Until it introduced the first M37R catamaran in 2019, DCB Performance Marine primarily was known as a center-pod-hull custom cat producer The full-tunnel, outboard engine-powered 37-footer essentially opened the East Coast market, which far prefers full-tunnel cats for their superior ride-quality over their lake-bred center-pod cousins, for the Phoenix-headquartered company.
The M37R has attracted 30-plus orders so far, and not just from West Coast buyers. Ken and Renee Lalonde, who are among the original organizing-committee members of the 1,000 Island Charity Poker Run set this year for July 17-19 in Clayton, N.Y, owned one. South Florida’s Greg Harris and Yvonne Aleman have owned two. Indiana’s Kiran Pinisetti and Kelly O’Hara of Upstate New York co-own one.
Both Dave Montroy, another member of the 1,000 Islands Charity event organizing group, and Lake Champlain Poker Run organizing-team member Chris Fisher of Burlington, Vt., purchased pre-owned M37R cats a couple of years ago.
Turns out DCB was just getting started with its own full-tunnel cat revolution. In December 2024, the company completed its first M42R catamaran that—like the first M37R—went to Southern California-based Kris and Shelby Hansen. Late last month at the Desert Storm Poker Run in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., the Lalondes took delivery of M42R creation No. 3.
A half-dozen 42-footers have been ordered so far.
The M42R also laid the foundation for the first M45 Widebody catamaran, which begins hull-and-deck lamination this week and will be powered by twin dual-calibration Mercury Racing 1550/1350 stern-drive engines. At least to start its life on the water, the full-tunnel 45-footer will be the property of DCB managing partners Craig and Kim Hargreaves.
Of course, DCB isn’t about to put MTI, Mystic Powerboats, Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats, Skater Powerboats other builders out of the full-tunnel catamaran business in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Those brands and more are entrenched with buyers in those regions. And despite being almost completely moved into a larger new facility, DCB’s production capacity is more limited than most.
But it’s fair to say the company has flipped its own script and has gained solid acceptance as a full-tunnel, custom high-performance catamaran builder in markets it once struggled to penetrate. And there’s more coming.