Recently, a reader sent me some information about repowering a very cool boat, with one of Mercury Racing’s latest engines. Chris Lamont has a beautiful Collins era Mirage that he has kept in excellent original condition.
Hustler PT221: A Modern Single Engine Performance Boat
I recently talked to Paul LoGiudice, Hustler’s VP of Sales and Marketing, in Miami about the Hustler lineup, and we ended up talking about their 221. He told me they have a brand new one in their shop they are getting ready to rig.
What Happened to Scarab?: The Fall of a Legendary Boat Brand
There was a time not that long ago that the prominent boat brand, Scarab, made a large variety of boats recognized for their racing heritage, design, and style. The brand was very powerful, yet a little confusing.
Boat Details: Bring Back the Color and Shine
In this article, we are going to talk about how to care for your gelcoat or paint and how you can bring back a scratched and faded boat, as well as protect it going forward.
The Top Mid Power Outboards of 2019: Lean and Mean
Good things do come in small packages, at least in outboard engines. The mid range horsepower range is an ultra competitive category in the boat world. For high performance, there really isn’t anything out of the box that really is a high performance engine per say, but there are some really good engines, and with some minor modifications can be made into economical performers
Project Activator Episode 15: Paint, Jack Plate, Gauges
In this episode we talk about the paint, the jack plate, and some other hardware and rigging. The color is Porsche GT Silver Metallic, which is a really dark silver with a lot of depth.
Allison Grand Sport: Project 150, Gearcase Modification, Testing
I wish I had more time to run the Allison, and test a few more things. But, the good news is we did make one adjustment that made a difference, and the modification was directly related to our recent article about gearcases.
The Most Powerful Outboards: The Biggest Engines from Mercury, Yamaha, Seven, Suzuki and Evinrude
After getting back from the Miami boat show, my initial reaction is to write a bunch of articles and talk about the the show, and I did do that to an extent. But, what I really enjoy is looking back and absorbing what I saw, going through the interviews, and photos, then doing a deep dive into what is happening in the industry.
Project Activator Episode 14: Primer, Rub Rail, and Paint Change
In episode 14 of Project Activator, we look at the boat in tinted primer, and walk around talking about some of the details.
Miami International Boat Show 2019: An Overview
Another Miami Boat Show is in the books, and overall it was a great show. For this article, I want to provide a general overview, and look at some of the highlights. Miami is always a great place to see the latest and greatest, as well as see almost every kind of boat imaginable.
Gearcase Dynamics: Getting to the Point of your Lower Unit
Gearcase design is somewhat complicated, but in this article I want to talk about some key things that will help make you faster, safer, and more efficient
Project Activator Episode 13: Hull, Deck, Paint
In this episode, we talk about the deck being put back on the hull, and some of the details preparing for paint. The bulkheads were trimmed, and the deck was reinforced at the edges to be stronger and fit better.
Project 150: Testing the Allison Grand Sport
his is a summary of our latest testing of the Allison Grand Sport, with our Project 150 Mercury four stroke. Let’s call it a backyard 150R
Project Activator Episode 12: Final Paint Choice, Deck Repair, Jackplates
In Episode 12, we talk about grinding out the rotten core in the deck, final paint scheme, and some jackplate options.
Outboard Innovation: Ranking the Marine Engine Builders
Since we are now in 2019, let’s take a look at, and rank the most innovative outboard engine companies of the year, what they can do better, and look ahead at what we might see this year.
Speed Kills: The Definitive Review of the Don Aronow Biopic with John Travolta
This is a true crime film, but the biggest crime in this sorry excuse for a film was the script. The writing was even worse than the special effects, which is saying a great deal.
2000 21' Liberator: Refreshing a Classic Tunnel
When it comes to Liberator boats, Randy Corson has been selling, rigging and customizing them for a long time. Randy has been well known for his custom rigged Liberators and Checkmates out of his shop in Florida.
Testing the Top Sport Catamarans: Riding With Bob Teague
Speed on the Water released their November issue featuring the inaugural Sport Cat / Verado 400R Outboard Roundup, called “Killer Six Pack.” The article was important for several reasons. For one, it allowed some of the top builders to showcase their latest creations in one of the more exciting categories in performance boating.
Bad Boat Design: Your Living Room on the Water
In this article we will look at a few glaring design errors that are not only poorly thought out, but are outright dangerous.
The Ups and Downs of Jack Plates
When it comes to setting up your boat from scratch, or upgrading an older boat, you would be hard pressed to find a better investment than a quality jack plate.