Nothing much happens in the high-performance marine industry between December 22 and January 2. The likes of Mystic Powerboats in DeLand, Fla., and Douglas, Mich.-headquartered Skater Powerboats shut down during that period, and most marine businesses around the country including Mercury Racing observe at least shortened hours during the holidays.
Of the three days Cape Coral, Fla.-based Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats is closed per year, one is Christmas Day and the other is New Year’s Day.
Heck, even the crew at Performance Boat Center in Osage Beach, Mo., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., took off time this holiday season.
This is a good thing, of course, as life exists beyond the workplace. But now everyone is back on the job. The first Florida Powerboat Club trek to the Keys and the fourth Fort Myers Offshore event of the 2025/2025 season are coming up this month, and the Miami International Boat Show happens in early-to-mid February.
From now through next November, the pace increases, at first steadily, then frenetically.
Still, January is a slow month for the industry, which makes this the perfect time for a reporter covering the market to hit the road and pay visits. That’s why I’m in Missouri this week checking out projects at Visual Imagination and catching up with the team at MTI in Wentzville this afternoon.
Next Saturday I head to Arizona to explore the new DCB Performance Marine facility in Phoenix. The following morning, I am off to Orlando and then down to Lake X in St. Cloud to watch the Mercury Racing crew dial in the new five outboard-engine, 45-foot center console from Deep Impact Custom Boats. Two days later, I fly to Michigan to drop by Skater and then do some sledding—OK, so it’s not all work—with 42-foot Fountain owner Justin Snook in Mancelona.
The industry is coming out of its annual brief hibernation period. Best to hit the road and get ahead of it.