While details are scarce at this time, a 24-foot Reindl Powerboats LLC One Design “Bat Boat” caught fire and sustained significant damage prior to the start of last Saturday’s Lake Race on the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri. The red-white-and-blue 24-footer was one of two Bat Boats slated to compete in the Class 6 fleet during the fourth annual powerboat race on the popular waterway.

This 24-foot Bat Boat caught fire before the start of the first race at last Saturday’s Lake Race. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

According to speedonthewater.com contributor Mike Yowaiski, “blue smoke” began coming out of the boat shortly after it launched—headed for the race’s wet pits—at approximately 10 a.m. First responders arrived on and were able to extinguish the blaze.

The boat’s currently unidentified two-person crew reportedly escaped without injury. Neither Reindl Bat Boat competed in Saturday’s competition, which was sanctioned by the Offshore Powerboat Association.

No news on the possible cause of the fire has been released. Chris Reindl, the president and chief executive officer of Reindl Powerboats LLC, could not be reached for comment when this story went live.

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