A calm and gentle soul by nature, Johnny Bauer of DCB Performance Marine speaks in calm, measured tones. Though he does get excited, he’s not excitable. But when I caught up with him yesterday during a telephone interview, I picked up the barest hint of a man in the midst of several major projects.
Still, I wouldn’t call him stressed. But I would call him engaged.
And who could blame him? The Phoenix-based high-performance, ultra-custom catamaran builder is in the midst of a factory move and shepherding two new models to the 2025 debuts. The company’s annual Owners Regatta is set for October 2-4 in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.—and the new outboard engine-powered M35R catamaran will debut during the event.
But before that, there is the Lake Powell Challenge based out of Antelope Point Marina in Page, Arizona. An event sponsor, DCB always has healthy factory and client representation at the Lake Powell affair.
Last month, the company had 13 boats at the Camden On The Lake Resort for Super Cat Fest, which runs concurrently with the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. Several DCB clients, as well as company vice-president Tony Chiaramonte, competed in the Central Missouri top-speed contest.
“I forgot to add that we released a new website last month,” Bauer said, then laughed hard. “The new plant is coming right along. We have moved everything that isn’t essential for boat building into it. We are going to have a wall in the rigging department with photos of marine industry leaders and founders, from Don Aronow and Peter Hledin to Randy Scism and Reggie Fountain, to honor their achievements. (DCB managing co-partner) Craig Hargreaves is very respectful about that.
“Upstairs, we will have a design studio with cockpit and stereo equipment for demos when clients visit,” he added.
Though the Bauer and the DCB team hope to have the new place fully operational by late November, he declined to put a hard date on completion. Likewise, they plan to have the first M45 catamaran on the water this year but don’t have set deadline at this time.
As it did with its first Arizona digs, DCB will host a grand-opening celebration when the time comes.
“Craig is pushing us, for sure, but he’s giving us everything we need to succeed,” Bauer added. “That’s just who he and how he works. We’re very lucky.”