MacManus -Fred Kiekhaefer's

[boatme]

Ahh this was a great boat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3O_m-C5CME

 

[ufix1]

True!!!

 

[Matt Trulio]

It really was. I wrote a story on the restoration of that boat, called Off Duty, a year or two ago. Mark McManus did all the work, and the finished product was special.

McManus had a big impact on a lot of builders, most notably Mike Fiore of Outerlimits who cites McManus as a major influence.

 

[RichL]

It really was. I wrote a story on the restoration of that boat, called Off Duty, a year or two ago. Mark McManus did all the work, and the finished product was special.

McManus had a big impact on a lot of builders, most notably Mike Fiore of Outerlimits who cites McManus as a major influence.

As soon as I opened the thread to view, I thought about that story.

 

[Matt Trulio]

That story was so much fun to write.

The interesting thing was, Fred Kiekhaefer, who I know well and consider a friend, wasn't super interested in the story, despite that he was hands-on involved in the construction of Off Duty (McManus told me Fred actually had a set of keys to the plant.) He's just one of those of people who thinks more about moving forward than looking backward.

Still, it was a privilege to get to research and write that one.

 

[Comanche3Six]

Was there a article in Powerboat Magazine about Off Duty racing a Ferrari down the coast of Florida?
Something crazy like that!

 

[Jesse James]

thats the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Off Duty is the ferrari race.... I also like the custom hammock mount that stayed on board

 

[FastDonzi]

A bit off topic But in the early/Mid 80's I did Painting and Striping for Various Performance Boat builders. Fred K Bought a 38' Tempest and they Rigged the whole Boat Before Fred came to see it, when he saw it he said the Bilge was painted the wrong color. Guess who got to tape every wire, hose, screw, nut, etc and repaint the Bilge with Imron while the motors where in it. Fred is a perfectionist and a shoddy Half azzed job wasn't gonna do. I got it done in one night and Fred was Happy,Then Tempest made Me Happy