Overview

By adding a bow lounge to its closed-deck Pulsare 2400, Checkmate offers great performance, plus more seating, in the Pulsare 2400 BRX. 

Engine

During testing, noted throttleman and ­Checkmate general manager Billy Moore  wheeled the BRX to a 67.1 mph top speed. The BRX went zero to 30 mph in a respectable 6.3 seconds. Need more speed? Checkmate rigged a few BRXs with a Mercury Racing 500R that reportedly hit 90-plus mph.

The 22-degree deadrise hull with a narrow, V-shaped running pad and multiple lifting strakes makes driving the BRX exciting without creating that nervous ­V-­bottom feel present in many performance boats. While there are faster hulls, the BRX pulls ­water toys and gives a ­good-size group a thrill ride.

Checkmate also builds it rugged. “We’d rather sacrifice a few miles per hour in exchange for taking a pounding year after year, with no stress cracking and no warranty claims,” Moore says.

Toward that end, each BRX utilizes hand-laid cloth with composite core, stringer grid, transom and liner. Beefy 1 ½-inch-thick ­Coosa transom knees take wave pounding, with the outboard hanging on a T-H Marine jack plate a foot off the transom. The dazzling white gelcoat features swooping red and black graphic accents applied in PPG paint, wet-sanded, and overlaid with clearcoat. There are no paint lines to feel.

Interior and Accessories

The bow’s twin extra-long lounges can fit four, though it’s intended for two, stretched out and lounging. In the aft cockpit, formfitting buckets envelop the pilot and co-­pilot. A wide and deep aft bench accommodates more people. SeaDek flooring, custom-cut with red contrasting Checkmate logos in the black ­matting, makes for a clean look that’s easy on the feet.

The dash features single custom Livorsi throttle and shift sticks, along with Lenco tabs. The stereo is a six-speaker system with subwoofer and amplifier, with two control heads. Rigging under the dash, under the splashwell, and at the transom was executed with a clean, race-boat touch.

Want to enjoy speed, performance and handling with a crowd? Check out Checkmate’s Pulsare 2400 BRX.

Read Next: Checkmate Pulsare 2400 CD

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury Racing 300R
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Racing Bravo 1 FS 15.25″ x 24″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.75:1 Fuel Load: 45 gal. Crew Weight: 550 lb.

High Points

• Long, plush bow lounges with diamond-stitched upholstery in a boat with racy performance and handling. 
• Its cavernous compartments will swallow all but the largest water toys and safety gear.
• The dark, smoked windscreens are made in the Checkmate plant. They look and work great.

Low Points 

• While the windshields are beautiful, they do cause glare on the dash when the sun’s at the right angle. Fine-tuning might help minimize that. 
• Unfinished compartment edges found aboard hull No. 1, which Checkmate assured us have been addressed. 

Toughest Competitor

Currently, there isn’t a high-performance bowrider that competes head-to-head with the Checkmate, speed- and performance-wise. However,  Stingray’s 3,360-pound 230SX ($106,614 with a 300 hp Yamaha) comes close, clocking speeds of over 60 mph with its optional 300 hp Yamaha outboard. 

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2024 Checkmate Pulsare 2400 BRX appeared first on Boating Mag.

On October 26, 2023, a team of engineering students at Princeton University—Princeton Electric Speedboating—set a new world record of 114.20 mph for an electric-powered boat. The famed pro-outboard hydroplane Big Bird ran on Lake Townsend, outside Greensboro, North Carolina. 

Princeton Electric Speedboating made one pass clocking 111 mph and another at 117 mph for 114.20 mph. At the helm was veteran racer John Peeters, of Arlington, Washington, who holds over 60 records in multiple boat classes.

This record is one known as a “kilo record” because it is run on a 1-kilometer course.

Princeton Electric Speedboating beat the old record of 88.61 mph set by team Jaguar Vector in 2018, with Peter Dredge, of Great Britain, another multiple world-record holder at the helm.

According to the Princeton University Engineering News, the record-breaking boat is outboard-powered and equipped with a three-phase, 200 hp electric motor designed by the Princeton team and built in coordination with Flux ­Marine of Rhode Island.

Big Bird will be familiar to racing fans as the vessel, built by legend Ed Karelsen, which won many races powered by gas engines. Big Bird was designed for an outboard up to 1,100 cc. Now, the canopied race boat features a permanent magnet AC motor weighing just 65 pounds. Power is from a 24 kWh 400-volt battery pack. It is said to produce in excess of 200 hp.

Princeton Electric Speedboating team captain ­Andrew Robbins, of ­Michigan, grew up around powerboats and boat racing, according to ­published reports. Big Bird was in storage nearby to his hometown.

Princeton Electric Speedboating is a student-run team made up of 44 undergraduate and graduate students, and represents most engineering disciplines as well as members studying economics and physics. The students conducted much of the engineering, design, and fabrication of the boat and of the engine that propelled it to the record-setting run.

Princeton Electric Speedboating was founded in 2020, according the Princeton Engineering News, when junior Nathan Yates read an open invitation for participants in the Promoting Electric Propulsion competition. Yates, a freestyle sprinter on the men’s swim team, said the requirements were simple. “The boat had to be all-electric and look like it wouldn’t be a health hazard,” he said in an interview.

Read Next: On Board With: Andrew Robbins

The electric speed record has been attempted several times in recent years as business, academia and the racing community have converged on this rapidly evolving segment of marine propulsion. Between Jaguar’s 88 mph run in 2018 and Princeton Electric Speedboating’s current 114 mph world record this past fall, other record attempts have been chased by electric-powered boats. Specifically, at the 2023 Lake of the Ozarks shootout, an S2 catamaran­—piloted by noted ­racer, race rigger and boatbuilder Shaun Torrente, of Shaun Torrente Racing, powered by a Vision Marine Electric Outboard—was unofficially clocked at 116 mph. And Boating has reported on the University of Pittsburgh’s electric boat team, Pittsburgh Electric ­Propulsion, several times.

So, hail and ­congratulations to the record-breakers, Princeton Electric Speedboating. And kudos to all those chasing records and advancing the technology of marine ­propulsion.

The post A New Electric-Powered-Boat Speed Record appeared first on Boating Mag.

Mercury Racing  introduces the 60 APX outboard motor. It is the latest addition to the Apex line of pure competition outboards. These are designed for closed-course circuit racing. The 60 APX was revealed at the Dubai International Boat Show at Dubai Harbor, United Arab Emirates.

The Mercury Racing 60 APX is a durable competition motor designed specifically to power UIM Formula 4s class catamaran tunnel hull boats. The Formula 4s class features composite, driver capsule-equipped boats measuring 3.9 meters (about 12 feet 10 inches) in length with a minimum weight with driver of 360 kg (793 pounds). Top speed is about 120 kph (75 mph) on the straightaway sections of the course. The class is intended for young racers starting out in enclosed tunnel boats before stepping up to faster Formula 2 and Formula 1 boats. The Formula 4s class is very popular across Europe and the Middle East.

Read Next: Mercury Racing 500R Outboard

 “Mercury Racing is excited to support the sustainable future of circuit competition with the low-emission four-stroke 60 APX model,” said Jeff Broman, Director, Mercury Racing. “We’ve designed this motor to deliver strong performance with minimal maintenance over the course of a full season, reducing the cost of participation in the entry classes for professional tunnel boat competition.”

The 60-horsepower, 995cc 60 APX four-cylinder powerhead is based on the Mercury 60 FourStroke outboard with electronic fuel injection. The WOT rpm limit is raised to 6000-6400 rpm, and the motor is fitted with a 15-inch midsection and wing plates for the side steering system used on competition tunnel boats.

Learn about the Mercury Racing Wide Open lifestyle and all Mercury Racing high-performance products at mercuryracing.com.

About Mercury Racing

Based in Fond du Lac, Wis., Mercury Racing, a division of Mercury Marine, is a leading provider of high-performance marine propulsion systems for discriminating boaters worldwide, offering an exciting and fulfilling power boating experience on the water. Using leading-edge technology, Mercury Racing produces high-performance outboards, sterndrives, propellers, parts and accessories. Mercury Marine is a division of Brunswick Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of pleasure boats, marine engines, and accessories.

The post Mercury Racing Unleashes New 60 APX Outboard at Dubai Boat Show appeared first on Boating Mag.

In this age of 70 mph pontoons, 90 mph center-consoles and 150 mph sport cats, it’s pretty easy to experience eye-popping velocity on the water. So, there you are, the wind flapping your cheeks as you hold that throttle to the stop, one watering eye on the speedo as you bump the trim hoping to squeeze out the last bit of speed it will take to be the first boat to the poker-run card pickup. Maybe you even imagine that’s Reggie Fountain, Steve Curtis or Shaun Torrente at the helm of the boat you are pursuing, and instead of a king of hearts, there’s a big trophy waiting at the finish line. Well, dream on, Speed Racer. You’re going fast, but you are not racing, and your production-built motorboat is no race boat.

Steve Curtis throttles a real race boat. The Victory catamaran Huski Chocolate carried Curtis and drivers Travis Pastrana and Brit Lilly to the 2022 UIM Class 1 championship in the Powerboat P1 Offshore series. Last summer, we met Curtis and this boat, now rechristened Huski Ice Spritz, at the Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the fourth event on the five-race 2023 P1 schedule. The boat is owned by SVEA Racing Inc., based in Stuart, Florida, regarded as the benchmark in professionalism and experience in Class 1 and led by technical director Gary Stray, director of operations Scott Colton and crew chief Patrick Cleaveland.

Curtis, a 59-year-old Englishman and the son of Cougar Powerboats founder and racing catamaran innovator Clive Curtis, claimed his first Class 1 world championship in 1985 in Key West when he was 21 years old. In his career, Curtis has throttled more than 20 world champions. Who would be better to show us under the cowl of a Class 1 race boat than the acknowledged master of throttling racing cats?

Top Class

Class 1 is the premier category of international offshore powerboat racing. A P1 Offshore event can include a number of classes, but only the Class 1 Championship is sanctioned by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the world governing body for all ­powerboating activities. Basic rules for Class 1 dictate a minimum boat length overall of 12 meters (about 39 feet) and a minimum weight of 5,400 kilograms (just over 11,900 pounds). There have been seven boats in the Class 1 field in 2023, ranging in length from the 43-foot Skater Monster Energy/MCON to the 51-foot Mystic dfYoung. The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA Victory is 47 feet length overall, with a running surface of 41.5 feet, according to Curtis, and a 12-foot beam. Curtis explains that the bigger boats often have an advantage in rough conditions, but the smaller boats can be nimbler in a current on flatter water in a tight, multiturn closed course—the 5-mile course at Sheboygan had 10 turns.

“Courses have become smaller to make the event more spectator-­friendly,” Curtis says. “We used to run 40-mile laps and 200-mile races.”

The age of the Class 1 fleet is also surprising. Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA was built in 2007 by the Victory team in Dubai to a ­Michael Peters design.

“The boat has been rebuilt and repowered a number of times,” Curtis says. “I believe it was originally powered by Lamborghini V-12 engines. The boat has been crashed and repaired. The entire deck has been replaced, and the running surface adjusted as the engine package has changed.”

Carbon, Of Course

The overall theme of a race boat is that every element is functional, and this is the key difference between Huski Ice Spritz and your go-fast rig. Speed and safety are all that matter. The hull and deck are laid up with a combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite, with foam coring of various density. Bulkheads are carbon fiber, molded in a combination of triangulation and U-channel shape, and bonded within the hull. Each sponson has a pair of steps that are about 1.5 inches deep and a single strake. The tunnel between the sponsons is designed to trap and compress air, which lifts the boat at speed. The tunnel is about 33 inches deep at the bow but only 22 inches deep at the transom.

A V-hull boat could run in Class 1, but the catamaran offers a significant advantage, according to Randy Scism, who helped establish the Victory team as a force in offshore racing before returning to the United States in 1998 to start performance boatbuilder Marine Technologies Inc.

“A comparable V-hull boat will be 20 to 30 mph slower at top speed,” says Scism, who designed the 48-foot MTI Class 1 cat ­XInsurance/Good Boy ­Vodka. “In some conditions, it might corner better, but it could never make up the difference in total lap time. The air cushion under a cat can carry 30 to 35 percent of the boat’s weight, so the bottom is not even touching small waves and chop.”

Builders seek to produce a boat that is significantly below the class minimum-weight specification. This allows each team to make weight using lead ballast—water ballast is not allowed—that can be positioned right on the stringers to keep the center of gravity as low as possible to enhance handling and help trim the boat. Weight, either lead bars or bags of lead shot, can be placed aft to lift the bow in calm conditions or forward to hold the bow down in rough water. Fuel tanks are located directly on the boat’s center of balance so that balance does not change as fuel is consumed. At race venues, a crane fitted with a scale lifts the Class 1 boats from the trailer to the water; this way, each boat is weighed every time it goes in and comes out of the water to prevent cheating.

At Class 1 speeds, aerodynamics becomes critical. The boats literally fly over the water, and the deck is flush with the top of each sponson. The enclosed cockpit is a teardrop blister, hatch latches and cleats are carefully recessed and faired, and air intake is accomplished with low-drag NACA ducts. When conditions are ideal, these huge boats appear to levitate with a grace that belies the brutal thrust required to reach speeds that can exceed 160 mph on the open ocean.

Prescribed Power

There are no surprises below the engine hatches of a Class 1 boat. Since P1 led a revival of the class in 2019, the Mercury Racing 1100 Competition engine has been standard power, a spec engine for the class. The 9.0-liter V-8 engine features Mercury Racing QC4 quad-valve cylinder heads and is boosted by twin turbochargers. Power output is 1,100 hp and 1,100 lb.-ft. of torque per engine on 93-octane pump gasoline. Each big V-8 turns 6,000 to 6,500 rpm. The transmission is the stout model designed for the Mercury Racing 1750 engine with a stronger input shaft and ­internal components.

“Before the switch to the Merc 1100, we were running engines making 1,850 to 2,000 hp at 7,500 rpm,” Curtis says, “and top speeds pushed 190 mph. Those engines needed a rebuild after each race.”

The point of a specified engine for the class is to reduce cost and ensure power parity among teams with unequal resources. With that in mind, the engines are tightly controlled. Teams are not allowed to make any adjustments or modifications to the engines. With the exception of the valve covers, the engines are sealed with special fasteners. At the beginning of each race weekend, the Mercury Racing support team delivers propulsion control modules (PCM) to each team. The PCM units are painted bright ­yellow so they are easy to identify. ­Mercury ­Racing also installs a data logger on each engine.

“After every practice and ­every race, we download the data to make sure it makes sense and that nobody has tweaked on the engines and turned the power up,” says Steve Wynveen, Mercury Racing manager of development engineering. “The idea of Class 1 now is that winning is dependent on driving and boat setup, not on who has the most money to throw at an engine.”

The expectation is that if teams don’t abuse these engines by constantly banging into the rev limiter, each can last the season with just basic maintenance. Teams will put between two and three hours of run time on the engines at each race weekend. Teams are free to install their own PCM for testing between races.

The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA team engineered a number of quick-disconnect fittings that allow it to remove an engine in about 20 minutes, according to Curtis. This team pulls its engines after each race for maintenance and inspects the bilge and engine mounts below the engines. Typical maintenance includes an oil and filter change, checking the valve lash and adjusting with shims, a compression and leak-down test, checking the turbocharger ­waste-gate adjustment, and ­torquing all fasteners and clamps.

Six of the boats in this Class 1 fleet use surface drives based on a BPM model to put power to the water. The Italian drive only articulates in the vertical plane, which provides a limited range of trim, generally less than 15 degrees or, according to Curtis, about 1.5 inches at the propeller. The prop is located about 58 inches abaft the transom. A drop box located on the exterior of the transom allows teams to quickly change gear ratios to best match engine torque to the prevailing conditions. Curtis explains that on today’s short courses, ­acceleration out of turns is often more important than top speed. Teams using a surface drive are limited to three prop sets but have unlimited gear ratios. Steering is accomplished by a center-mounted rudder—a knife-sharp polished stainless Italian Flexitab model on Huski Ice Spritz—and teams can change rudders based on water conditions.

A sterndrive is also permitted in Class 1, but if the sterndrive can steer, the boat is not allowed to use a rudder. The MTI XInsurance/Good Boy Vodka boat is rigged with modified Mercury Racing M6 sterndrives. Trim is retained, but the skegs are cut off and steering is locked. The boat is equipped with a rudder. Teams running sterndrives are allowed an unlimited number of propellers.

“The problem with trying to steer these boats with the sterndrives is that when you turn the drive, one prop is pushed into water and the other into the air coming through the tunnel,” Scism says. “The prop in the air loses thrust. You want to keep both props centered behind the sponsons. I prefer to use the M6 drives for the added trim authority. That drive is plenty rugged for these engines.”

Read Next: How to Boat Safely at Any Speed

On the Run

Curtis throttles with his right hand gripping a pair of Mercury Zero Effort controls topped with red plastic knobs molded to the shape of his hand. To his left is a fixed, molded grip with radio/intercom control buttons, trim control, and a button to change the screen display. Curtis can communicate with his team using VHF and UHF radios, and a cellular connection. Below is a pair of Mercury ignition keys, which we were surprised to see.

“When we went to the standard Merc 1100 engines, we wanted to retain the entire stock wiring harness to prevent any sort of tampering,” Curtis says. “So, there are the keys, just like on your fishing boat. It was the ­easiest solution.”

Facing Curtis are a pair of Livorsi turbocharger boost gauges, a Livorsi trim indicator, and a multifunction display usually showing tachometers. In the center of the dash is a Garmin MFD split between navigation and a rearview camera. The driver sits before a quick-release steering wheel with a lap counter on top of the dash, which will also display a yellow-and-red flag signal from race control.

I wish I could describe the ­sensation of driving Huski Ice Spritz at speed while looking through the slit of a windscreen. But as it turns out, there is not enough liability coverage or legal cover to ever make that happen. Scism says MTI will build you a new 48 Race model to Class 1 specs, with a price tag of $2.2 million to $2.4 million with power. A $500,000 budget will cover a bare-bones Class 1 team for a season, Curtis says, with a well-financed team spending more than $1.5 million. SVEA Racing Inc. brings a crew of 10 to each race with a 70-foot race trailer, a tilting boat trailer and its Kenworth hauler, and a world-champion throttleman. They are not going to a poker run.

Safety First

When Steve Curtis won his first Class 1 championship, he was standing in an open cockpit. “There was very little concern for safety in those boats,” Curtis says. “If you stuffed the boat, it was very likely you’d be killed.”

Today the driver and throttle work in an enclosed cockpit that is all business. This is not your pleasure boat—there is no Alcantara upholstery, no bass-pumping audio system, and no LED-illuminated drink holders. Cockpit entry is through a hatch secured with four sliding bolts like a bank vault. In Huski Ice Spritz, Curtis throttles from the port seat, and the driver is at the wheel to starboard. Deep bucket seats have 2 inches of suspension travel, and the crew is strapped securely in place. “During a race, it can actually get rather violent in here,” Curtis says. “It’s not very noisy, but there is a lot of vibration, even in smooth water, because the boat is so rigid. We can feel pretty beat up after a race.”

A cage of carbon channels surrounds the cockpit, which Curtis says is backed by a very thick bulkhead. Crush zones around the cockpit are designed to absorb energy on impact. The interior is raw and black, with no thought of cosmetics. The forward portion of the cockpit structure is formed by a ¾-inch-thick polycarbonate shield modeled after a fighter-jet canopy. The clear portion is minimized for further crew protection. There’s an emergency escape hatch in the floor for egress if the boat flips. The driver and throttle have a 10-minute emergency air supply.

The post The Excitement of Running a P1 Offshore Race Boat appeared first on Boating Mag.

Editor’s Note: While the speed of 116 mph attained is faster than the record, a technical problem occured during the run. That makes the time unofficial, though accurate in our view. Despite the technicality, this accomplishment is laudable.

Vision Marine Technologies Inc., a global leader and innovator within the performance electric recreational boating industry, has accomplished an unparalleled feat in collaboration with three-time world boat racing champion Shaun Torrente. With an astounding accomplishment of 116 miles per hour, the dynamic partnership has defied all expectations, revising the records for water speed. This ground-breaking accomplishment exemplifies Vision Marine Technologies’ innovative prowess and unrelenting pursuit of excellence, propelling the watercraft industry into an era of unmatched performance and innovation.

With a resounding boom, Vision Marine has established a resplendent new world record, further solidifying their position as a trailblazer in the electric marine sector. The achievement of 116 mph has established a new benchmark that surpasses previous accomplishments, as it was solely focused on this speed benchmark. This audacious innovation not only redefines the limits of electric boating, but also inspires all who witness it with astonishment and wonder.

“Octillion Power Systems, a premier partner of Vision Marine, offers a glimpse into the innovation driving this revolutionary leap. Paul Beach, from Octillion, states, ‘Octillion is proud to continue its support for the Vision Marine’s team and Shaun Torrente. It is exciting to see our battery systems being deployed in these groundbreaking events. Vision Marine is pushing the limits of battery-powered systems and creating new markets. Octillion is thrilled to be a part of this record-setting event!'”

Ryan Rizor, Americas Head of Sales for Danfoss Editron, the provider of the Electric Motors for the E-Motion Electric Powertrain systems, echoes this sentiment: “Our important partnership with Vision Marine is about more than just propulsion. It’s about reimagining performance, sustainability, and pioneering an electrifying future for boating.”

Under the direction of Vision Marine’s CEO, Alex Mongeon, and CTO, Xavier Montagne, this accomplishment marries cutting-edge technology with Shaun Torrente’s unrivaled expertise, ushering in a new era of high-speed watercraft.

Read Next: Vision Marine Technologies Out to Make Electric-Powered UIM/APBA Speed Record Attempt

Vision Marine participated in the prestigious Kilo Run event sponsored by the American Power Boat Association (APBA), further establishing their dominance in electric marine racing. As we await the outcome of this event, the world braces itself for the enormous surges Vision Marine’s E-MotionTM Technology will create.

In the 35th edition of The Lake of The Ozarks (LOTO) Shootout, a historic feat of speed occurred against a magnificent backdrop. Vision Marine and Shaun Torrente Racing inscribed their names into the annals of history on the renowned arena for showcasing watercraft prowess. The symbiosis of human skill and technological innovation was admired by spectators, industry leaders, and media representatives equally.

LOTO Shootout attendees were granted access to Vision Marine’s production-ready boats, including the remarkable Four Winns H2e E-MotionTM 180 E model. The attendees acquired firsthand knowledge of the future of boating, which is propelled by electric power, innovation, and unrivaled speed, thanks to the insights of Four Winns representatives.

This accomplishment transcends records; it ushers in an era of sustained, high-speed racing. Vision Marines’ revolutionary achievement will undoubtedly inspire generations of boating enthusiasts, racers, and innovators to embrace the electrifying potential of the water and stretch the boundaries.

Join Vision Marine in celebrating this momentous achievement that forever reshapes marine racing history.

For more information on Vision Marine and their revolutionary E-Motion Technology, visit visionmarinetechnologies.

About Shaun Torrente

Shaun Torrente is a highly accomplished Formula One boat racer with an illustrious career spanning over three decades. With three world championships to his name, he is recognized for his exceptional skill and unwavering dedication to the sport.

About The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout

The Lake of the Ozarks Shootout stands as the United States’ largest unsanctioned charity boat race, celebrated for its exhilarating displays of speed and watercraft prowess. One of the nation’s premier destinations for boating and recreational enjoyment, the event gathers racing enthusiasts, community supporters, and industry aficionados. As a notable fixture on the boating calendar, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout not only showcases high-octane races, but also champions philanthropic endeavors, reinforcing its role as a thrilling and purposeful gathering. For more information, please visit lakeoftheozarksshootout.com.

About Vision Marine Technologies, inc.

Vision Marine Technologies, Inc., strives to be a guiding force for change and an ongoing driving factor in fighting the problems associated with waterway pollution by disrupting the traditional boating industry with electric power, in turn directly contributing to zero pollution, zero emission and a noiseless environment. Our flagship outboard powertrain (“E-Motion”) is the first fully electric purpose-built outboard powertrain system that combines an advanced battery pack, inverter, and high efficiency motor with proprietary union assembly between the transmission and the electric motor design utilizing extensive control software. Our E-Motion and related technologies used in this powertrain system are uniquely designed to improve the efficiency of the outboard powertrain and, as a result, enhance both range and performance. Vision Marine continues to design, innovate, manufacture, and sell handcrafted, high performance, environmentally friendly, electric recreational power boats to customers. The design and technology applied to our boats results in far greater enhanced performance in general, higher speeds, and longer range. Simply stated, a smoother ride than a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) motorboat.

The post Vision Marine-Powered Catamaran Hits 116 MPH appeared first on Boating Mag.

Vision Marine Technologies has announced its intention to set an absolute world speed record for an electric-powered boat at a UIM-sanctioned kilo run on August 27 during the annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in Sunrise Beach, Mo. The attempt over a one-kilometer course will be conducted by the American Powerboat Association (APBA), the U.S. governing body for power boat racing as authorized by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the world governing body for all power boating activities.

Vision Marine Technologies raised a few eyebrows when a pair of modified Vision Marine E-Motion outboards powered a 32-foot Hellkats Powerboats catamaran piloted by pro racer Shaun Torrente to a speed of 109 mph during the 2022 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, a popular unsanctioned speed-run event. It was apparently the first time a boat powered by electric motors exceeded 100 mph, and the run topped the official UIM record for an electric-powered boat by more than 10 mph. At the 2023 Shootout, Vision Marine will sponsor the electric boat categories, for the first time split into mono- and multi-hull divisions.

In a phone interview on August 14, 2023, Alexandre Mongeon, CEO of Montreal, Canada-based Vision Marine, told Boating Magazine that his team and Torrente were busy testing some new boat and motor ideas, which it may bring to the Shootout. If those modifications don’t pan out, the team will run the same boat/motor package it used in 2022, powered by two Vision E-Motion electric powertrains and Octillion Power Systems batteries. Mongeon said the speed run motors have the same E-Motion electric architecture and technology as the 180-hp Vision E-Motion 180E motors that power the Four Winns H2-E consumer boat (Look for our review of this boat in October 2023!), but are modified to produce much more power.

“Vision wants to stay on the cutting edge of this technology,” said Mongeon. “Our goal is to attain speeds comparable to those set by Mercury Racing outboards on the same type of boat. We may not do that this year, but I expect to reach that goal soon.”

The Shootout speed runs are conducted over a three-quarter mile long course. Boats are allowed to enter the speed run course at a speed no greater than 40 mph, and the speed is measured by radar guns at the end of the course. The boat’s peak speed is recorded – American Ethanol, a 51-foot Mystic Powerboats catamaran piloted by John Cosker and Tony Battiato has been Top Gun at the event for seven straight years, hitting 207 mph in 2022. While the Shootout is more than a “run what ya brung” radar run, it is an unsanctioned event, and there are classes for every type of boat, including pontoons and personal watercraft.

To set a world record in the United States requires a speed run sanctioned by UIM/APBA. Rich Luhrs, APBA Offshore Category Chairperson, will be leading the team running the kilo trials at Lake of the Ozarks.

“A UIM record speed is determined as an average speed over a measured distance of one kilometer,” explained Luhrs. “The boat can have a run of up to about one mile long to get up to speed before entering the measured kilo. We will use high-speed video cameras with a time code to record the moment the boat enters and completes the kilo. The cameras are synchronized and will record the time to cover that distance down to 1/100th second.”

Using this method, the boat’s average speed over the kilo is calculated, rather than its peak speed. To set a record the boat must make two passes through the course in opposite directions, with not more than 15 minutes between passes. The UIM/APBA rules for electric craft speed runs state that Recharging or replacement of batteries between initial and return runs while attempting a record is not permitted.

“Any record the Vision boat sets at Lake of the Ozarks will be for a multi-engine craft,” explained Luhrs, “and since there is no current record in that category, they could run 30 mph and set one. But I expect they will at least achieve the speed they set last year, with the potential to go much faster.”

The UIM record for absolute top speed by an electric-powered boat is 98.81 mph, set in 2008 by Mike Bontoft in a tiny three-point hydro outboard on Devil’s Lake in Lincoln City, Ore. At the time UIM rules limited voltage to 144 volts nominal and required a brushed DC motor. The record is recorded in the Circuit Electric 144V Hydroplane class. In 2018, the Jaguar Vector racing team claimed a highly publicized UIM record of 88.61 mph, which is posted as the Circuit Outright Electric Record, with Peter Dredge driving. Both of those records now look to be on shaky ground, as electric power technology advances at a blistering pace.

The post Vision Marine Technologies Out to Make Electric-Powered UIM/APBA Speed Record Attempt appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

The new Donzi 39 VRZ opens a new chapter in the history of a storied boating nameplate that has been the property of Iconic Marine Group since 2017. This 38-foot-8-inch performance-luxury center-console represents a brand reboot, the first in a new generation of Donzi models being developed under the guidance of a team assembled by former Cigarette Racing and Statement Marine marketing maven Craig Barrie and built at Caldwell Marine Designs in North Carolina. Versatility makes center-consoles the most popular segment of the performance-boat market right now. A plush center-console is simply a great dayboat for its abundant space and the easy movement around the boat the layout affords. This Donzi will vie for boatbuyers’ dollars along with premium models like the 39-foot Nor-Tech 390 Sport ($664,395 base price with triple Mercury Racing 300R outboards) and the 38-foot-7-inch Mystic M3800 ($775,000 base price with triple 300R outboards), each a luxurious 12,000-pound step-hull that owners can rig with as much Mercury Racing outboard horsepower as they care to pay for. The Nor-Tech offers a “hidden fishing package,” while the Mystic makes no pretense to angling.

Engines

You also won’t find a rod holder on the Donzi 39 VRZ. The ­mission is confident performance. Barrie told us he wants an owner to take the helm of the 39 VRZ and feel immediately comfortable at any speed, in any ­water condition. That was exactly our experience running hull No. 1, a blazing orange beauty ordered by a Canadian customer who specified triple Racing 300R outboards. Top speed was a tick over 70 mph, fast enough to keep up with the poker-run fleet and as fast as this customer wants to run with the family. We were unfamiliar with this Donzi but ­discovered it was instantly fun. It does not require trim tabs, carving turns at speed with absolute confidence and no hint of step-hull skipping or bobbing. We could execute a pretty aggressive 180-degree turnaround maneuver without trimming down the outboards. More power is always available. Barrie estimates this will be a 90 mph boat with triple Mercury ­Racing 500R motors, a different experience for a different kind of owner.

Credit goes to the hull design for this boat’s easygoing personality. Pete Caldwell and pro racer Billy Moore consulted on the modification of the Fluid Diversion Technology twin-step hull originally created in 2001 by the late Jim Caldwell (Pete’s father) for the Donzi 38 ZRC, one of the first sit-down performance boats and a champion in offshore competition. To convert that hull to outboard power and a center-console layout, the deadrise was changed from the midstep aft, and the angles of each step were also modified. The hull is laid up with bi- and quad-axial fiberglass, with a high-density foam core vacuum-bagged over the layup with vinylester resin. Plexus methyl methacrylate adhesive bonds the hull-deck joint and the deck to stringers. The transom is cored with Coosa composite.

Interior and Accessories

The interior is laid out to maximize space and create social areas. The four-wide aft seat is divided by a walk-through to a 24-inch-deep transom platform. More than 4 feet of deck space—room for dancing or big coolers—separates the aft seat from the first console, which holds a three-across seat with a footrest and a grab bar. Forward on the center console is a lounge with room for two. The bow lounge features angled ­forward-facing ­backrests and stowage below the main cushions.

At the helm, our test boat had an optional throttle console that places the controls between port and starboard seating positions and directly under the captain’s left hand, race-boat-style. This blocks passage through the helm area, and the standard helm has the controls on the main console with a three-wide seat, if that’s your preference. A pair of 16-inch ­Garmin 8616 multifunction displays offer boat and navigation data.

Aerodynamics does not often factor into pleasure-boat design, but note the details in the Donzi 39 VRZ’s hardtop. It angles down a few degrees when the boat is at rest so it is horizontal to reduce drag when the boat is running. A vent in the top forward windshield relieves air pressure at speed; without the vent, a parachute effect occurs, wanting to pull the boat back against its roll into a turn. To further improve handling and stability, the top is formed of carbon fiber to reduce weight high on the boat, reportedly weighing only 160 pounds.

The top, the central control location, and the fine-tuning of the hull are examples of a racer’s influence on the design of this new Donzi, but this is no race boat. This is a center-console built purely for pleasure, for an owner who wants to be seen at the scene at the wheel of a boat that’s fast but never demanding. Donzi is back, baby.

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple Mercury Racing 300R
• Drive/Props: Outboard/Mercury Racing 5.44 HD gear case/Mercury Racing Bravo I FS 15.25″ x 28″ 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 140 gal. Water on Board: NA Crew Weight: 850 lb.

High Points

• Well-balanced and well-designed, the boat inspires instant confidence from the helm, with no hint of handling quirks.
• Standard Fusion and JL Audio system could power a Rolling Stones concert, with 20 speakers, four subs and four 900-watt amps.
• Room for your entire poker-run entourage.

Low Points

• Windshield does not open for ventilation.
• No ventilation in the head compartment.
• No grab handles at the console lounge position.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2023 Donzi 39 VRZ appeared first on Boating Mag.

The complete refurbishing of Fountain Powerboats hull #1 included new power, new rigging, new interior, new paint – and a new trailer. The original trailer was looking a little shabby, and it ruined the presentation. Reggie Fountain turned to EZ Loader for a new custom trailer to get his boat down the road.

EZ Loader has been building trailers since 1953 and is ubiquitous in the adjustable trailer segment, both as an aftermarket and OEM supplier. It recently added to its portfolio custom aluminum trailers for performance boats up to 42 feet and 24,000 pounds, where it plans to compete with the big names in that market, MYCO and Evolution.

We spoke to Conrad West, general manager of the EZ Loader Custom division, about what goes into building a custom trailer for a performance boat.

“When we build a trailer for a new production boat, we can usually get computer design files from the builder that we use to create a CAD file for the trailer,” explained West, “We work with the boat manufacturer to confirm the boat is supported in structural areas to eliminate hull damage or deformation. For an older boat like Reggie’s Executioner, it’s a much more complicated process. We send an engineer to the boat to hand-measure and make a map of the bottom to plot the location of strakes and chines, of through-hull fittings, and every little detail. Bunks need to align with the strakes, both to support the boat where it is rigid and also to help it self-load using the strakes as guides on the bunks. We also need to consider boat weight and the center of gravity to determine axle rating and location.”

In the future, West says EZ Loader will invest in a digital scan tool that will speed up the measuring process.

Like most performance boat trailers, the EZ Loader frame is formed of 6061-T6 Structural aluminum C-channel, rather than I-beam aluminum. West says C-channel is not necessarily stronger than I-beam, “but it looks substantial, and the smooth sides leave room for custom graphics, especially important for race boats.”

Read Next: How to Protect Your Boat Trailer from Corrosion

EZ Loader fabricates custom trailers on a dedicated jig. Trailer construction starts upside down and then the entire trailer is rotated on the jig. This process allows for multiple weld passes reducing “heat affected zones” and eliminating overhead welding. All electrical connectors are crimped and covered with heat shrink.

EZ Loader built a test-fit frame for the Fountain and checked its fitment on site before completing the trailer. West says the build time for a custom trailer is eight weeks for a production boat with available digital files. For an older boat, build time will be influenced by the location and complexity of the boat. Prices range from $20,000 to $35,000 depending on boat length and weight, and features. The trailer features triple torsion axles and electric-over-hydraulic brakes on each wheel. One custom flourish on this trailer is LED lighting under the frame that makes the ground glow at night. Other features a customer may order include toolboxes, a bow ladder, back-up lights, custom wheels and an electric tongue jack.

EZ Loader custom trailers are certified by NATM (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers) and NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association). EZ Loader partners with BoatUS to provide a complimentary one-year membership with TowAssist for both the trailer and the tow vehicle. The result is a trailer that looks great and will transport a performance boat with confidence and safety.

The post EZ Loader Boat Trailers Adds Custom Trailers for Performance Boats appeared first on Boating Mag.

Who is the OG of performance ­powerboating, the founder of go-fast? Gar Wood, Ray Hunt, Jim Wynne, Don Aronow, Art Carlson and Larry Smith immediately come to mind, and all were certainly influential. But only one builder put his name on the “fastest, safest and best-handling boats in the world.” Reggie Fountain Jr. designed, built and raced the boats that bear his name, and made a staggering impact on the sport in the process. His influence started in 1980 with the creation of the Fountain 10 Meter ­Executioner, 33 feet of go-fast sizzle that rocked the performance world. This is the story of how that first boat was created, how it came back to Fountain, and what it took to repower a 43-year-old performance boat.

The Origin Story

In 1979, Reggie Fountain Jr. had earned a law degree, was a successful Northwestern Mutual insurance agent, was investing in real estate in his hometown of Washington, North Carolina, and was a national and world champion tunnel-boat racer as a member the Team Mercury factory effort that dominated the sport. When Mercury disbanded the race team during the Arab oil embargo, it was racing-team manager Gary ­Garbrecht who suggested that Fountain consider building offshore-style performance boats powered by the same Mercury high-performance engines he was supplying to Cigarette.

Fountain owned an outboard-powered 20-foot Allison Craft runabout, a boat that could hit 90 mph on the smooth waters of the Tar River thanks to its keel pad and notched transom. In the movie King of Offshore, Fountain recounts how he sought to adapt the ­Allison Craft features to a larger hull suitable for bigger waters. He partnered with Bill Farmer and Don Abel, custom boatbuilders from ­Sarasota, Florida, who ­modified the mold for their 31-foot ­Excalibur model, originally designed by Jeane Claude Simone, to Fountain’s specifications. At speed, the boat would skim along on its flat pad at the aft keel. The running surface ended short of the transom to create a built-in setback for the drives, which could then mount higher to reduce drag while keeping the props in solid water. Fountain called this exciting new boat the Excalibur Executioner.

Fountain sold 10 or 12 Executioner boats, but concluded that the flat pad slapped the water in choppy conditions. He went back to Farmer and Abel, and asked them to change the mold to add a modest V-angle to the pad. Having already cut up their mold once for Fountain, they declined to do it again. Undeterred, Fountain went back to Washington, rented an empty car-dealership building, and made his own mold by splashing one of the Executioner hulls. Helping in this project was then-17-year-old Jeff Harris, a Washington high school student who worked on Fountain’s racing pit crew.

“I can still point to the spot on the floor in that building where we cut and shaped the mold,” says Harris, who became a national and world champion boat racer himself and is COO of Iconic ­Marine Group, owner of the Fountain brand. “Reggie added some ­V-shape to the pad to stop the slap and extended the bow to add some additional flare for an aerodynamic effect, the idea being that the flare would generate lift and could help keep the bow from stuffing in some conditions. The hullsides and deck were cored with Baltek balsa, which made the boat much stiffer. At the time, I believe only Cigarette was coring a production boat.”

The pointed bow—the Fountain “beak”—became a distinctive design feature of every Fountain model. It made the boat length 33 feet, or 10 meters. The boat was powered by a pair of 475 hp ­Mercury high-performance 454-cubic-inch engines fitted with Gale Banks twin turbocharger kits and Mercury TRS No. 2 Speedmaster drives. Garbrecht arranged to have the boat dialed in at the Mercury Lake X test center in ­Florida, where it ran an impressive 88 mph. The first Fountain 10 Meter Executioner was finished in medium blue with white stripes and delivered in 1980 to its new owner, a New York investment banker. Fountain got busy building boat No. 2.

Hull No. 1 Returns

Over the years, hull No. 1 would occasionally come back to the Fountain shop in Washington for service or a refresh, and it was repowered at least once. In 1998, the owner contacted ­Reggie Fountain and asked for help selling the boat. Fountain instead purchased it and had it repainted in a red, white and blue scheme typical of Executioner models of the 1980s

“Reggie would use the boat maybe once a year,” Harris says. “It was often in the way and would be moved around the property, sometimes left outside.”

Fountain Powerboats did not survive the 2008 economic downturn, and declared bankruptcy in 2009 and again in 2012, with Reggie now out of the company. Along the way, hull No. 1 ended up on display at a Fountain dealership in the Midwest. Fred Ross, owner of Big ­Thunder Marine in the Lake of the Ozarks region, acquired the boat in 2017 before he purchased the assets of the Fountain, Baja and Donzi brands, and formed Iconic ­Marine in 2018. Ross invited Fountain to a poker-run event at Big Thunder, where the boat was displayed. After noting Fountain’s nostalgia for the Executioner, Ross gifted the boat back to him.

Time to Repower

By then the boat ran, but not well, and was looking a bit shabby. The Executioner was refinished in its current retro paint scheme and fitted with a new matching interior. A repower and rigging update were in order, and those tasks were accomplished by BAR Marine of Jacksonboro, South Carolina, a Mercury Racing dealer owned by Ben Robertson Jr., himself a former tunnel-boat and offshore racer who has worked with Reggie Fountain in the past. The project illustrates the challenges of repowering a classic sterndrive performance boat.

Robertson has rigged and raced Fountain 29- and 35-foot Factory II race boats and repowered many older Fountain boats—there are currently more than 20 waiting their turn in the BAR yard—so he knows how these boats go together.

“When we got the boat, the engines were out,” Robertson says. “There was a lot of evident wear and tear, but the boat was really solid, with no rot in the plywood stringers or the transom. We started by stripping out all of the analog rigging, as the repower would be digital. Then we pulled out the cockpit carpet, sanded down the sole, and refinished it with gelcoat.”

Next, the stripped-out engine bay and transom were scanned using a Faro 3D digital scanner. The data from that was placed in a CAD program at Charleston Composites, a business affiliated with BAR Marine. A specialized marine digital design program was then used to calculate the placement of engine mounts and the X dimension for installing the drives on the transom.

Locating the drives is the first step. The holes for the old TRS are not compatible with Mercury Racing Bravo drives, so the transom cutouts had to be filled with new plywood, reinforced inside the boat, and reglassed and finished. The original trim tabs were removed, and those mounting holes also filled. For this repower, a package of Mercury ­Racing ­Bravo One XR Sport Master 1.5-to-1 drives with an Integrated Transom System (ITS) was selected. The ITS sets the drive back about 7 inches and features ­integral power-steering cylinders for a cleaner look and easier installation. With the desired drive height depicted in CAD, the team determined it had to cut away a few inches of the edge of the deck to fit the ITS mounting plate before making the new transom cutouts with a reciprocating saw. Finally, the ITS units and drives could be installed. This determines the engine mounting height because the output from the engines needs to align with the drives.

“Next, we had to modify the stringers and make new engine mounts because the old mounts don’t fit modern engines,” ­Robertson says. “We had to add material to raise the center stringer and lower the outers, but not by much. Then we made new aluminum engine mounts in the same style as the originals.”

The CAD files are so accurate that the BAR team knew the molded carbon-fiber engine covers on top of the 8.7-liter V-8 naturally aspirated Mercury Racing 565 engines would not quite fit below the aft edge of the ­engine hatch, and each cover was trimmed before the engines were installed. It appears that a sheet of paper might just fit between the inboard exhaust headers, and Robertson explains that he tries to get the engines, and thus the drives, as close together as possible to keep the props in the best water. The centers on this rig are 33.5 inches. New Mercury Racing K-Plane 380 tabs were installed in a horizontal position, rather than the original alignment with the bottom of the transom.

Robertson says the most frustrating element of this repower was fitting the exhaust tailpipes, which must be custom-made for older boats like this Fountain. New boats typically mate the 4.5-inch headers to 4-inch tailpipes, with water injected into the ­exhaust flow to muffle sound.

“That tailpipe requires a lot of pieces, rubber boots and the water lines, and I just don’t like the way it looks,” Robertson says. “It’s not as clean as a race boat. We wanted dry tailpipes and waited months for a big supplier that just couldn’t come through. We finally went to Hardin Marine, which made up the water-jacketed pipes we wanted. It’s a little loud, but Reggie likes it.”

With all of the old analog instruments and controls removed, a new carbon-fiber dash from ­Innotech Products was fitted, with cutouts for a Garmin 8612 multi­function display and a Mercury VesselView 4 display, a Livorsi digital drive and tab-trim indicator, and Livorsi digital controls. Robertson is a big fan of MDC TrimSync programmable auto trim and installed that system on the Fountain with a control toggle next to the original trim toggle switches. The wheel is an older Second Effort unit from one of Robertson’s tunnel-hull race boats, with trim switches on each of the three spokes.

Nick Petersen, Mercury Racing prop manager, helped Robertson select 15.25-inch-by-30-inch Maximus ST Lab Finish propellers, a complicated task when ­repowering an older boat.

“Being a larger, stern-heavy boat, we typically opt for the ­Maximus over the Bravo One or Max5 prop models,” Petersen says. “The drives aren’t mounted super high, and the boat needs more bow lift at speed than some of the newer hulls, so we went with the 15.25-inch diameter instead of the full 15.63-inch model with the shorter tube. The barrel length of the Maximus is still longer than the standard Max5 and also has more blade area.”

The bottom line is that every ­repower project is unique. Robertson ballparks the bill for this project at about $335,000, including the powertrain, electronics, rigging and labor. Mercury Racing sells the 565 engine, ITS and Bravo XR Sport Master drive as a package for $79,830, so figure about $160,000 for the powertrain alone.

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Robertson’s experience and his team’s expertise played a big part in this project. The payoff was a boat that ran and handled well right off its new custom EZ ­Loader C-channel aluminum trailer.

“You could go with more ­power, but I really like these 565 engines,” Robertson says. “They are easy to install, make great torque, and run on 89-octane fuel.”

Robertson has satisfied a ­demanding customer. On April 12—his 83rd birthday, by the way—Reggie Fountain Jr. took the throttles for the first time and trimmed the repowered hull No. 1 to perfection for a 91 mph blast down the Pamlico River. Then he turned around and did it again. We were along for the ride, and it was quite a thrill.

The post Repowering Fountain Hull No. 1 appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

The Nor-Tech 500 Sport is a center-console that is also a yacht. It has the sharp lines of a multifaceted gem, and for a boater in the market for something in this class, our tests revealed nothing that would take away from its feature-benefit value proposition. In other words, put it on your boat-show must-see list.

Engines

Its carbon-fiber and Kevlar-reinforced triple-stepped hull proves solid and takes full advantage of five Mercury 450R outboards, achieving top speeds in the high 80s. That’s thanks to the partnership between Mercury Racing’s commitment to high-performance outboards and Nor-Tech’s decadeslong track record producing light, sturdy, high-performance hulls.

The Mercs are V-8s—supercharged to boost the massive output of the V-8 powerheads—and integrated digital throttle, shift and power steering reduces the work of managing them to pure fingertip pleasure. You could argue the vessel is not fuel-friendly, but considering the hull size, amenities, sleeping accommodations and sheer stadium seating, the economy is better than average. What’s more, Mercury’s cowling style is designed to easily color-match to the hull design thanks to color panels that can be customized for any of the color schemes available from Nor-Tech’s designers and paint shop.

Interior and Accessories

Usually, speed and exotic colors aren’t the first things a boater thinks of in reference to luxury, but Nor-Tech’s engineers put some posh twists into the boat that make it comfortable for skippers and their crews. A large center console is topped with a tempered-glass windshield that wraps around the console, ending in outward flares on each side that deflect the airstream generated by the speed of the Mercs away from the cockpit and aft seating. Wind dams open from the sides of the console, closing the space between the inwales and console. The result calms the air behind the helm seats, making 80 mph exciting and comfortable. For shade, the hardtop covers two rows of seating with a welded aluminum, smartly powder-coated superstructure bonded to stringers, the console and the hardtop in the most rigid manner possible. The superstructure is also designed to accept gyrostabilizers installed either at the factory or as an aftermarket addition.

Situational awareness at speed is enhanced with three large Garmin displays; the starboard (third one) is cleverly mounted in the sliding door to the spacious cabin below. A Mercury VesselView display above in the hardtop gives another look at engine systems and allows unique functions, like toggling between luxury quiet-exhaust settings or rumbling performance-exhaust settings that let the motors breath. Digital switching routes through the displays, but Nor-Tech provides tactile buttons for the most-used onboard systems, such as the horn, bilge, navigation lights and more. Systems integration includes audio as well, whether you choose a JL or Fusion system.

The helm itself is centered so the skipper can enjoy the company of crew, with custom bucket seats on each side. Spacing is ideal for performance handling, with bolsters that allow stand-up driving with a safe, comfortable reach to the wheel.

For refreshment, a cold plate cooler is positioned full-width in the skipper’s leaning post, and the second-row leaning-post seat has an identical cold plate cooler.

While luxury is the name of the game in the Nor-Tech, the boat’s style and vibe is all Miami Vice. The HCB Yachts Suenos ($2,600,000) offers a 53-footer that can go toe-to-toe in luxury with the 500 Sport, but it’s vibe is more Outer Banks, thanks to its tall stem and wide Carolina bow flare. The Suenos offers an extra foot of beam compared to the Nor-Tech and takes good advantage of it, providing teak-trimmed bucket seats at the helm, lounges forward, and plenty of cabin amenities belowdecks.

Nor-Tech’s comfort is not to be outclassed by another boatbuilder. Aft, a beam-to-beam lounge with back bolsters wraps over the transom. Forward seating wraps around the forepeak of the sole, and an extra-wide dual lounge is centered on the console’s front. Tap a button and a full-width footrest raises the comfort level.

The cabin below, inside the console, is airy and roomy with expansive portals. Tap a button, however, and these turn opaque, closing the cabin for privacy and leaving behind a soft, diffused light. A large berth, spacious head compartment and a seating area make for happy cruising.

The Nor-Tech 500 Sport is blistering-fast, with mouth-watering color schemes and a soothing style in amenities to make all riders content and the skipper proud to own it.

Read Next: 2022 Nor-Tech 392 Super Fish

How We Tested

• Engines: Five Mercury 450R
• Drive/Props: Outboard/Max 5 28.3″ x 15″
• Gear Ratio: 5.44:1 Fuel Load: 400 gal. Water on Board: 50 gal. Crew Weight: 500 lb.

High Points

• LED cabin blackout windows proved cool and practical.
• Chill plates in dual coolers eliminate the need to haul ice.
• Light carbon-fiber-reinforced hull makes the most out of Mercury horsepower.

Low Points

• Though we believe a teak cabin sole suits a vessel of this caliber, Nor-Tech says no (but yes to performance).
• Full-beam aft couch eliminates a transom door, but gunwale doors are comparably convenient.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Nor-Tech Boats – Cape Coral, Florida; 239-567-5030; nor-techboats.com

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