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The Inside
by Published on 08-27-2018 10:49 PM Number of Views: 3121Categories:
Detroit's Hydrofest was quite the event. From bad weather, to worse weather, to the busiest and most exciting race day possible. All in a short three day span.
What was supposed to be a three day span of testing, qualifying, and racing did not have Mother Nature's blessing. Somebody must have forgotten to inform her to put it on her schedule. When we arrived on Friday, the wind was blowing pretty strong out of the South, straight up the Detroit River, opposite of the current flow. The waves on the water were in the neighborhood of a foot to a foot and a half.
Not good water to run an Unlimited Hydro at speeds up to 200 MPH;
...by Published on 08-20-2018 09:00 AM Number of Views: 3730
The first Traverse City Invitational Poker Run, put on by the Offshore Powerboat Association and the Offshore Classic group, was a great success for participants and beneficiaries. From the beginning on Friday where participants started showing up to the hotels, to the finale on Sunday where rides were given to both Bigs and Littles from the Big Brothers Big Sisters, everybody we spoke with had a great time and good things to say.
Getting ready for the start on Saturday morning.
Saturday started out overcast, but the water was nice for running. The drivers meeting at 10:00 went off without a hitch, it looked as if every ...by Published on 08-08-2018 09:35 AM Number of Views: 3203Categories:
Every so often something special comes along in the performance boating world. Everybody has their favorites; some are one of a kind in performance. Some are one of a kind in handling. Some are one of a kind in design. And some are one of a kind in paint.
Some become the beginning of the next great thing, an overall breakthrough. We all have our favorites.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are the boats that are a lot of hype and marketing. Words and dimensions are used to describe them that have nothing to do with the actual product. Somebody adds a swim platform or transom winglets, adds that extension ...by Published on 07-31-2018 08:57 AM Number of Views: 1051Categories:
The Offshore Powerboat Association's St Clair River Classic of 2018 had a few glitches this past weekend, mostly ships on the course, but the cream of the event for the spectators appeared to be Class 7.
Five of the seven Class 7 boats at the start.
Part of the reason for being most exciting, the number of boats. With seven entries, there was obviously more competition just because they had the most boats racing of any class. But, with St Clair being a, (usually), flat water race when compared to Great Lakes offshore races and offshore races in the ocean or gulf, the class 7 boats also make the most exciting action around the course.
...by Published on 07-26-2018 08:13 PM Number of Views: 1432Categories:
Race World Offshore's very first race was something else. Many things were working against the event, including weather and boat count, but my final opinion was completely different than what I expected. When all was said and done, I made the comment it was the most exciting offshore race event I've ever seen where a total of only 11 boats showed up to participate.
The day started out with a slight drizzle. We had to be at the Priceless turn boat's slip by 9:30, so off to the Yacht Club it was. Pete Boden of Shoot 2 Thrill was going on Priceless, as was Jordan from the M-Con team to help with lap counting for the races. It was interesting as Priceless is owned by very good friends of the owner of the Cleveland Construction team, and Jordan was the only person who had team gear on which was not Cleveland Construction. She did make it back no problem though. Everybody I met on the boat, owners, captain, ...by Published on 07-26-2018 07:58 PM Number of Views: 1809Categories:
The WMO Muskegon Powerboat Weekend's Poker Run was almost a Deja Vu all over again. The forecast was calling for rain and possible thunderstorms, just like in June. Because of the conditions, the helicopter had to be cancelled at the last possible minute before it had to leave its home airport to arrive for the scheduled photo shoot with Pete Boden of Shoot 2 Thrill Pix. But, even though there were weather issues, almost 40 of the 100 plus registered boats decided to do the run from Grand Haven to lunch at the Boat Werks waterfront restaurant in Holland.
Leaving Holland's Lighthouse Behind
Heading Out Grand Haven Channel
Although the plan was for the ...by Published on 07-19-2018 06:02 PM Number of Views: 1024
What else can be said. Almost perfect weather. Almost perfect water. Almost perfect events. And almost perfect food. Boyne Thunder once again improved the package which had already become known as the "World's Best Poker Run".
This year's Boyne Thunder Poker Run was maybe the best yet. We had some rain Friday during the street party and Stereo War, but other than that there was not much to complain about. A bit of near shore fog on Saturday on Lake Michigan, but that burned off fairly quickly.
The event started with the lunch run to Bay Harbor on Thursday, leaving Round Lake around 10:30 AM. Well, there was rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, so many of the people drove up by car instead of their planned boat trip, ...by Published on 07-19-2018 11:39 AM Number of Views: 1209Categories:
A couple years ago we reviewed a new Skater build we dubbed the Silver Bullet. The boat was a phenomenal piece of work, going over 160 MPH with 1200 HP Sterling's, (de-tuned 1500's), and Arneson drives.
( Link: http://seriousoffshore.com/forums/co...akedown-Cruise )
Unfortunately, there just did not seem to be any buyers for a 33' boat, (30'8" without the bustle), with that type of speed capabilities running Arneson drives. So, out came the Sterling's, off came the Arneson's, and a new opportunity was created. That opportunity ended ...by Published on 06-21-2018 10:09 AM Number of Views: 2089
West Michigan Offshore's only 2018 Poker Run certainly had its challenges, all weather related. Mother Nature decided to not be very motherly for some reason this June 16th. Thunderstorms started rolling through fairly early in the morning on Saturday, postponing many of the boats arriving by water and delaying the launch of many others. But, that was not the only thing happening over the course of the Muskegon Powerboat Weekend.
The beginning of the postponed Poker Run start.
The Friday evening street party by Muskegon's Hackley Park had perfect weather, all of the storms stayed to the north. The food and drink provided by the Taste of Muskegon, live bands in the park, along with the ...by Published on 08-30-2017 11:12 PM Number of Views: 7727
It seems as if the summer boating season had just begun, but West Michigan Offshore's final run of the year just took place this previous Saturday. Hard to believe the first signal of the end of the boating year has already taken place.
Start of the run in the Grand Haven channel. Special escort by the County's fire patrol boat.
They must have known there was a group of "Hot" boats heading out.
The day started out a bit cool. The forecast was for a high of 71, and the Lake Michigan water temps were in the high 60's. There were major decisions to be made. Like, shorts or jeans??? Lake Michigan was supposed to be flat to 1', making the big offshore boats think the run would be a bit on the boring ...by Published on 06-05-2017 05:27 PM Number of Views: 6159Categories:
Every winter there is a dilemma for West Michigan performance boaters. How soon can everyone count on getting boats in the water? How soon can they be tested to make sure they are ready to do a run? Followed by, how soon can those boats actually do an organized run followed by some fun conversations at a get together?
Some years it still seems there is snow on the ground late in May. Some years there are late winter and spring storms. And some years everything is so perfect all are wondering why there is no run scheduled the week before Memorial day, instead of waiting for June. What is a Michigan Performance Boating ...by Published on 10-12-2016 08:31 PM Number of Views: 8421Categories:
They say that good things come to those who wait, and it seems to be that great Skaters are also included as part of that saying. Today, the Skater 478 Vee made its inaugural voyage shake-down cruise and the initial test results were certainly very positive.
We are under sworn secrecy to the performance numbers, but it was just an initial shakedown so top speed was not a consideration. Handling, time to plane with drives in versus drives at neutral. No tabs to plane, quartering seas handling, cornering capabilities, ...by Published on 10-03-2016 05:51 PM Number of Views: 13480Categories:
Within the confines of Douglas Marine in Saugatuck, Michigan, there exists an office where a boat building legend draws up the creations thought of on a large drafting table. Then, once that legend decides the design has reached the potential required to bear his reputation of performance and handling, he finally releases that creation to be built.
Peter and Mike coming back in after the first test.
That is the way Peter Hledin creates a Skater for the world to utilize. And his latest completed creation once again upholds that reputation with the utmost capability.
Tyson and Peter heading out to Lake Michigan
The ...by Published on 10-02-2016 02:13 PM Number of Views: 5063Categories:
This past week Skater Powerboats took one of their latest creations for testing and review by the experts at Mercury Racing. As unlikely as it may seem, for the first time in his 42 years of building performance boats, Peter Hledin went on this particular trip and actually visited Mercury Racing in Wisconsin.
Mike Griffith and Peter Hledin Testing
It was hard for any of us to believe, Peter had been to Lake X, but never to the Fond du Lac facilities. So, with his latest creation ...by Published on 05-30-2016 09:14 PM Number of Views: 6540
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence”. Vince Lombardi
Boyne Thunder 2014
When Skater Powerboats started the build of the 46’ Race/Pleasure “GOTCHA NOW” back in 2013 they knew they had an owner who was always in search of perfection. He wouldn’t even consider ever letting the boat be used in salt water. The boat was built with Mercury Racing 1350’s, M8 drives, and had every aspect of the build sweated to the smallest detail. When the pursuit of perfection was completed, Lombardi would certainly agree excellence had certainly been caught. But, when a person driven towards perfection gets ...
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