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The Inside
by Published on 04-18-2016 08:45 AMCategories:
As West Michigan Offshore has their one year anniversary, the importance of the giving spirit of the performance boating world once again jumps out into the spotlight. Those outside people who tend to believe that performance boaters are nothing but a bunch of belligerent egotists have never taken the time to see the many ways performance boaters try to help those less fortunate than themselves. And we are proud to say that the West Michigan Offshore members are continuing that proud tradition.
The Weather at the Boatwerks could not have been any better!
As people arrived at the Boatwerks Restaurant in Holland, Michigan to ...by Published on 02-09-2016 01:20 AMCategories:
In the performance boating world, the one thing that has remained constant every since the first Roman added extra rowers to his Galley, there is never enough horsepower. In today's world, there are several options to try for more horsepower, and several players who want to provide the ultimate horsepower option. There are also several questions begging to be answered. Like: What is more important, horsepower or torque? Many don't realize that the horsepower at the crankshaft of the engine is multiplied by the gear ratios of the drives or transmissions. So, an engine with 500 foot pounds of torque, passing the power through a 1.5 drive, has 750 foot pounds of torque at ...by Published on 10-28-2015 10:36 PM
Back in Key West a year ago the key players from Performance Boat Center at Lake of the Ozarks approached the key players from Douglas Marine in Douglas Michigan about a possible race boat project. After some discussion, the project was a go.
Since that time, we here at Serious Offshore Sports have once again had the opportunity to watch the creation of a one of a kind Skater come from a waxed mold, to a finished project. Well, that finished project hit the water today, so now we can finally chat about the build and show some of the photos as we have followed it.
It floats!!
...by Published on 09-24-2015 09:02 PMCategories:
After the boat was finished with all of the base paint prep work, it went into the paint booth for the final application of the paint to make the final design come to life. Take a peek as we have watched this transformation to the current status. What an amazing piece of eye-candy. In the water, this beauty is going to stun!!
First View.
Finished Base
The Vision!
Sleek!!!
This boat ...by Published on 06-23-2015 08:26 PMCategories:
As we spend time at Skater watching custom boat after custom boat being built, every once in awhile a completely new design floors us. This has happened recently, as you are aware, with the Pure Platinum 388, the 50' Shades of Grey, and the all new 318 wide-body outboard currently beginning its rigging process.
Now, Skater has done it again. The new 478 we have watched for the past 8 months is getting to a point where they have decided to allow the secret new build out. The lines on this boat are something that we cannot wait to see on the water. In our humble opinion, they are superb. ...by Published on 06-02-2015 11:35 PMCategories:
As we've been following the build of this Skater 318, we are certainly impressed with the thought, build, and the overall impressions this "First" projects.
Now that it has the final clear shot in the paint booth, it is time to show you what has been transpiring, and tell a little bit of the why.
After the last clear topcoat in the spray booth. Still drying!
Sanding out the boat for prime.
Prime in the booth.
Sand Again!
Painting the final design.
...by Published on 05-13-2015 09:19 PM
A couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to chat with Bob "JR" Noble, Mark Kowalski, and Dave Hutchinson while they were visiting Skater to check up on both of their team's boats. It was a slight bit colder up here than in Florida when they left. (Mark just had to drive over from Ohio).
The current boat, damaged in Key West as most will remember, was almost ready to take home for final rigging to be ready for the Cocoa Beach race. Dave was able to take it back south to TNT the next day for final assembly, rigging, and testing.
"Past"
"Bumping" with Broadco in Key West
Oops, Drive ...by Published on 05-12-2015 09:48 AM
Many times we hear about “The 1%” in today’s news stories. When it comes to scarcity however, Platinum is found in only .01 parts per million of the earth’s crust, making it one of the planets most elusive elements. In the 18th Century, platinum’s rarity made King Louis the XV of France declare it “the only metal fit for a king”. So, when Bill Pyburn collaborated with Peter Hledin to produce the latest “Pure Platinum” Skater, they had a lofty target to attain to make sure the finished product would live up to the rarity of its namesake.
Photo Courtesy Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
...by Published on 04-17-2015 11:52 PMCategories:
Is this fifty shades of grey, it very well may be and we will double check with the paint designers. But Skater is, with this 50 feet of fulfillment (as Christian Grey says in Fifty Shades of Grey), “Raising the ordinary to extraordinary”. And extraordinary is the perfect word to describe this Skater beauty.
We are kind of hoping they name it “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Seems perfect for something that can hurt you while looking this good and giving you pleasure at the same time.
Follow along as we show a few photos of this extraordinary craft being built. We will add to the photos in the thread ...by Published on 03-29-2015 06:43 PMCategories:
The Simmons Marine team, consisting of Jim Simmons and Bob Mazikowski, had an outstanding season in 2014. They won the APBA High Points Championship in SVL, the OPA National Championship in Class 4, and they were named 2014 inductees into the APBA Hall of Champions. Jim also went on to win the Biggest, the Baddest and the Heaviest Trophy in all of Offshore Racing, "The Godfather Cup".
Courtesy Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
Octane Racing's Super Vee Lite Team, with driver Jim Simmons and throttle-man Bob Mazikowski, were named 2014 inductees. If you don't think it is hardto get into the APBA Hall of Champions, there is not a better person ...by Published on 03-17-2015 12:02 AMCategories:
Luck of the Irish on St. Patricks Day?
SOS: It was 1979 I believe when you burst on the scene in the Open Class and shocked the offshore world with a win out of no-where. Everyone was waiting for the showdown between Betty Cook in Kaama and Joey Ippolito in Michelob Light, just like the previous year's season long battle. But a first time open class racer from the Northeast won their very first race in their brand new boat. Give us a little more history on that win than has already been written.
Charlie: I had hired JC Simon at the Key west World Championships in 1977 to design and build a new Open Class boat for me for the following season...meaning the season of 1978.
Charlie and Jean Claude in a Cobra
So the design began with input from me on what I wanted in a fast 38 footer.
Wider strakes, but less ...by Published on 03-08-2015 06:00 PMCategories:
Charlie McCarthy, both an Icon and Founder here on Serious, was one of the group of adrenaline junkies who decided that offshore racing would be the focus of a desire for speed as a first choice. It was not the only choice, as he has raced automobiles on tracks and across the country. Including in the Cannonball Run made so famous by Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett.
This year he is celebrating the 10TH Anniversary of the Historic Offshore Race Boat Association. The HORBA association strives to keep the history of the sport, both by the written word and the restoration of offshore race boats, alive and well for future generations to enjoy.
SOS: Let’s start with your history, and what it was that caused you to decide to channel your energy into offshore racing and high performance offshore ...by Published on 02-23-2015 07:22 PM
James Kimmel, the original Jimmy Kimmel as he says, is proud of his new 30’ Skater SS and has every right to be. The color scheme, right down to the specially wrapped steering wheel, gauges, gauge bezels, and interior stitching set this beauty off as a performance boat with all of the looks, performance, and custom tweaks that have given Skater their outstanding reputation. I think he was more impatient than he let on while at the show in Miami. Their winter play spot in Florida had to be waiting for this beauty to see what it could do in his hands.
During ...by Published on 02-11-2015 01:50 AMCategories:
Saber Marine has taken their new 34 off to the 2015 Miami Boat Show. As we have been watching the build, it has definitely shown itself to be a best-of-the-best offering.
Coming home from paint.
From the Balsa cored hull,
To the Balsa Cored Head bulkheads, head walls, and a multitude of other places to save weight and give strength, it has been obvious this is no cookie-cutter offering from a cut and paste builder.
And to save even ...by Published on 11-05-2014 10:49 AM
Courtesy Shoot 2 Thrill Pete
Stock Outboard, the only class where the world's rules match the US rules, also appears to be strong this year. There are a few boats who will have the role of favorites, the wider Doug Wrights being the boats with the advantage over the narrower tunneled competition. But, there is one boat that we will be keeping our eyes on closely to see how it does. Risky Business, a 1992 Skater 28 with a pair of Mercury Racing 200 XS outboards (running approximately 240 HP), will be competing against ...
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The Inside Articles -
Official... raise your post count thread!!
Had a good day on the water yesterday. Wife is in Wedgefield. Old couple in their 70’s out for a cruise.
sonicss31 Today, 05:51 PM
It's 2024, (no longer 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023)
sonicss31 Today, 05:52 PMI wish this guy was still with us. Great insight.