A former offshore who claimed six world championships including his final Super Cat world title in Key West, Fla., in 2003, Danny DeSantis has owned every Skater Powerboats catamaran model the Douglas, Mich., company has ever offered. Two years ago, the Norwell, Mass.-based McLaren dealership owner sold his 46-footer Skater and ordered a 388 cat powered by Mercury Racing 1100 engines.

The finished product was delivered to the 2018 Miami International Boat Show, which closes today.

Longtime Skater catamaran man Danny DeSantis described his new 388 powered by twin 1,100-hp Mercury Racing engines as “the perfect package.” (Click image to enlarge.) Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“I’ve had every Skater there is except for the 388, which is why I ordered one two years ago,” said DeSantis, who owned Chevrolet, Ford and Harley-Davidson dealerships before opening McLaren of Boston. “This is my first boat with Mercury Racing power. All of my other boats had Sterling Power engines, with the exception of my 40 Skater, which started with Ilmor power.”

Now back home, DeSantis ran his new 38-footer a few times during the show. The experience left him “100 percent satisfied,” he said.

“I’ve only been in the boat for a short time, but I love it,” he said. “It idled well, shifted well—the Skater 388 and Mercury 1100 engine combination is probably the nicest package around.”

DeSantis said he plans to run his catamaran at events around the country including fellow Skater man Ron Szolack’s Skaterfest event in early August. He’ll keep the boat in South Florida, where he has a second home, for the winter.

“The plan is now for the boat to go back to TNT Custom Marine, have them take care of some normal delivery stuff and then run the crap out of it in poker runs this year,” he said, then laughed.

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