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Most influential People in Hi-Performance Boating? I don't think the list is accurate
- Thread starter DollaBill
- Start date
glh
Charter Member
That's never stopped him.
He yells pretty loud from shore that little facker.
It's a Skater Nation.
glh
Charter Member
I'm pretty sure she got a garter belt racing kit holding up them happening orange nylons.
Them Skater chicks know how to accessorize.
Spicy
Charter Member
I live 2-3 miles from Old School, and frequent all the same establishments for the most part (except Nancy
) that he does and for the most part, Lou who owns the Corner Store he is my man I start my day off there with a $1 coffee and buy 30 packs for the house/boat/tailgate party etc from him, but I will tell you what you DONT WANT are any pictures of SUE!!!!!!!! :ack2: :sifone:
Matt Trulio
Contributor
Not looking at a dictionary, but I define influential as "the ability to lead and/or affect change."
DollaBill: To deny the ongoing influence of Eliminator's Bob Leach is to deny there is a performance-boating and a performance-boat market west of the Mississippi. Notice that I said "performance-boat." I did not say "offshore boat." Offshore boats are a subset of high-performance boats. Just because a boat is neither designed nor built to go offshore does not mean it isn't an high-performance boat.
Example: A Skater 24 is not an offshore boat. (Yes, it's a great rough-water boat for its size.) But it is one hell of a performance boat.
Saxman: Absolutely, yes, I'm talking about people I view as currently influential rather than historically influential. Hence, for example, the exclusion of the likes of Reggie Fountain and Bobby Moore from the list.
Jupiter: Kind of a tangent, but I don't believe wraps will replace paint. I probably haven't seen as many wraps as you have, but I have yet to see one that even comes close to a high-dollar paint job. To this end, I think wraps have a huge future with folks who want cool graphics at reasonable prices. Plus, heck, you can have a "new" boat every year with a new wrap.
Battlecry: Prior to the recession, DCB was forcing other West Coast builders to raise their construction and performance game. Things are flat now, but DCB is still leading the pack out West, so much so that company is (and has long been) on Mercury Racing's radar when it comes supplying an OEM with a "first" new-engine product. When Fred Kiekhaefer at Mercury Racing thinks you're doing great work and that your boats are a suitable showcase for something new, that tells me you're leading—hence influential.
John Tomlinson is an amazing throttleman and set-up man. (He's also a good friend and colleague, but that doesn't count on this list.) But he prefers not to be involved beyond in the high-performance world beyond running his business and throttling offshore race boats—when he's paid to do it. You could argue that because of the way he conducts himself professionally and personally he is someone worth emulating, and I would agree. But that doesn't make him influential.
In the big-power game, and I'm talking above 1,000 hp, Sterling still leads and sets the standard. I see more Sterling 1,400 hp and 1,500 hp engine out there than like-output engine from any engine builder. And for the record, all 1,000-plus-hp engines are expensive to run and maintain. Any engine builder who tells you differently is selling something.
Ken Warby is not influential. He is inspirational. There's a big difference.
For a bit more understanding of my position, check out the top story on http://speedonthewater.com.
DollaBill: To deny the ongoing influence of Eliminator's Bob Leach is to deny there is a performance-boating and a performance-boat market west of the Mississippi. Notice that I said "performance-boat." I did not say "offshore boat." Offshore boats are a subset of high-performance boats. Just because a boat is neither designed nor built to go offshore does not mean it isn't an high-performance boat.
Example: A Skater 24 is not an offshore boat. (Yes, it's a great rough-water boat for its size.) But it is one hell of a performance boat.
Saxman: Absolutely, yes, I'm talking about people I view as currently influential rather than historically influential. Hence, for example, the exclusion of the likes of Reggie Fountain and Bobby Moore from the list.
Jupiter: Kind of a tangent, but I don't believe wraps will replace paint. I probably haven't seen as many wraps as you have, but I have yet to see one that even comes close to a high-dollar paint job. To this end, I think wraps have a huge future with folks who want cool graphics at reasonable prices. Plus, heck, you can have a "new" boat every year with a new wrap.
Battlecry: Prior to the recession, DCB was forcing other West Coast builders to raise their construction and performance game. Things are flat now, but DCB is still leading the pack out West, so much so that company is (and has long been) on Mercury Racing's radar when it comes supplying an OEM with a "first" new-engine product. When Fred Kiekhaefer at Mercury Racing thinks you're doing great work and that your boats are a suitable showcase for something new, that tells me you're leading—hence influential.
John Tomlinson is an amazing throttleman and set-up man. (He's also a good friend and colleague, but that doesn't count on this list.) But he prefers not to be involved beyond in the high-performance world beyond running his business and throttling offshore race boats—when he's paid to do it. You could argue that because of the way he conducts himself professionally and personally he is someone worth emulating, and I would agree. But that doesn't make him influential.
In the big-power game, and I'm talking above 1,000 hp, Sterling still leads and sets the standard. I see more Sterling 1,400 hp and 1,500 hp engine out there than like-output engine from any engine builder. And for the record, all 1,000-plus-hp engines are expensive to run and maintain. Any engine builder who tells you differently is selling something.
Ken Warby is not influential. He is inspirational. There's a big difference.
For a bit more understanding of my position, check out the top story on http://speedonthewater.com.
Last edited:
jackie.fpc
New member
RE: " I would replace him with someone that I, personally, don't always agree with and that is Stu Jones of Florida Powerboat Club. His Key West Poker Run and boat show parties are some of the biggest gathering of power boating enthusiasts in the world."
(I don't do the Quote thing right, whenever I try)
Big Andy, that was really nice! And I agree... (but I am biased)
Jackie Jones
(I don't do the Quote thing right, whenever I try)
Big Andy, that was really nice! And I agree... (but I am biased)
Jackie Jones
Matt Trulio
Contributor
Stu Jones definitely could have made this list. Not sure who I'd bump but, yes, he's worthy of inclusion. Very worthy.
DollaBill
New member
Craig asked me about my list. Here's what I have so far in no particular order..
Neil H
Steve Schuble
Peter (Skater)
Reggie
The SOS community
Matt, as far as Bob Leach and Eliminator are concerned, I can see your point somewhat but the real performance boat community is based from the Miss river (incl the great lakes) eastward. Thats just the way it is. I dont know the exact registration numbers but it's got to be 10 to 1. And, I just can't agree that the west coast lake scene is "influential". It is a subset of a bigger picture as well.
Neil H
Steve Schuble
Peter (Skater)
Reggie
The SOS community
Matt, as far as Bob Leach and Eliminator are concerned, I can see your point somewhat but the real performance boat community is based from the Miss river (incl the great lakes) eastward. Thats just the way it is. I dont know the exact registration numbers but it's got to be 10 to 1. And, I just can't agree that the west coast lake scene is "influential". It is a subset of a bigger picture as well.
Salesmanship
Sponsor
Geronimo36
Charter Member
The Fiore's have been pretty influential over the years.....
Geronimo36
Charter Member
Nigel Hook, Joe Sgro......
Tank
Charter Member
No offense to Stu or Jackie but "influential in the performance boating world"....I don't think Stu or FPC is "influential" in the performance boating world. I think he's done a great job at organizing great runs and has done a great job at making a living off of vacationing :sifone: But I don't see any influence he's had on the sport/hobby.
Airpacker
New member
Bill, you really need to pull your head out of the sand. Performance boating is neither an exclusive "east of the Mississippi river" thing nor does it center around "offshore" boats. Not by a long shot.
There are hundreds of little outboard and inboard go fast ( lake ) boats for every single "offshore" boat in north America. Always have been, always will be.
Apparently you think if a boat is not an "offshore" boat, its not a performance boat.
I bet thousands of drag boat owners and racers, inboard, jet and outboard alike would disagree with you.
Same goes for circle boats, Formula one boats, jet boats both sprint and white water.
What about the cracker box and hydro racers? Are they not "performance boats" too ?
Then of course, there is that little place NOT in Florida known as Europe, and the middle east and Austrailia. All home to lots of performance boats NOT made on the east coast of the USA.
Remember where Reggies pad bottom came from. He stole it form a guy building little 100mph missles called Allisons. Surely a true performance boat but not an offshore.
Bob Leach's Eliminator and his Daytona line brought tunnel and Catamaran boats to the general performance boat crowd. 1000's of them. Copied by just about every west coast performance builder there is or was.
Roarke Summerford, designer and builder of the famed STV line of blisteringly fast outbaord powered tunnel V boats influenced many a boat builder to follow his lead. Do you believe that a 120 mph, 700lb single outboard boat is NOT a performance boat?
Just because a boat does not fall under the "offshore" boat banner, does not mean it is not a performance boat.
animalhouse
New member
Paul and Mike Fiore have bben very influential. And I agree with Haggin as well.
