Maritimo team 'confident'

Maritimo says its Offshore Racing Team is heading into the first national Superboat Championship races for the year full of confidence.

Maritimo Offshore Racing will have two boats competing, one the factory’s own entry and also the Maritimo Hunter Storage boat raced by Darren Nicholson and Peter McGrath.

Team spokesman and engine builder, Kurt Davies, said both boats would be competing in the Supercat Extreme class-one race in Newcastle on April 27 and then the Maritimo Hunter Storage team would line up again for the Bridge to Bridge on May 4.

"The Maritimo factory team boat weighs 4500kg and is powered by 790hp engines and the Maritimo Hunter Storage boat weighs 4950kg and is powered by two supercharged 850hp motors," he said.

"For the Bridge to Bridge we will change the motors in Maritimo Hunter Storage to twin 1300hp powerplants capable of driving the boat to  in excess of 180 miles an hour."

The Maritimo factory raceboat, a new $1 million plus craft launched last year, will be run by Ross Willaton and Travis Thompson.

Mr Davies said the boat was like a Formula One racecar on water and featured refinements and designs that were cutting-edge.

He said it had been 18 months in the planning, design and construction stages and the team was still fine tuning it and doing extensive tests to hone the set up and its performance.

“I have a lot of confidence in the boat and each time we have a change or try something new it responds the way we want it to so all’s going well,” he said.

“Between us and Maritimo Hunter Storage we will give the Superboat Championships a good shake again this year.”

Maritimo sales and marketing manager. Greg Haines, said the expertise gained through the race teams ultimately transferred over to the company’s range of production boats.

"Steering systems in our production cruisers have already benefitted from race team experience and things like engine positioning to lower the centre of gravity, minimize shaft angles and generate better fuel efficiency all stems from the race shop," he said.

"Bill Barry-Cotter’s skills and experience and ability to think outside of the square in the race team environment provides knowledge that we can incorporate into our production cruisers and that is Maritimo’s point of difference," he said.

Kurt Davies said the national series would wind up in Hervey Bay in November.

For more information go to: www.maritimo.com.au

For more information on Offshore Superboats go to: www.superboats.com.au