 registered teams. Later, the group gathered at the all-new American Social Bar, the flagship location for this trendy new national chain. Presidents Choice awards were presented in a variety of categories, and the top poker-hand winners were awarded prizes from FPC sponsors. Congratulations to winners Bob and Madelyn Christie of New Jersey, who attended in their brand new MTI 340X Cat. With few changes to the poker-run course itself, the only big pill to swallow for veteran attendees was the new Tampa venue, but as the great weekend came to a close the consensus from the members that the new poker home-base was a win-win, so it’s here to stay—at least for now!

Above right: The new Pilini Marine 34’, piloted by FPC Member Daniel Munyan.

Below: Sponsor team Midnight Express 43’, with Eric Glaser of Maryland riding on board with David and Jenny Landsman in My Way. Glenn Kennedy of Wisconsin in his new Outerlimits SV43, Caliente Performance.

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4/23/18 7:16 PM

Top: Chris and Melizza Stevenson in their 32’ Spectre, No Kids.

Middle left: Cass Shewbart of Texas in the 38’ Cigarette Liquid Prozac.

Middle right: Florida Powerboat Club first-time poker-runners Craig and Paula Ackerman of Georgia in their 29’ Formula, Alter Ego. Left: Simon & Catherine Williams in Suncoast Performance, their 399 Deep Impact.

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Tampa Bay Poker Run

Above: Triple Nor-Tech 39 CCs: Chris Erickson (far lane), Ed and Jacqui Rachel (center) and Craig and Cynthia Belfatto (near lane). Below: The 80' Nor-Tech Roadster Lady Lisa, the “mother ship” of every poker run she attends, owned by Red Reynolds.

Left: Ashley and Stephanie of Team Bodacious handed out cards at the first checkpoint.

Left: FPC Girl Kianna hands out cards at Egmont Key.

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4/18/18 3:13 PM

Brett’s Straight Outta

Needles Hot Boat Roundup!

Featuring

NJBA Season Opener

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SCSC in Parker S P E E D B O A T | May 2018

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Straight Outta

Needles

photography by Daren Van

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Ryte

It’s Hot Boat heaven as the musclecraft head to Jack Smith Park for a power parade. speedboat.com

4/23/18 11:19 AM

Andy Weise of San Clemente, CA, is owner of California Fire Protection & Backflow Inc. He drives this 19' Sanger Ski Runner, powered by a 468 Tall-Deck Chevy with Clay Smith cam, Gibson Miller magnesium 14-71 blower (at 8 percent over) and a pair of 1050 Dominators.

The boat features a Dick Vale paint job; the rigging and motor were done by Ted Pardee of Bellflower, CA. The motor spins 7,000 rpm.

O

ne of the most popular water playgrounds for speedboaters in the great Southwest is Needles, CA. The area is home to several hot spots, including Moabi Regional Park

(home of the famous Pirate Cove Resort), Needles Marina Park and Jack Smith Park, all of which offer great amenities for boaters. Occasionally they are also the site of custom go-fast exhibitions, such as the Route 66 Hot Boat & Custom Car Show at Jack Smith Park. Held in February, the site attracts numerous showgoers for its vintage boats and cars (as well as golf tournaments, raffles, giveaways and lots of food. The nine boats featured in this article were all photographed by staff photographer Daren Van Ryte at the most recent installment of this amazing blowout. It’s a great opportunity to witness a veritable history book of custom boats from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, including the wide range of power packages pushing these rigs to record-setting speeds. Speedboat Magazine is frequently on the scene at these events, so be sure to come by and say hello! speedboat.com

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Straight Outta Needles

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Top left: Chad Steele of Garden Grove, CA, drives this 1978 17’10” DiMarco 5/8 runner bottom.

It has a 460 big-block Chevy with 840 steel heads, tunnel ram and twin 750s. The boat runs on Sunoco 110 fuel through a Lenco clutch and Casale drive. Top speed: 101+ mph.

Top right: Terry Vandeman’s Eliminator runs about 112 on a good day. It’s got a 520-c.i. blown injected engine with EFI. GS Marine did the pump work, and Vandeman and his son built the motor themselves. “It’s a heavy boat, so it could run a lot faster,” he says.

Above: Chris and Angela Pauli’s 1994 18’6" Revenge hull competes in the K-Boat class on the course. Chris owns a small machine shop specializing in marine work. He’s raced his whole life, following in the footsteps of his father, Ray Pauli. The Revenge has a blown alcohol BBC (468 c.i.). Chris thanks Brian Wehrer for the help with the fuel systems and tuning it.

Left: Mike Chadwick of Lake San Antonio, CA, drives his fully rebuilt 1978 17'10" Hondo T-Deck.

It features a paint job and body work by James Liddell and is powered by a 496 BBC running on 1050 Dominator carbs feeding a teflon stripped 871 blower by Monty Davenport.

The boat is a blast to drive and handles very well, according to Chadwick, who drives for a local landscaping company and owns a mobile home park. The boat runs 112 mph. speedboat.com

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Straight Outta Needles

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Left: John Cogan drives Chris Schock’s 2007 18' Biesemeyer flatbottom, powered by a blown 468 c.i. BBC on alcohol. Painted by Billy B, the boat is maintained and taken care of by Concept Marine (Montclair, CA). Schock, who lives in Fontana, CA, is a commercial roofing contractor.

Above: John Hart races his 1973 18’ Lavey Craft in GPS-100 class. The boat, which is powered by a 383 small-block Chevy, is a complete re-creation of the flatbottom owned by his grandfather John, who launched the Utah Speedboat Association back in the 1970s.

“All we had to go by were photos of the boat,” Hart says. “The intake manifold and the carbs are off his original engine.” Hart has owned the Lavey Craft for eight years.

Below: Charley Hamill has raced boats for eight years, and has won the 2012 SE World Championship, the 2014 and 2015 SE National Championships and most recently the 2017 GPS 100 National Championship. His 1968 Patterson is powered by a 496 roller-cam Chevy with tunnel ram and twin Holley 750s. It makes just shy of 700 hp on the dyno.

Below left: James Gregory’s 1977 18’ Biesemeyer is a circle race boat with a 427 Chevrolet with single 830-cfm Holley carb. The boat has always been raced in the SS or PS Class within APBA and now SCSC. It has been clocked at 116 on GPS; top speed with a 500-c.i. injected motor on alcohol is 125+ mph.

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Cracker Calamity At the 2017 Thanksgiving Regatta, our photographer captured these two scary Cracker Box blowovers.

“I “I ““H H a h ha outsi o ou utttsi iing in g in in “ d do down ow wn n dogs do og gss few ffe ew h thou tho th ho ou u to a c to

T

he scene was the 2017 Thanksgiving Regatta, where photographer Daren Van Ryte snapped these two blowover accidents. Above and

left, owner/driver Dave Laws (with rider Matt Stump) was driving the boat for his first weekend after purchasing it from Tom Sampson. “It was the second heat of the day,” Laws says. “I hit a roller, and it went over. The boat, a 1999 Wrap hull, landed bottom side up. It took a while to right it. It had not run since 2011, and had sat for 5-6 years. Some things were hurt in the engine, and I probably shouldn’t have run it. The crash forced me to look closely at the Ford motor, which is still being rebuilt. It’s harder to come across certain parts.” Laws expects to be back on the course later this year.

On the opposite page, Stump’s brother Scott (with rider Ryan Nissen) was competing in his Patterson hull Orangoutang when he flipped. There were no injuries, and the guys had the boat running later that day.

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4/18/18 3:18 PM

“I said, “I sai aid, a d, ‘What d ‘Wh ha att do do you you mean?’ yo me m ea an n??’ n?’

“He ““H He said, said sa d, ‘There ‘The ‘T here re are arre e cars carrs parked pa p ark rked rked ed a h half ha lf a m lf mile iille iin n b both oth ot h di directions ire rect cttio ions nss n outside o ou utttsid de on o tthe he m h main ain ai n st stre street, reet et,, comet com co m-n ng g in into into oy your our ou ur place!’ pllacce! p e!’ “ I said, ssa aid d, ‘Oh ‘O Oh yeah! yeah ye a ! Come ah C m Co me e on on down d do ow wn n and and n have ha av ve so ssome ome m ffree re ree ee h ho hot ot dogs do og gss w with itth us u us!’ s!’’ We’ve We’ e’ve ve gone gon ne from frrom om a few hu few fe h hundred un nd drre ed hot ho h ot dogs d g do gs tto o ov o over ve err a thousand, tho th ho ou ousa usa and nd, as as we we treat tre tr ea at everybody ev ev ve erryb e ybo bod od dy y to o a ccheap heap he ap llunch.” un u nch ch..””

Brett Bayne photos by Daren Van Ryte story by

Driver Scott Stump and rider Ryan Nissen flip their boat, a Patterson hull called Orangoutang during the Thanksgiving Regatta. There were no injuries, and the boat was running later that day. speedboat.com

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4/23/18 8:35 PM

The National Jet Boat Association kicks off its 2018 season in Bakersfield, CA.

Left to right: From a long way down the track, photographer Mark McLaughlin pulled out the big lens for some head-on shots. Bryan Gilday in his 6-second Quick Eliminator hydro, Bill McGuinn shoes his No Clue Top Eliminator hydro, and Mike Davis drives his 6-second hydro toward the finish line.

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NJBA World Finals

UNBLOWN FUEL JET: The #1 qualifier, Steve Penberthy, set the field with a 5.57 ET at over 144 mph. The Just Another Toy rocket blew by the field of seven boats and nabbed the victory. Inset: Steve and crew collect their trophy from trophy girls Jody (left) and Emily (right).

PRO COMP FLAT: Kelly Rhead qualified #1 in the class with seven boats in the field. The 60/40 flatty ran some impressive numbers with consistant 5.85 and 5.90s to the win with over 135 mph each and every time he lined up.

PRO COMP FLAT: Jason Merritt (near lane) and Steve Westerfield qualify in Pro Comp Flat. Merritt went on to finish second in the class in the Good N Plenty machine for owner Monty Patridge.

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MODIFIED ELIMINATOR: Lance Gilbert (far lane) goes up against Seth Hallberg, in the finals. Hallberg’s quicker elapsed time but slower speed got him the win over Gilbert’s slower elapsed time but faster speed, causing him to break out by .03 seconds. Above: Hallberg and crew collect their trophy.

BLOWN GAS FLAT: Elapsed time record holder and speed record holder Jim Shelton (below) came back after almost a year off. He not only put his Smokin’ Whitie in the number-one spot for Blown Gas Flat, he also destroyed the BGF ET record with a stunning 5.99 and put the new speed record at 138 mph.

Above: For the trophy presentation, Shelton and crew got the big check, record holder certificate and trophy. Congratulations to the new king of BGF! Bottom left: In the qualifying rounds, Marty Strech in his Strech Limo daycruiser took the #6 qualifying spot in Unblown Fuel Jet, while Shane Westerfield (near lane) put his Blown Gas Flatty in the #3 qualifying position, going on to the finals, where he would runner up to Jim Shelton. speedboat.com

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NJBA World Finals PRO GAS JET: Winner Kjell Adams raced his way to the second qualifying spot before taking the win over Arek Strohmenger in the finals, cruising to an 18.86 elapsed time at a speed of 64 mph. Meanwhile, Strohmenger had a motor malfunction and never left the line—an easy win for Kjell (inset, with trophy).

QUICK ELIMINATOR: Cory Hallberg and Kjell Adams (left) display their trophies after Cory bested Kjell in the QE class with a 6.11 ET to Kjell’s quicker 6.08 ET. Cory’s quicker reaction time helped with the win. They’re the best of friends, and joking around with their trophies, always having a great time. Below: Cory (far lane) qualifies his Sweet Pickle machine to the #4 spot in the QE class, while Chase Grenke followed right behind Cory with a #5 qualifying position in the same class.

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4/18/18 3:20 PM

TOP ELIMINATOR: Justin Perkins pilots his Thrill Ride to the #1 spot, continuing his winning ways from last year. Here he is up against Alan Asbe’s beautiful cole flatbottom appropriately named Pathologicole.

Alan shoed his multicolored machine to the number 5 spot in the sevenboat field of Top Eliminators. Above: Trophy gals Jody and Emily present Perkins with his trophy.

STOCK/SUPER ELIMINATOR: Charles Calva (far lane) in his Cost Effective jetboat takes his first win in Stock Eliminator and was the #1 qualifier all in the same weekend; he eventually took the plunge in the lake for the traditional dunk for first time winners. Meanwhile, Lance Gilbert (inset) had to come from the middle of the Super Eliminator pack (#8) to take the win in the class over 12 competitors. His multicolored jetboat, If Looks Could Kill, took home the cash.

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SCSC

Spring Classic

Story and photos by Mark

McLaughlin

The Southern California Speedboat Club tears up the water in Parker, AZ.

A

es soon as the winter months become history, you can count on the Southern California Speedboat Club to stage an

unforgettable bout in Parker, AZ, with their SCSC Spring Classic event.

This year, competitors in a dozen classes gathered to vie for bragging rights at the Bluewater Resort and Casino.

The largest field of boats belonged to Sportsman Extreme class, with nine participants. Tim Hoffman, driving the black

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#717 flatty, had his hands full, with narrow margins of victory over Michael Purczynski in his yellow #151 boat. Jasper MacDonald, piloting his #155 entry, finished a distant sixth place overall, while Steve Coletta in the #56 boat wound up in fourth place, running just a bit behind Purczynski.

The next largest field belonged to the Sportsman Limited “A” Hyrdoplane class, with eight boats total. Coincidentally, the first-place and second-place finishers were actually the numbers on their respected

boats. Andy Jones, in the #2 boat, finished 2nd overall behind his twin brother, Casey Jones in the #1 boat. Both brothers are known in the racing world as the AMSOIL Twins, named as their dealership with AMSOIL racing fluids.

Spectators witnessed at least three mishaps during the weekend. GPS 100 competitor Cory Ferguson, who crashed on Saturday, was wearing the new Neck Air Bag system; the device worked flawlessly, protecting Cory’s head and neck.

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4/18/18 3:21 PM

Below: With the Classic Endurance racers only running Saturday, Brian Neal (driving for Terry Valore) in the CJ-21, took home the overall win in the class. His efforts in the Comp Jet class, however, took him to the podium with an overall of 3rd place for the two-day event.

SPORTSMAN LIMITED: First and second in the field of 8 boats for the Sportsman Limited “A” Hydroplane were actually the numbers on their respective boats. Andy Jones (near lane, above) finished second overall to his twin brother, Casey Jones, in the #1 boat. They are known in the racing world as the AMSOIL Twins—named as their dealership with AMSOIL racing fluids.

UNBLOWN FLAT: The class had four boats with an all-star field of drivers. Paul Fitzgerald (above) snared the overall win for the weekend. He traveled all the way from Concord, NC. GPS 100: After crashing on Saturday, Cory Ferguson (left), driving for Jim Mobley in his beautifully sparkled flatbottom, came back Sunday to take the overall win in GPS 100.

He turned the corner with the checkered flag and immediately saw photographer Mark McLaughlin staring straight at him, so Cory did the old “Look, Ma, no hands” routine for the camera. What a ham!

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SCSC Spring Classic

JUNIOR HYDROPLANE: Side-by-side action had Maureen Gurth (far lane) and Sean Davidson (near lane) going into turn #1 in the Junior Hydroplane category.

Maureen would go on to take the first-place trophy, followed by Sean’s secondplace podium finish.

COMP JET: The big white CJ-702 machine, driven by Billy Mason (left), went home with the-first place trophy in the class after some back-and-forth lead changes with the CJ-511 (shown below). Vance Lund would finish second to Mason for the weekend.

GRAND NATIONAL: First-time winner Chuck Sousamian drove the GN-22 boat to victory in the class.

At right, he proudly displays his checkered flag, but later he got an opportunity to take the traditional dunk in the lake for first-time winners (see Page 80).

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UNBLOWN FLAT: At left (left to right), Ryan Heiser of Dickinson, ND, displays his third-place overall trophy, Paul Fitzgerald (with grandson Blake on his shoulders) of Concord, NC, shows off his first-place trophy, and Cory Ferguson of Bellflower, CA, holds his second-place overall trophy in Unblown Flat class.

GETTIN’ WET, PART 1

The Sportsman Extreme class had a mishap Sunday, with Logan Kelsey in the SE-61 machine capsizing (series at left). Fortunately, both the boat and Logan checked out OK. Above: Garrett Tepper in his 51R Sportsman Limited A class hydroplane took a tumble on Sunday morning, but he climbed right back into boat and sat watching the rest of the heat. speedboat.com

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SCSC Spring Classic

CRACKERBOX PRO: This class featured three entries, with the Orangoutang P-88 Cracker (left) taking the overall win for their first in the class. Scott Stump and Blake Stump did the magic on the boat giving them their win.

Meanwhile, in the blue boat, High Maintenance (right), driven by Donald Doidge (with Justin Dalessandro riding along), the guys took home the second place overall trophy.

K RACING: Grudge matches were the way this class ran the weekend, with Tony Scarlata driving Duff Daily’s El Cid (left), taking the majority of the wins. Daily was in his brand new K777 (below), showing some very impressive laps as they took turns winning heats.

Only two K Racing Runabouts showed up for the Spring Classic, while more K boats are in the molds. By the end of the year, expect to see two or three more new Ks.

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SPORTSMAN EXTREME: This class had a large nine-boat field for the weekend.

Overall winner Tim Hoffman in the black #717 flatty (above) had his hands full, with narrow margins of victory over Michael Purczynski in his yellow #151 boat (right). Jasper MacDonald, driving the #155 entry, finished a distant 6th place overall , while Steve Coletta in the #56 boat wound up in fourth, running just a bit behind Michael here.

SPORTSMAN LIMITED 20: The C-133 hydroplane driven by Ken Knudson (below) took the overall win in the class. Meanwhile, Sportsman Limited C hydroplane driver Michael Wright (right) headed into turn #1 with a little air under the boat, and took home the hardware for first place in the class.

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SCSC Spring Classic

GETTIN’ WET, PART 2

First-time winners take the plunge into the cold Colorado River water. Above: It’s a double dip, as brothers Scott and Blake Stump do their version of trick jumping for their first win. Top right: Sean Davidson had his first win at the Thanksgiving race, but waited till the water warmed up a little to get his initiation by family and crew. Right: GN-22 driver and first-time winner Chuck Sousamian, was captured by photographer Mark McLaughlin in mid-dunk...he looks almost like he’s standing in knee-deep water!

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4/20/18 2:53 PM

Teague Factory Tour

[continued from page 40]

down or are already partially torn down. In another area, engines are being inspected and staged to go into the engine room. In an adjoining room, you’ll find a dozen or so boats in the process of being rigged.

During our tour, we were also impressed to see about 15 file cabinets that are loaded with the archives of every type of engine they’ve worked on over the years, for every customer in their rich history. “Every engine has a serial number,” Bob says. “So we have the history on every engine that we have ever built. When an engine is sold, it has a complete itemized invoice of every part that’s in it, so we have that history too. When a customer gets an engine from us, it’s not a one-line item—it’s an 11-page document.

So they know exactly what they’ve got, what they’ve paid for, and so forth.”

TCM is truly dedicated to cutting edge high-performance, and with the sheer scope and breadth of Bob’s offshore racing and boat testing experience, his customers obviously enjoy a dramatic advantage.

That’s best illustrated by some of the boats we saw at the shop. Some of them were last there 12 years ago, when Bob and his crew originally built the engines. Now they’re finally back to have the engines refreshed, or have some plumbing changes made, or some other issue resolved. “That’s how reliable we try to be,” Bob says. “I don’t want people to go boating and have to worry about the fact that it’s costing them $1,000 for every hour they go boating. To me, that completely takes the fun out of it. We want people to have a good experience.”

Indeed, TCM enjoys an impressive amount of repeat business, as well as a great deal of referral business.

Asked about what the future holds for TCM, he pays tribute to his solid team.

“I’ve got good people in place to help me continue to grow this business,” Bob says proudly. “We survived quite well through the recent recession, while some of our competitors did not.” Key employees include daughter Cherilyn Teague Noack, son-in-law Josh Noack, and Matt Schick.

Josh and Matt are Bob’s lead guys on the back end; Matt is in charge of purchasing and dealing with their OEM customers and dealers, while Josh helps coordinate

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what’s going on in the building. And at the front counter, Adrian Franchini is sort of the face of TCM. Several TCM employees have been employed at the company for 20+ years.

As for the future of the engines built

by TCM, it’s anybody’s guess. “Our regular production line is 825 to 1,400 hp,” Bob says. “Those are all emissions-compliant engines, and they’re all pump gas motors. They don’t require race gas— you can pull up and put 91 octane in them at the dock. That’s the whole idea.

So there’s a limit. I used to say the limit was 1,000. But with the technology and componentry, better materials, screw compressors and better programming,

we’ve been able to push that up quite a bit. Right now, people say, ‘I don’t know how they could go any further.’ But I know it’s probably going to happen. For the time being, though, very few people are really making more than 1,400 hp on 91 octane.” You can’t predict the future, but one thing is certain: TCM will always strive to improve its products for optimal performance.

Teague Custom Marine is one of the few CARB (California Air Resources Board) certified high performance engine builders in California at 600-hp and above. For more information about TCM, visit teaguecustommarine.com or give them a call at (661) 295-7000.

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