Billy Mauff and Jay Muller in WHM Motorsports are unofficially the Offshore World Champions in Super Cat class as the third day of Race World Offshore competition came to a close in Key West in Sunday.
The team stayed out in front for most of Sunday’s race before being overtaken in the final laps by both the New Zealand team of Wayne Valder and Grant Bruggemann in Pro-Floors Racing and Tyson Garvin and Tyler Miller in M-CON, who finished first and second, respectively. But WHM didn’t need to win Sunday’s race—they had enough points from earlier in the week to capture the world title. Pro-Floors wound up with a second overall finish; M-CON, third overall.
It was a heartbreaking day for Super Cat competitors Charles Broaddus and Chris Hanley in Broadco, who had finished second on Wednesday and won their class on Friday. They dropped out of Sunday’s competition about halfway through the race, while early contender Dependable also dropped out with a mechanical issue. Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s finished in fourth place.
Three teams jockeyed for the first-place position in Super Stock class for the first couple of laps. First it was FJ Propeller, then Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert, and then finally CR Racing. Rob Unnerstall and Casey Boaz in CR Racing prevailed, managing to hold off the other six competitors to earn the checkered flag and the World Championship in the class. Nick Scafidi and Scott Porta in Shadow Pirate finished only seconds behind them, with Myrick Coil and Rusty Williams in Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert maintaining a third-place position—the same spot they earned in the first two days of racing. Rounding out the finishers were Paint Factory, FJ Propeller, Coco’s Monkey and Curry Refrigeration.
Mike DeFrees and Jeff Harris of Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing, who had won in Extreme Class earlier in the week, ran unopposed in Extreme Class with the Super Cat field. Their competitors Team Freedom and Huski Chocolate both dropped out with engine problems, sealing a World Championship for Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing.
Sunday’s event kicked off with bracket class racing that featured mostly competitors running unopposed, following the pattern set by the previously days’ racing. The only real drama came in Bracket Class 4, which pitted SimmonsMarine.com (the winner on Wednesday and Friday) against Team Octane. The two boats traded the first-place position until Octane suffered a mechanical issue in the final lap, handing the win to Jim Simmons and Jason Zolecki of SimmonsMarine.com.
Other winners:
Super Vee Extreme—Shameel Mohammed and Mark Niemann in Sheriff Lobo.
Bracket 3 Class—J.P. Larkin and Ed Tamberino in Wix Filters.
Bracket 6—Damon Marotta Jr. and Damon Marotta Sr. in Offshore Outlaw.
Bracket 2—Dan MacNamara and Eric Treadwell in Speedster.
Bracket 5—Greg Bluttler and Mark DiDario in Illicit Motorsports.
In the second of three days of competition, the 2019 Key West Offshore World Finals entertained fans with four races in a variety of classes.
In Super Cat class, Dependable Offshore grabbed the early lead but quickly dropped back to fourth place before bowing out of the race completely. That left Broadco, a 40’ MTI with driver Chuck Broaddus and throttleman Chris Hanley (see photos below), to take the lead. They stayed out way in front for the remainder of the race and took the checkered flag handily. They were followed by Pro Floors Racing, WHM Motorsports and M-CON.Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s suffered a mechanical issue and left the race after the seventh of 10 and 3/4 laps.
With Huski Chocolate suffering from engine problems and out of the picture, Extreme class was left with only two competitors—one of which, Team Freedom, dropped out after completing only one lap. That left Team CRC, winner of Wednesday’s race, once again taking the checkered flag.
Two Super Stock competitors, LPC and Team Allen Lawn Care, had wrecked on Wednesday, narrowing the field to eight boats. FJ Propeller had been in the lead during Friday’s fifth lap when Jackhammer blew over, causing a red-flag situation. The two pilots, Reese Langheim and Ricky Maldonado, quickly emerged (mostly unscathed), and racing was suspended after the boat was towed off the course, after which it was restarted for three additional laps. At that point, CR Racing grabbed the lead and finished first, followed by Shadow Pirate and Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert. (It was the identical podium finish as Wednesday’s race.) FJ Propeller ended up finishing fourth.
In Bracket Class 4, SimmonsMarine.com continued to dominate, beating out Octane and Los Muchachos. Boats in the remaining five classes all raced unopposed: Speedster (Bracket Class 2), Wix Filters/The Developer (Bracket Class 3), Illicit Motorsports (Bracket Class 5), Offshore Outlaw (Bracket Class 6) and Sheriff Lobo (Super Vee Extreme).
More than two dozen race teams came to Key West to participate in the Race World Offshore Key West Championships today, the first of three race days that will continue on Friday and Sunday.
Competitors faced off in seven different classes, three of which featured boats running unopposed. The big news came in Super Stock class, which featured 10 boats. CR Racing, a Doug Wright catamaran with driver Rob Unnerstall and throttleman Casey Boaz, finished first unofficially, followed by FJ Propeller and Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert.
During the race, a pair of competitors were involved in an accident that saw the two boats running side by side, then appearing to each take too much air under the tunnel, blowing both over simultaneously. The two boats, Team Allen Lawn Care and LPC, went over completely and were towed in. There were no fatalities, but some team members in each boat suffered injuries and were being treated at press time. (See photos below.)
Seven boats squared off in Super Cat class, which was won handily by WHM Motorsports, the World Champion 40’ Skater featuring Billy Mauff and Jay Muller. They were followed by Broadco, Performance Boat Center/Jimmy John’s, and M-CON. One boat, Pro-Floors Racing, did not finish, while Dependable Offshore Racing did not start.
In Extreme class, the MTI Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing (with Mike DeFrees now racing with Jeff Harris) finished first, while its two competitors, Team Freedom and Huski Chocolate, suffered mechanical problems and did not finish.
“It was awesome,” DeFrees told Powerboat Nation following the race. “The green flag dropped and we just checked out and didn’t look back. The motors ran super great. We got a really good start, and we just held the line. It was medium-rough, with two or three footers. We saw speeds around 160 mph. Jeff Harris did an excellent job as my throttleman.”
Three boats battled in Bracket Class 4, which was won by SimmonsMarine.com, with Jim Simmons and Jason Zolecki.Wix Filters/The Developer and Offshore Outlaw ran unopposed in Class 4 and 6, respectively.
Nordic Boats of Lake Havasu, AZ, has announced two new models nearing completion: a 48-foot vee bottom and a 31-foot catamaran.
General manager Thane Tiemer told Powerboat Nation that the new 48’ Poker Run has been a year in the making, with the first three already sold—one of which is for company president Randy Davis. Tiemer said the boat will be powered by Mercury Racing 1100 engines with M6 drives.
Tiemer said that Nordic Boats owner Randy Davis, along with two of his friends, wanted to own fully gel-coated vee bottoms in the 46 to 50 range. “We had our 39, which ran amazing,” Tiemer says. “So after I designed that one, I based the new 48’ off of that bottom. It’s got a full to-the-water bustle, the whole nine yards.” (Nordic’s 39 Poker Run features a pair of 700 SCis, yielding a top speed of 110 mph. IMCO Marine owns one of the Nordic 39s.)
The first 48’ Poker Run out of the mold (pictured above) was originally earmarked as Davis’s personal boat. “But that might change because one of our customers is all over it,” Tiemer chuckles. He said the new model will feature 100% composite construction with carbon Kevlar, all gelcoat, with a cabin sporting cabinets, sink area and cupboards all coming out of a one-piece mold. “No seams and no joining, no nothing,” he says.
The 48 will also feature T-top doors in the front of the deck. “So when you park on the beach, you press a button from outside of the boat and they’ll lift up,” Tiemer says. “Then you can pull out all your lawn chairs and stuff instead of carrying everything from the back of the boat. There’s easy access onto the deck from the dash. There’s hidden bimini top that’s all tucked away, a flushable head, and so much more. It’s fully loaded.”
The 48’ models that are currently being built will also feature a “beach door” on the side of the boat, similar to the ones built into the Hallett 40-footers built by Nordic in recent years. “They’ll be electric, not the mechanical,” he says. “This boat will have a button you push, and the door will slide open.”
In addition to the 48’ Poker Run, Nordic is completing work on its 31-foot Flat Deck catamaran (see photo above). The boat will be powered by twin outboards—Mercury Racing 400R or 450R motors—and will fill a gap between Nordic’s 28’ and 35’ catamarans. Both boats are expected to be shown at the upcoming Los Angeles Boat Show.
Meanwhile, Tiemer said Nordic’s long-rumored center console model is “already well under way,” and in the works for more than six months,” he says. “That’s our next boat.” It’s expected to be the next model added to the builder’s stable, and measure between 36 and 38 feet.
Marine Technology Inc. (MTI), builder of luxury high-performance catamarans and deep-vee center consoles, has unveiled a brand-new model: the 390X, an outboard-powered cat capable of reaching speeds over 120 mph.
The new release was part of a special gathering at Haulover Marine, the 180-acre marina located in North Miami Beach that serves as a satellite sales office for MTI that includes a 500-boat drystack facility. MTI invited dealers and journalists from across the country to witness the unveiling of the 390X, a super-sized version of MTI’s 340X outboard cat. Debuting at the 2017 Miami International Boat Show, the 340X has become a popular model at poker runs from coast to coast; company owner Randy Scism and his daughter Taylor Scism have been driving the boat at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout since its release.
“We did all new tooling and molds on this new boat, and it worked out great, Randy Scism told Powerboat Nation at the event. “It’s not a cut and stretch. Everything we did was to improve what we thought was the best deal there.”
The event, which featured the first 390X out of the mold being unveiled, culminated in an impromptu bidding war. “One of my customers conned me into putting it up for auction so we could have some fun, and somebody bought it for $700K,” he said. “So I’ve gotta start over. But I’ve got more to come!”
Scism said he has taken about 10 orders for the 390X to date. “It’s basically a 340X on steroids,” he said. “It’s bigger, it’s deeper, it’s fast as hell. It’s going to be great in rough water.”
MTI sales manager Tom Stuart said the builder’s original plans were to create a 38-footer to bridge the gap between MTI’s 34 and 43 catamarans. These plans didn’t change until the 11th hour, when the team decided to create a 39-footer.
Measuring 39’4”, the 390X sports a 10’6” beam and weighs in at around 6,000 lbs. It was crafted using all-new CNC molds with integrated steps up the back; it features a fuel capacity of 150 gallons, seating for six and is powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards. The boat was in-water tested at Lake X, Mercury Racing’s testing facility.
Check out this gallery of images of the boat under construction, and in the water!
Florida Powerboat Club‘s premier event, the Key West Poker Run, will kick off on Wednesday with the first of two departure days from Miami to Key West, according to the group’s leader, Stu Jones. The event encompasses six days of fun, sun and speed.
Jones told Powerboat Nation that about 70 teams are expected to run on Wednesday, with an additional 195 teams enjoying the adventure for the Thursday run. “These numbers are epic in proportion to previous years for this 27-year event, and we are very thankful to all the FPC members and our featured sponsors, who continue to support this event every year,” Jones said.
He added that the strong economy, coupled with the general growth in the performance boating sectors, has caused the popularity of poker runs to grow exponentially. “People are finally starting to get it—that poker runs are fun, full of adventure and camaraderie, and there’s no better way to enjoy the powerboating lifestyle than to do poker runs,” he said. “The Key West Poker Run, beyond any other experience, captures that true spirit of performance boating. It’s a great platform to see the Florida Keys and really enjoy a few bursts of adrenaline. You get to meet people from all around the world and watch the powerboat races all in one bang-up weekend.”
One major challenge of FPC’s growth is dealing with the huge amount of participants. For example: What venue can serve so many people lunch at one go? “We’re happy to report that we figured out the solution,” Jones said. “With so many boats on the Thursday run, it just amounted to finding good lunch stops for some of the larger manufacturers. So what we’ve done is, the Nor-Tech owners will have lunch at Sundowners in Key Largo. Meanwhile, Cigarette owners will have lunch at the Playa Largo Resort in Key Largo. And the majority of MTI owners have decided that the Faro Blanco Resort would be their chosen lunch stop. That represents more than 100 boats that have selected to go to those three locations, and takes care of half of the fleet right there.”
In other venue news, Jones said that the popular Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo have had their docks redone and are capable of accommodating larger groups, especially in conjunction with using the docks from the Anchorage resort next door. “There’s a few hundred feet of docks across the canal between those two locations, and they can accommodate at least 80 boats,” Jones said. “That’s going to take care of the bulk of our lunch needs going down on Thursday.”
Well-planned safety management is paramount to the success of any large-scale poker run event, and FPC will has recruited all of the major law-enforcement agencies to patrol and support this effort, including USCG, Florida FWC, City of Miami, Miami Beach and Bal Harbour marine patrols to join in this effort. Once again, Miami Dade Fire Rescue will have a strong presence on the course, with their Fireboat Fleet, along with MDFR rescue teams on board volunteer boats. Jones extends his thanks to Team SeaKeeper, which will be joining the Safety Management effort, by volunteering the SeaKeeper Boston Whaler to transport a rescue team for the Wednesday Run.
With a record number of 265 registered teams, and all the leading manufacturers on board to support this event, Jones asks the general boating public and non-participant boaters, to please understand that FPC has reserved “special event” docking at all of the major waterfront restaurants in Key Largo and Marathon, and we will be posting signage at those locations. “We need these facilities to support our poker run logistics during peak times of noon to 2:30 p.m. at these key locations, and ask for your cooperation as we move this massive fleet from Miami to Key West,” Jones said.
With the 60th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in full swing, the 2019 Halloween offerings are bountiful. One new “treat” that has showgoers particularly intrigued is Donzi Marine’s re-release of its 38ZRC model, which was once “wildly popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, and has a good following” according to Jeff Harris, chief operating officer of Iconic Marine Group (which includes Fountain and Baja). “It’s the quintessential performance luxury craft, and the interior really came out beautifully,” Harris says. “The fit and finish on the boat is second to none. It’s absolutely perfect in every way. People looking at it at the show just can’t believe it.”
The boat is one of two models being relaunched to bring back the glory days of Donzi (the other being the 55th Anniversary Edition 22′ Classic). The 38ZRC arrived in Fort Lauderdale with a number of new styling twists: for example, the high-tech carbon-fiber dash allows for optional port or starboard steering. Donzi’s unique fighter jet canopy-style windscreens practically scream “high performance” in every way. And where the fiberglass meets the water, Donzi’s Positive Lift Double Step bottom design gets the boat on plane in a jiffy. Harris says the 38 is rock solid at cruising speeds and blistering fast at top-end.
“Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the boat was built with a lot of wood, so they haven’t held up very well over the years,” Harris tells Powerboat Nation. “This is a more modern version of the ZRC—it’s a composite boat, so the construction is much more sophisticated and will last a lot longer.” Indeed, the 38ZRC features a composite stringer system, fiberglass interliner and cored high-density hull sides.
The bling continues, with Shadowcaster underwater lights, custom stainless steel hardware, and a rocking JBL Marine sound system ensure there will be no shortage of attention dockside or at speed. In the engine compartment, buyers can choose between Mercury Racing 565HP Bravos and staggered 860s with #6 drives; the Fort Lauderdale sports the naturally aspirated 860s from Mercury Racing’s game changing QC4v lineup.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in the boat, and are very excited to show it to people,” Harris says. “We did one quick speed run at the factory, and the first time out, it went over 115 mph. So it’s got a ton of performance.”
He said his team at Iconic is still fine-tuning the setup, and plans to try some different propellers and do some bottom blueprinting. “But once it’s dialed in, this boat is going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Harris says. “It’s a Donzi through and through, and I promise you it’s the most elegant one that’s ever been done. ”
Harris, whose celebrated offshore racing career has resulted in eight World Championships and 12 National Championships, is expected to act as throttleman of the 48’ MTI Team CRC/Spooled Up Racing with driver Mike DeFrees racing in US-Class 1 as the Key West World Championship races get underway on Nov. 3.
Check out the Donzis, along with an array of Fountain Powerboats, at the Iconic Marine booth, located in Red Zone G/H, Docks 15-22.
Sunsation's 40CCX Center Console, powered by triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) opens its doors tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 30), and several high-performance builders will be showing off their musclecraft both on the water and inside the halls of the convention center.
The last week of October, leading into the first week of November, are typically fast and furious in Lauderdale for many in the boating world—especially for bigger boats in this “yachting capital of the world.” It’s actually the 60th annual exhibit this year, and the city will be playing host to some of the world’s most impressive boats and superyachts. The 2019 edition of FLIBS will include $4 billion in products display, 110,000 expected visitors attending, 1,500 boats in the water, 1,200 total exhibitors and six total miles of floating docks. (For a little perspective, there were 13 boats being exhibited at the first Fort Lauderdale Boat Show back in 1959.)
Turning our attention to go-fast craft, exhibitors include Iconic Marine Group (Donzi, Fountain and Baja), Marine Technology Inc. (MTI), Mystic, Nor-Tech and Deep Impact make their usual appearances, along with mega-dealer Performance Boat Center displaying three Sunsations and a Wright Performance 420 catamaran. Making their first-ever Lauderdale appearances will be Mercury Racing’s 450R outboards; expect to see these engines coupled to numerous catamarans and center-console vees this year—and for many years to come.
Here’s who’s got what this year:
MTI’s 42 Center Console powered by Mercury Racing 450R outboards
Marine Technology Inc. (MTI) Red Zone H/I, Docks 28, 28A and 28B
The Wentzville, MO-based builder will be showing two 42-V center consoles: one 2019 and one 2020 model. In addition, they’ll have a 340X catamaran; all will be powered by the new 450R outboards.
“We’re really looking forward to the show,” says MTI’s Taylor Scism, daughter of company owner Randy Scism. “It’s going to be a great show. We’re excited to see how it’s going to turn out.”
Although you won’t see it at the Fort Lauderdale show, MTI is expected to unveil a brand-new model at a private event in the weeks ahead. Showgoers will be able to check it out at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2020.
Sunsation Powerboats Red Zone H / Docks 15-18
The Algonac, WI, builder will have all three of its center console models on display at Performance Boat Center’s on-water booth:
• A 32 CCX with twin 400R outboards;
• A 34 CCX with twin 450R outboards;
• A 40 CCX with triple 450R outboards.
Sunsation co-owner Joe Schaldenbrand told Powerboat Nation that he was “blown away” by the 34’s performance with the 450s. “It runs phenomenally,” he says. “We were extremely impressed.” Meanwhile, he also raves about the 40 CCX’s capabilities with the new outboards. “With triple 450s, you’re getting 82 mph out of it,” he says. “It runs excellent. The bigger the boat, the more advantageous the 450s.” (He says that a model with quad 450s is on order, and expects to see speed of around 92 mph with that setup.)
Win Farnsworth’s new Wright Performance 420, powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards
Performance Boat Center Red Zone H / Docks 15-18
With locations in Osage Beach, MO, and Hollywood, FL, Performance Boat Center is a dealer of Cigarette, MTI, Sunsation and Wright Performance, the latter of which is a model it co-created with Doug Wright Designs. In addition to the Sunsations previously mentioned, PBC will showcase boating enthusiast Win Farnsworth’s new 420 Wright Performance catamaran with twin 450Rs.
Fountain 34 CC LS powered by triple Mercury Marine 350 outboards
Iconic Marine Group
Red Zone G/H, Docks 15-22
Located in Washington, NC, on the Pamlico River, Iconic is coming with a variety of its Donzi and Fountain models.
• Donzi 22′ Classic is the 55th Anniversary Edition; Donzi plans to build only 15 of them, so collectors need to move fast. A certain head-turner, the Anniversary Edition includes newly upgraded upholstery along with a next-generation dash complete with Livorsi shifters and engine controls, upgraded gauges and a Venturi windshield.
• Donzi 38ZRC is another re-introduction to bring back the glory days. It’ll feature a wide range of new styling twists and a more modern look. A high-tech carbon fiber dash allows for port and starboard steering. Where the fiberglass meets the water, Donzi’s Positive Lift Double Step bottom design speeds on plane, is rock solid at cruising speeds and blistering fast at top-end.
• Donzi 41 GTZ: Introduced last year to rave reviews, this next-generation boat is back for 2020 with a new six-pack bucket seat interior option that is ideal for cruising and entertaining. Additionally, Donzi’s innovative aluminum-framed Skyview hardtop is an engineering marvel and industry first. Featuring a streamlined design that doesn’t slow the boat’s performance, Donzi’s new acrylic top still offers 90 percent protection against UV light and 60 percent against infrared.
Meanwhile, Fountain will have six center console boats on display: The 34CC, 34CC LS, 38CC, 38CC LS, 39NX and 43NX.
Mystic’s home for the week in Fort Lauderdale.
Mystic Powerboats
Red Zone H/I Dock 25-27
DeLand, FL-based Mystic—builder of the five-time Top Gun competitor at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, American Ethanol—will show off three brand-new boats just off the production line:
• An M4200 center console powered by quad 450Rs featuring Seakeeper anti-boat-roll system, bow thruster and stern thruster. “It’s a very decked-out model, very nicely loaded boat for a customer,” says Mystic’s sales and marketing chief, Greg Weber.
• An M3800 center console, the first to be powered by triple Mercury V8 300s. “It’s a gorgeous boat with really high-end paint and interior.”
• A new C3800 catamaran with twin 450Rs outboards.
Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats
Red Zone H/I Dock 57
Convention Center Booth #2000
Nor-Tech, located in Cape Coral, FL, will be displaying boats both in the water and in the Broward County Convention Center. In the water, you’ll find these three center-console models:
• 340 with triple Mercury Racing 350s
• 390 with triple Mercury Racing 450s
• 390 with quad Mercury Racing 450s
• 450 with quad Mercury Racing 450s
Meanwhile, in the Convention Center, you’ll find a 340 with triple 350s and a 392 Superfish model with quad 400Rs.
Deep Impact’s 369 Open, powered by three Mercury Marine 350 outboards
Deep Impact Boats
Convention Center Booth #2042
The Miami-based builder of go-fast center consoles is displaying four boats in the Broward County Convention Center:
• A pair of 399 Open models, one with Mercury Racing 400R outboards, and one with 450Rs;
• A 369 Open (center cabin) with Mercury 350 outboards;
• A 360 Open (forward cabin) also with Mercury 350 outboards.
Three of these boats are scheduled to participate in the Florida Powerboat Club’s annual Key West Poker Run, set for Nov. 6-11, according to Deep Impact sales and marketing specialist Tim Gallagher. “The 369 Open will be in the Poker Run Village, and the two 399s will be on the water in front of Conch Republic,” he said.
DCB Performance Boats of El Cajon, CA, has delivered a new M31 Widebody to first-time customer Jeff Clark, a Santa Ana, CA-based contractor. Liquidated Damages is powered by twin Mercury Racing 1100 with M8 drives (yes, 1100s with M8s, and not SSM #6’s).
DCB, which is currently celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the M31 Widebody, loaded up Clark’s model with innumerable goodies, including 100% Alcantara interior, a custom-matching carpet kit with shaved diamonds in the fabric, Stage III stereo and Phase III gelcoat scheme.
Clark says he’s especially delighted with the boat’s “blacked out” motif: “Everything on the boat is blacked out,” he says. “The rubrail’s black, the pop-up cleats are black, the fender holders are black, the exhaust tips are black. So it was a little bit different than the usual DCB. Also, the interior doesn’t match the exterior at all.”
Clark owns J-Squared General Contractors, a commercial building contractor that specializes in complete design, build and engineering services. He joins an elite club of M31 owners that includes engineer/excavator Ryan Seitz of Los Angeles and truck dealer Tony Douglas of Denver, CO. Clark was previously the owner of an Ultra 27′ Shadow.
“The overall experience itself working with DCB was absolutely outstanding,” Clark says. “One of the main reasons why I felt so comfortable writing that huge check—they’re phenomenal. I can’t say enough good things about those guys. I knew I was in truly competent hands. They just made it so easy.”
Clark plans to use the boat in Parker, AZ, where he has a home, and he’ll lend the boat to the DCB crew to display at the 2020 Los Angeles Boat Show as well.
Some specs on the M31 Widebody:
Beam: 9’7”
Power: twin Mercury Racing 1100/M8 drives
Interior: 100% Alcantara with matching front open bow lounge area
Custom matching carpet kit with shaved diamonds in the fabric
Phase III gelcoat scheme
Half-cap with black SS rub rail
Vacuum Infused Resin (VIR) process, balsa-cored, with aggressive carbon-fiber & carbon-kevlar
Two (2) Mercury Vessel View 9’s
One (1) Garmin 922 (9”) center plotter
Isotta Carlotta steering wheel
6-person intercom system with VHF boat-to-boat communication (aka “DCB Channel”)
Two (2) Garmin GMi20’s in back of headrests
Interior Rigid LED lighting package (mood lighting, courtesy lighting, LED cupholders)
Billet foot shower
Stage III stereo – Fusion head unit | Three (3) JL Audio amplifiers | Ten (10) JL Audio M6 midrange LED speakers | Two (2) 13” JL Audio W3 subwoofers
Mercury DTS controls
SeaDek boarding kit (walkway between engine hatches and steps down into cockpit and front bow entry way)
Adrenaline Custom Trailer, triple-axle with custom two-tone black & chrome 20” fuel rims, SS fenders, triangular drive guard, undercarriage LED lighting package, etc.
The Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA) wrapped the sixth and final round of the 2019 APBA Offshore Championship Series, a collaboration with Powerboat P1, in Fort Myers Beach, FL.
Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali guided their Victory 3 boat to a historic 15th world crown after clinching the race over the weekend. After lead starter Jim Jackson had called for a restart following a jump start by 222 Offshore, the Victory 3 competitor surged into the lead at the first turn. And barring a few instances when the Australia-based team came close to overtaking, the men in blue cruised to their maiden ClassONE world crown along the Fort Myers Beach in the early hours of Sunday.
“I can’t describe my feeling,” said throttleman Al Ali. “It’s like a dream come true for me in Class One racing. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time now. It was a fight till the end. 222 Offshore was the biggest threat and so was Miss Geico, so the idea was not never give either of them an opportunity to pass us, and that to me, was the key for the race. We had the best of everything today—a good setup and a good understanding between Salem and me. This was indeed a true team effort.”
Tied with 82 points each after the fifth round in Michigan City, Al Adidi and Al Ali had just the top spot on their minds. And this showed as the Victory 3 boat immediately hit a speed of more than 120 mph on the turn to take that first turn ahead of 222 Offshore, stablemates Victory 33 and Miss Geico. By the third lap, Victory 33 slowed down, allowing 222 Offshore to become a serious challenger to Victory 3. But Erik Stark and John Tomlinson managed to sneak in over the wake and challenge 222 Offshore from the inside—and denying them a clear look at race leader Victory 3.
In Super Stock class, WIA Marine Insurance/Wide Open Racing, a 32’ Doug Wright piloted by Mike Wright and Loren Peters, won their first race of their rookie season. However, the National Title went to points leaders Myrick Coil and Rusty Williams in Performance Boat Center/Auto Alert, which finished second in the class.
Meanwhile, LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness, featuring Brit Lilly and Kevin Smith, took the checkered flag in Pro Stock Vee after overtaking Done Deal. They were the winners of the National Championship trophy as well.
Supercat Class racing was another nail-biter, with AHM Motorsports leading for most of the race. However, when team members Aaron Hope and Anthony Smith developed mechanical problems in their 388 Skater, the Kiwi team of Pro Floors Racing took the lead. Owner/driver Wayne Valder and throttleman Grant Bruggemann took the win and also scored the National Title; they were followed by WHM Motorsports, with driver Billy Mauff and throttleman Jay Muller.
Punisher, featuring Charlie McCarthy and Tony Silveira, took the win in Super Vee Extreme; coming in second was the father-son team of Steve and Stephen Kildahl in Boatfloater.com. The Kildahls also grabbed the National Title.
Knucklehead Racing’s Instigator, with Ed Smith and Anthony Smith, took the checkered flag and the National Title in Extreme Class.
Performance Boat Center, the mega-dealership and service center with locations in Missouri and South Florida, held one of its biannual Fun Run events at the Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend, and enjoyed splendid weather—at least, until mid-afternoon rolled around.
“We had a little over 40 boats registered, but more than 50 boats showed up for our Fall Fun Run,” said PB Center co-owner Brett Manire. “We had a little bit of everything, from 48’ MTIs and big canopied Outerlimits to Nor-Techs, Donzis, Sunsations and Cigarettes—all kinds of brands. It was very cool.”
Many participants started to roll into town on Friday afternoon and hung out at PB Center’s Redhead Lakeside Grill restaurant. Crews then met at PB Center between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday for a “meet and greet” with coffee and doughnuts. After a quick driver’s meeting, everybody boated to Jolly Rogers Grub ’n’ Grog, a pirate-and-battleship themed on-the-water eatery to hang out for a couple of hours. Then it was off to Franky & Louie’s Beachfront Bar & Grill (Sunrise Beach, MO) for refreshments until about 3 p.m., which is when the rain started rolling in. Finally, it was back to PB Center’s Redhead Lakeside Grill for a shrimp dinner and discounted drinks. Then most people gathered their belongings, headed out and drove home on Sunday.
“We’ve been doing this for six or seven years,” said PB Center co-owner Brett Manire. “We usually do a Spring Fun Run in April and then a Fall Fun Run in September or October, depending on the weather. The trees are starting to change color, and I usually try to find a sunny day. This year, it didn’t rain on us until about 2 p.m.,” he chuckles. “We try to give some revenue to restaurants that are getting ready to close for the winter time, and it gives us a reason to go out and boat one more day.”
About 75% of participants were from Missouri and surrounding states, but some came from as far away as Michigan, Oklahoma and even Arkansas. Among the attendees were Burton Kirsten of Chesterfield, MI, with his 46-foot Outerlimits, as well as Matt Mawby of Bentonville, AR, with his 39’ Cigarette GTX. “We had a nice mixture of vee bottoms, center consoles, catamarans, closed boats, open boats—a real cross-section. We even had a canopied raceboat, the 388 Skater HP Mafia, show up. It was a really neat deal,” Manire said.
As for the famous Performance Boat Center raceboats—the 42’ MTI Jimmy John’s Supercat entry and the 32-foot Doug Wright Auto Alert Super Stock class competitor—they were left on the trailers as they undergo testing and prep work in anticipation of the OPA bout in Fort Myers Oct. 10-12.
Check out this gallery of photos from the event! (Photography courtesy Brad Glidewell)
Mike Layton, owner of Lincolnton, GA-based Adrenaline Powerboats, announced that the company is currently tooling two new go-fast vee hulls: the ZRX-54 and a 47-foot center-console model.
Adrenaline has been wowing the industry with two ultra-luxurious speedboats: the outboard-powered 45 Speede and the ZRX-47, equipped with stern-drives. Both are all-carbon boats with CNC-cut tooling; everything is designed in CAD at the factory and boast magnificent detail work and supercar-style design, fit and finish, etc. Both have been shown at the Miami International Boat Show, and have participated in events like the 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run and the Jacksonville River Rally.
Layton told Powerboat Nation that the new 54 will be “the big brother” of the 47. “They’re very similar and share a lot of tooling,” he said. Meanwhile, the center console model—as yet unnamed—is a design that Adrenaline has been working on for some time. A few days ago, unable to contain his enthusiasm, Layton shared an image of an artist’s rendering of the boat to social media. “It’s a sort of teaser picture,” Layton says. “I couldn’t take it anymore—I just had to show people. The design is not completely fleshed out yet, but it’s very close.”
Layton said the new boats will follow the same construction plan as the ZRX-47 and 45 Speede. “They will follow suit with the other boats that we build,” he said. “Everything we build is epoxy infused.”
The base engines on the 54 will be twin staggered 1350s, while the center console will typically feature Mercury Racing 450Rs, which is how the first customers have ordered it.
Expect to see the center console by Spring 2020; the first 54 out of the mold will likely be later that year.
Check out this gallery of Adrenaline’s ZRX-47 and 45 Speede.
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