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Yearly Archives: 2015

World Products is the pioneer in aftermarket cast iron cylinder heads and has built a legacy on the performance gains they have brought to the marine industry.

While the technology continues to improve in the casting process for these great products, the materials, parts, and pieces that go into them has also evolved. Recently we were privy to an install happening at Chief Performance in South Florida We noticed the exhaust valves bore a unique finish and look. After a call to the companies rep Harry Miller we were told that Worlds Parent company is a giant in the camshaft and valve train world and their research allows them the advantage to building a better cylinder head than say someone that just has heads cast and machined. Miller pointed out that the valves were the latest offerings in severe duty Inconel applications.

The latest cast iron big block marine MERLIN cylinder heads are available in both oval and rectangular port designs, with intake ports offered in 310 & 345 cc configurations. The superior intake and exhaust runner designs have proven horsepower gains over OEM cylidner heads by as much as 100HP in just a head swap.

These heads are available with valves only or with complete assemblies that feature multi-angle valve jobs, stainless steel intake valves and Inconel exhaust valves, retainers, keepers, seals. and hydraulic roller compatible valve springs.

Its that time of year to be getting your boat ready for the upcoming season if more power is on your mind then this just may be the answer to a powerful powerboating season!

We have already told you when Skater and Bill Pyburn Jr. looked at the performance level of the new Platinum Skater it was unanimous the boat was going to demand the most accurate instrumentation money could buy. When faced with the decision for standard gauges and a quick review of what is currently used in most of the new production performance boats they very quickly recognized that for real high performance the only choice was to use the professional race standard and reach out to Autometer.

A few challenges did come up because Autometer doesn’t build a 200 mph plus, GPS. Now we know nothings impossible and because the Autometer GPS uses technology years ahead of the competition, their team was able to quickly design a new program to run the gauge up to the speeds needed. These gauge respond faster and are more accurate than previous GPS models and will prove to be very accurate and not report false speeds.

Next on the list of items went to artist extraordinaire Dean Loucks of The Art of Design (TAOD). Dean was required to hand air brushed multiple layers of custom candy colors to exactly match the new Platinum paint scheme on each dial while laying down the Pure Platinum silhouette female in the center of each instrument dial panel.

From there Autometer was able to run simulated testing on each gauge to verify performance. This test feature is the same process used on every NASCAR instrument they build. Autometer is really the only instrument manufacture that has this level of experience with a gauges at these high speeds and in the most demanding of environments in Motorsports.

From here they gauges are awaiting assembly into an all new never before seen Skater dash assembly. If your fortunate enough to make the Miami boat show don’t miss what is sure to be one of the most spectacular Skater unveiling ever.

Special thanks to the Autometer team for the photos and all of their support!

OK so the worlds full of doubters or maybe its haters, but one things for sure the truth is in the numbers. This isn’t just some engine builder playing with a dyno to create a positive outcome, this is an independent team of guys from Dustin Whipple , Todd Goodwin, Jason Ventura and more, on hand to witness the culmination of months of work and design advancements and YES these monsters are ALIVE! and better than everyone planned.

These particular masterpieces at Goodwin Competition Engines are going into Bill Pyburns Pure Platinum Edition Skaters. With over 60 sensors plugged into the engines monitoring every cylinders ignition, every aspect of the cooling system, all air temps, and cylinder pressures, all the while data logging all of it. The first dyno pull resulted in a mere warm up of an easy 1700 plus horsepower. Then after some tuning by Dustin Whipple they are pulling a mind blowing 1940 horsepower at 6800 rpm with torque #’s at 4000 rpm that are unheard of, but we have been asked to keep that all close to the cuff. So if you know what that means you have it all figured out! This is all done on 91 octane fuel right from the corner gas station and with a little more tune work the results will get even better.

For anyone that doubts just stand by…….These engines ARE going to change the landscape of the upper end of the performance marine power. While the OEM’s scamper to try and make 1650 horsepower live with race gas, the pump gas market is being rewritten through a product that has been developed with extreme detail and all smallest of minor details usually overlooked by most builders are thought out, engineered, verified, tested, and probed for failures.

Guys like Bill Pyburn Jr. and Chris Bradley saw the future and realized if your going to be at the top of the game you need technology. So they stepped up, wrote big checks, and are getting big results. Beyond the big HP numbers on pump gas they have every expectation these engines will last well beyond anything else available.

When designing a boat to set a new standard and break records there are a world of details involved. Sure sitting down and culminating the the power and weight distribution, hull design changes, set back out drive locations, as well hundreds of additional details. But truth be told making the boat run that fast and stable is one thing but it goes well beyond just the boat and into the driver and throttleman’s positioning , comfort, and most ultimately the throttle and how you actually physically operate and control it.


When Bill Pyburn, the brain trust behind the Platinum series of Skaters started to detail the boat he had actual specifics as to how the operators and passengers fit in the boat. Bill reached out to Hardin Marine and started on the process of detailing new throttle handles for the new Platinum series boats.

The folks at Hardin Marines Chief Engineer Jeff Stull set out to closely examine the ergonomics that the air force uses in the handles that their pilots use to control actual fighter jets. The findings were as you might guess, very precise, with the positioning and grip being very critical. So over the next few months Hardin rapidly prototyped numerous examples to allow the fitment to be precise.

After selection of the ultimate design Hardin created 266,000 lines of code or machining moves for the 5 axis CNC and set the machines to work to sculpt the new handles. Each handle required 13 hours of actual machine time to result in what will be the ultimate throttle grip of any boat we have yet to see.

So if there has ever been any doubt about what “Custom” and “Production” means when it comes to boat design and and details you can rest assured Skater continues to up the bar!

 

Well it seems no matter how hard Mercury tries to keep their latest endeavor under wraps that good old need of social media to get the word out right now just cannot be contained. Thanks to some individuals abroad and their quick clicks on Facebook last week they let go on something that has been hanging around for years. Google Mercury 400 HP Outboard and you will find all the way back to 2010 there was talk about what is expected to be unveiled in Miami in a few weeks.

This is exciting news for sure and not unlike the Sneak Leaks about the new Ford GT that were coming from all over the auto media outlets before the car was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show the leaks create more excitement and attention to the actual reveal, especially in the modern social media world we are in.

The guys across the pond couldn’t keep the secret and while all the details and the actual pictures may be different the news is coming and it should be great.

While we are told it is based off of the popular 350HP supercharged outboard but in a hopped up version the facts are details are still scarce. But you can count on this being one of Mercury’s displays cloaked in a black sheet and set to be unveiled to the public at this years Miami International Boat Show and we are sure the crowd around the reveal will be much bigger than it would be if the sneak didn’t get leaked.

This past week we saw some big and impressive combinations of Boats and Cars together. On the West CoastDCB rep’d all of Powerboating at the Barrett Jackson Show in Scottsdale, Arizona and on the East Coast Larry Goldman of Xtreme Powerboats set up a huge and impressive display at this years Super Car Week in Palm Beach, Florida.

As the car guys drift buy million dollar plus catamarans they just don’t seem to get the awe and appeal as much as maybe we do. But when they see some of their favorite super cars are lined up to match and recognize the guy that owns the boat also owns these cars they seem to really stand up and take notice.

I have said before it has been a losing proposition to take boats to cars shows, but a winner to take cars to boat shows because the boat guys will buy the cars. Well, I have been proved wrong. DCB has done great at Barrett Jackson and the boat buying is really shaping up in Miami and the Beaches. It is also worth noting many new buyers are coming from outside the USA. Foreign buying power is really moving fast in Miami as noted in this report from the Miami Herald.

Larry Goldman told us the number of Foreign Boat Sales has really taken off in Miami and the buyers are drawn to the modern look and style appeal of some of the new boat designs. The first MTI Center Console that Larry pre-sold and then paraded around the Miami Scene has brought at least five subsequent sales from rich foreign nationals living in Miami at least part time and the numbers are continuing to grow.

We will have feature story on the Miami Boating Scene Coming Soon.

As we are gearing up for the 2015 season and the Miami Boat Show, February 12-16, 2015, we chatted with Brett Anderson of BBlades about the upcoming event. As the Number One Go-To Custom Propeller Facility in the country, BBlades is a sure win in service and products. There are a few things Brett said to watch out for at the Miami Beach Event in February.

Located at Booth #4066, BBlades will greet visitors with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Everyone is encouraged to come to the open-style booth, and visitors will feel comfortable sitting and socializing or asking questions with the staff or other boat-lovers.

One of their highlights is their Winter Tune-Up Special. If you suspect your blades are worn, catch this fantastic Holiday Special before the weather changes and your boating season gets delayed! This great off-season deal will not last long, only until February 28th.

Another Booth feature is their Grand Prize Drawing. This special drawing is a highlight, as visitors MUST go to the booth to be entered. BBlades will be giving away some fantastic prizes this year! First Prize is a LAB Finished Gift Certificate, Valued at $392. Second Prize is a Gift Certificate for any Merchandise or Service, Valued at $150. Third Prize is a Bravo Style Prop Lock. Fourth Prize is a Prop Stop Prop Bag. And Fifth Prize is a T-Shirt and Hat combo. Again, visitors MUST visit the booth to receive the special gift entering you in the drawing.

Stay tuned for a BIG announcement from BBlades, exclusively released on PowerboatNation.com! This announcement will be a big surprise, and will be showcased at the Miami Boat Show, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. More information will be released the week prior to the Miami Boat Show.

While electronic fuel injection is now the main stay of nearly all power boats today, getting those electronic wizards to run in a modified application is literally only done by less than a handful of engine builders and power brokers on the country.

Knowledgeable engine guys know as soon as you modify either cam, cylinder head, or even superchargers the factory ECU has no ability to adjust to the altered air and fuel needs of the engine. On the West Coast of the USA Boost Power is the leader in EFI tuning and one of the few guys capable of this type of tuning on original equipment electronic control modules (The Brains) of the EFI system.

In a recent conversation with Boost Power USA Inc.® founder Alexi Sahagian we were discussing how the marine market has changed. Alexi pointed out that besides their full service engine building program that they have been inundated with solving numerous consumers engine driveability problems.

He pointed to an engine that was just brought to BoostPower, the consumer had purchased a Procharger system and had it installed by another company but the installer couldn’t service the tuning needs of the EFI. Alexi says this is what has build so much consumer loyalty to the BoostPower brand.

Bolting on parts is easy. Picking the right parts that are compatible and then making everything work to the most efficient and fullest capability is an art and only a few people are artists within this world of High Performance Marine Power.

DCB is hard at work bringing their extremely cool powerboats to the Barrett Jackson Show and Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Just today Tony Chiaramonte and the rest of Team DCB finished the set up for the show that runs from 10-18 January.

This is the second consecutive year for DCB at Barrett Jackson and this year they brought three boats that will be sure to bring great visibility to DCB and the entire world of Performance Powerboating. The boat display will feature a M35 with Mercury Racing 1350 QC4v, a M31 with Mercury Racing 700’s turning NXT drives, and a M29 also with Mercury Racing 700’s and NXT drives.

The boat attraction to the car guys can be a tough sale. This approach has been tried over and over by other brands and dealers with small results. DCB has figured out how to make it a huge success. Their attention to detail and remarkably fashioned boats make a huge impact on everyone who sees them and while they may not sale a boat at the show, Tony told us he has sold boats weeks later as a direct result from buyers who were first introduced to the brand at last years Barrett Jackson.

Stay tuned to PowerBoat Nation for more information and pictures coming from Scottsdale!

If you’re a Hot Boat enthusiast and you live anywhere from Southern Oregon to Western Nevada and even all the way down to the middle of California then you may have been one of the packed crowd that attended this year’s Camp Far West Hot Boat event.

Last year’s event seemed packed even with unusually low water levels but the massive storms that came just a couple of weeks in advance of the event this year brought the reservoir up to spring levels which made for some wild four boat passes.

The event brings everything from your neighbors jet boat to some of the Wests premium hardware for a pure all for fun, run what ya brung kind of shoot out. From triple digit passes to boats on fire (which we sadly did not catch on film) we saw it all in the span of a day.

But truly the best part of it all is the spectators. This event has grown to be maybe one of the single biggest Hot Boat spectator events around. There are many more people at this event than even a NJBA event . While being on New Years day leaves many a bit groggy from the night before it doesn’t slow the sportsmanship or camaraderie. If you ever find yourself in this part of the country on New Years Day this is a must see event.

Here’s a New Year’s Resolution that will be easy to keep: get your propeller in shape for the 2015 boating season and save some money with BBLADES’ Winter Tune-Up Special.

During January and February, BBLADES will inspect and repair your aluminum, Nibral or stainless steel wheel; perform lab finishing to maximize the performance of your prop; or customize any new propeller, for just $80 an hour. A season of boating can ding, dent and crack a propeller. Sometimes so subtly, you aren’t even aware of the damage until you’re out on the water.

The slower winter months – when Northerners are just dreaming of boating- are the perfect time to have propeller work done. Don’t wait in line next spring with the slackers; get your propeller work done now, and for a special price!

No matter the brand, BBLADES can perform whatever propeller work you require. If you need to replace a prop, we offer competitive pricing on Mercury, Hering, Hydromotive, Acme and Turbo, not to mention our own line of BBLADES propellers.

Not sure what prop is best for your boat? BBLADES offers the absolute best propeller testing program out there. Outboard or sterndrive, BBLADES has demo props available to test for a small fee; and BBLADES offers the ONLY Six-drive-style prop test program, anywhere.

Because of this awesome pricing, no other discounts can be used with the BBLADES’ Winter Tune-Up Special.

You can learn more about the prop demo program and all of the service and products offer by BBLADES atwww.bblades.com or by giving a call to 920-295-4435. We love to talk props!

 

If your boating event life is like mine then you are likely to have lots of pictures of your boat. Digital copies that fill up external hard drives and printed copies that load up file boxes. To many pictures to see, use , give away or post up anywhere. But sometimes a special picture means something and if that special picture can have a special treatment is makes it worth so much more than all those other pictures stuffed in a file box

When I ran into Pete Boden of Shoot 2 Thrill photography at the Joey Gratton Memorial New Years Day Run, he asked me to deliver some pictures to Jason Ventura of BrandX. One photo of Jason’s CIGARETTE Gladiator and one Bill Pyburn Jr’s, former, 388 SKATER Pure Platinum. I told Pete no problem I would grab them up, and then Pete cautioned me that these were special pictures, they had to be handled carefully and couldn’t be bent or scratched. I disregarded it all thinking these are just pictures and then I saw them.

A special application of the digital image on aluminum or acrylic. To start with, these are great photo images and with this special application it really makes them something special.

The photos here really don’t do come even close to showing what they look like live, so take my word for it. Call or message Pete at Shoot 2 Thrill and get your boat done like this. Pete told me that while he prefers to use his images he will use a high quality image provided to him from the boat owner.

Here are some more examples of the work:

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