The recent You Tube Video that someone posted up of the old Coast Guard Crew at Lake St Clair doing some boating under the influence reminded me of how some things just don’t go together.

If you’ve had a drink, don’t get behind the wheel of your powerboat. It’s that simple. As far back as I can remember, alcohol and boating have quite unfortunately gone hand in hand. Summer vacation, just off work, chilling at the beach or lake, fishing the day away— alcohol had always been part of the boating scene. Through all of this, and year after year, the United States Coast Guard has published reports full of statistics showing how alcohol is consistently ranked in the top five primary contributors to boating accidents and fatalities. When I worked as a Coast Guard boarding officer and small boat coxswain on Michigan’s Lake St. Clair in the early ’90s, we aggressively patrolled and enforced newly enacted federal boating while-intoxicated-laws. In short, we stopped everyone. This enforcement strategy generally was viewed by the boating public as too aggressive and as an infringe menton the rights and freedoms of the U.S. boating public. The boating public might have been right, and people are certainly entitled to their opinions. But after many long and brutal nights patrolling Lake St. Clair and dealing with the consequences—including recovering the bodies of children—of boating under the influence, the“outrage” over our aggressive enforcement from the intoxicated boaters only fueled our resolve to get intoxicated operators off the water.

My Coast Guard comrades and I saw it all, from the ridiculous to the tragic. Drunken teenagers full of liquid courage often thought they could fight us and win. One guy was so drunk that after crashing his boat and watching it sink to the bottom of the ship channel, he still begged me to take him and his vodka to Gull Island so he wouldn’t miss the party. These were the“good” stories because these people survived. Others were not so lucky, like the innocent father of two who took his two boys fishing in a small vessel that was run over at high speed by a go-fast boat with an intoxicated driver behind the wheel—all perished. Then there was the 12-year-old girl, taking a nap in the cabin of her parents’ boat, who died when an intoxicated operator drove right through it. And then there was the young lady who died when her intoxicated companion drove his boat right into a break wall. She was ejected, but not before taking the windshield with her, we I arrived on scene EMS had taken both victims to the hospital, but my boarding team member did find her lower jaw laying in the boat. These firsthand stories are horrible and graphic. I wish they were rare. They’re not. I wish they were the only ones I have. They’re not.

Here are a few basic facts. One drink is equal to about 0.020 blood-alcohol content (BAC), and it takes about one hour after you stop drinking to reduce or remove the same 0.020 BAC from your body. A BAC of 0.080 is recognized nationally as the legal limit for intoxicated operation— anything higher and you’re “legally drunk.” But what most boat operators do not realize is that even at the low BAC level of 0.020, motor skills,cognitive thought, and decision making are greatly affected. And in my experience, a BAC level of 0.050— still below the “legal”limit—is very dangerous for a powerboat operator. At this level you may still believe you have motor function and are not negatively affected. The reality is at 0.050 BAC you are more likely to make bad choices, take risks you would not normally take, and believe you are“just fine.” Bad news, all around. And by the way, a 0.050 BAC does not get you off the hook legally if something bad happens on the water. Take care enjoy the summer and have fun. Just leave the booze or whatever else you may be compelled to engage in for the after party at home or on the dock.

BAM Marine is the Industries #1 Transmission builder, and that didn’t happen overnight, it came with a legacy of experience. One of the best parts of leading Powerboat Nation is I realize just how fortunate I am to live in a place that is surrounded by so much experience, the guys who pioneered the innovations and advancement of the Powerboating world. For those that may not know the man and the brains behind BAM Marine and their transmissions it is, Marc Berman. Marc has been around this industry a long time, his innovations run deep and I don’t believe I can capture a fraction of the stuff he has done and I doubt he can remember all of the cool stuff and innovative marvels that have come from his shop. Through his network of friendships and longtime relationships in the Power Boating world he has accumulated a treasure trove of information, knowledge and experience that we are just beginning to tap into. The more we talk the more I learn and the more he begins to remember. Here’s a quick recap on my latest sit down with the man himself.

PBN: Marc would it be fair to say that you’re practically a pioneer to this sport you’ve been involved for how long?

Marc : I’ve been a boater since 1965. Jim Gaffrig (the guy that started Gaffrig Mufflers and Speedo’s) and I ran an offshore race boat in 1967. I opened my first business in 1971 and have been involved in the marine industry for a living ever since. In 1975 I moved to downtown Chicago where I became a Mercury dealer and owned a marina for almost 20 years. While at the marina I got to see first hand why products were failing and I really learned how to build engines, do boat rigging and caught the racing offshore bug. Then I moved to Florida in 1995 and re-booted per say so that in 1997 I started my present business. So this has really been my life.

PBN: So that marine experience lead you to become somewhat of an inventor of sorts right? I mean that’s what gave you the experience it took to make improvements to stock products right?

Marc: Yes that’s correct back in the day for example I developed a number of products for my own boats that went on to inspire actual production parts. For example I did fresh water cooling on my Cigarette back in 1982, Gaffrig & I invented the first switchable mufflers, I had built some 1000HP engines in 1990 or so that ran on 89 octane , I even did 1400HP on 89 in 1996. Beyond engines I had designed first all stainless steering cylinders in 1980. I sold a few sets to Bob Latham when he was just starting out then. Gosh I have been involved in so many aspects of the industry that it might sound like I’m bragging lol but its the truth.

PBN: So you have been the primary transmission sponsor to practically every race team and OEM transmission supplier to the likes of even Mercury racing for a number of years. Why or what do you think brought those people to you? What made BAM the choice?

Marc: I think there were (and are) a couple of reasons. The main one is that our stuff works, and we earned a reputation for that. I was fortunate to know many of the people that became our customers from my time at the Marina and my racing. The other is the way we run the business.Integrity means a lot to me personally, and that is the way we operate.

PBN: There has been a lot of evolution in the transmission market in the years of late. We’ve seen you unveil some really high horsepower applications like the 1500 series of trans. Is the engine power just growing so fast that it really has come down to someone like you to solve getting that power to the water?

Marc: The power that today’s engines produce was only a dream a few years ago. There has been an attempt by a major player in the industry to come up with a transmission that can handle these new engines, but results have been mixed. The hi-performance transmission stuff is still new to them, and in my opinion I don’t think they have the experience it takes. And experience is the one thing you cannot replace. Yes,I think we have good shot at coming up with something that will work for these mega-motors.

PBN: Do you just sell new transmissions or what is the scope of work BAM marine is involved in?

Marc: On the transmission side we also do rebuilds and upgrades to existing units, both ours and other manufacturers. On the other side we are a full line Mercury/Mercruiser Platinum dealer.We have one of the largest inventories of genuine Mercury Marine parts in the country and our website MercruiserParts.com has become a favorite. In addition we have a complete drive & fabrication shop.

PBN: From the looks of things there is quite a bit of equipment here. Is all of the manufacturing and assembly of your product done here at your facility? How does that affect the quality of your end product?

Marc: Yes,we build the transmissions right here. We have a complete machine shop and make almost all of our components in house. We have built special fixtures to QC the parts we don’t make ourselves. This really gives us a handle on our quality control. Each of our transmissions is tested on our digital transmission dyno before shipping which really helps our reliability. We build each transmission like we were building an engine, there is a build sheet showing every dimension & clearance. Our stuff is clean & de-burred when we assemble it. Even though we do a lot of transmissions there is no mass production around here. These days we no longer build engines, but we still have all the equipment and have used our engine dyno to test some new transmission designs.

PBN: Marc thanks for the insight even I learned a few things. I’m looking forward to coming back and getting a good insight into what’s inside one of the super duty transmissions so we can share that with our members, thanks again for the support!

Marc also shared these classic pics with us!

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Dave’s Custom Boats rolls out for the rest of the 2013 Poker Run Season. They already have some big events under their belt earlier this year, Miami Boat Show Poker Run, DCB Regatta, and Desert Storm. This previous weekend Win Farnsworth’s 41 was at the Texas Outlaw Challenge and now they are off to many more events, trying to get to as many as they can get in. Building Boats, running a business and having so many days away on the road might seem like a dream but it can become a real challenge. Tony called me today from the road in West Texas, anxious to get to the water over the weekend and leave the long and straight road behind him. And they did just that!

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Beginning with Shushwap they will have a second 41 with 1350’s and that boat will be campaigned to the reaming events with both 41’s being at some of them. The guys are pulling out all the stops to bring these great boats to Powerboating events around the country. They may not make all of them but they’re going to try and if it doesn’t work out you know it was because something great and important kept them burning the midnight oil at the shop in California.

Regardless of what is sold and in production I know the entire crew will make it back to South Florida in early November for the Florida Powerboat Clubs 2013 Key West Poker Run. The 320 Nautical Mile Round Trip Event will be the perfect place to close out what looks to be an incredible Poker Run Season for Dave’s Custom Boats.

Coming out of a big powerboat weekend it’s hard to keep it straight, who went where, who did what, and where are they going next weekend. Well I think it’s a big weekend because I cant seem to keep it straight. Three Poker Runs and a OPA Race and all the things I missed or don’t know about. Beginning with Alexandria Bay, Poker Runs America 2013 Alexandria Bay Hall of Fame Poker Run, Alexandria Bay, NY June 14-15 – Poker Runs America had great weather and about 25 boats ran around the spectacular views of A-Bay. Todd Taylor of Poker Runs America told me they really lucked out on the weather and had a great event.

A little further to the south in the heart of New York City Billy Frenz thankfully brought back the New York City Poker Run NYCPR13_jAlbum. With 24 boats in attendance the city skyline flashed by as these high powered boaters brought the roar back to the Hudson and showed the local spectators’ that powerboating is still alive and well in and around NYC.

The biggest recreational event of the weekend by far was the 160 or so boats that congregated in Biloxi Mississippi for the 5th annual River Bay Poker Run. Over the previous four years these guys have raised a little over 30K for the local Humane Society and they are going to just keep on going. Receiving tremendous support from the local business they had 13 cards stops over a 100 mile course with numerous waterfront restaurant, bars, and casinos to stop at. The 6th Annual “Run with the Dogs” Poker Run is now on the PBN must do list. River Bay Poker Run

Finally up in East Tawas Michigan, OPA OPA Racing | Results brought 26 Race Boats to this supportive city just north of Saginaw and had a wonderful race in the protected waters. Every inch of grass on the shore was lined with fans and Ron Polli reported to me that the Street Party hosted by the town was over the top. Ron said there is no other event in the country where the local town is as supportive and thankful to have a boat race. The municipal marina has a sheet pile retaining wall that provides a spectator venue similar to Key West and the fans love it.

All of these events around the country are a good sign that the lifestyle of Powerboating goes on. This previous weekend brought us the Texas Outlaw Challenge and the Atlantic City Race OPA Racing | Atlantic City Race Information and Poker Run Home Page

Texas Outlaw Challenge

Powerboat On!

For those of us that own or have owned a boat that we were in love with, this story will make sense. It’s the sentimental attachment that makes the real difference. This article tells just how much conviction one man has in his passion to build his perfect boat. When you’ve been behind the wheel of literally probably more than 100 different boats you definitely know when one is special. For Rick Bowling that feeling came a long time ago. Rick campaigned his 37′ talon professionally on the racing circuit for a number of years before he decided it was time to turn this boat into a pleasure poker run boat. Being a racer is in your blood and the desire to always push faster never goes away.

Nearly a dozen years ago his Talon, known nationally and from nearly every magazine in the industry as “Jelly Belly Gone Again”, crashed in the 2000 World Championships in St. Petersburg, Florida, leaving the boat severely damaged. This was the start of one of those decision processes where you go left or right and you never look back. You take a path and you follow it. For Rick, after retiring from boat racing, he decided to convert the 37’ Talon to a 4-seat, fully enclosed pleasure boat. This was a huge undertaking and required his dedicated commitment to have the boat repaired, rebuilt and modified. After two years, the boat was done and he was back to boating in his newly refurbished boat.

With the boat finished and back on the water Rick got to enjoy the boat for a couple of years before the noise from the blower motors became an issue on Lake Tahoe, CA. Rick turned to a mild mannered engine builder in southern California, Carson Brummett of Brummett Engines to help solve this problem. Carson has a long history of building turbo charged marine engines as well as a whole load of the original famed Gentry components. Rick commissioned Carson to build him some multi-fuel and selectable boost 1500HP Turbo engines for the Talon.

When they removed the existing engines to begin the rebuild, some additional damage revealed itself from the original crash. Only one way down this road and with about 2/3 of the boat previously reconstructed, it was no choice but to permanently repair the remaining 1/3. This involved replacing the back half of the bottom of the boat.

The Talon was finished again and with the new Brummett power Rick was again rewarded with a rocket of a boat that could easily eclipse 170 mph. The boat was amazing, the ride was great again and it was fast. BUT, as great as they were, these monster custom motors suffered some of the gremlins that took the pleasure from boating requiring more maintenance and parts replacement.

The sentimental attachment remained and while some would have sold the boat, Rick looked for another solution as the thought of selling the boat was not an option for him. With this level of commitment Rick was inspired by Mercury Racing’s new QV4 1350HP turbocharged engines. It became clear to Rick that taking a more modest approach and stepping into some factory warranted power would relieve him of a great deal of maintenance and provide more time for boating.

The initial thought is it should be an easy re-engine. But it’s a boat, and it’s a performance boat, so the reality was much more than what may have been initially thought. If you haven’t measured the Mercury Turbo Motor, its big. Not only is it big in power but it is big in height and width. It’s taller and the exhaust system routes downward before it ever comes back up. Even for new OEM builds the boat builders had to do some significant re-measuring and retooling to get these motors to fit, so not even the biggest shoe horn could just slide these motors into the Talon.

To make this work Rick set out AGAIN to literally redesign and reconstruct the entire rear transom and top deck of the Talon to fit the new power. This was a big job with just over two thousand man hours in the construction and details to this build. Every air inlet, water pick-up, cooling, oil line, and underwater exhaust, etc was pre-engineered and thought out. The devil is always in the details and no detail was to be missed or surprised upon for this endeavor. We wanted to bring you along through this incredible journey and commitment. The boat is nearing completion and we will have all the details for you to see. We are in awe at the amount of work and passion this man has put into what, in our eyes can only be considered as one of the world’s most extreme restorations.

Special thanks go out to Terry Laughlin for organizing the re-rig of the boat including directing a lot of the fiberglass work. Bullett Fiberglass for all their hard work and design and Pat Phillips for getting involved helping Terry rap up all the rigging.

Job well done to all!

Shown Below are some pictures of the damage from the 2000 crash and restoration process as well as the 2011 rebuild.

2000 Crash and Rebuild:

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2011 Rebuild:

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When you have to get underway in a boat for work the weather is usually bad, high seas, cold, rain, poor visibility, and after midnight darkness.

There is nothing worse than having the wrong tool for the job, in this case the wrong boat. I could literally go on and on about how bad some of the Coast Guard Small Boats and Cutters were designed, and built. Boston Whalers that just destroyed us and themselves. The Government seems to really screw up when they buy tools for the crews.

For the boat builders the government contract can be coveted or be a curse. Some of the very best boat builders won’t even begin to attempt the challenges of soliciting for a government contract and it seems the builders that are great at getting contracts are not so good at building boats. I know of a circumstance where the poor design of a Coast Guard Boat was at least a contributing factor to a fatal boating accident and that part of the story was just pushed back into the closet and the builds continued.

I hope some of our reputable boat building friends got visibility on the latest request for information and are already working to fulfill the request. Not only is this a great opportunity to increase sales but also bring a better tool to the forces guarding our boarders and protecting our lives.

CBP is planning to procure numerous ‘Coastal Interceptor Vessels’

CBP wants to hear from boat manufacturers interested in building an unspecified quantity of “Coastal Interceptor Vessels” (CIVs) that could be used to pursue suspect vessels and enable CBP personnel to board and search such vessels; arrest violators; and seize the vessel and any contraband it was carrying. “The CIV shall be capable of tactical and interdiction operations that include performing high speed maneuvers and turns in close proximity of another vessel,” explains a Request for Information (RFI) issued by CBP on May 31. The interceptor vessels will have an overall length of 42 feet, a maximum beam of 11 feet, a maximum draft of 36 inches, a range of 400 nautical miles and a speed of 60 knots, says the pre-solicitation notice. The vessel will be constructed of fiberglass reinforced plastic and have a crew capacity of four, which would be accommodated in shock-mitigating seats. “The vessel shall include the hull, deck, console, T-top, propulsion, electrical system, command & control, tanks, steering, trim tabs, outfitting, and road trailer,” said the CBP notice. The “mission systems” (including sensors, radios, and data links) would be integrated by a third-party vendor, said the RFI. Prospective boat builders have until June 19 to ask questions of CBP, and have until June 26 to submit their responses to the RFI, which should not exceed a 50-page maximum.

Details Here: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportun…=core&_cview=0

Further information is available from Ronald Rosenberg at 202-344-2985 or ronald.rosenberg@dhs.gov.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odrYyJmtdVM

In 2005 I was at a poker run in Florida and saw something happen that struck a chord in my mind about the Boating Course I had just involved myself with. A long time high performance boat owner who had numerous fast V bottoms had just taken delivery of his brand new catamaran. I watched the dealer go to the docks with him and show him the boat. They fired up the motors and looked around. Then the dealer got off the boat and the new owner and his wife left the dock for an inaugural run in the ocean before the Poker Run started. The dealer remained on the dock and watched them leave, pockets full of cash and a big smile on his face. A short while later the new owner returned on one engine, slammed his way into his slip, yelled at the dealer and shouted how much he hated the boat and wanted his V-Bottom Back.

Well there was nothing wrong with the boat. The new owner had never been in a cat before, it was really rough off of Fort Lauderdale that day, he went out in terrible conditions and tried to drive the boat like he would have driven his big V bottom. As a result a different V went on his lift and he lost a bunch of money, confidence, and complained about how bad the boat was.

Another time I did the school with some new V owners, through the session they learned, gained insight, developed confidence, and understanding. Now not only were they safer, the ride was more comfortable, the casualty rate declined, and enjoyment went up. Today these guys own some pretty remarkable cats that run hard and they continue to up the ante buy buying bigger and more capable boats.

My point here is I think we got lost in the safety aspect of skill training. There is no question skill based training far and away exceeds knowledge training to mitigate incident. But, for the future of our boating world proper skill training does much more than safety, it sales the boats, sales the experience, and adds fuel to our sustainability. Taking cues from the motorcycle and RV segments we need to do much more to encourage boat ownership. Not shared ownership, boat rentals, or rides with friends but real “All In” ownership; BUY the boat, RIDE the Boat, and LIVE the boat.

Recently, you may have seen the press release from Daves Custom Boats reinstating the Tres Martin Boat School to provide the Performance Boating Course with the purchase of any new DCB Model.

This was something that came standard in 2006-2008 ish with many builders and even some dealers. When the economy slowed-No- “Devastatingly Died!”, this went away.

I am so very happy to have the guys at DCB lead the way to bring this back because first and foremost it promotes safety, but that is just the first and most notable return. The other return is how this type of indoctrination process by the builder or dealer with us or through us makes the entire experience so much better which leads to sustainable growth for the entire industry. It is not just my opinion that this process leads to the sale of new boats I can show measurement and define a metric to it.

A huge and sustaining applaud to DCB for being a Leader and rising up again to show the way forward.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dave Hemmingson
1468 N. Magnolia Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020
619-442-0300, dave@dcbracing.com

Dave’s Custom Boats Includes Performance Boat Course With Purchase

EL CAJON, CALIF. (June 3, 2013) — With the goal of helping its customers become safer and more knowledgeable boaters, Dave’s Custom Boats (DCB) is pleased to announce it is teaming up with Tres Martin Performance Boat School to provide a performance boating course with the purchase of any new DCB model.

In addition to a one-and-a-half-day instructional course with on-water skill-based training, one of DCB’s trained technicians will be on hand to spend the day with each student to make sure they’re familiar with the boat’s component and system operations upon delivery. After finishing the class, students will receive a certificate of completion that is recognized by most major insurance companies and may lead to a substantial discount on their policy.

“With so much attention being focused on safety combined with the technological advancements that have allowed us to build boats that are larger, faster and more powerful than ever before, we realize that a class like the Tres Martin Performance Boat School is essential to our customers,” said Dave Hemmingson, who founded DCB more than 20 years ago. “Even with years of boating experience behind them, there’s a good chance they’re going to learn a few things and become a better driver because of it.”

Hemmingson believes his customers, as well as owners of any high-performance brand, will benefit from the class dedicated to operating boats safely and properly at high speed. From understanding boat design and studying defensive-driving tips to practicing turning techniques and determining trim settings for various conditions, the class covers a little of everything to improve a driver’s confidence behind the wheel.

For further information, contact Dave Hemmingson at 619-442-0300 or dave@dcbracing.com.

About Dave’s Custom Boats
Striving to showcase the difference between ordinary and extraordinary, Dave’s Custom Boats has spent the past two decades redefining the boundaries of the custom performance boat world. From concept to delivery, every boat constructed at DCB is a project of passion highlighted by state-of-the-art boat production and a level of workmanship quality that is unparalleled. For more information, visit DCB High Performance Boats — Building the BEST Boats on the planet . . . Period.

The Powerboat Nation store objective started out with a simple thought. We don’t plan to make stacks of cash from T-Shirts but what we can do is the same things we’ve done with powerboatnation.com. We want to support our members with some great deals and a chance to buy all of the coolest Powerboating t-shirts and swag in one location. Its all about supporting our members and keeping the dreams alive.

Since our inception we’ve been 100% committed to bringing not only the best feature content and tech advice anywhere but also the #1 place on the net to buy performance boating apparel. We wanted to build something that provided what no one had yet done this industry. Thinking of the Zappos or Tillys idea we figured why not offer as many brands that are performance boating related as possible and of course with member savings.

Many of our advertisers and supporters have extended exclusive discounts of up to 30% off on their apparel to PBN members. A recent fabulous addition to the PBN Store comes from Justin Lucas of Go Fast Threads. Go fast is a complete performance marine apparel line with not only a huge array of styles and colors to choose from but dozens of fantastic new prints can now be found right here. It hasn’t taken long but the PBN store has rapidly become the #1 selection of power boating t-shirts on the web.

In addition to T-shirts our new Powerboat Nation prop covers just arrived, so please support the brand and protect your propeller with one of the newest Powerboat Nation prop covers.

Go online check them out and get your order in before the next poker run is already here!

Visit the Store Here

Most of us begin our boating life with an entry level boat knowing or at least hoping it is only just a first step to a bigger, better,badder, and faster model. Sam Jirik from Cabot, Arkansas is no different, and has had many boats over the years; most currently was a 28’ Skater with 300xs Mercury Outboards. A 28 Skater with outboards has to be one of the best performing boats and the set up is incredibly reliable, not to mention the dollar value and cost of ownership is fantastic in this world of high performance. When you think about moving out of this type of ride you really need to evaluate the criteria to make sure the move is really up, forward, and faster than where you are already at. For Sam this upgrade needed to happen without spending a small fortune,losing performance, and sacrificing reliability.

No boat is an absolute, and they are always a compromise. Even a 28 Skater with Mercury Outboards can suffer issues. First it’s a boat, second it’s a performance boat so breakdowns come with the territory. From owning this Skater with outboards Sam recognized they are great but not infallible, so much so he kept a spare power head in his truck when he went boating so that if the “just in case” happened he would be prepared to handle the problem and still be able to go boating.

Sam had heard about and seen the boat Dale Rayzor of Northern, CA had built, a 30’ Skater with naturally aspirated Sterling 750 HP engines and Arneson #7M Drive Units . If you are not familiar with Dales boat it is practically a West Coast legend. Rik with Arneson industries has become the set up guru for most if not all of the fastest Arneson drive equipped boats. This boat and its moderate horsepower have set some blistering speeds in excess of 160 mph while remaining a well mannered and reliable pleasure boats with way less horsepower than comparable boats attempting similar speeds that are pouring in more and more HP. Dale’s Arneson boat has created lots of interest and been a catalyst and driving factor in numerous under 35 foot sales and inquiries for Skater Power Boats.

The real deal closer for Sam came after conversations with Dale when he explained how well the boat handled, steered, docked, planed out, and accelerated with the Arneson Drives. Armed with this first hand information and confidence his decision was solidified. Sam knew he wanted very similar boat but was not looking for the speed to be as fast as Dales boat. Sam’s plan is to build a boat he could share and enjoy with his family. After consulting with several industry people and seeing what Louie Marchese was building at Skater with his new Skater 338, the decision was made to build a Skater 338 Fatboy but use smaller power to achieve the goals of less cost, less weight and greater reliability.

Sam,like most well informed power boaters put a lot of effort into the design of his new boat, its engines, and drive package. Sam knew that a critical success factor in achieving the goals identified of handling, stability, reliability, and performance was the selection of the Arneson #7M Drive, it was the clear choice. What was not clear was the endless power options available. With outboards the selection process is pretty well controlled for you, now he had a big wave of options and of course opinions.

What is coming over the horizon? Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave somewhere and have ignored everything the automotive and hot rod industry are doing then you know that the GM LS platform is coming to he marine industry with a large head of steam. The light weight affordable horsepower these engines are generating is incredible and this seemed like a great initial option. Sam originally looked at the Indmar LSA marine engine package. These power plants are derived from the Cadillac CTS-V engines that Indmar is supplying to the ski boat manufacturers. The goal was 600 hp and 6,000 rpm. On paper it read like a dream, 600 lbs, 600 hp and 6,000rpm’s all for $22,000.00 each COMPLETE! Drop in ready with headers, what was not to like? After nine months of waiting and consulting with Indmar on the changes required for the set up; dry sumping the engines and some computer mapping work the engines went on the dyno and then; Indmar received a call from GM advising not to run the motors more than 5,400 rpm. Not good news at all, 5,400 would not bring the power needed to achieve the goals. The lower rpm brought the horse power in too low. Had the engineer’s at GM allowed Indmar to run them to 6,000 rpm the engines would have reached their goal but GM was clearly advising heavily against it.

Now with the boat in production and the drive units ready, Sam is faced with a dilemma? Should he go forward with the LSA small blocks,which were light weight and inexpensive yet were not going to make the power or rpm he needed for his new build to reach what he felt was an acceptable level of performance and speed or should they change plans. After some consulting, price comparisons, time line projections from several people, Sam relied on his relationship with Rik from Arneson, Rik recommended Brad Smith of Smith Power in Joplin MO. Brad’s name comes up a lot these days as his power is turning up in many elite boats around the country including our recent story on Jeff Asbell’s 40SS Skater. Smith Power offers a wide range of options so coming up with a budget, time line and power level for Sam was easy. What wasn’t easy was keeping Sam contained to the original power level. Once you get the ball rolling with a custom engine builder like Brad Smith adding additional reliable power becomes a simple request and cost effective option. The solution was a 588 cubic inch engine with a 4 liter Whipple Blower,and all the latest and best hardware from Hardin Marine such as Hardin’s Hurricane Headers, Dual Cooler Bellhousings,Serpentine supercharger accessory drives to name a few. The boat is receiving full attention from the crew at Skater to get the boat ready for the upcoming Skater get together of the year at 2013 FlightClub Skater Fest 2013 at Ron Szolack’s place near Detroit June 28-29th.

Congratulations to Sam and everyone involved. We look forward to seeing this new and innovative build running! We will also provide a follow up on the engine build from Brad Smith.

Powerboat On!

On March 30th after 30 years of high horsepower operation the Firebird International Raceway Park in Chandler Arizona shut down. Nearly three years of lease-renewal negotiations between Charlie Allen, the founder and president of the track, and Gila River Indian Community, where the track is located, proved fruitless. Because they did not reach an agreement they had to shut down.

Late yesterday Powerboat Nation Learned the The Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series http://www.lucasoildragboats.com/ fall classic originally scheduled for Sept 13th-15th in San Diego California has been re located to Chandler Arizona. The event will take place on the same dates but the venue formally known as the Firebird International Raceway in under new management and will be renamed “Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park”

It is expected the new management team will begin to reopen the park this week and an official announcement will be made. This is exciting news not only for the power boating world but also for NHRA and all the other related Motorsports competitors that compete at this great and historic location.