Miami Boat Show Sneak Preview: What’s on Deck
When the Miami International Boat Show invades the Sunshine State Feb. 13-17, the in-water docks at the Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin on Virginia Key will be robust with big-muscle machinery. Powerboat Nation asked many of the high-performance exhibitors which models they plan to show off at the 2020 edition of the show. Here’s what they told us.
CIGARETTE
The Opa-Locka, FL, builder of go-fast vee hulls is notoriously tight-lipped about its big reveals, but usually has some astounding surprises—including at least one head-turning theme boat—ready for Miami. Expect Cigarette Racing to have at least one of each of its models on display, including a Top Gun, 42X, Marauder, GTS, GTO, Huntress and the super-sized 59’ Tirranna. For what it’s worth, the company is rumored to be debuting two new models this year, and we’re just as excited to find out what it is as you are.
DEEP IMPACT
Miami is Deep Impact’s hometown. The builder of go-fast center console vees is planning to display a 399 Sport powered by quad 450R outboards, and one 369 Sport with triple 350s. “We will be doing sea trials by appointment,” according to sales manager Tim Gallagher.
HCB
HCB Center Console Yachts will have three “sea trial” models on the water at Miami Marine Stadium: the 39 Special (with triple F350 Yamaha outboards), the 42 Siesta and the 53 Sueños (with quad Yamaha 425 outboards). In addition, five additional versions of those models will be featured at the Miami Yacht Show.
HUSTLER
The Calverton, NY, muscleboat builder says it’ll be showing a 29 Shotgun (with twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards) and a 39 Shotgun (with triple 450Rs) this year. The 29 Shotgun is an all-new boat for Hustler; last year, the 29 Rockit was the smaller of the two boats they had on display.
ICONIC MARINE GROUP
(FOUNTAIN & DONZI)
The Washington, NC, builder of Fountain and Donzi brands will be displaying the following boats at its on-water display:
• Donzi 38 ZRC
• Donzi 41 GTZ
• Fountain 34 Sport Console
• Fountain 39 NX
• Fountain 43 NX
• Fountain 34 Center Console (Tournament Edition)
• Fountain 38 Center Console (with luxury seating)
In addition, you’ll find the Fountain 34 Outboard Thunder Cat at Mercury on-the-water booth, available for demo rides.
MTI
At press time, the Wentzville, MO-based builder of performance catamarans and luxury center console vee hulls was planning to show off the following models in Miami:
• Two 42Vs, both powered by quad 450s.
• A 57V with five 450s—the company’s very first quint-powered craft.
• A 340X catamaran powered by twin 450Rs.
• Two 390X catamarans, one of which is being delivered to longtime MTI customer Jake Nossaman.
• MTI will also be delivering a 48 Pleasure catamaran to customer John Caldwell at the show; it’s powered by Mercury Racing 1350/1100 engines.
MYSTIC
John Cosker, president of the DeLand, FL, builder of performance catamarans and center-console vees, will be brining the following models:
• M4200 – dealer demo boat with quad 300s.
• M3800 with triple 300s
• M4200 – loaded factory demo boat with quad 450Rs, Seakeeper, new high-level stereo and new front seating arrangement; this boat will be at the Mercury Racing on-water booth.
In addition, Mystic will be unveiling a brand-new outboard catamaran. Details to follow!
OUTERLIMITS
Rhode Island’s Outerlimits always has a can’t-miss exhibit in Miami. For 2020, the boys are showing off an SL44 vee, the first to be built with Mercury Racing’s naturally aspirated, 9.0-liter 860 stern drives. “We’re pretty excited about this package,” says sales manager Dan Kleitz. “It should be a perfect setup for our 43 and 44.” The boat is owned by Cass Shewbart of Texas (his second Outerlimits after his famous 47 GTX, XXX: Disturbing the Peace. The SL44 features a unique center entrance cabin layout with separate driver and passenger bolsters. At the time of this writing, Outerlimits was also working feverishly to try to bring a new 46’ carbon canopy cat powered by MR 1550 engines.
SKATER
The world-famous manufacturer of performance catamarans from Douglas, MI, will be bringing a 2020 438 powered by twin Mercury Racing 1550/1350s called G Force, as well as a 2020 368 powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
STATEMENT
Randy Sweers, founder and managing partner of the South Florida-based sales/service/dealership FB Marine Group, will be showing a Statement 350 powered by twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards, as well as a 380 powered by triple Mercury Racing 400R outboards. In addition, Sweers will be displaying a Seafinity T4 with quad 400R outboards from Italy.
SUNSATION
Performance Boat Center, the Lake of the Ozarks-based mega-dealer, will be featuring two boats from the builder of luxury performance center consoles:
• 32 CCX with twin Mercury Racing 400R outboards.
• 40 CCX with triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
Both boats will feature new interior styling, according to PBC’s Brett Manire. “We did a relaunch of the 32 CCX in Fort Lauderdale with a few changes, and liked them so much that we made the same interior changes to the 40 CCX. The boat is now way more functional, with high quality and cutting edge features,” he says.
WRIGHT PERFORMANCE
Also at the Performance Boat Center booth: two boats in the Wright Performance line that PBC developed with Doug Wright Designs, the 360 (powered by twin 400Rs) and the 420 (powered by twin 450Rs). The 420 debuted at the 2019 Miami boat show.
