For years, make that a decade, Howard Custom Boats has sold dozens of 28 Sport Deck models. From my days as an editor with Powerboat Magazine when that model took home several awards, it was easy to see the attraction to the sporty and stylish deck boat even though it usually came with a slightly higher price tag than other deck boats in the market.
Howard Custom Boats recently delivered its ninth 288 Sport Deck to a customer in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
For that reason alone, I am not surprised that the updated version of the 28-footer—the 288 Sport Deck the company introduced in 2014—has been such a success. But from my firsthand of experience seeing a couple of the 28 Sport Decks in production at the company’s facility in Valencia, Calif., walking around one at the 2015 Los Angeles Boat Show and checking one out at the Desert Storm Poker Run in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., I can fully understand the desire to own Howard’s newest offering.
Especially one as tricked out as the recently completed 288 Sport Deck—hull No. 9—delivered to its new owner Michael Megdal of Mega Motorsports LLC. When Megdal ordered the boat, which is powered by a single Mercury Racing 565 engine, he requested a color scheme and graphics to match his Marathon Coach luxury motorcoach and his Tatum Motorsports sand truck, and Howard delivered a stunner. He also spared no expense with regards to the interior features, and Howard knocked everything out of the park by producing a quality product that rivals Megdal’s Oregon-built motorcoach.
and then