Speedboat March 2016

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MARCH 2016

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ALSO:TOM PAPP Memorial Race

sTOM PAPP Memorial Race

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4Wild TunnelsOur 1,100-hp

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SEE PAGE 18

We Test

WEEKEND PARADISE!

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50 years of serving the custom boat industry.

The 29 Deckboat with twin 400s. Luxury and style at 100+ mph!LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA 800.279.5398 E-MAIL: [email protected]

www.NordicBoatsUSA.com

9Roomy, reliable and 100+ mph on GPS.Welcome to the quintessential deckboat. Your next boat purchase is an investment in both your family and yourself. Make the right choice.

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COLUMNS10 RAY LEE12 ALEXI SAHAGIAN14 JIM WILKES16 GREG SHOEMAKER56 READER RIDES60 NEW PRODUCTS

FEATURES18 FAST 4SOMEWe kick off our 2016 Performance Evaluations with four screamin tunnel boats from DCB, Eliminator, Shockwave and Interceptor.

38 WAR OF THE WORLDSRough water, barrel rolls and the agony of defeatall ingredients of Key Wests SBI World Championships.

46 SPEEDBOAT LEGENDSThis month, we induct master hull designer Rusty Biesemeyer into our Hall of Fame.

50 BADASS 548 BUILD, PART 2Tom Orseno at Pro-Marine of Lake Havasu wraps up work on our 1,100-hp powerplant.

BRETTS COVE64 OLIVERS TWISTMatt Olivers red-hot Hondo is the envy of all who encounter it.

66 WEEKEND PARADISEThe owner of Lake Elsinores hottest RV Park opens his venue to the V-drive crowd.

Cover photo by Todd TaylorTable of Contents photo by Todd Taylor

speedboat.com 6 S P E E D B O A T | March 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTSMarch 2016

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70 WHATS THE PROBLEM, CHILD?The worlds quickest TFH slumped in 2015, but Eddie Knox vows to get the team back on top.

72 SHEL RAISERDrag racer Todd Ebert is proud of his careerbut even prouder of another racer: his daughter Shelby.

76 TOM PAPP MEMORIALFriends, fans and former customers pay tribute to the late, great boatbuilder Tom Papp.

Editorial: Speedboat Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, materials, photographs and artwork submitted are at mailers risk and must include self-addressed envelope with proper postage if requested to be returned. All letters sent to Speedboat will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes, and are subject to Performance Boats right to edit and comment editorially. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.

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OBSERVERS SEATRAY LEE

According to Wikipedia, the African penguin, the giant panda, the loggerhead sea turtle and the Tasmanian devil are all currently on the endangered-species list. Perhaps the vee-bottom performance boat should be considered for inclusion there as well.

This is hard for me to accept or even comprehend. I am a proud vee-bottom guy, and I think that I always will be. But the popularity of the high-performance catamaran, or cat, has far surpassed the classic vee-hull vessels in the last several years.

Of course, manufacturers like Ciga-rette, Outerlimits and Sunsation may disagree with this, but it seems that the trend has greatly swung towards these dual-sponsoned hulls. At least according to some of the performance boat build-ers that Ive spoken to.

Its the cool factor, says Hernando Rodriguez of Cobra Performance Boats in Montclair, CA. Its the hot rod of the water.

Which I suppose it is. Theres no question that todays cats are cool. And FAST! With speeds easily running over 100 mph with only mild horsepower, the appeal is undeniable. Horsepower to horsepower, you are guaranteed to run several miles per hour faster in a cat than you would in a vee-bottom.

But what about room in the boat? Most cats leave a ton of unused space. Vee-bottoms usually come with fi nished cabins, ranging from simple to down-right luxurious. Complete with beds, lounges, galleys, heads and sometimes, even air conditioning!

It doesnt matter, the cat congre-gation declares. Its a fair trade-off Lighter and faster is better.

Thane Tiemer of Nordic Boats in Lake Havasu City, AZ says that theyve been busier than ever building their line of fast cats. Id say were at 99 to 1, cats over vees lately, he says. Most of the boats that weve built in the last few years have been cats. We actually had to

Vee for Vendetta

build a stock vee-bottom just to show customers the model.

West Coast powerhouse DCB has built its entire esteemed brand around fast, immaculate catamarans. Skater, MTI and Mystic have done similar on the opposite coast. Theres no question that the big, fast cats are impressive, fun to watch and generally the show-stealer at all of the big events.

But other than speed, are there other reasons to choose these water rockets?

Yes, says Speedboat Magazine Test Team driver and industry guru Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine. As a longtime convert and multi-time champion racing these catamarans, Bob swears by them.

Theyre more stable, theyre safer, more efficient, use less horsepower and get better gas mileage I think they get a bad rap from the insur-ance companies and dont deserve it, Teague says. Insurance companies infamously charge higher premiums for the catamaran hulls than the vee-bottoms.

So, is this a trend, or are the vees dangerously close to being extinct in the world of high-performance boating? Can the vee-bottom survive with such odds stacked against them?

Fear not, my fellow vee-bottom loyal-ists! Let us boatUNITED! For there is still nothing like a well-built vee bottom boat, especially when out in the big, rough waters of Anywaterway, USA.

I believe the vee-bottom will be around for many, many generations and that it will surely never go the way of the Dodo.

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ON THE DYNOALEXI SAHAGIAN

Cooling CrazeDear Alexi:I am having a cooling problem with my small block MerCruiser engine. I have changed the impeller and water pump on the engine itself, and it still immedi-ately gets really hot where the buzzer goes off and has popped off a line, spewing water into my bilge. I am very frustrated. I went to the auto parts store and got the GM replacement short water pump three times, and each time I check my impeller, it seems fine. Im pulling my hair out! I hope you can help.Devon BeamsRiverside, CA

Lets sort this out and understand a few key things. Keep in mind that it is a good sign that your water pump impeller is working and has throughout this mess. It means it is getting water somehow and staying cool. Lets look into the water pump on the engine recirculating water.

One mistake a lot of folks make is not realize there are pumps that are designed to work backwards depending on the belt routing. It sounds to me like your pump is recirculating water in a reverse direction fighting the raw water pump over pressurizing the lines and eventu-ally bursting them off the flange. This is what can happen if you have the wrong direction pump going on. You mentioned auto-parts store. They would not know if the pump you brought in was a left or right hand direction, as they look identi-

cal from the outside. The best thing to do is look online or at a manual or even a placard on top of your engine if it is there and sees what the belt routing from the factory was. With this info, you can deter-mine whether your engine is running the pump backwards or not. Once you get this correct knowledge then you will need to seek a marine dealer and get the correct water pump from a dealer that stocks either Mercury Marine or Sierra Marine water pumps for your engine ID number. Once you do this you should be good to go. Please make sure once youre done that you have sufficient water flow out of your exhaust tips and let it run to temp in the driveway assuring all is well. Again, the pumps look the same but one has a reverse impeller in it on those cer-tain year engines recirculating pumps.

Gauge-Swap IssuesDear Alexi:

I have a Hallett ski boat with a 496 MerCruiser engine. I bought gauges online and installed them myself and they look nice. I then went to start my engine and it seems as though the pressure gauges and the temp gauges are reading way off. The place said they were compatible with my engine. Your input would be great, since my emails have gone unanswered. Thank you!Joe ShuteParker, AZ

Most of the gauges made these days are designed to work close with the fac-tory senders. However, we always rec-ommend purchasing a sender kit with

each temp and pres-sure gauge to assure your system is precise. We see often a 20-30 degree difference in OEM vs. the manufac-

turers gauges, yet when you run their senders, its spot on! We also see a vari-ance in the oil and fuel psi gauges of 10 psi in some cases. So, my ultimate recommendation for this is to purchase the matching senders for each gauge that requires one in your setup. I would focus on pressures and temperatures; the oth-ers dont have compatibility issues often.

Idle WoesDear Alexi:

I have a name-brand big horsepower EFI engine with all of the best parts in it. It is in a smaller ski race-type boat. It is a 557 cubic inch engine with a psi supercharger and an EFI system. It has a Autronic EFI controller and 16 fuel injectors. The bot-tom injectors are in the port and the top

ones are above the supercharger. It has two 2,000-cfm throttle bodies on it. My builder dyno-tested the engine and ran it in the boat with a lap top and it runs well everywhere but idle. No matter what, it wont idle consistently! It has two IAC

[Continues on page 82]

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V-DRIVE TECHJIM WILKES

Crusader V Drive Help NeededDear V-Drive Tech:I have a Crusader V drive that is in a 1970 Arena Craft family ski boat. The boat was a Tahoe Boat that ran at 6,200 feet of elevation. The V-drive is stamped 1.15.I brought the boat down to sea level and really could get much top end. maybe 38-40 mph at 4,500 rpm. I started think-ing maybe the boat is being under driv-en by the V-drive because it was a Tahoe Boat running at a high elevation. I pulled the V-drive out, and sure enough, it seems to be under driven by .15%. Can the gears be reversed to be under driven as mine is? If so, is it just an easy gear swap top to bottom to bring it back to the 1.15 ratio? Steve MichaelsLake Tahoe, CA

There were a few different styles of the Crusader V-Drives made so for me to tell you what you should do might not be correct. You didnt mention if you had a in-out gear style shifter or is it a direct drive with the use of a transmission?

Some of the Crusader V-Drives can be turned upside down. This is the quickest way to change from under to overdrive. Dont worry about running the gears backwards just make sure you use a good gear oil with a good EP package in the oil. EP stands for extra pressure. Lucas Marine M8 gear oil is a great choice.

Next you could take the V-Drive apart and might be able to reverse the upper and lower gear. You will need to check the shaft size. Crusader made upper shaft sizes from 1 1/4 to 1 5/8 what this means to you is if your lower shaft is smaller than your upper shaft you wont be able to switch the gears from top to bottom. Same size shafts means JACKPOT. Finding gears for this make of V-Drive will be tough but you can always have a set made $$$$$.

Good luck Steve. If you need more help call me.

Blown Out Aluminum Pipe

Dear V-Drive Tech:Please check out the attached photos. Have you ever seen anything like this? I have cast aluminum OTs, water cooled and the right side pipe looks like it got super-heated, bubbled and split at the top bend. The left side had no issues. This was after a number of (10 maybe) high-load launches and half-mile runs.

The plugs all look good...I pulled the water logs and each exhaust port seems sooty black, so it does not appear to be run-ning lean on that side. Water was running through the log the whole time, as far as I can tell, and the motor was not overheat-ing. FYI, only the bottom channel of these OTs are water cooled, this split happened at the top.Thanks for any help.Andrew GarfieldGoshen, IN

A number of things need to be checked to make sure block pressure is equal on both sides of the water lines. This will require you to install a pressure gauge on the exit side of the water lines leaving the block. Check one side than the other a see if any differences in pressure. It looks like you have SS lines on your engine and OT pipes. You need to check all the hoses and fittings closely for any corro-sion. Water sets in the hose and fittings at the lowest point and over time will block water flow. FYI it is a good idea to drain the exit lines after a weekend of boating. We try to drain the block and cooler lines after each outing just for that reason.

Andrew when you take you broken OT pipe off look inside your exhaust manifold and see if you find any traces of water. This might help with your OT pipe problem. Water in the manifold might suggest a broken water transfer tube in the OT pipe.


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JET TECHGREG SHOEMAKER

Motor Mount QuestionDear Jet Tech:

Please refer to the photo of my motor mounts. I dont really like the looks of them. They dont seem strong, and the one already looks bent or sagging. I know that the weight of a average big block puts a bit of strain on stringers and motor boxes over time with these mounts. Are they

simple to install and reinstall? Are they as dependable or as strong as a tradition-al four-point cast mount or rail mount kit? Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks!Nathan PriestleyPhoenix, AZ

The type of mounts you have are a three-point mount setup. The problem you have with the side mounts bend-ing is very common. As you can see, the weight of the engine will cause the side mounts to sag and over a period of time and eventually the mount will fail. Three-point mounts made it easier for the rigger to install the engine during the manufacturing process. My suggestion would be to install a four-point mount-ing setup or, if your budget permits, to purchase a full rail kit that will eliminate this problem.

Dominator Bowl DetailingDear Jet Tech:

I am in the process of rebuilding my late-model Dominator 12S and have some questions. I found out why I got such a deal on aluminum jet boat as the previous owner sucked up some rocks and they were not nice to the impeller or the bowl. I intended to replace the aluminum impeller with a stainless one so it didnt hurt my feeling when I found chunks missing from the back side of the impeller. The bowl has a few dings on the leading edges of the fins. I figured that it would be a good time to detail the bowl. In all my research, it seems that everyone just sharpens the fins but I feel that smooth flowing profiles disturbs the water less. What should I be striving for? Sharp or somewhat rounded?Edward CarelliSan Jose, CA

When rebuilding a jet pump for the river that has had rocks run through it, it would be customary to detail the damaged area as well as you can with a porting tool and call it a day. The purpose of the bowl is to straighten the water when leaving the backside of the impeller. Sharpening the leading edges will help the flow out of the bowl, which will help in acceleration. Dont expect a night-and-day differenceits just not there. If you really want to get serious, you can extrude hone the bowl, but this is very costly, and unless it was a race boat, it wont be worth the expense.

Valve CoversDear Jet Tech:

I recently bought a 396 small-block Chevy stroker from a buddy. He had it built put it in a drag car made a few passes with it and lost interest. Im in the process of freshening it up, chang-ing the cam and a few other things so I can put it in my aluminum jet-boat. He said it always wanted to blow

out intake gas-kets, so he put breathers in the valve covers with lines run-ning to the exhaust to remove the pres-sure. I dont want to do this on a boat. What are my options? No PCV...will a catch can work? Or do I need to get a vacuum pump?Travis PecciLos Angeles, CA

Im not sure why installing breath-ers on the valve covers would prevent the intake gaskets from failing. Are you sure it was the intake gaskets or was it the valve cover gaskets? Sounds like you had a lot of crankcase pressure. If this is the case, a good set of upright breathers mounted to the front of the valve covers would likely solve your problem.

Any Info on Silverado?Dear Jet Tech:I have the opportunity to buy a boat.

Its a 79 Silverado with a naturally aspirated big-block 454 and a Berkeley jet drive. I have searched for a few days and cant find anything about these boats! The price sounds right (even if I need to put some work into it)...I just know nothing about them. Good hulls? Reliable? Ive been around go-fast things my whole life and would really enjoy getting into a boat. Any info would be appreciated!Tom FriedmanRancho Cucamonga, CA

Silverado Boats were built during the late 70s and early 80s in Anaheim, CA. Greg Covin was the owner. As I recall, he had three or four models. If you have the 19 Flatdeck, you have a boat that is very similar to the 19' Hornet or the Carrera Eclipse. This hull, if set up cor-rectly, will give you good performance and a nice ride.

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DCB Eliminator Interceptor Shockwave

Fast 4someFast 4someSpeedboat 2016 Performance Evaluations

Earl Crowe, Kenny Dunlop, Brett Bayne, Greg Shoemaker, Chris Davidson, Tony Scarlata, Dennis Martz, Jay Forbes, Ray Lee, Jim Wilkes, Alexi Sahagian and Todd Taylor.

Photos by Todd TaylorLate last year, the Speedboat team descended upon Lake Havasu City, AZ, for the latest round of our Performance Evaluations, testing eight mean machinesthe first four of which appear on the following pages. All four are tunnel hulls, and all but oneDCBs M35are high-performance deckboats. Wed like to extend special thanks to all of our hard-working team members who helped make this latest round of tests an unqualified success! Look for four more evaluations in our May 2016 issue.



Brute force, luxury, comfort, styling,speed... Dave Hemmingson and histeam didnt leave anything out when creating this amazing catamaran.

DCBDCBM35

What happens when brute power collides with captivating style and comfort? You get DCBs M35 Widebody, an infusion of supersonic power and luxury styling. Tooled through 2008 and formally introduced at the 2009 Los Angeles Boat Show, the M35 was truly the cul-mination of everything DCB has been working up to at that time. Since then, the team has introduced the equally impressive M31 (look for our review of that in May). Though our test team has encountered its sister ship in past issues, this was, astonishingly enough,

our first official evaluation of the M35. And it was worth the wait. Armed with a pair of Mercury Racing 1,100-hp engines, this mean machine not only accelerates from zero to 90 mph in 20 seconds flat, in addition youll find yourself maxing it out at its 160-mph top speed in a blink of an eye. And when you get there, its a thrill ride you wont soon forget. The M35 some-how manages to top anything DCB has brought to us in the past, earning a per-fect 10 from our test team, including world-renowned driver Bob Teague.

The Package: So how does DCB

earn its flawless marks? Start with their immaculate attention to detail, with its trademark sleek lines, sharpened front wings and plush Euro styling on full display.

The M35 has been tricked out with a staggering amount of optional bling, upping the ante from its already mas-sive list of standard features that include poker-run bucket-style seat-ing, snap-in carpet, premium steering wheel, Livorsi gauges, interior light-ing and a blueprinted bottom running surface. DCB has produced about two dozen of M35s so far; our test boat



DCB M35

Length: 35'4" Beam: 9'8"

Engines on test boat: twin Mercury Racing 1100s with #6 drives

Price as tested: $748,845

Optional equipment: Engine upgrade, Mercury CNC five-blade propellers, aerator kit, Mercury Racing custom painted blocks, gelcoat upgrade, carbon fiber, carbon Kevlar, carbon bulkheads upgrade, intercom system, interior upgrade, partial Alcantara interior upgrade, etc.

Top speed: 160 mph @ 6,500 rpm

Daves Custom Boats 1468 N. Magnolia Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020 (619) 442-0300

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When you back off the throttles, its almost like turning a switch off on the motor, says Bob Teague. This boat decelerates very well. Reaction is great.

The M35 has been tricked out with a staggering amount of optional bling. The new interior design was absolutely riveting, with elongated stitching and uniquely cut patterns inside it, including a half-vinyl, half-Alcantara theme.

22 S P E E D B O A T | March 2016

DCB M35

speedboat.com



was brand-new out of the factory, with two more being assembled during the time of our test in October, including a fully capped pearl-white model pow-ered by twin 1350s. Standard power is the Mercury 565 with Bravo One drives, but although the M35 is most typically outfitted with either 700s or 1100s, three built in the last year have had 1350s, with two more currently on order. Of course, one of the big differ-ences between the 1100s the 1350s will be the sticker pricearound a $80,000 difference. But according to DCB, cus-tomers who gravitate toward the 1100 package like the fact that they can run 89 octane, as well as the 160 mph speed right out of the box.

DCB is one of the only manufactur-ers to make 3/4 acrylic engine hatches standard on one of their modelsprac-tically every one of their M35s and M31s has had them. Purely from an aesthetic point of view, its a dazzling feature. (Both the acrylic in the engine hatches and the beautiful wraparound windshields are supplied by Acrylifab Plastics of Riverside, CA). Weve never

seen a wraparound windshield with such astonishing clarity. To quote Bob Teague, Its like watching Panavision.

All of DCBs interiors demonstrate the teams devotion to exemplary crafts-manship, but whoever was in charge of this M35s interior must be a kind of mad genius. The new design was abso-lutely riveting, with elongated stitching and uniquely cut patterns inside it, including a half-vinyl, half-Alcantara theme. When our evaluators got a look at it, jaws were dropped.

Performance: You wont believe the performance and handling that this thoroughbred brings to the water. The plug-and-play installation makes starting a breeze: Just press a button on the DTS wireless shift and throttle setup, and the state-of-the-art twin-turbo engines hook right up. Open the glove box, arm the system, push the buttonyou dont even have to hold it, just touch itand both engines start right up.

After bringing the M35 on plane, itll load up nicely. Thats your cue to bring the trim up to about a 3, which

we found to be the sweet spot for cruis-ing between 70 and 75 mph. Continue to throttle it up, and the acceleration is like a dragster. From 70 to 140 mph, the boat was incredible, says test driv-er Alexi Sahagian. Thats the beauty of having the twin turbo motorstheres a lot of torque, which works well with a boat thats not too heavy. Theres a lot of lightweight components in this boat that helps it drive extremely well.

Meanwhile, test driver Bob Teague expressed his enthusiasm for virtually every facet of the boats construction and drivability. At speed, he admired the way the fast response of the digital throttles during deceleration. When you back off, its almost like turning a switch off on the motor, he says. This boat really does that well. Reaction is great. He also raved about the way the M35 cuts through boat wakes at 140 mph. It gets across the stuff pretty good. Teague awarded the boat a per-fect 10 out of 10, singling out stabil-ity, tracking at all speeds, sensitivity to trim, overall maneuverability and steering wheel torque.



Heres an 82-mph deckboat that earns stellar marks in all of the handling and performance characteristicsand it looks great, too!

EliminatorEliminator28' Fun Deck

Widely considered to be the most influential builder in the custom West Coast speedboat segment, Eliminator of Mira Loma, CA, virtually revolutionized custom interior, gelcoat, hardware and setup, catalyzing the appeal of our industry. Company founder Bob Leach solidi-fied Eliminators reputation as a per-formance powerhouse by popularizing a line that included a mini-cruiser, the low-slung 19-foot Daytona tunnel, the step-bottom Eagle design, and numer-ous deep vees and catamarans in every engine configuration you can imagine.

Fast-forward to 2016, when the best-selling model in Eliminators stable is very likely the Fun Deck, a 28-foot deckboat that strives to bring happi-ness to the whole family by giving mom and the kids room and comfort, while dad gets to achieve some truly impres-sive wide-open throttle action. If you think thats only a clich, think againa quick interview with Keith Hitchcock, the Eliminator customer who bought our test boat, reveals thats precisely the mindset within his own family: My wife doesnt like the speed as much as I do, but shell get over it, he confided

to Speedboat. The 28' Fun Decks popularity can

be attributed not just to current boat-ing trends, but to how well Eliminator has sculpted, appointed and rigged their crafttheyve listened careful-ly to their base and are equipped to customize the boat according to their needs. For example, Hitchcock asked that the batteries and battery shutoffs not be installed in the engine compart-ment, but beneath a rear seat and exit steps in the stern. That relocation gave the owner more room adjacent to the engine, and Eliminators willingness to



Eliminator Fun Deck

Length: 28'

Beam: 98"

Engine on test boat: single Mercury 565

Drive on test boat: Bravo XR

Base price: $165,000


Options on test boat: Thru-hull exhaust, full hydraulic steering, Monster gauge upgrade, etc.


Eliminator Custom Boats 10795 San Sevaine Way Mira Loma, CA 91752 (951) 332-4300

eliminatorboat.com

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Its fast, gets on plane well and is cool-looking, for sure, but this thing is really a crisp-handling boat. It leans into the turns, and it turns on a dime.Bob Teague

Our evaluators praised the dash layout, which features an option-al upgrade to Monster gauges. Speakers feature LED lights that you can actually see glowing during the day. Another smart upgrade: full hydraulic steering.


Eliminator Fun Deck

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oblige him is one of the things that attracted Hitchcock to the Fun Deck.

The Package: Eliminator esca-lates the fun factor by maximizing the seating configuration on the Fun Deck. Rather than offering an ordinary rear bench, youll find a jump seat located directly behind the starboard-size drivers seat. Theres a corner gap for the rear-entry stairs, then a roomy bench that wraps around the port side all the way to the passenger bolster. Ultimately, the seating was the real selling point for us, the owner says. Also, it has a lot of storage, and I liked that the mold is a single piece on top rather than a bunch of pieced-together parts. I love the way it handles with the integrated hydraulic steering in the drive; we liked the fact that the engine hatch was flat, and the stairs at the back of the boat arent too steep.

The aforementioned storage includes two large areas with doors in both bulk-heads, two large lockers built into the nonskid floors and additional storage beneath the benches. Located from stem to stern are 10 speakers that are

part of the elaborate optional sound system the owner ordered. Hitchcock designed the interior of the boat with some subtle blue colors, giving it a very clean look. We kept the colors pretty conservative, he says. Since we boat mainly in Havasu, we didnt want it to get hot. I want to show it offI dont want towels lying everywhere.

Our test crew graded the layout and appearance of the Fun Deck very high-ly, and had to really nitpick to find a flawand its a trait shared with many of the deckboats. Sometimes when you walk down the middle of a boat like this, it has a little step down, notes test driver Alexi Sahagian. If youre not paying attention, youll trip on it. I always recommend that the builder put some kind of a marker on the floor, or a stripe or something, because if you cant see the step, youre bound to take a fall. (In the case of the Fun Deck, there are two steps from the bow down to the cockpit.)

Performance: Our engine was a Mercury 565 with an XR drive spin-ning a lab-finished 28"-pitch prop,

which turns out to be a primo package. Probably the nicest thing about this boat is the way it handles, test driver Teague says. Its plenty fast, gets on plane very well and is cool-looking, for sure, but this thing is really a crisp-handling boat. At any speed it leans into the turns, and it turns on a dime. Its really good. He got to 64 mph in 20 seconds; top speed was 82 mph at 5,500.

Its hard to do anything wrong, Teague continues. If you turn this boat upside down, youre dumb. He award-ed outstanding marks to all of the han-dling and performance characteristics, including slalom turns at all speed ranges, tracking, sensitivity to trim, visibility and throttle response. He also called the Eliminator a very comfort-able boat, and praised the boats dash layout and placement of controls.

Sahagian echoed Teagues kind words, giving kudos to the Fun Decks planing, turning ability, stable ride and overall performance. Its a typical Eliminatorit just runs straight as an arrow, he says.



When youre working with a smaller canvas, it helps to utilize every precious inch.And thats exactly what Shockwave Boats has done.

ShockwaveShockwave22 Deck Boat

Credit Shockwave Custom Boats of Corona, CA, with investing in a product that was already terrifictheir 22 Deck Boatand making it even better.

Introduced in 2008 and recently redesigned, this is a model that really makes the most of its 22 feet: the front of the boat has been transformed to add extra room for seating, while the transom has been revised to fit the bigger and newer I/O packages. That being said, Shockwave opted to deliver us a jet-driven version of this impres-sively speedy and roomy rig; although the company builds a fair amount of

stern-drive configurations, Shockwave President Bob Anderson confides that the jet setup is a particular favorite of customers cruising the lower river.

The Package: The 22' Deck Boat has ample room, enough for 10-11 total passengers. Thats pretty impressive for a 22-footer, and its an undeniable sell-ing point to customers who will also be attracted to the sticker price ($59,000 with no frills and standard power).

The boats layout is relatively simple. From front to back: theres an elon-gated bow with a walk-in entrance for easy access; lounges on both sides with room for two or three adults in each

(forward-facing cushions permit two lucky passengers to stretch out in the bow section); port-side drivers helm with Livorsi carbon-fiber gauges and a few rows of switches, with a chicken bar and glove box on the passenger side; in-floor storage, and finally a rear bench. Under the hatch, we found a zippy Cadillac CTS-V LSA 6.2 engine (550 hp)an upgrade from the stan-dard 6.2 or 5.7. The engine compart-ment is nicely carpeted and totally sano, while the cockpit features a non-skid surface with no carpet.

Finally, the transom sports a swim platform with nonskid surface to



Shockwave 22 Deck Boat

Length: 22'

Beam: 98"

Engine on test boat: Cadillac LSA 6.2 (550 hp) / Dominator jet

Base price: $59,000


Optional equipment: engine upgrade, CMI headers, hydraulic Place Diverter with wheel switch, setback pump, upgraded stereo system, bow and stern cap, Livorsi carbon-fiber gauges, etc.


Shockwave Custom Boats 1800 Capital St. Corona, CA 92880(714) 287-3455shockwaveboats.com

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This hull goes over the wakes and stuff pretty darn good for a jetboat. And you never lose sight of the horizonvisibility on plane is great. Bob Teague

The port-side drivers helm features Livorsi carbon-fiber gauges and a few rows of switches, with a chicken bar and glove box on the passenger side. We liked a lot of the little crea-ture comforts that Shockwave has provided, including a shower built into the port-side sponson up front.



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reduce slippage. Gelcoat on the 22' featured a mix of white, blue and grey; attractive but nothing very fancy.

Our dash layout was serviceable but quite compact. Everythings right in front of you, which means the steering wheel will obstruct the view of some of the gauges. Evaluator Alexi Sahagian singled out the driver ergonomics: Everything is nice and smoothI like the foot placement and the throttle position for the driver. The seats, while comfortable, were a teensy bit more vertical than wed have preferred, but thats all part of the tradeoff while maximizing space in a smaller boat.

We liked a lot of the little creature comforts that Shockwave has provid-ed, including a shower built into the port-side sponson up front, numerous cup holders, plenty of storage through-out the boat and an upgraded stereo system that included cool speakers provided by JL Audio of Miramar, FL.

Performance: As we mentioned, our tester came with an upgraded pow-erplant: a Cadillac LSA 6.2-liter engine

with shoe and ride plate, setback pump, hydraulic Place Diverter with wheel switch, CMI headers and Dominator jet drive with jet-pump inducer). Its a nifty setup, and around the docks, the 22' behaves like a typical jetboat. You have to give it a little throttle to get it to do something, and the reaction time is a little different than a stern drive, observes Alexi. Thus, it requires a little more throttle input.

The 22' comes up on plane fairly quickly and is nimble and depend-able through all of the speed ranges. A brand-new driver must pay atten-tion when he gets up on plane, or you may notice that it has a tendency to track around, he adds. Its sensitive to throttle.

We put the Shockwave through our usual series of slalom turning, and found it to run well. At low speeds, youll be able to turn around for a skier with no problems. The Shockwave doesnt feel like it wants to bite or dig in during the turns like a stern-drive boat sometimes will. Its almost like the jet-

boat has a little bit of slip that allows it to be more user-friendly in the slower speed slalom turns, which is pretty neat, Alexi says.

The 22' gave us a good, solid ride in the higher speeds. We got it to just a couple of mph shy of 70 on GPS in about 20 seconds, which is pretty respectable. This hull goes over the wakes and stuff pretty darn good for a jetboat, said test driver Bob Teague, who praised the Shockwaves throttle response in the low to midrange speeds, as well as the boats sensitivity to trim and visibility coming on plane. You never lose sight of the horizon, he says. Visibility on plane is great, except its a windy boat. So Ill give it a 9 out of 10.

Overall, much depends on how you want to use the 22'. If youve got a place on the river where the water is shallow, or if you want a deckboat but dont want to worry about propellers, this is the boat for you. Its attractive, it doesnt rattle, its handling capabilities are solid and it goes over boat wakes with ease.



Heres a deckboat from the new kids in towntheyve done their homework and are offeringa roomy rig with scads of storage.

Interceptor28 Kool Kat

Attendees of the recent Los Angeles and Lake Havasu boat shows are likely to have caught sight of the new guy in townInterceptor Custom Boats. The build-er has been proudly showing off its three models, including the 28' Kool Kat deckboat, which has proved popu-lar enough to inspire the creation of a 25-foot version to be released later this year. This was our first Interception of one of the Corona, CA-built rock-ets, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to share it with you.

The Package: The first thing our

test team observed about the Kool Kat is that its a large boat with more of a square design than some of its com-peting modelsits lines are a bit more abrupt in the front and back, giv-ing it something not unlike a shoe-box appearance. But thats not a dig by any means, especially given that Interceptors gelcoat work is a genuine thing of beauty: yellow, orange and red flames fade out of a purple-blue hull, with matching accents throughout the interiorits a definite eye-catcher.

The boat is voluminous on the inside, with oodles of seating space, more than

many of the 28-foot boats, according to evaluator Alexi Sahagian. Interceptor has clearly tried to distinguish itself from its competitors by rethinking the floor of its deckboat. Rather than the usual white nonskid surface, theyve incorporated more than a dozen small-er rubber grey nonskid inserts into the fiberglass floor. While we worried that these panels might get a little hot in the sun, they offer at least two major benefits: first, they signal to passengers where there the height transitions in the floor area big plusand second, several of these inserts are also lids to



Interceptor 28 Kool Kat

Length: 28' Beam: 102"

Engines on test boat: 520 Mercury Racing engine with XR Drive

Base price: $99,990


Optional equipment: Engine upgrade, full hydraulic steering, half cap, Monster gauges, engine compartment upgrade, windshield painted trim option, fiberglass seat back upgrade, billet seat upgrade, upgraded stereo system, underwater lighting.


Interceptor Powerboats 1451 Pomona Rd Corona Ca. 92882 (951) 737-9801 icbboats.com

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Handling in the slaloms is a 10. It goes across the bumps and wakes pretty good and tracks well all the time. Maneuverability is as good as it gets for a single engine.

Bob Teague

Our Kool Kat featured all Livorsi gauges with Mercury Smartcraft system installed. The standard 8.2 Mag was upgraded to a single 520 Mercury Racing engine with Bravo drive. Seating, dash layout, comfort and storage all received top marks from our test team.



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storage areas in the floor. Its actually a good idea, says Bob Teague. Im curi-ous to see how theyll hold up. Its the first time Ive seen that in one of these boats, all the way through.

Speaking of storage, thats another of the Interceptors assets. Theres no end of storage on this boat. During our photo shoot, our camera crew had their work cut out for them trying to docu-ment every single storage space on the Kool Katjust when they thought they were done, another one was dis-covered. There are areas to hide away innumerable supplies on this craft; in addition to the aforementioned floor lockers, you can stow items under the seats, in both bulkheads, in the glove box, even in one of the rear-entry stairs. (All of the floor lockers come with a nifty recessed pop-and-twist lock, a masterwork of engineering ingenuity.)

After entering the flat, extra-wide front end, passengers step down into the bow area containing large couches with forward-facing seats. Those are adorned with cupholders, chicken bars and speakers, and these seats are

extremely comfortable. Directly behind them are bulkheads with large storage areas; the starboard-side configuration has both a door on the side and a lift-up top; the back of the helms controls are easily accessible through this entry.

Dry-land inspector Greg Shoemaker awarded near-perfect marks to virtu-ally all aspects of the Kool Kats layout, accommodations and construction, from the dash layout (a perfect 10) and overall interior to the seating arrange-ment and passenger comfort. It looks like theyre going in the right direc-tion, says Teague.

Performance: Standard power on a Kool Kat is the 8.2 Mag, but ours was equipped with a 520 Mercury Racing engine coupled to a Bravo One drive; the setup features Imcos full hydraulic steering.

On the water, our test team couldnt help comparing the Interceptor with Eliminators Fun Deck (reviewed on Page 24 of this issue), with its sim-liar bottom design and overall han-dling characteristics. Thats a ring-ing endorsement in and of itself. One

major difference: this boat was loud. Firing it up, it sounds like a race boat, says Alexi Sahagian. Around the docks, it wa almost unbearable, but after you get up on plane and youre going 30 mph, then its fairly quiet and not so bad any-more. Bob Teague concurred: Needs mufflers! Sounds like an easy fix.

Putting the Kool Kat through his series of slalom turns and all of the speed ranges, Teague came away impressed. Handling in the slaloms is a 10, he wrote. It goes across the bumps and wakes pretty good, so good marks there. It tracks good all the time, theres no steering wheel torque, and maneuverability is as good as it gets for a single engine10. He also gave perfect (or near-perfect) marks to all of the boats handling and perfor-mance characteristics, singling out the Interceptors flawless turning abilities.

Acceleration was decent; we got to 62 mph in 20 seconds, with a top speed of 70 at 5,350 rpm. Were looking for-ward to our next ride in a Kool Kat, and highly anticipating the introduction of the 25-foot model.


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SETTING SETTING RECORDSRECORDS

Phone: 765.733.0833 1766 Acoma Blvd W Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403Phone: 310.995.1670 westcoastdrives.com

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Cat Can Do, driver Keith Holmes

Gone Again, driver Kenny Mungle

Predator I, driver Vern Gilbert, West Coast Drive Service

Dial 911, driver Don London

Predator II, driver Gary Smith

388 Skater, driver John Tomlinson

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Photos by Pete Boden & Ray Lee


Rough water, barrel rolls and the agony of defeatallingredients of Key Wests 2015 SBI World Championships.

WAR WAR WORLDSWORLDS

OF THE

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Left: Superboat class entries (including #21 Performance Boat Center, near lane)tear up the water in Key West. Below: the

Twisted Metal team gets the party started.

The usual offshore battle royale unfold-ed in the countrys Southernmost city in November as the big raceboats vied for World Championship cred on the rough Atlantic Ocean waters. Key West is the end of the line for the Super Boat competitors in November as they clash in seven different classes during three days of dramatic racing.

The seasons big winners were

the pair of Team CMS Motorsports machinesboth MTI hullswhich took first and second place overall in the Superboat Unlimited Class. Lucas Oil Silverhook and Miss Geico rounded out the top four in the class.

WHM Motorsports grabbed World Champion honors in Superboat Class; they were followed by Cleveland Construction, Team Amsoil and STIHL. Meanwhile, Superboat class competitor HP Mafia, a 38' Skater, did not finish

after barrel-rolling in the first turn dur-ing Sundays final race. Anthony Smith and his son Anthony Jr., 22, crashed hard, landing upside down; fortunately, they were rescued quickly and escaped serious injury.

Other 2015 World Champions included Hooters Instigator (Superboat Extreme), Sun Print (Superboat Vee), Talbot (Superboat Stock), 2nd Amendment (Manufacturer 3) and Crazy Chicken (Manufacturer 4).


Fourth-place entry STIHL, a 38' Skater featuring Robert J.R. Noble (owner/driver) and Mark Kowalski (throttles).

Left: Performance Boat Centers Mark Waddington and Brett Manire. Below: their 38' Skater, driven by Lance Sutton and throttled by Myrick Coil. The boat finished sixth in Superboat class.

Above: World Champion WHM Motorsports, with Billy Mauff (owner/driver) and Jay Muller (throttles).

Ed Smith (driver) and Shawn Smith (throt-tles) of Cleveland Construction nabbed second place in Superboat class.

Bob Teague (owner/throttles) and Paul Whittier (driver) of Team Amsoil came in third in Superboat class.

Fifth-place entry Broadco, a 40' MTI, with Chick Broaddus (driver) and Grant Bruggeman (throttles).


War of the Worlds

Abovve: World ChamSuperboat


World Champion Talbot Excavating, with Kyler Talbot (owner/driver) andJay Muller (throttles).

BBR Blakes Brothers Racing finished thirdin Superboat Stock.

Papas Pilar Rum, a 32' Doug Wright hull, finished fifth in Superboat Stock.

World Champion #3 CMS prepares to slay its competitors. The 52' MTI features Bob Bull (owner driver) and Randy Scism (throttles).

Superboat Unlimited #03 CMS (below, near lane) finished sec-ond and Alex and Ani (far lane) finished sixth in Superboat Unlimited.

Left: Marc Granet (driver) and Scotty Begovich (throttles) pilot Miss Geico, a 44' Victory. The boat finished its class in fourth place.


Superboat Stock


World Champion Hooters Instigator (near lane),a 40' Fountain.W ld Ch i H t I ti t

Superboat Extreme

World Champion Sun Print, a 29' Extremedriven by Gary DeCiuicies and throttled by Steve Miklos.

The World Champion 2nd Amendment team: throttle-man Neil Wobbe and owner Joe Vaughn (left). Below: Chris Gone Wilder came in third.

Worlldd Champion Sun PrinSuperboat Vee

Manufacturer 3

Second-place finisher Twisted Metal Motorsports, a 40' Fountain.

Second-placefinisher Phantom, a30' Phantom.

Third-placefinisher LSB Lilly

Sport Boats.

World Champion CrazyChicken (above), a 28' Extremefeaturing Dee Early (driver) andAnthony Silveria (throttles).

Manufacturer 4

Fourth-place finisher Maxed Out, a 28' Joker with James Jackson (driver) and Mike Yowaiski(throttles).


War of the Worlds


Superboat class com-petitor HP Mafia, a

38' Skater, flipped on the final day of racing. Owner/driver Anthony

Smith and his son, Anthony Jr., escaped

serious injuries.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETE BODEN

Mafia Mayhem


War of the Worlds

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by Brett Bayne


Talk about new technology all you want, but in the full-contact world of circle-boat racing, where handling counts for everything, Rusty Biesemeyers flatbottom design still lives large more than 30 years after his death. Absolutely dominating in K-boat racing and Super Stock when he released it in 1970, the double-straked Biesemeyer Sprint boat remains, in its various permutations, the go-to hull for todays serious flatbottom racer.

Famous for its ability to carve hard in the turns and unleash blistering, natural speed in the straights, the Sprint held every competition K-boat and SK record worth holding at various times, winning countless races and innumerable championships beneath the likes of Julian Pettengill, among others. But the Sprint boat was only one of more than 15 groundbreaking hulls designed and produced at Biesemeyers Phoenix-based boat shop, a prolific haven of creative thinking that overflowed into drag and circle racing, as well as the production ranks. The most dominant K-racer in history, Cold Fire, was perhaps the most famous in a heap of championship-caliber Biesemeyers.

It is this natural acumen for design, backed by a supreme level of commitment and ingenuity that propelled Rusty Biesemeyer into a true Speedboat Legend, where we offi-cially induct him alongside other master hull designers of his day.

Biesemeyers prolific imagination and savvy, seat-of-the-pants engineering was not contained to the race course. He was a trailblazer in early production of fiberglass perfor-

This month, we induct master hull designer Rusty Biesemeyer into our Hall of Fame. Rusty showed a natural design talent from the beginning: The first boat he built, a nine-foot, three-point hydro, won the Outboard National Championships in 1953.

This boat, called the Pied Piper, was built for Jacque Pettijohn. It won more ski races than any other 16' Biesemeyer boat.

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mance boats and designed and built one of the first daycruisersif not the first. And his Caribbean ski boat, tooled in 1960, set new styling standards that were quickly emu-lated, and their appeal has proven immune to the test of time.

Of course, there was constant crossover between the pleasure- and race-boating realms. After his brother Bill introduced Rusty to boats in 1953, his vocation of exotic cars took a turn toward the water. He showed a natural design talent from the beginning: The first boat he built, a nine-foot, three-point hydro, won the Outboard National Championships in 1953. His natural inclina-tion was to add power, and that led to the creation of an all-wood Ski Racer in 1954, which was rigged up with a Studebaker off a hydraulic clutch.

In 1956, Biesemeyer released one of the first (if not the first) all-fiberglass production inboards, a 16-footer, reportedly the first to be mocked and molded with compound curves. An offshoot design that capitulated into a modified, double bubble four-point hydro-powered by a stock 358 Chevy, was the first boat to run 125 mph in the quar-ter mile at Long Beach Marine Stadium, in 1959, beating Mickey Thompson in the final round. One of the early, dominant race boats of the day, the Pied Piper, was owned by Jacque Pettijohn. A series of milestones would follow in the Biesemeyers wake.

Biesemeyer was forever experimenting, breaking new ground. In 1967, he built a flatbottom with strakes on the bottom. Two years later, the 21-foot Day Cruiser emerged. In 1970, the Sprint hull instantly accelerated peak speeds in the serious racing ranks, and, in 1974, the Murphy-Biesemeyer 17-footer emerged and instantly became the worlds fastest unblown gas flatbottom.

Biesemeyer would eventually sell his molds to Julian Pettengill, who successfully produced the 18-foot Biesemeyer for a num-ber of years. Rusty Biesemeyer died in 1984, but his legacy lives on.


Rusty at Biesemeyers firstboat show in 1958, soon after they started building their16-footer.

Right: This 18' double-bubble inboard was displayed on the show-

room floor of Phoenix Marine in 1960. Frank Weaver did the upholstery work

on this innovative model.

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Speedboat Legends

Left: Rusty and Bill beside one of their new 16-foot outboards.Below left: The first 16-foot outboard out of the mold. Bottom: Jeff WorthensBiesemeyer at the 2011 V-Drive Regatta.


Rusty drives this boat with Jerry Huntley and Dan Biesemeyer behind him.


Left: a vintage ad for Biesemeyers 18' ski boat, whichfeatured a 90" beam. By this time, the boats werebeing sold by as many as six dealerships.

Right: a Biesemeyer on display at the 7th Annual Route 66 Hot Boat and Custom Car Show in Needles, CA.



Tom Orseno at Pro-Marine moves our 1,100-hp powerplantto the dynamometer.

BUILDBUILDBADASS 548

Above: Orseno with our engine. Right: our Dart cylinder heads.

In our January issue, we gave you a look at the start of a new engine build headed up by Tom Orseno at Pro-Marine (Lake Havasu, AZ). In the first installment, he began assembling the engine for Speedboat editor/publisher Ray Lees Lavey Craft. His goal was to build a new 548-c.i. motor using com-ponents from JE (pistons), Dart (block, heads), Eagle (rods, crankshaft) and Comp Cams (camshaft, valvetrain, belt drive). All of the raw materials and parts were laid out in Part 1 and we saw the engine start to take form, with the crank-shaft, cylinder heads, etc., installed on the block.

We begin Part 2 with the engine about three-quarters of the way assembled. Orseno continued the basic assembly of the engine by wiring and plumbing the motor, running the lines to the fuel rail, returning lines through a fuel cooler to the fuel filter, bolting on the fuel pump, installing the valve covers and installing cylinder heads, oil cooler, EFI system and supercharger.

Orseno used a custom mount for the fuel pump that mounts on the engine to keep things in place. The oil cooler was mounted directly on the motor: Its all custom plumbed with lines that are made here to fit so that when you take the motor in and out, its really

simple to just disconnect the water line and fuel line and battery and pull the motor out. The fuel pump isnt mount-ed on the stringers, with the oil pump mounted somewhere elseits all self-contained on the motor. The 1,200-hp fuel pump was provided by Aeromotive of Lenexa, KS. The Dart Cylinder heads were assembled at Pro-Marine; they fea-ture a 245-cc intake chamber and 1-300 exhaust intake valve with a spring pres-sure of 150 (seat) and 400 (open).

Our oil cooler was provided by CP Performance, a 13-plates system that has been designed to bolt to the Bravo bell housing: Instead of using a tube oil cooler, this is a plate oil cooler, which is a significant improvement over the tube oil coolers that you often see in a boat, Orseno says.

Once the motor was completely assembled, Orseno built a custom EFI wiring harness for it. Everything was cut to length and fitted so there were no extra wires, he says. Everything was nice and neat on the motor, and the wire loom was all heat shrunk to protect it.

It was decided that a Whipple super-charger would be the ideal complement to our dream machine. This 4.5-liter unit features a brand-new manifold thats port-injected, rather than the injector being located behind the blower. Its a real nice manifold design, Orseno says.

All of the inlets are radiused for bet-ter flow. Plus, the 4.5 has got a bet-ter snout than the 4.0 Whipples.

Installing the supercharger was rela-tively simple: Once the manifold was bolted on the block, intercooler was installed, the supercharger was sealed with O rings with eight bolts to hold it on. After that, the fuel rails that are on the manifold were plumbed to the pump and on the supercharger itself. Orseno then hooked up the throttle position switch to the ECU.

The build progressed quickly and efficiently, and before long, the motor was ready to be fired up and put on the dynamometer for tuning.

A critical component of our setup is the XFI 2.0 ECU from FAST Marine. Orseno cut and stripped a custom wire loom at Pro-Marine to ensure that every-thing was cut, stripped and heat shrunk neatly and cleanly. Aiding Orseno in the calibration of the ECU was performance guru Ben Strader, who acts as a consul-tant to numerous engine builders and race teams. (Text continues on Page 54)

P A R T T W O

58098_Speedboat_050-52,54-55.indd 5058098_Speedboat_050-52,54-55.indd 50 1/31/16 9:25 PM1/31/16 9:25 PM


Above: The 4.5 Whipple Charger. Right: Our in-progress engine build.

Below: Orseno bolts the unit on to the engine. Its a relatively simple

procedure.



Badass 548 Build

Ben Strader (left) takes crucial measurements on his laptop once the engine is put on the dyno (above and below). He uses the laptop to check the actual pressure in the cylinder while the motor is running, as well as the temperature.


Straders data shows pressure and temperature readings on the dyno.

Ben uses a machine that allows us to check the actual pressure in the cylinder while the motor is running, as well as the temperature, he says. It acts as a spark plug, and he can review the data after a pull. He can see detonation in the cylinder, pres-sure rise and decline in the cylinder, and what the temperatures are while its running through the combustion process.

Orseno ran our engine to 6,000 rpm, and after a day of tuning, total horsepower generated was 1,110 hp.

In our final installment, well install the engine in our boat, break it in, and see how fast it goes and how it handles. When we built his last motor, it was about 850 hp, we picked up 250 hp, hes probably going to gain about 15 mph, Orseno says.

Badass 548 Build


Left: A look at the finished dyno sheet shows rpm, horsepower, FHp (friction hp), fuel consumption, etc. The dyno starts at 3,500 rpm, holds it there for 3 sec-onds and takes all the readings. The dyno then opens a valve, lets it go to 4,000 and repeats the process. I do a three-second step test so I can take more accurate readings, Orseno explains.

Sources:

Pro-Marine2750 Sweetwater Ave Ste 8Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406(928) 505-3966

JE Pistons8 MasonIrvine, CA 92618(714) 898-9763jepistons.com

Dart Machinery353 Oliver St.Troy, MI 48084(248) 362-1188dartheads.com

Eagle Specialty Products8530 Aaron LaneSouthaven, MS 38671(662) 796-7373eaglerod.com

Comp Cams3406 Democrat RoadMemphis, TN 38118(800) 999-0853compcams.com

Whipple Superchargers3292 N. WeberFresno, CA 93722(559) 442-1261whipplesuperchargers.com



Reader RidesReader RidesBy Brett Bayne

Longtime friends with Brett Manire of Performance Boat Center, Abeln was offered a job at the shop when Manire purchased the company; hes sort of a jack-of-all-trades whos equally proficient at detailing, trailering, driv-inganything that needs to be done. He originally owned a 25' Regal (with a 454 and Bravo drive) that went about 55 mph; that was traded in for a 30' Baja (64 mph) and a 33' Donzi (75 mph) before Manire cut him a deal on the Cigarette three years ago. Its been a steady speed upgrade every time, he chuckles. Since I started doing the poker runs, the Top Gun has always been my dream boat, he adds. I like the 525 package with the XR Sportsmaster shorty drives, so Im pretty happy. It gets me to nearly 90 mph.

38' CigaretteBen AbelnImperial, MO



Bowen, an Orange County realtor, raced in APBA and OPA for years with his friend David Tierney acting as crew chief. Competing in Factory II and Super Vee classes beginning in 2001, Ken raced an enclosed 38' Donzi in 2003-04; in 2004, Bowen captured a five-point National Championship. The next year, he raced a 388 Skater in Super Vee, and Tierney has pulled Bowen in numerous Catalina Ski Races over the years.

The cool thing about the 21' Nordic is that its like being in a 30' vee bottom, says Tierney. The boat just runs like youre in a much larger boat than youre really in. Nordic really hit the nail on the headthe bottom design and the sharp entry are phenomenal. The boats got ballasts so you can run it flat out in the ocean, and it runs great. Its pretty awesome how well that boat handles the big water.

At press time, Bowena longtime board member of SCOPEwas recuperat-ing from surgery. The entire staff of Speedboat wishes him a speed recovery!

21' NordicKen BowenCoto de Caza, CA



Reader Rides

Kyle Hanenberg and Ethan Sullivan have a fair amount in com-mon. Friends for many years, they are both married and have kids around the same age. They live in the same neighborhood alongside the Colorado River near Blythe, theyre both electrical contractors with their own businesses, andyou guessed itthey both own 22' Shockwave Deckboats. Hanenberg previously owned a 21' Shockwave vee bottom, but after tak-ing a ride in a buddys Ultra cat, he

22' ShockwaveKyle HanenbergEhrenberg, AZ

22' ShockwaveEthan SullivanEhrenberg, AZ

became so enamored with the catama-rans handling and performance that he visited Shockwave and started shop-ping for a different model. I wasnt too thrilled about the LSA engine, but Bob Anderson at Shockwave took us for a ride, and the ride was really awesome, Hanenberg says. I like the way that it rides better than the vee. Its smoother through the chop and you arent dou-ble-jumping wakes. In addition, he has a new-found appreciate for what the LSA engine can provide in terms of speed. We were only getting about 55 mph in the vee with the 502 engine, he says. Ive gotten as much as 73 mph out of the new boat. Thats pretty cool. Hanenberg enjoys boating with his wife Maryanne, his 16-year-old daugh-ter and 11-year-old son, as well as Sullivan and his family.



New ProductsBRETT BAYNE

New ProductsBRETT BAYNEEnhanced Trim TabsNew trim tabs from Livorsi Marine (Grayslake, IL) are now available with a brilliant powder coat finish and private label options.

Tabs are built from CNC machined bil-let aluminum and are Mil-Spec hard coat anodized, topped with a powder-coat finish and 5 anodes to prevent cor-rosion. OEMs can add their company logos laser-etched on the powdercoat and anodized finish.

Livorsi's billet trim tabs stretch across the boating spectrum; models are avail-able for performance boats, center con-soles, cruisers, workboats, runabouts and military boats from 20 to 50 feet.

The electronic sender models are capable of reading trim indication with compatible NMEA 2000-compli-ant systems and Mercury VesselView. The electronic IP68 sensor used on these tabs directly plugs to Livorsi's

LED Position Indicators for immediate indication.

Hydraulic cylinders are designed with dual seals and 1500 PSI working pres-sure. Bolt patterns include a direct fac-tory replacement for Mercury 950 trim tab and a smaller Livorsi bolt pattern

for center consoles. Transom angles on these tabs may be adjusted without the need for special tools making these tabs easy to install and modify for your application.

For more information about Livorsi trim tabs or indicators, visit livorsi.com.

New Inducer ImpellerPlace Diverter & Controls of La Habra, CA, has pulled the wrapping off its lat-est 316L Stainless steel Inducer Impeller. The units non-shrouded design flows as

much 25% more water to the main impel-ler. This literally pre-loads the impeller full of water reducing voids and aerated pockets of air allowing the jet drive to har-ness all the power the engine can deliver.

These impellers are most famous for turning ordinary boats into extraordi-nary boats through amazing holeshot acceleration. Another key attribute is the ability to overcome spinout, which is when turbulent water conditions pro-duce gulps of air causing an impeller to basically loose traction. The ability to reduce these conditions is unmatched by anything but an Inducer Impeller.

Finally, the Inducer Impeller creates a phenomenon similar in likeness to that of an automatic transmission or overdrive type scenario by using the Inducer Impeller. Matched with a jets primary impeller, a person can have the best of both worlds in both hole-shot and top-end performance.

If youre looking to make a great jet-boat, look no further than Place Diverters Inducer Impeller. After having set nation-al speed records and countless hours making jet-driven boats perform, Place Diverter is sure to have a winner with this new product.For more information, contact Place Diverter at (714) 870-7140.


Livestream Tech

Alexi Sahagian, owner of Boostpower USA of Newbury Park, CA, has been tapped to participate in a weekly 30-min-ute online livestream chat to discuss vari-ous high-performance topics.

Sahagian, author of a regular tech col-umn in Speedboat magazine, will cover a wide range of marine-related subjects, including engine internals, setups, pow-ertrains, EFI, dyno sessions, etc.

Our ultimate goal is to give back knowledge to the public and promote technology and concepts used to push the industry forward, Sahagian said. Also, we plan to promote our EFI and engine-building school in 2016, full force.

For more information, contact Boostpower USA at (805) 376-6077 or visit boostpower.com.

Blower ManifoldFrom Blower Drive Service (BDS) of Whittier, CA: big-block Chevy tall-tech street blower manifolds, designed to be fit without the need for spacers and fea-ture an intake height of 4.750". The intake has solid sides for added strength and rigidity, tented floor for improved air flow and is capable of accepting up to a 1071 blower. Extra material has been added around the ports to allow port matching.

BDS Tall Deck Chevy blower manifolds are designed for stock factory heads (but not Vortech heads). Each unit includes backfire valve, thermostat housing with 180 thermostat, and water neck and intake gaskets. Theyre available in pol-ished units (Part #BM-3026TP), retail-


ing for $693.50, and unpolished (Part #BM-3026T), retailing for $568.50.

For more information, contact BDS at (562) 698-7213 or visit blowerdriveservice.com.

Revolver 43' Center ConsoleRevolver Boats of Milano, Italy, is set to release a 43-foot center-console model with a new, innovative design.

Officially formed in 2010, Revolver showed off its stylish 42-footer at the Florida Powerboat Clubs poker run back in 2013, and it appeared on the cover of

our March 2013 issue. Now, after launch-ing two boats on the international mar-ketthe 42R and the 44GTthe Revolver team is reportedly close to introducing a high performance model, the 43CC center console powered by outboard engines.

The new model was designed by Italian designer Alberto Mancini (AM Yacht Design), who also designed the successful Revolver 44GT. It will be specially geared toward the USA and UAE markets, in addition to others.

The new Revolver 43CC picks up on design elements introduced in previous models and inspired by the super sports car world, with the rear spoiler reminis-cent of cars from the 1960s. It combines versatile on-board spaces typical of an open boat with the excellent performance and handling that have become one of the brand's hallmarks.

For more information, visit the builder at revolverboats.com.

New Products


Bretts

Tom Papp Race Shelby Ebert Problem Child

ALSO:

WEEKENDPARADISE

New Years Bashat Lake Elsinore


Photography by Robert Ojeda


Matt Oliver was 19 when he caught the speed sickness. His first ride was a Sanger Bubble Deck that he used on the river for many years. While attend-ing a race in the late 1970s, he met Blown Alcohol Flat competitor Rod Corning of Wasted Nights fame. The team was hav-ing an issue with the boat, they couldnt get the keyway back into the rudder, Oliver recalls. I asked Rod if he would mind if I tried repairing it. I got in and fixed the boat. It turned out that he lived in Whittier, CA, and I lived in nearby Brea. He said, From now on, you go with us.

After racing with Corning for a year, Oliver bought a Hondo flatbottom (painted by the legendary Dick Vale) in Bakersfield and raced that for a time. Next up was another Sanger, which he campaigned in both Comp Hydro and Super Eliminator classes.

In 1990, competing in Blown Gas Hydro, Oliver crashed his boat, end-ing his racing career for decades. Then, about six years ago, he came across this Hondo flatbottom and decided to restore it from stem to stern. Lew Larson built a blown 496 for the rig, Billy B touched up the paint job, Brad King performed all of the pinstriping and lettering and Full Throttle of Corona, CA, did all of the powdercoating. At press time, Oliver was planning to drive Olivers Twist in the ADBA race in Parker, AZhis first race in 26 years. Matt thanks his brother Richard for his help, as well as wife Ardis and mother Pat.

Matt Olivers red-hot Hondo is the envy ofall who encounterit.

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Matt OliversMatt OOliverserverst Olivatt Olive red-hot red-hothothot r rndoHondoodo is the envis the is the envis ths this theis the y ofy ofhe envye envy vy ovy ofofy ofy oofofofofvyvy oohe es the en

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Twist & Twist & ShoutShout


Built by Lew Larson, Olivers blown 496 fea-tures closed chamber steel heads and a set of 950 carburetors on top. The boat runs really hard for what it is, Oliver says. He expects to reach a top speed of 130 mph.




Fans of the National Drag Boat Association (NDBA) circuit may re-member the career of Wade Addington, who campaigned #309 War Paint in in Comp Flat and other classes through the 1970s and 1980s. Hes raced at all of the major venues, from Firebird and Lake Ming to Chowchilla.

Still passionate about speedboats, Addington purchased the Weekend Paradise RV Park in Lake Elsinore, CA, and has transformed it into the premiere performance/hotrod place to stay on the

lake. For the sixth year in a row, in fact, Addington has hosted an informal get-together for the go-fast boating crowd at his park, which includes a beach area and barbecues. It all started after he purchased the park: As soon as I did, a couple of my buddies said, Were not doing anything on New Years Day. Why dont we come out? Five turned into 15, 15 turned into 35and it just kept grow-ing, Addington says. Its the one day a year I never charge anybody for any-thing. Indeed, he and his wife barbecue hot dogs for attendees, all of whom own

V-drives. The jetboat guys give me a hard time, but Im working on a date just for them, he grins.

The Jan. 1 event has grown in part due to the efforts of his friend Dave Jocko Giacomino, who has a strong presence online and in the forums, while Addington remains proudly computer challenged. Promoting the event has paid off, with dozens of boats coming out to join in the fun, including the old Cole factory boat Spooky, fully restored by new owner Steve Faist and making its first appearance after two years.

The owner of Lake Elsinores hottest RV Park opens his venue to the V-drive crowd.

PARADISEPARADISEweekend


Photography by Mark McLaughlin

Left: Dwight Ivy brought his 1983 18' Kurtis runner bottom, powered by a

blown 468 big-block Chevy.Below: NJBA racer Danny Cannon.


PARADISE


Above: James Stevens 19' Howard v-bottom, powered by a blown BBC. Above right: Tony Scarlata in his Canyon runnerbottom, powered by a blown, injected alcohol BBC.Right: Bill Spurling in his 18' Daytona, pow-ered by a blown, inject-ed and intercooled BBC.

Below: Dwight Ivy races an unidentified jetboat that somehow wandered

into this V-drive event.Bottom: Jeff Bogart in his

Got Flat runner bottom.


Weekend Paradise


Above and left: Mike Phillips in his 1970 18' Wriedt 18 flatbottom Flat Wriedt, powered by a blown 440 Mopar.Below: Steve Stuart catches some air in his 1981 Howard, powered by a blown BBC 427.Bottom: Steve Faist is the latest owner of the old 18' Cole runner bottom Spooky. Its powered by a blown, injected alcohol BBC.Bottom left: Patrick Kelley in his 1972 Sanger shovelnose hydro, powered by a blown inter-cooled 540 BBC.




After amazing success in drag racing with drivers like Dale Ishimaru (who captured the 2006 World Championship) and Daryl Ehrlich (who racked up several more), Eddie Knoxs Problem Child team seemed unstoppableuntil Ehrlich and replacement driver Joel Webber walked away from the race course. So last year, Knox

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Speedboat March 2016