Powerboat Talk

Episodes

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  Episode 77 - Steve Curtis Offshore Boat Racer 15.09.2026 1h 6m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with Steve Curtis, one of offshore powerboat racing's most accomplished throttlemen. Curtis won his first UIM Class 1 World Championship in 1985 at age 21, becoming the youngest ever and first Englishman to win the title, and has since amassed nine world championships. Known for his hands-on approach to building, rigging and setting up race boats, Curtis has spent his life in the sport as both a racer and technical expert. Curtis talks about receiving his MBE from Queen Elizabeth II and his efforts to bring offshore racing back to an international stage. He also discusses racing in the E1 Series, the challenges of electric foiling boats, and why E1's combination of celebrities, social media and B-to-B business relationships could provide a model for growing offshore racing. Curtis also takes us inside his record-setting 242 mph Lake of the Ozarks run in the Darana Hybrid turbine boat and working with owner and IHRA President Daryl Cuttell. He shares his perspective on the controversy surrounding Cuttell and IHRA and why he believes Cuttell has not been accurately portrayed. And Curtis isn't finished yet. He talks about his hope of returning to Class 1 racing in 2027. Follow Steve Curtis on Instagram @steve.curtis.9406 and Facebook @Steve Curtis Learn more about the E1 Series @ e1series.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 76 - Tony Scarlata Drag Boat Racing Legend 18.08.2026 1h 9m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with Tony Scarlata, Southern California boat racer and hot boat enthusiast who is famous for driving some of the most recognizable and successful Top Alcohol Flatbottom drag boats in history.  A native of Northern California who spent his early years boating on the Sacramento Delta with his father and his friends. Scarlata was gifted his first boat, a jet, from his father for receiving a college scholarship to play football at Oregon State University. As if there were any doubt Scarlata had hot boats in his blood, he took out a $4,000 student loan and promptly invested it in his education, a big-block Chevy for the boat.  Scarlata started racing in 1990 and soon found himself driving for other boat owners. His first major win came in 1997 in the Pro Gas Flat class at Augusta. Before long, he moved up to Top Alcohol Flat, driving Rick Jackson's Flatzilla, followed by a four-year stint in one of Kevin Felkins' Canyon boats. Perhaps his most successful ride came behind the wheel of Tommy Thompson's Canyon Shazam. Scarlata recalls the team winning six Top Alcohol Flat championships, and in 2017 they became the first TAF team to break into the four-second range, running a 4.96 e.t. at Bakersfield. Scarlata also spent years racing circle boats in the Super Stock and K-boat classes. After a serious crash in Australia in 2010 nearly drowned him and left him in a medically induced coma for several days to reduce brain swelling, he retired from circle racing. In the episode, Scarlata also talks about founding the Outlaw Nationals in 2016, an event held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Sundance Saloon on the Parker Strip. The race grew out of a public challenge between Scarlata and rival drag boat racer Shane Westerfield to settle things with an impromptu showdown on the river. Last year marked the event's 10th running. The 2026 season has also been eventful for Scarlata. Although he didn't have a full-time driving ride, he was named Series Manager of the IHRA Outlaw Drag Boat Series in February, only to be relieved of his duties in June. In the episode, Scarlata shares some of the behind-the-scenes craziness surrounding the short-lived IHRA saga. Scarlata can also be found at any of the National Jet Boat Association (NJBA) drag boat races where he can be seen helping fellow racers, especially the younger ones, and manning the starter's barge.  Follow Tony Scarlata on Instagram @jetboatguru and on Facebook @Tony Scarlata Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]    
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  Episode 75 - Bob Wartinger Outboard Racing's Record Man 23.07.2026 1h 38m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we visit with Bob Wartinger, one of the most accomplished powerboat racers of all time. With 148 world and national records to his credit, Wartinger has spent more than 60 years in outboard racing, setting his first record in 1971 and his most recent in November 2025 at age 80. A University of Washington engineering graduate with a master's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Wartinger also built a long career at Boeing while becoming one of the most respected figures in boat racing. He is best known for setting the world outboard speed record of 176.556 mph on the Colorado River in Parker, Arizona, in 1989, a mark that still stands today. But Wartinger's story goes far beyond speed. He has won major international endurance races, earned six inductions into the APBA Hall of Champions, and become one of the sport's leading advocates for safety. A past chairman of the APBA Safety Commission, Wartinger has also served as president of the UIM International Medical and Safety Commission (COMINSAFE) since 1990. Today, he continues to share his knowledge through consulting, writing, and his lifelong passion for powerboat racing Follow Bob Wartinger on Facebook @Bob Wartinger or online at www.bobwartinger.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 74 - Harlan Orrin The Wood Craftsman Behind Legendary Performance Boats 07.07.2026 1h 58m

  Harlan Orrin is a true legend in the West Coast performance boating world, with more than 60 years of hands-on experience designing and building molds, hulls, and custom wood decks. His roots in boat building trace back to World War II, when his father and uncle built wooden boats for the US military, an early influence that shaped Orrin's lifelong path. From an early interest in drafting and sheet metal fabrication, Orrin got his start in 1957 at Mandella Boats after his uncle Ernie purchased the company. In just four years, they built 54 boats, and during that time Orrin even built Rayson-Craft founder Rudy Ramos his first race boat. From there, he went on to start his own company, Orrin Boats and did work with many of the most iconic builders in the industry, including Sanger, Hallett, Eliminator, Aqua Craft, Scarab, Tige, and Commander, contributing to numerous iconic and race-winning boats. Known for innovations like the original Sanger bubble deck design and his unmatched craftsmanship, Orrin built his career designing by eye and experience rather than modern CAD tools. He also recreated the legendary "Banzai" drag hydro using only photos and historical references. Today, at 90 years old, he's still actively designing, restoring, and installing wood decks continuing a lifetime legacy in performance boating. Follow Harlan Orrin on Facebook @Harlan Orrin Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 73 - Mary Rife Drag Boat Racer and Fastest Woman on Water 17.06.2026 50m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with drag boat racing pioneer Mary Rife, the first woman ever licensed to drive a Blown Fuel Hydro and the only woman in history to surpass 200 mph in a boat. Long before women became common in motorsports, Rife was competing head-to-head against the sport's best drivers in one of the most dangerous classes in racing. Often described as drag boat racing's answer to Shirley Muldowney, Rife built an extraordinary career spanning almost two decades without a major accident. In the episode, Rife talks about how the purchase she and her husband made of a 48-mph, 16-foot boat powered by an 85-hp Mercury outboard led to her quest for speed on the water. The purchase of a Holman & Moody-powered Kindsvater flatbottom came next and led the Rifes to their first time on a liquid drag strip. When Rife outqualified her husband at that first race at Lake Ming in Bakersfield, California, it earned her a place in the driver's seat, one she never relinquished. In 1973, the couple purchased a Howard hydro hull, rigged it in their garage, and named it Proud Mary after the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit song. The Rifes fit the boat with a blown 392 Chrysler Hemi and ran it on nitro, which Mary drove to its first pass of 155 mph. An upgrade to a Keith Black 426 Hemi led Rife down the path to a list of career accomplishments that included a 206-mph pass, winning the 1978 NDBA Nationals at Firebird, earning Driver of the Year honors in 1977, appearing on national television with Billie Jean King, and even taking racing legend Mario Andretti for a 168-mph ride across Long Beach Marine Stadium. Rife also shares the remarkable story of losing and later recovering Proud Mary, and the painstaking restoration that returned one of drag boat racing's most famous machines to its former glory. Follow Mary Rife on Facebook @Mary Rife McCally Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 72 - John Connor Offshore Racing Legend and Genius Innovator 27.05.2026 1h 2m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with offshore racing legend John Connor to explore a career that helped define the sport's golden era. As throttleman and crew chief for Paul and Betty Cook, Connor played a key role in Betty's rise to prominence as one of the most important figures in offshore racing history.  In 1977, Betty Cook became the first woman to win a world championship in offshore powerboat racing (her first of two), and just the second female in any major motorsport to achieve the feat, alongside drag racing's Shirley Muldowney. Remarkably, Cook and Muldowney each captured their first world titles just one month apart, marking a groundbreaking moment for women in motorsports. Working alongside the Cooks, Connor helped push the limits of performance and reliability while driving innovation behind the scenes. The conversation dives into the team's development of the groundbreaking 38-foot Scarab and the KAAMA surface drive, technologies that helped reshape offshore boat design and propulsion. Connor also shares insight into his time with Tom Gentry, where he served not only as throttleman but as project manager and lead engineering force behind the transatlantic record setting Gentry Eagle. He discusses the challenges of developing its turbine-assisted powertrain and advanced systems, culminating in the record-setting 1989 transatlantic crossing, where the team averaged remarkable speeds over more than 3,400 miles.  Like Connor's time with the Cooks, his partnership with Gentry produced world championships, record speeds, and cutting-edge technology, but it ultimately ended in tragedy following a devastating crash in Gentry's final race in 1994, which led to his death in 1998. Connor is a fascinating and often underrecognized figure in offshore racing. This episode offers a firsthand look at the mindset and innovation that defined one of the sport's most influential contributors. Visit John Conner online @ www.connormarine.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 71 - Cade Wilson Owner of Sterling Engines 20.05.2026 1h 9m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with Cade Wilson, the new owner of Sterling Engines, a name deeply rooted in offshore racing history. After a successful corporate career and a leadership foundation built through service in the U.S. Army, the U.S. Naval Academy, and as a Naval officer, Wilson set out to acquire and grow a business, ultimately landing in the one place he initially tried to avoid, racing. We dig into how a calculated acquisition quickly became a hands-on rebuild of both operations and reputation, from restoring equipment and workflow to navigating early challenges like the loss of key Super Cat customers. Wilson also breaks down Sterling's technical direction, including partnerships with Ilmor Marine for marinized V-10 Viper engines, expanding work with Mercury QC4v and Outboard platforms, and the growing role of MoTeC electronic fuel injection across their builds. From leadership and shop culture to race-day reliability and customer accountability, Wilson shares how that military mindset translates into the engine room and even into the cockpit through his unexpected partnership with Mike Howe and the Howe2Live Super Cat team, where he made his debut behind the wheel. Follow Sterling Engines on Instagram @SterlingEngines and Facebook @Sterling Engines Visit Sterling online @ www.sterlingengines.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 70 - Ty Newton Flatbottom K-boat Racer 06.05.2026 1h 18m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, we sit down with veteran flatbottom K-boat driver Ty Newton of Phoenix, Arizona, a multi-time national champion and member of the American Power Boat Association Hall of Champions (2009). With more than three decades behind the wheel and 15 years in K-boats, Newton brings a deep well of experience and perspective to the conversation. Newton shares the story of his recent trip to Australia to compete in the BAD Boat Challenge, marking his third appearance in the event after first competing in 2019. He breaks down the unique challenges and joys of racing down under. The conversation dives into some of the technical differences between American K-boats and their Australian counterparts. Newton reflects on the harsh realities of competition, recounting a difficult outing at the Australian event with the Mr. Big Stuff racing team that began with a violent flip and barrel roll and continued with another spin and multiple DNFs, ultimately falling out of contention. Newton shared his future plans to return to Australia and drive the Mr. Big Stuff K640 looking for some retribution. The boat remains down under in the possession of new co-owner Craig Cook. Newton discusses his new role as crew chief for his son Talon Newton and the challenges and joins of teaching his son. Talon competes in the SA 105mph class in Southern California Speedboat Club events on the west coast. The Newton's will also be hitting courses on the east coast this year competing in events in Decatur, IL, Hampton, VA, and Cambridge, MD. You can follow Ty Newton on Instagram @tyracer61 and Facebook @Ty Newton You can follow Talon Newton on Instagram @legacy.racing.61 and Facebook @Talon Newton Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 69 - Dave Villwock Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Legend 28.04.2026 1h 59m

  In this episode, recorded before the 2025 racing season, we sit down with Dave Villwock, the most successful driver in Unlimited Hydroplane racing history. At the time, Villwock had amassed 67 career wins, 10 national championships, 10 APBA Gold Cups, and multiple world speed records. During the 2025 season, he added to that legacy with his 68th career win and 11th Gold Cup at age 71. Villwock's story spans decades, from driving flat bottoms and wrenching in the pits to rising as a crew chief, becoming a dominant driver, and ultimately returning to the cockpit at age 70. His career reached another milestone with his 2025 induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame, joining a select group of boat racers to receive the honor. He retired following the 2025 season. In this episode, Villwock reflects on his relationships with key figures who shaped his career, including owners Bill Bennett (Miss Circus Circus) and Bernie Little (Miss Budweiser), drivers Chip Hanauer and Andrew Tate, and legendary boat designers Ron Jones and Ron Jones Jr. Whether you're a die-hard racing fan or a curious listener, Dave Villwock's story is built on hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to learning from the best, growing through the relationships that shaped his career. Tune in for an engaging conversation with one of the greatest in the sport. Follow Dave Villwock on Facebook @Dave Villwock Learn more about Unlimited Hydroplane Racing @ www.h1unlimited.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 68- Joe Zelinski Founder of Custom Marine, Inc 16.04.2026 1h 48m

  As the founder of Customer Marine, Inc. (CMI), Joe Zelinski stands as a central figure and true innovator in the high-performance marine world. For decades, CMI headers have set the benchmark for performance marine exhaust systems. Raised by a father who was a plumbing contractor, Zelinski developed a strong work ethic early on, along with a natural curiosity for anything mechanical. While spending summers digging ditches for his father's business, he purchased his first boat, a Boston Whaler, at just 12 years old. Not long after, he landed a job at a local boat shop where he was paid in parts, eventually working his way into pit crew duties for the owner's son on the race circuit. It was there that Zelinski developed a passion for racing and began focusing on building components to go faster. After graduating college, Zelinski joined Kiekhaefer Aeromarine, taking on a variety of roles within the company. While observing an effort to duplicate an existing set of stainless steel headers, he proposed that the company manufacture its own. The idea was met with resistance, and Fred Kiekhaefer challenged him directly: "If you want to build headers, go start your own company building headers!" Taking that challenge to heart, Zelinski left the company in 1986 and introduced CMI to the industry at the IMTEC show in Chicago in 1989. In this episode, Zelinski reflects on the path that grew CMI into a dominant name in the marine industry, with its headers becoming standard equipment on Mercury Racing engines and a top choice for leading engine builders such as Sterling, Innovation, and Keith Eickert. The conversation also traces Zelinski's later years with the company, including the sale in 2005, the transition into corporate ownership, and his eventual departure in 2012. To learn more about Custom Marine, Inc visit them online @ www.custommarine.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 67- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer (Part 2) 07.04.2026 59m

  In this episode, the 2nd of two parts, we talk with racer Tyler Speer following the 2025 drag boat racing season as he breaks down the continued progress of his A Fuel Nitro Hydro, Georgia Outlaw, through the 2025 season and his plans heading into 2026. Speer, who works in the family boat business Proboat in Woodstock, GA with his father Tim, talks about an early-season change to a different clutch program that required the team to re-establish their baseline setup, which slowed progress as they worked through the learning curve and adjusted to the new combination. We talk about his results competing in both the Southern Drag Boat Association and the Kentucky Drag Boat Association, where he finished second and third in season points, respectively. The conversation also covers the final race in Wheatland, Texas, where Speer and his team put things together to run a 4.22-second elapsed time, setting a class record and winning the event. For 2026, Speer will continue to be the only naturally aspirated, nitro-burning boat on the circuit and will continue to work with A Fuel drag racing standout Randy Meyer. He will again rely on his FuelTech system for fuel management and data logging, using expanded data to evaluate clutch performance, fuel delivery, and run-to-run consistency. Speer will continue to focus on the current A Fuel boat and resist the move back to Top Fuel. He also outlines plans to build two additional Warhawk hulls to serve as backup boats and support ongoing testing and development. We also discuss expectations for the International Hot Rod Association and its involvement in drag boat racing, along with how that could impact participation and event structure moving forward. Finally, we talk about the usefulness of running a marine engine on a dyno, as well as availability and quality control issues with high-performance racing parts. Follow Tyler Speer on Instagram @TylerSpeerRacer on Facebook @Tyler Speer on Youtube @TylerSpeerRacer Visit Tyler online @www.tylerspeer.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk https://www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 66- Tyler Speer Drag Boat Racer 10.03.2026 1h 24m

  Tyler Speer is one of the most versatile racers in modern drag boat competition and a rising force in nitro-powered hydro racing. Today he campaigns an Injected Nitro Hydro in the Top Alcohol Hydro class, pushing the limits of performance while developing one of the most demanding boats in the sport. Speer began racing motocross at age five, later moving through go-karts, the Allison Legacy Series, and stock cars, before making his ARCA Racing Series debut in 2010. After transitioning to drag boats in 2014, he quickly made his mark by winning the 2016 Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Pro Modified World Championship and the 2018 Pro Outlaw World Championship. Off the water, Tyler works alongside his father Tim, at Proboat in Woodstock, Georgia, the family's boat shop, building boats and tuning engines while developing their own race program. In this episode, Tyler discusses the team's conversion from a single-prop to dual-prop set up in the hydro, the challenges of tuning an injected nitro boat, and working with NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champion Randy Meyer to refine their program. Look for our next episode where Tyler returns as he prepares for the 2026 IHRA Drag Boat season. You can follow Tyler on Instagram @tylerspeerracer on  Facebook @Tyler Speer and on you tube @tylerspeerracer Visit Tyler online at www.tylerspeer.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 65 - Live from Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo opening night 04.03.2026 1h 53m

  This episode of Powerboat Talk is a recording of a livestream that we did at Eddie Marine in Rancho Cucamonga for Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo opening night party. We had the privilege of interviewing 23 marine and automotive industry leaders and personalities. Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo brought together almost 300 cars and 90 performance boats for a great day in sunny Southern California. The line up was INSANE!! To learn more about Eddie's SoCal Performance Expo visit their website eddies-socalexpo.com  Clint Miglia- Eddie Marine / Eddie Motorsports Ray Lee- Speedboat Magazine  Ken Johnson- Social Lab Media Scott Walters- Cobra Performance Boats Rob Torres- Barron Boats Tony Chiaramonte- DCB Performance Boats Jake Fraleigh- Eliminator Boats Anna Frasier- Mercury Racing Tom Leigh- Tommy Gun Images Mike Wahl- FiTech Fuel Injection Mitch Kelly- The Crazy Painters Rob Lindsay- RJ Fab JR Villarreal, Illicit Camaro Frank Tabbakh- NextaSex Adrian Barrett- Barrett Custom Marine Leanne Shadlow- Demon Bikini Chad Havens- Demon Bikini Racing Greg Shoemaker- GS Marine Carlos Ulloa- Good Boy Vodka Bob and Cherilyn Teague- Teague Custom Marine Travis and Summer Richardson- Swoop Motorsports View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected] You can listen to Powerboat Talk on youtube and most podcast players like Apple Podcasts, Youtube Music, Spotify Podcasts, Pandora, Amazon Podcasts, Audible, iHeart Radio, Podtail, Audacy, Google Podcasts, Tune In Radio
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  Episode 64- Racers and Engine builders Gordy Jennings and Paul Fitzgerald 25.02.2026 1h 11m

  This week's episode features an inside look at the Boat Alcohol Displacement (BAD) Boat Challenge in Australia with Stock Racing team members Gordy Jennings (Jennings Motorsports) and Paul Fitzgerald (Southern Thunder Marine). As the crew chiefs responsible for tuning and maintaining Mike Stock's El Cid K-boat, piloted by Duff Daily, Jennings and Fitzgerald found themselves representing the United States alongside Mr. Big Stuff and driver Ty Newton. Together, the two American teams faced a formidable lineup of 28 blown alcohol boats from Australia and New Zealand, making for two intense weekends of competition. We explore the realities of taking a race program halfway around the world, the chemistry within a veteran team, and the technical and strategic hurdles they encountered along the way. The discussion also highlights the Australian racers, their distinct equipment, and unique approach to driving. And while the racing was serious, the experience was as rewarding as it was challenging and a whole lot of fun. Follow Gordy Jennings on Facebook at Jennings Motorsports Visit Paul Fitzgerald's Southern Thunder Marine online at www.southernthudermarine.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk  and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]    
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  Episode 63 - Tate Ramsey Australian National Drivers Champion 13.01.2026 44m

  On this episode of Powerboat Talk, we welcome Tate Ramsey, an Australian circuit boat racer, three-time winner, and reigning National Drivers Champion. Ramsey is also the current BAD Boat Challenge champion, and he puts that crown on the line in the upcoming 2026 USA & New Zealand vs. Australia BAD Boat Challenge. There, he'll face a deep and competitive field of more than 25 Australian racers, along with standout American challengers Duff Daily and Ty Newton and New Zealander Zack Weller. Ramsey's race boat is a 21-foot Child's Play powered by a 470-cubic-inch PSI-blown big-block Chevy built by BNR Engines, with top speeds reaching 160 mph. In this episode, Ramsey shares an inside look at the razor-thin margins that define elite powerboat racing, where milliseconds matter where anything less than meticulous preparation can make or break a race weekend. Ramsey discusses the unique experience of hosting two legendary American racers on Australian waters and evaluates his chances against the Americans' Mike Stock/Duff Daily designed flatbottom boats. Ramsey also opens up about the unique dynamic of racing alongside his brother, Blake Ramsey, his trusted teammate who is simultaneously one of his toughest competitors. Drawing from a deep family racing legacy, Ramsey discusses the history of Australia's evolving safety standards and its influence on the current state of racing down under. Follow Tate Ramsey on Facebook @Ramsey Racing and on Instagram @Ramsey.Racing Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected] You can listen to Powerboat Talk on youtube and most podcast players like Apple Podcasts, Youtube Music, Spotify Podcasts, Pandora, Amazon Podcasts, Audible, iHeart Radio, Podtail, Audacy, Google Podcasts, Tune In Radio    
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  Episode 62 - Richie Powers Offshore World Champion Throttleman 23.12.2025 1h 21m

  In this episode, we sit down with one of offshore powerboat racing's most accomplished throttlemen, Richie Powers. Over the course of more than three decades, Powers amassed an extraordinary record, more than sixty victories across Superboat and UIM Open Class competition, nearly 12,000 miles of race-winning performance, seven World Offshore Titles, and eleven national and international championships. His many successes occurred on some of the world's most demanding open water courses and conditions. Power's put his stamp on many of the most important technical advancements in high performance boating and offshore racing.   Powers's journey began as a 19-year-old test driver for Mercury Marine working under Karl Kiekhaefer, where he quickly earned a reputation for fearlessness and precision. His early years at Lake X placed him alongside legends such as Bob Magoon, Gene Lanham, Odel Lewis, and Don Aronow, and by his early twenties he was competing in grueling events like the 548-mile Bahamas 500 and major races throughout the country. From racing under Carlo Bonomi's Dry Martini team in Europe to joining powerhouse American programs with Tom Gentry, Al Copeland, Bernie Little, and Rocky Aoki, Powers's career is a tour through offshore racing history. He won four consecutive UIM world titles in the 1970s, three U.S. Superboat world championships in the early 1990s, and set multiple world Kilo speed records, including a blistering 158-mph average in Gentry's 40' Skater. Along the way, Powers raced with and befriended some of the world's most recognizable names, sharing cockpits and racecourses with actors Don Johnson and Kurt Russell, and encountering icons like Mario Andretti, Steve McQueen, and Jacky Ickx through the sport's tight-knit, high-adrenaline community. Powers also helped pioneer the first successful canopied, sit-down V-bottom Apache raceboat, Apache Heritage, which captured back-to-back world titles in Key West. In this conversation, Powers reflects on the machines, the men, the danger, and the innovation that defined offshore racing's most influential era. It's a rare look into a remarkable career that shaped the sport from the inside out. Follow Richie Powers on Facebook @Richie Powers Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected] You can listen to Powerboat Talk on youtube and most podcast players like Apple Podcasts, Youtube Music, Spotify Podcasts, Pandora, Amazon Podcasts, Audible, iHeart Radio, Podtail, Audacy, Google Podcasts, Tune In Radio
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  Episode 61- Alan Stoker Boat Racer and Founder of Stoker Boats 17.12.2025 1h 28m

  Alan Stoker is a world-renowned boat racer and the builder of Stoker Boats. An innovator whose career spans the formative decades of Mod VP outboard racing and tunnel-hull development, Stoker was raised in Southern California. This episode was recorded shortly after his third straight victory at the 2024 Parker Enduro. Stoker grew up immersed in boating through his father, John Stoker, owner of John's Custom Marine, where he began working weekends at just 11 years old. He started racing when his dad purchased a kneel-down racer from Ron Hill and spent time in the pits while his father crewed on the world speed record-holding Hustler jet engine boat. John Stoker also competed in the Parker Enduro with a Chrysler-powered Patterson, further cementing racing as a family pursuit. In 1976, when the first Evinrude V-6s were introduced, the Stokers bought a wood-plug Kona bottom, built a wood deck, and raced the Parker Enduro. A step up to a Witchcraft the following year, driving with Earl McKinney, saw the team win 12 out of 13 races. As competition in the V-bottom outboard ranks intensified, a partnership with Jerry Baker of Baker Boats provided the Stokers with increasingly faster equipment. With the advent of modified V-bottoms, which eventually evolved into full-blown tunnel boats in the hugely popular Mod VP class, the Stokers were led to design what would become one of the most successful hulls of the era, the Stoker Sport Tunnel (SST) Mod VP. These boats are still being produced today by Eliminator Boats. For its 45 years in operation, John's Custom Marine remained a loyal Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) dealer. During much of that time, Stoker was often the lone competitor powered by an OMC Evinrude. His many successes behind the wheel in Mod VP competition were rivaled only by his reputation as a highly skilled and innovative engine builder. Stoker later climbed back into the driver's seat alongside his old friend and longtime competitor, the late Greg Foster, to win the Parker Enduro in 2012 and again in 2017. The appeal of running a new V-8 Mercury on one of his 22-foot SST hulls led him to team up with boat owner John Roth, a partnership that dominated the event from 2022 through 2024. An attempt to tie old friend Todd Bowden's record of four consecutive Parker Enduro victories was ultimately thwarted in 2025, when Stoker was forced to withdraw at the last minute due to back issues. If history is any indication, Alan Stoker's story at the Parker Enduro is far from finished. Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk  and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected] You can listen to Powerboat Talk on youtube and most podcast players like Apple Podcasts, Youtube Music, Spotify Podcasts, Pandora, Amazon Podcasts, Audible, iHeart Radio, Podtail, Audacy, Google Podcasts, Tune In Radio  
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  Episode 60- Next-Gen Circle Boat Racers Nick Balayan, Travis Hill, and Nash Thorpe 05.08.2025 1h 4m

  In this episode of Powerboat Talk, I talk to three new flatbottom circle boat racers—Nash Thorpe, Nick Balayan, and Travis Hill—who share their backgrounds, experiences, and insights from their first race at the Southern California Speedboat Club's season opener in Parker, Arizona, this past April. The conversation covers their paths into racing, the challenges they faced as rookies, the importance of community support, and their aspirations for future races. They reflect on rookie mistakes and how everything changes when you strap on a helmet and go side-by-side with some of the best circle racers in the world—compared to just running your boat hard on a river or lake. They also discuss navigating the process and many hurdles to participate in their first race, and how their newfound friendship and support for each other made it all possible. Follow Nick Balayan on Instagram @nickbalayan138 Follow Nash Thorp on Facebook @Nash Thorp Follow Travis Hill on Instagram @blownflat_trav To learn more about Circle Boat Racing, visit the Southern California Speedboat Club online  @ www.scscracing.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com  View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk  Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk  and Facebook @Powerboat Talk  Contact me: [email protected]  
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  Episode 59- Fred Inman of IMCO 25.06.2025 49m

  Fred Inman is the owner and founder of Inman Marine Corporation (IMCO), one of the largest and most respected performance aftermarket marine manufacturers in the world. Like many entrepreneurs, Inman, a metal fabricator by trade, began his career in the marine industry by making parts in his garage for his flatbottoms in the 1960s. After gaining experience at a similar company, Inman partnered with a friend to start his own metal fabrication business. Over the years, he produced a wide range of commercial products, including solar water heater tanks, concrete pump components, and auxiliary gas tanks for diesel cars and trucks during the gas crunch of the 1980s. These lucrative ventures gave Inman the capital to grow his marine business—his true passion. With the help of his three children, Belinda, Fred Jr., and Frank, IMCO evolved from building gas tanks for jet boats into a manufacturing powerhouse, producing performance exhaust systems, hydraulic steering systems, and its own line of high-performance SCX outdrives. Today, IMCO operates manufacturing facilities in both California and Nevada. In the episode, Inman shares his core business philosophies and explains how he stayed ahead of the curve, guided by the belief that "nothing lasts forever." He reflects on his extensive journey in the marine industry, the evolution of his company, the challenges he faced, and the critical role that family has played in his success. You can follow IMCO on instagram @imcomarine and Facebook @IMCO - Inman Marine Corporation Or find them online at www.inmanmarine.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk Contact me: [email protected]
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  Episode 58- Chris Davidson from Hot Boat and Speedboat Magazines 27.05.2025 1h 3m

  In this episode, I sit down with Chris Davidson, longtime publisher of Hot Boat Magazine and current publisher of Speedboat Magazine, to reflect on nearly four decades in the performance boating industry. Chris shares his unique journey—from collecting Elvis memorabilia to shaping the voice of high-performance boating media. He discusses the early days of Hot Boat, his family's deep roots in the boating world, and the magazine's pivotal 1989 sale to Larry Flynt's LFP Inc., which transformed it into a nationally recognized publication. Chris also opens up about personal challenges, including a shocking betrayal by his brother Darren in 2006 that led to a hostile takeover of the magazine—and ultimately inspired Chris to launch Speedboat Magazine, now the last remaining print publication in the performance boat world. Throughout the conversation, Chris emphasizes the importance of teamwork, loyalty, and personal connections. He talks about how building relationships in the industry with people like Bob Leach of Eliminator Boats and Ed Borges of Eddie Marine helped him to keep his magazines moving forward. Chris credits much of his success to a trusted crew of contributors, including Kevin Spaise, Jim Wilkes, Greg Shoemaker, Fernando Escovar, and Brett Bayne. It's a candid, behind-the-scenes look at a legacy shaped by passion, perseverance, and the power of relationships. You can follow Speedboat Magazine on Instagram @speedboatmagazine_sb.mag and Facebook @Speedboat Magazine View Speedboat online and subscribe www.speedboat.com Visit our website at www.powerboattalk.com View the video for this episode: www.youtube.com/@powerboat_talk Follow us on Instagram @powerboattalk and Facebook @Powerboat Talk Contact me: [email protected]