After a few dormant years of having speedboats compete on Long Island Sound, the powerboats have returned to the infamous Port Washington LaMottas Restaurant and Manhasset Bay Marina, the home of many powerboat legends from yesterday. The NATIONAL POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION resumed producing one of its stellar events which fielded over 20 teams sporting the latest in hull and engine technology at speeds in excess of 150 mph! |
PARTYMASTER, the official NPBA Paceboat of Billy Frenz, a classic 10M Fountain lead the parade to the start line along with his daughter and Co-pilot, Allison and NPBA crewmembers. |
Stu Hayim in his 2,700 HP Merc powered 42 MTI Cat, FERRARI-MASERATI Special and Joe Castellana in his 2,400 HP Sterling powered 46 Skater Cat, AWESOME, immediately took the lead together, challenging our helicopter to keep up with them. |
Bill Betz in his 43 Outerlimits, QUICK GET AWAY and the Rifice/Ryan Team in their 32 Ilmor powered Skater Cat kept close company being just a few strides behind them. |
Joe Cibellis and Joe Sgro in their Ilmoor powered 43 Outerlimits, quickly joined the leaders and eventually made it to Bridgeport ahead of all the other V-bottoms! By the way, this famous Outerlimits of Cibellis and Sgro, holds the V-bottom record of 3 hours and 5 minutes to circumnavigate Long Island, established on September 25, 2011. |
The 2nd wave of the poker runners was lead by Tom Fancher of Full Throttle Marine in his tricked 37 Outerlimits powered by twin 557 inch blower motors and Merc #5 Speedmasters, representing the old adage, |
At the other end of that scope, Sal Albanese, the fastest dentist from Westchester County, kept nipping at Full Throttle's transom in his new, 35 Fountain, SABRINA, powered with staggered- Merc 496/425HPs and Bravo XR Shorties with 5-blade Maximux props…yielding a whopping 84 MPH all day long! The team from Mariner's Cove Marina of Monstaaa Bo, Ronnie and Vinnie-deserve a lot of credit for preparing this machine and keep it going for so long and so fast! This boat represents the pinnacle of Reggie Fountains constant drive at research and development to produce the Fastest V-Bottom. |
After picking up card number 1 at the Dolphin Cove Restaurant and Marina in Bridgeport harbor, the fleet headed for Cold Spring Harbor, inside of Oyster Bay, back on the North shoreline of Long Island to pick up card No. 2 at the Official Albin Marine Trawler of Fred Peters. Scott Carol blazed a trail in his 38 Cigarette, PATRIOT with Larry Broadbent navigating the way. |
Professional poker runner, Fran Maryfark from Burlington, CT, came down to play and ran his 353 Formula, YEAH BABY, with Merc 800 HPs reworked by Chris Cestarro's Ocean Performance of Old Saybrook, Ct. Fran's combination of pistons, gears and props produces almost 90 mph!...YEAH BABY!!! |
A famous poker runner paid us a visit incognito in Oyster Bay, but not in his 42 MTI, instead using his tricked 40 center-console, manufactured by Johnny Tomlinson. Sporting triple outboards and a hard-top…we spotted lil Wesley first, then the illustrious Tommy Abraham appeared. |
John Durante in his 35 Sonic, HERE'S JOHNNY with Merc 575 HPs and XR drives , was the 1st boat to Port Chester Yacht Club on the Byram River, the border line between Connecticut and the State of New York. |
Port Chester Yacht Club |
Sam Galasso in his 38 Fountain with 700 HP Mercs showed the fleet what 100+mph looks like on the way back to Checkpoint #4/LaMotta's Restaurant. NXT outdrives and 17 by 39 Hering props live at those triple digit speeds with no effort, kinda gives you that chill up the spine excitement! |
Marshall May dazzled the crowd in his expertly restored (by Full Throttle Marine) 27 Magnum Marine Starfire , MAYHEM, powered by twin 550 HP blown big-blocks, another 80+mph classic v-bottom! |
The RESULTS |
TOP CAT and Best Looking Crew Award go to Joe Castellana's Team AWESOME in their 46 Skater Cat. |
TOP V-BOTTOM TROPHY goes to Joe Cibellis, 43 OUTERLIMITS. |
BEST LOOKING BOAT TROPHY Marshall May in his 27 Magnum Marine STARFIRE |
SPIRIT OF THE NPBA Sal Albanese - 35' Fountain - SABRINA |
BEST POKER HANDS |
3rd place: Accepting on behalf of Stu Hayim is Allison Frenz |
2nd Place: Joe Kashinksy, 35 Fountain, I Did It. |
1st Place: Accepting for John Durante is 1st mate, Sam Bartel. |