Even when there aren’t many of them competing in a given offshore race, Stock-class catamarans present some of the most photogenic subjects on the course. The low-profile, outboard-powered canopied cats tend to fly low, balance delicately on their propellers and look faster than they are. In fact, you could make a strong case for Stock being offshore racing’s most elegant and photo-worthy class.

Two Stock-class catamaran are more than enough for a compelling image—at least when Pete Boden is behind the lens. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix. (Click image to enlarge.)

Yesterday’s Stock-class battle at the Offshore Powerboat Association race on Michigan’s St. Clair River pitted just two boats, each with a driver in his Stock-class rookie season, against one another. Regardless, the S-1 GB Racing/TopStarz cat looked great running deck to deck with the S-11 DoublEdge Motosports/Boatfloater.com cat on the relatively tame river waters.

According to Gary Ballough, who is throttling the GB Racing/TopStarz 32-foot Doug Wright cat with 18-year-old Taylor Chastelet this season, the two boats “put on a show for the first half of the race” then raced hard for the checkered flag for the remainder of the contest. Ballough and Chastelet prevailed over Ryan Beckley, the owner and throttleman of the DoublEdge Motorsports/Boatfloater.com 30-foot Skater cat and his driver Bill Jolley, who owns a 24-foot Ocean Express catamaran.

“The other boat had a rookie driver, too, so it was a great race for all of us,” said Ballough.

And it sure made for pretty pictures.

Editor’s Note: Look for a complete wrap-up of the OPA St. Clair event from correspondent Mike Yowaiski today on speedonthewater.com.

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