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Mercury Marine, the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, has been awarded a 2020 Red Dot Design Award for the V-6 and V-8 FourStroke and V-8 AMS Verado outboard engines.

The distinction “Red Dot” has become established internationally as one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design. Mercury won the award in partnership with Designworks, a BMW Group Company, Mercury’s long-time product design partner.

“We are honored to be given a Red Dot Design award,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “We know that Red Dot means that we belong to the best in design and business and our V-6 and V-8 engines are well deserving of this honor. Both platforms have been very well received by our customers and their success is a testament to extensive design thinking work that takes place within our product development and world-class engineering team.”

Mercury Marine launched the V-6 family during the 2018 Miami International Boat Show and the V-8 lineup in May 2018. Some of the many innovations that differentiate these outboards are many customer driven features that offer unparalleled comfort and convenience including a top cowl service door that provides easy oil check and fill (if needed) without removing the cowl—an innovation that has been praised by consumers around the world.

Red Dot stands for belonging to the best in design and business and appeals to companies who want to distinguish their business activities through design. The distinction is based on the principle of selection and presentation.

“Design continues to be part of our product development strategy and will continue to drive many of our new product development plans,” said Todd Dannenberg, Mercury Marine director of industrial design. “We know our customers love these engines, they have been very well received around the world and now to win another design award for this product is very exciting.”

In 2019, Mercury Marine was recognized with an International Forum Design (iF) award in the Discipline Product category, presented to the company for its V-6 outboard lineup. The same product also won an NMMA Innovation Award at the Miami Boat Show in 2018.

Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine is a world‑leading manufacturer of marine propulsion systems. A $3 billion division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury designs, manufactures and distributes engines, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications, empowering boaters with products that are easy‑to‑use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world with 10,000 service points globally. Mercury’s industry‑leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines and Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages. Mercury’s global parts‑and‑accessories offerings include propellers; SmartCraft electronics; Power Products Integrated Solutions; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood, Garelick and Whale marine parts; Land ’N’ Sea, BLA, Payne’s Marine, Kellogg Marine and Lankhorst Taselaar marine parts distribution; and Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils. More information is available at mercurymarine.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iconic Marine Group—builder of Fountain, Donzi and Baja boats—is working to produce desperately needed masks and face shields during the age of the coronavirus.

“We were trying to fulfill a couple of needs that we saw,” IMG Chief Financial Officer Tom Vale told Powerboat Nation. “First, we wanted to ensure our employees had pedestrian masks for their own safety.  Soon after we started production of our masks, we were approached by our local government and health officials regarding the needs in our community.   As a manufacturer, there are things that were within our wheelhouse that, while having nothing to do with PPE, enabled us to quickly get prototypes together and start production of masks and face shields.”

As the pandemic began to worsen, Iconic partnered with the North Carolina Textile District to manufacture 5,000 pedestrian masks. The first 1,500 will be provided to IMG and Custom Truck One Source employees and 500 to local government agencies; the remaining 3,000 will be sent back to NC Textile to be distributed to local health care agencies.

“It’s a tremendous effort from the North Carolina Textile district-they sourced material and prepared kits for simplified manufacturing,” said Natascia McCraight, IMG’s director of Finance, Supply and Production Planning. “We have currently recruited and hired 12 part-time seamstresses to supplement our upholstery department. Our goal is to fulfill the 5,000 masks within two weeks, and then source another 5,000 mask kits and continue to manufacture them until we’ve fulfilled the demand.”

IMG has also partnered with East Carolina University (ECU) and Practicon of Greenville, NC, to manufacture plastic face shields for distribution to the local medical community. “We have delivered approximately 150 shields and are cutting another 120 shields this week,” McCraight said. “We have acquired additional material to cut 1,600 shields next week. ECU is then assembling the completed shields and distributing them to local hospitals and medical facilities.  In addition, we’ve been able to distribute shields to a local nursing home in Little Washington.”

The masks and shields have all been designed using the help and generosity of the local community. The initial head strap to hold the protective shield was initially created by Todd Jenkins on his personal 3D printer—when Iconic realized there was a bottle neck with production of the head strap, they were put in contact with Josh Pitzer, from ECU, who has acted as the liaison between ECU and IMG . “The entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to work together and help each other is remarkable,” Vale said.

“This has really been an incredible experience.  I’m super proud of Iconic Marine Group leadership and our employees,” McCraight said. “Our metal shop and upholstery shop jumped right in to develop prototypes and are continuing production of PPE. Fountain Powerboats is an American Iconic brand and our employees display true American spirit-it’s a great place to work.”

The crew at Iconic has continued to build boats at full capacity, while observing sensible distancing, wearing protective gear and using antibacterial gel. “We’ve never stopped, not for a minute,” said Iconic COO Jeff Harris. “We’ve implemented phone meetings when possible, introduced staggering breaks and lunches, and do temperature checks each morning. We’re observing CDC guidelines. Unlike a lot of factories, which cram a lot of people into a few bays, we’ve got almost 260,000 square feet here, and we can spread everybody out accordingly.”

 

DCB Performance Boats of El Cajon, CA, has just delivered a brand-new M28R to repeat customer Randy Waters, owner of the Oklahoma City-based ​firm Old World Hardwood Floors.

Waters’ first boats were performance catamarans from the likes of Advantage, Eliminator, Baja and Howard. A turning point came in the 1990s, when he was attending a shootout-style event in Parker, AZ, with his blown 22′ Advantage repowered by engine guru Leon Derebery (featured in a 1997 issue of Powerboat Magazine).

“Anybody who owned a boat that went over 100 mph was invited,” Waters recalls. “Bob Teague drove all the boats. At the event, I saw a guy wiping down what looked like a 21′ Daytona with a couple of eggbeaters on it. He introduced himself—it was [DCB founder] Dave Hemmingson.”

So impressed was Waters by the fit and finish of Hemmingson’s boat that he told him that when he’d saved enough money, he would commission Dave build his next boat. And that’s just what happened: “He built me a Mach 26, which was written up in the July 2001 issue of Hot Boat Magazine.” (See below). That was the beginning of Waters’ love affair with DCB.

Waters, 61, is a full-blown adrenaline junkie who has juggled numerous go-fast hobbies—he’s equally addicted to fast cars, fast motorcycles and stand-up Jet Skis (just check out some of his toys, below). “I’ve built a lot of crazy things that have been in a lot of magazines,” he says. “I love to design and build stuff, and love to watch it all come together.”

 

Waters’ 360-hp custom motorcycle, a three-year build put together by Sam Wills.

 

Here’s Waters’ T-REX, a two-seat, three-wheeled motor vehicle created by the Campagna Motors of Quebec, Canada.

 

Waters’ DCB M31 Widebody.

 

But he always finds his way back to the water, as you might well expect from a man named Waters. He has owned the gamut of muscleboats, including vee hulls and catamarans, closed-deck and open-bow models, I/Os, outboards and jetboats. His two most recent rides have been a DCB M31 and the just-delivered M28R, which is a full walk-through open bow model powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards. It’s only the second M28R with a full open bow; Paul Loska’s, delivered last April, was the first. However, it’s the first M28R that DCB has done with a special fiberglass modification to give passengers ease of boarding.

He uses his boats primarily on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula, which covers 102,000 acres and comprises 600 miles of shoreline.

“It would shock you how much money’s on this lake,” he says. “When people think of big money and lakes in Oklahoma, they tend to think of Lake Texoma and Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, period. But there’s a bunch of money on Eufaula. This is one of the biggest lakes in the United States. Years ago, the most custom thing out there might have been a Baja. Now the lake has some serious muscle—some of the biggest and baddest boats from all over the country. They are some real monsters out here.”

Waters enjoys his DCBs with his wife, Lori.

Some specs on the M28R:

• Beam: 9’
• Power: Twin Mercury Racing 400Rs
• Hull: Full walk-through open bow with customized (fabricated) bow entryway.
• Features: Billet foot shower at front, along with Fusion hard wired remote flushed into the inside front sponson for social distancing at the bow of the boat, flip-up lumbar seats in open bow for ease of storage and access at the helm area, two 55-gallon fuel tanks, Shaun Torrante Racing X-Act engine brackets.
• Interior: 50% Alcantara interior package, with 50% CHILL Cool Tech Marine Vinyl, custom carpet kit, brand new customized steering wheel from CP Performance (black on black, with contrasting stitch)
• Gelcoat: Phase III gelcoat scheme
• Half cap with black powdercoated SS rubrail
• Vacuum Infused Resin (VIR) process, foam-cored, with partial carbon-fiber layup
• Two Mercury VV703 touch screen monitors
• Interior Rigid LED lighting package (mood lighting, courtesy lighting, LED cupholders)
• 10” Shadow Caster underwater LED light, with Rigid tunnel lighting.
• Stage III stereo – Fusion head unit | Two (2) hard-wired remotes | Three (3) JL Audio amplifiers | Twelve (12) • JL Audio M6 midrange speakers with LED | Two (2) 13” JL Audio W3 subwoofers
• Mercury DTS controls
• Bimini Top
• 40” Billet swimstep with SeaDek lining and telescoping retractable ladder for easy boarding, Extreme Custom Trailer, tandem-axle with two-tone chrome & black 20” FUEL rims, black painted SS fenders and triangular drive guard, front courtesy ladder, under carriage LED mood lighting, etc.
• Estimated top speed: 102-105 mph
• Retail price with all upgrades and options: $313K

And check out this gallery of photos of the M28R:

Brunswick Corporation—whose leading consumer brands include Mercury Marine and Mercury Racing outboard engines and numerous marine-related products—has stepped up to help those on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.

The Brunswick Private Foundation recently made a $50,000 donation to the Red Cross, and Brunswick employees around the world are making personal donations that will also be matched by the company. In addition, the foundation donated $10,000 to the Salvation Army Metropolitan Division.

“During these very challenging times, it is important for us to continue to look for opportunities to help our employees, customers and the communities where we live and work,” said Dave Foulkes, Brunswick’s Chief Executive Officer. “We all need to do our part right now to lend our resources to those that need them the most, particularly those on the front lines.”

Around the world, Brunswick’s businesses are finding opportunities to use their resources and capabilities to produce masks, medical equipment components and other products that are critically needed by first responders.

Among the many contributions from Brunswick businesses:

• The Brunswick Boat Group will donate  15,000 masks to first responders in the communities around the USA in which it operates boat building facilities. The masks are expected to arrive next week

• Mercury Marine donated more than 11,000 masks to local hospitals and emergency responders near its headquarters in Fond Du Lac, Wisc.

• Marinco, a Power Products Brand part of the Advanced Systems Group, is producing electrical equipment used in mobile hospitals and temporary emergency treatment centers such as those recently established in New York.

• Whale, Brunswick’s parts and accessories company in Northern Ireland, has rapidly accelerated production of pumps that power hand sanitizer stations and will ship over 120,000 of these critical systems around the world over the next few months.

In addition, employees from both Mercury Racing and Power Products are using their 3D printing capabilities to produce masks for first responders and healthcare professionals in their communities. Power Products was recently contacted by Concordia University to participate in the production of 3D printed face masks to be distributed to local hospitals. The masks have a unique design with replaceable filter cartridges.

“Our talented and passionate people, working closely with our suppliers, are making a real difference helping those fighting the pandemic,” Foulkes said.

Headquartered in Mettawa, IL, Brunswick Corporation’s leading consumer brands include Mercury Marine outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages; Mercury global parts and accessories including propellers and SmartCraft electronics; Power Products Integrated Solutions; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood, Garelick, and Whale marine parts; Land ’N’ Sea, BLA, Payne’s Marine, Kellogg Marine, and Lankhorst Taselaar marine parts distribution; Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern boats; Boating Services Network, Freedom Boat Club, NAUTIC-ON, OnBoard Boating Club and Rentals. For more information, visit https://www.brunswick.com.

DCB Performance Boats of El Cajon, CA, has just delivered a brand-new M28R to repeat customer Randy Waters, owner of the Oklahoma City-based ​firm Old World Hardwood Floors.

Waters’ first boats were performance catamarans from the likes of Advantage, Eliminator, Baja and Howard. A turning point came in the 1990s, when he was attending a shootout-style event in Parker, AZ, with his blown 22′ Advantage repowered by engine guru Leon Derebery (featured in a 1997 issue of Powerboat Magazine).

“Anybody who owned a boat that went over 100 mph was invited,” Waters recalls. “Bob Teague drove all the boats. At the event, I saw a guy wiping down what looked like a 21′ Daytona with a couple of eggbeaters on it. He introduced himself—it was [DCB founder] Dave Hemmingson.”

So impressed was Waters by the fit and finish of Hemmingson’s boat that he told him that when he’d saved enough money, he would commission Dave build his next boat. And that’s just what happened: “He built me a Mach 26, which was written up in the July 2001 issue of Hot Boat Magazine.” (See below). That was the beginning of Waters’ love affair with DCB.

Waters, 61, is a full-blown adrenaline junkie who has juggled numerous go-fast hobbies—he’s equally addicted to fast cars, fast motorcycles and stand-up Jet Skis (just check out some of his toys, below). “I’ve built a lot of crazy things that have been in a lot of magazines,” he says. “I love to design and build stuff, and love to watch it all come together.”

 

Waters’ 360-hp custom motorcycle, a three-year build put together by Sam Wills.

 

Here’s Waters’ T-REX, a two-seat, three-wheeled motor vehicle created by the Campagna Motors of Quebec, Canada.

 

Waters’ DCB M31 Widebody.

 

But he always finds his way back to the water, as you might well expect from a man named Waters. He has owned the gamut of muscleboats, including vee hulls and catamarans, closed-deck and open-bow models, I/Os, outboards and jetboats. His two most recent rides have been a DCB M31 and the just-delivered M28R, which is a full walk-through open bow model powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards. It’s only the second M28R with a full open bow; Paul Loska’s, delivered last April, was the first. However, it’s the first M28R that DCB has done with a special fiberglass modification to give passengers ease of boarding.

He uses his boats primarily on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula, which covers 102,000 acres and comprises 600 miles of shoreline.

“It would shock you how much money’s on this lake,” he says. “When people think of big money and lakes in Oklahoma, they tend to think of Lake Texoma and Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, period. But there’s a bunch of money on Eufaula. This is one of the biggest lakes in the United States. Years ago, the most custom thing out there might have been a Baja. Now the lake has some serious muscle—some of the biggest and baddest boats from all over the country. They are some real monsters out here.”

Waters enjoys his DCBs with his wife, Lori.

Some specs on the M28R:

• Beam: 9’
• Power: Twin Mercury Racing 400Rs
• Hull: Full walk-through open bow with customized (fabricated) bow entryway.
• Features: Billet foot shower at front, along with Fusion hard wired remote flushed into the inside front sponson for social distancing at the bow of the boat, flip-up lumbar seats in open bow for ease of storage and access at the helm area, two 55-gallon fuel tanks, Shaun Torrante Racing X-Act engine brackets.
• Interior: 50% Alcantara interior package, with 50% CHILL Cool Tech Marine Vinyl, custom carpet kit, brand new customized steering wheel from CP Performance (black on black, with contrasting stitch)
• Gelcoat: Phase III gelcoat scheme
• Half cap with black powdercoated SS rubrail
• Vacuum Infused Resin (VIR) process, foam-cored, with partial carbon-fiber layup
• Two Mercury VV703 touch screen monitors
• Interior Rigid LED lighting package (mood lighting, courtesy lighting, LED cupholders)
• 10” Shadow Caster underwater LED light, with Rigid tunnel lighting.
• Stage III stereo – Fusion head unit | Two (2) hard-wired remotes | Three (3) JL Audio amplifiers | Twelve (12) • JL Audio M6 midrange speakers with LED | Two (2) 13” JL Audio W3 subwoofers
• Mercury DTS controls
• Bimini Top
• 40” Billet swimstep with SeaDek lining and telescoping retractable ladder for easy boarding, Extreme Custom Trailer, tandem-axle with two-tone chrome & black 20” FUEL rims, black painted SS fenders and triangular drive guard, front courtesy ladder, under carriage LED mood lighting, etc.
• Estimated top speed: 102-105 mph
• Retail price with all upgrades and options: $313K

And check out this gallery of photos of the M28R:

Organizers of Thunder on Cocoa Beach offshore race—originally scheduled for the weekend of May 15-17—have postponed the event until Aug. 27-30.

The decision was made earlier than planned as a result of the recent guideline updates issued by
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and a discussion with Port Canaveral authorities, according to Race Chairman Kerry Bartlett.

“Our entire race committee remained optimistic that our race could go ahead as scheduled, but right now we are dealing with a situation that is out of our control and is changing daily,” Bartlett explained. “Safety is our number one concern, and we are confident that Thunder On Cocoa Beach will be bigger than ever in August.”

OPA President Roland “Smitty” Smith also announced that the Solomons Island Grand Prix will not take place as originally scheduled on Aug. 28-30 and may be rescheduled sometime in September, pending permit
approval. This decision was made in order to make room for the rescheduling necessary within the six-race APBA Offshore series. Powerboat P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala and the OPA President both expressed their full understanding of the need for race site promoters to seriously consider postponing their scheduled events to allow sufficient recovery time from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mike Shepherd, Board Chairman of the Lake Race in Lake Ozark, MO indicated that their race site remains on schedule. “We will continue to monitor CDC updates and make a final decision within a few weeks,” Shepherd said.

The Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival has made a decision to hold a contingency race date of Aug. 14-16 and will announce a final decision on April 10. Festival Director Lucy Nicandri explained: “With a non-profit organizer (Suncoast Charities for Children) of the Sarasota Grand Prix, having a contingency race date in place is critical. Like so many other non-profits, we are facing the need to maintain the financial flexibility to respond and continue supporting critical programs and services for those in need.”

For more updates on this year’s race schedule visit P1offshore.com and Oparacing.org.

2020 APBA Offshore National Championship Race Calendar

Lake of the Ozarks, MO May 28-30
Sarasota, FL June 26-28
*Contingency Race Date Held: August 14-16
St. Clair, MI July 24-26
Michigan City, IN July 31-August 2
Cocoa Beach, FL August 27-30
Fort Myers Beach, FL October 8-10

World Champion offshore racer Brit Lilly of Lilly Sport Boats (Severna, MD) is hard at work creating his newest boat—a hull he’s building from molds he inherited from his close friend at Extreme Boats, the late Mark Spates.

Lilly is currently the owner/driver of the Pro Stock V competitor LSB/Hurricane of Awesomeness/Rev-X Oil, a 29′ Extreme, as well as the Extreme Vee class racer Tug It/LSB, a 40′ canopied Fountain, both of which he races in OPA with his throttleman, Kevin Smith. When the 2020 season begins—whenever that may be—Lilly will also alternate with his pal Travis Pastrana—star of X Games/Nitro Circus and one of the world’s most influential extreme sports athletes—behind the wheel of Extreme Class competitor Miss Geico Racing with World Champion throttleman Sir Steve Curtis.

Lilly is also the son of the legendary Art Lilly, one of the most famous and respected living offshore racers in the world.

As if running his own shop and racing two different hulls weren’t enough work, Lilly has taken on the added role of boat manufacturer. Carrying on the Extreme legacy was “something Mark always wanted me to do,” Lilly says. So after Spates passed away from cancer in August 2019, Lilly purchased the molds from his family.

Lilly says his first Extreme is about to come out of the molds. “I’m doing stringers and bulkheads, and it’s on its way out,” he told Powerboat Nation late last week. “I’m still planning to design a pleasure boat version, but I’m not sure if I’m going to do a pleasure hull or a race hull first. I’m leaning toward the race hull,” he explains. “I think people need to be able to see what I can do. So maybe the first one would be for myself. We’ll see how things go.”

Before embarking on this journey, Lilly and Art trekked to Douglas, MI, to huddle with Art’s old buddy, Peter Hledin of Skater Powerboats, in pursuit of tips and tricks of the boatbuilding trade. “Basically, Peter shared their layup process,” says Smith. “The way that everything’s being laid up is going to save a ridiculous amount of weight. It’s going to be incredibly strong. Brit already had a game plan in mind, but then going up with Art and spending time with Pete was very educational. This Extreme Gen 3 is going to be solid.”

“I have known Art for many years, and told him that I would help them out in any way I could. So that’s what I did,” Hledin told Powerboat Nation. “Brit is just starting off in his boatbuilding career, and I’m just about finished.”

Hledin said he was glad to give the Lillys a peek behind the scenes. “I let them see what I was doing and helped them along with the lamination schedule and materials. I did give them a couple of tips.

Asked how he was holding up during the coronavirus crisis, Hledin said, “Just fine, thank you. The Skater factory is officially shut down, but we should be open again in a couple of weeks.”

Smith says that Mark Spate had made extensive written notes for Lilly, and with the extra input from his dad and Hledin, “it’s going to be amazing. We’ll also be incorporating everything that he and I have learned racing our Phantom and Extreme together for the last nine years. We’ve really put those things through the ringer.”

Some views of the new Extreme in progress:

 

 

Less than a week after canceling the Tickfaw 200 event originally scheduled for April 29 to May 2, organizers have mailed checks back to those who had prepaid to attend, as well as to the event’s sponsors.

Owned and operated by Joey Fontenot, the Tickfaw 200 poker run is Louisiana’s biggest poker run, so named for its scenic 200-mile length. It is headquartered at Fontenot’s Blood River Landing Marina, and has been running annually since 1996.

“We just had to mail everything back,” Fontenot told Powerboat Nation. “But this isn’t about money. We don’t make a dollar from this. Tickfaw is about seeing all our friends, people like Kenny Armstrong. It’s about raising money for charities and helping the local economy and businesses. We don’t mind missing the poker run. What we care about is that this is going to result in a million-dollar impact to our area. What we bring in for one weekend will help them carry some of the restaurants and bars for a month, maybe even two months.”

Canceling the event because of Coronavirus fears was inevitable, Fontenot says. “They pulled my liquor license and they pulled my gambling license,” he says. “The state of Louisiana says you have to have a gambling permit to put a poker run on.”

At this point in time, people are still free to go boating, Fontenot says, “but there are no restaurants open, no bars open. There’s nothing. But I’ll tell you what’s happening now—you’re seeing more families going fishing. This has always been a river with fun and partying and powerboats, and now we’re seeing a lot of bass boats and families with kids, because they’re all out of school.”

Fontenot and his crew have little recourse now except to plan for a bigger and even more exciting Tickfaw for 2021.

 

As an insidious pandemic continues to make its way around the world, an anxious nation counts the days until a sense of normalcy returns. Things are no different for those of us in the boating industry. There’s no aspect of our sport that the coronavirus has not affected in some appreciable way, and further sacrifices seem inevitable. Poker runs such as Desert Storm and other events have already been canceled or postponed. The offshore racing season has not yet begun, but dates are looming: OPA’s kickoff event is scheduled for May 14-17 in Cocoa Beach, FL (with Missouri’s Lake Race only 11 days later), and Race World Offshore launches its new season in Dunkirk, NY, in July.

How badly COVID-19 will affect offshore racing is not yet clear. But Powerboat Nation reached out to some of the players to get their take on this unfolding situation. One of the leaders in the current racing landscape is Ed “Smitty” Smith, who both leads OPA and races his own boat in the circuit.

PBN: Your season begins in less than two months. Have any of your dates been affected?
ES: Well, not at this point. With Cocoa Beach, the deciding factor will be the rule that you can’t have public gatherings of more than 50 people or whatever. I’m sure that would stop it. It really all depends on how fast this thing levels out. There’s a lot of smart people out there working on a solution, and I’m pretty confident somebody’s going to find something—if not a cure, then something that will slow it down.

PBN: Have you been in touch with the racers? Do you have an idea about whether participation will be strong?
ES: I think it’ll probably be stronger. They’re all home bored to tears. I’ve had calls from four or five of the teams just today; they’re working on their boats and will probably be ready to go earlier than they ever were. I do worry that if this goes on for a long time, people’s finances are going to get kind of tight.

PBN: It’s still early. Everybody’s taking a wait-and-see approach.
ES: Everybody in OPA is looking forward and being very positive. We just want everybody to stay safe and healthy, and that we can get back to boat racing.

We also contacted Azam Rangoonwala, CEO of Powerboat P1 Superstock racing in the USA. P1 and OPA are collaborating in the 2020 APBA Offshore Championship, which will comprise dates in Cocoa Beach, FL, Lake of the Ozarks, MO, Sarasota, FL, St. Clair, MI, Michigan City, IN, and Fort Myers Beach, FL.

PBN: What are your thoughts about the race dates for Cocoa Beach, which begin on May 14?
AR: For the time being, we’re moving forward with it. The port itself is closed until May 1, and then they’re supposed to re-open it. They’ll have another meeting on May 1 to decide if they’re going to keep it closed or not. Obviously, if they’re going to keep it open, then everything’s a go. If they decide to extend the closure, the race will be canceled. If we hear anything in between now and then, we’ll let everybody know. But for now, we’re confident, and we’re still going ahead with it. We know that we have to monitor what’s going on right now, but we believe that the way the government is handling it seems to be working. I’m hopeful that this all blows over and we have a really good season of racing. If it takes more time, then we’ll start where we left off. But again, so much is up in the air right now. It’s very difficult to tell. I think that in the next two or three weeks, we’ll have a lot more information.

We at Powerboat Nation also wanted to check in with some of the racers. Gary Ballough, a World Champion who races FJ Propeller, a Victory hull in Superboat Stock class, is always a reliable barometer in the sport, so we’ll share his thoughts as well.

PBN: What do you think, Gary? How are you reading the tea leaves?
GB: We’re just looking forward to going racing, and from what we understand, Cocoa Beach is supposed to still be on. But we’re very doubtful that would happen because they’ve closed all the beaches where we live and are closing all the boat ramps and closing everything. And it’s all about tourism and people on the beach and filling hotels. So our business of offshore racing is just like the rest of the country’s business. And we’re just going to have to take the sacrifice like everyone else is. If that’s what we have to do, let’s do it. It’s not about us—it’s about everyone. Of course it’s a disappointment, but we all have to do our part. If this is what offshore can do to contribute to helping, then that’s what it needs to be.

 

Big Thunder Marine is open for business and keeping busy during these challenging times—while carefully following CDC guidelines and state-mandated rules.

The dealer of Fountain, Donzi, and Baja powerboating lines reports that its doors are open, and mechanics are keeping busy. In an open letter to the public, Big Thunder Marine general manager Jeremy Anderson said, “Service is busy de-winterizing boats for the upcoming season, and the schedule is filling quicker than usual! You can text service directly at 573-964-3450.”

In addition, Big Thunder has enhanced its online presence, and sales of Fountain, Donzi and Baja clothing has been spiking through the Internet at the following links:

https://wakeeffects.com/product-category/brands/fountain-powerboats/

https://wakeeffects.com/product-category/brands/donzi-marine/

https://wakeeffects.com/product-category/brands/baja-marine/

“We have a great selection of boats in stock, and have been doing FaceTime videos, walk arounds, and been taking more specific photos for boat customers,” Anderson says. “All of our at-risk team members are working from home. We are practicing social distancing with both team members and clients—we aren’t allowing more than 10 people in the showrooms at any one time, and none in the shops. We have installed wall-mounted hand sanitizers at all building entrances, we’ve increased our building cleanings to twice a week, and we have some pretty potent wipes that are being used twice a day on all high-touch areas such as door handles, counters, and bathrooms.”

Big Thunder Marine is is fully committed to keeping all of its team members on staff and making sure they are paid during this time. During the past week, they’ve closed seven boat deals, delivered many previously closed boats, and sales in the pro shop are reportedly on the upswing.

“Phones ring daily with people wanting to de-winterize their boats to have them ready for the warm weather just around the corner,” Anderson continues. “Now, more than ever, boating continues to be a way to escape with friends and family as a get away from the stress of life. I truly believe that what’s happening in the world today will bring families closer together and when this is all behind us, we will end up having a huge year with many new people getting into boating, and many who have stopped because their lives became too ‘busy’ finding the time for what has given them some of their greatest memories. Our clients are looking to us to make sure they can escape from it all here at the lake.”

Photo by Tom Leigh

Chad Budge‘s passion for powerboating didn’t begin with DCBs, but it’s a pretty safe bet that it ends there. The M33R that DCB delivered to Budge last week is his fourth DCB, his second M33R, and his first to be powered by Mercury Racing 450R outboards. It may not be his last DCB, but it’s hard to imagine him transitioning to another builder—he’s as smitten with DCB as any customer we’ve ever met.

Introduced in 2018 close on the heels of DCB’s largest model to date (the M44), the M33R was first tested by Speedboat Magazine in its August 2018 issue. It remains one of DCB’s newest models, joining the M28, M29, M31, M35, M41 and M44 in the builder’s ever-growing stable, with an M37 to be added to the ranks later in 2020. (A new review of an M33R will be appearing in Speedboat’s forthcoming April 2020 issue.)

Budge, 67, lives in Jackson Hole, WY, and works in real estate development. He got into the boating scene with an 18′ Glastron Carlson, then moved to Eliminators and Howards before switching to the DCB brand four boats ago. His first was an M31 with 700 SCi stern drives, he recalls. “Then I made the mistake of driving a friend’s 31 that had 1100s,” he chuckles. “I loved it, so we ended up buying that boat when our friend stepped up to an M35 with 1350s.” Later, he moved up to an M33 with Mercury Racing 400R outboards, and now he has taken delivery of the 450R-powered M33.

Transitioning from I/O power to outboards was a major step, but not one that Budge regrets for a moment. “We hesitated for a long time on whether to do it,” he admits. “But we finally pulled the trigger, and never looked back.”

Budge and his wife, Dianne Budge, are both avid boaters who have taken Tres Martin‘s safety classes and are highly seasoned boaters. “She’s been around them for 30 years,” he says of Dianne. “She’s a very experienced driver, and it’s important to me to have a boat that she’s comfortable with. That’s why we love the M33R with the 450s. It really makes the boat come alive, and makes it more solid. When she’s cruising around at 100 mph and I’m sitting in the passenger seat, I want her to feel comfortable. And she’s totally comfortable in the boat.”

Budge says he loves everything about the boat’s handling and performance, from the quick planing time and utter lack of bowrise to its nimble attitude, maneuverability and ease of turning. “Oh my God, it’s so flat,” he raves. “You can turn it at 100 mph and do 360s in it.”

Another aspect of the M33R that the couple praises is its beautiful construction and appearance. “DCB has been going over-the-top with their interiors,” Budge says. “The interior of this boat is the nicest one we’ve had so far. The quality of the stitching and the Alcantara fabric is really unbelievable. We’ve only had the boat for a few days, and people who have seen it just go, ‘Damn!'”

Finally, Budge gives credit to the entire team at DCB for being so open-minded about ideas and customization, for keeping the lines of communication open, and being so “hands-on” with their clients. “Depending on what phase of construction you’re in, you might be talking to Tony Chiaramonte, or Paul Miller, or Jeff Johnston. It seems like they’ll are experts at handling everything.”

But he emphasizes that he doesn’t throw out enthusiastic comments lightly. “We’re actually pretty fussy people,” he says.

Budge says he’s already had the boat up to 130 mph on Lake Havasu; he expects to use M33R in his home state of Wyoming, then trailer it to Lake Powell or up to Canada, just like his previous DCBs.

Just don’t expect him to switch to a different boat brand. It’s unlikely that he’ll Budge.

Some specs on the Chad Budge’s M33R:

• Beam: 9’ 7” beam
• Power: Twin Mercury Racing 450Rs (white cowlings – $4,200/set upgrade)
• Interior: 100% Alcantara with matching under cuddy
• Custom matching carpet kit with shaved diamonds in the fabric
• Half cap with SS rubrail painted black
• Vacuum Infused Resin (VIR) process, balsa-cored, with aggressive carbon-fiber & carbon-kevlar
• Two SIMRAD 12” monitors
• One Garmin 8612 (12”) center plotter
• Isotta Carlotta steering wheel
• PCI 6-person intercom system with VHF boat-to-boat communication (aka “DCB Channel”)
• Two Garmin GMi20’s in back of headrests
• Interior Rigid LED lighting package (mood lighting, courtesy lighting, LED cupholders) and bullet LED lighting package in 450 cowlings
• Billet foot shower
• Mercury DTS controls
• Oversized billet swimstep with SeaDek and telescoping ladder.
• Adrenaline Custom Trailer, triple-axle with custom chrome 18” FUEL rims, SS fenders, triangular drive guard, undercarriage LED lighting package, etc.

Some images of the boat:

Organizers of Desert Storm—the huge Lake Havasu-based poker run and shootout event—have canceled their springtime dates in the wake of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.

They now plan to combine Desert Storm with their fall poker run, Monster Storm, to create a one-time event called Storm 2020 later this year, between September and October.

After initially forging ahead to preserve their original April 22-26 dates, organizers Jimmy Nichols Jr. and Christina Crane Nichols explained today in a Facebook Live video that they received a phone call from the City of Lake Havasu last Friday saying that all permits would be pulled for the next 60 days. Faced with a black hole of uncertainty, they turned to their sponsors to help decide how to proceed.

The three choices came down to: Continue to monitor the situation, reschedule for sometime in the summer, or postpone the event to the fall. 

“The overwhelming response from sponsors was, ‘We support whatever you decide to do,’” Crane said. 

Ultimately, the pair said the uncertainty aspect was causing them to lose sleep, so a decision was made to put off the event until the fall, when presumably life would return to a semblance of normality.

“We honestly thought this would blow over pretty quickly, but it hasn’t,” Crane said, adding that she herself comes from a medical background and suffers from an autoimmune disease. “I’m very at high risk for this, and my intention is not to put anybody else at risk for it.”

They promised to keep fans updated through emails and social media.

 

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