After some delay, Project Activator has made some progress. Now we are getting into the fun part. The final clear coat was done last week, and now we can start rigging. Plus, we have the interior getting ready for upholstery.
Lean and Mean Mirage Restoration: Part of the Family
For most people into performance boats, there is usually a person that is responsible for getting them involved, and more often than not, it is a family member. In Nick Petersen’s case, his grandfather and his dad would be responsible for his passion for going fast on the water
Testing a 1997 Checkmate Pulsare 2100: An Oldie, But a Goodie
Checkmate boats has been a staple in the family performance boat game since 1963. Originally started by boat racer Bill Combs in Bucyrus Ohio, the company has laid it’s foundation in great design, value, and a variety of models
Mercury Racing 450R: Dawn of a New Outboard Era
Sometimes, even a subtle advancement in technology can change the course of an industry. A simple shift can alter the course of design, and allow new ideas to grow. I think the new Mercury Racing 450R outboard achieves this type of shift change in the performance boating world
Mercury 150 Four Stroke: ProXS Motor Mount Install and Details
Although we've done some testing and talked about the Allison Grand Sport quite a bit, we haven't examined the features of the 150 Mercury four stroke too closely, and we wanted to show the ProXS motor mount install.
Evinrude Adds New Midrange Models: The New Three Cylinder G2
Even though it’s exciting to talk about big horsepower engines, and what might be next in the 400 plus HP range, for manufacturers, the 115 to 150 HP range is a critical market.
Allison Grand Sport: Features, Details and Testing
We made a video taking a closer look at the Allison Grand Sport. There are quite a few unique features and designs in the 20’ hull.
Texas Heat: Repowering an Original Mirage with a 250R
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