In less than two weeks, Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Powerboats dealers from the United States and Canada will descend on the Westin Cape Coral Resort in Southwest Florida for the company’s annual dealer meeting. Two days of intense meetings with Nor-Tech management and vendors will give way to the Nor-Tech’s official owners’ rendezvous on Saturday and milestone 35th Anniversary Gala Dinner Celebration that evening.
A bit of family business—my daughter, Anna Rose, is getting married that weekend—will keep me from being there. So Eric Colby, who covers offshore racing for speedonthewater.com, will be on scene to cover the Nor-Tech affair.
Truth be told, only a family affair of that magnitude could sideline me from covering the Nor-Tech event in person. Though I am joyful for the reason I cannot be there, I am sorry to miss it.
In honor of the pending milestone, I launched a weekly speedonthewater.com story series this year titled “36 In 35.” The series, which began in early February, is revisiting all 36 models the builder has released in the past 35 years. New installments go live every Wednesday morning and will continue until the series is complete.
So far I’ve covered eight models, which means I have a rather long way to go.
I started with the latest Nor-Tech release—the 42-Eleven center console unveiled at the 2026 Miami International Boat Show—and I am working my way back through Nor-Tech history. Yesterday, I revisited the remarkable 460 Flyer Open.
To put it lightly, just eight models in I am blown away by the depth and breadth of the brand.
By design, the “36 In 35” series complements the “Nor-Tech At 35” series published on Speedonthewater.com in 2025. That series gave readers a look into Nor-Tech as a company and a brand while celebrating the people on both sides of the equation—the Nor-Tech team and its family of customers—responsible for its long-term success.
Taking a deep, back-to-back dives into Nor-Tech has been—and is continuing to be with “36 In 35”—an absolute blast. Rarely do reporters get the opportunity to spend two full years immersing themselves in one company’s culture, lore and history
Every week for the better part of the last 16 months, I’ve learned something new about Nor-Tech. Beyond a rare opportunity, it’s a privilege.
And that’s why I am sending my very best man to handle cover the Nor-Tech celebration I cannot attend, though for the very best of personal reasons. I’m looking forward to reading and publishing Mr. Colby’s account. I have no doubt that he, too, will be blown away by what he discovers.