For New Mexico performance boaters David and Sheri Hoekstra the choice to purchase their fourth boat from DCB Performance Boats in El Cajon, Calif., wasn’t an easy one. Not because they weren’t sure if they wanted another DCB, but rather they were unsure if they were willing to sacrifice the big horsepower and top speed they were used to in their M35 Widebody catamaran powered by twin 1,400-hp Teague Custom Marine engines. They’d seen many of their DCB brethren make the jump to boats with twin Mercury Racing 400R or 450R outboard engines and, while the fun factor and fuel efficiency was appealing, they were hesitant about “downsizing” to a boat with a third less horsepower than the 35-footer they’ve owned for the past decade.
The seventh M37R Widebody catamaran from DCB Performance Boats was recently delivered to longtime clients, Dave and Sheri Hoekstra of New Mexico. Photos courtesy DCB Performance Boats
Still, after hearing about DCB’s plans for its first true-tunnel catamaran—an outboard-powered 37-foot offering—more than a year ago and taking a look at the first one being rigged at the factory last summer before its debut at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks in late August, the Hoekstras (right with DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte) decided to put a deposit on a new M37R Widebody catamaran with twin Mercury Racing 450R engines because they knew the order list was going to get long once more of the 37-footers were delivered by the custom boatbuilder.
Now, after a couple of days of getting to enjoy their new boat with DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte on Lake Havasu last week, the couple from Roswell, N.M., who own a second home in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and also owned F32 and F29 models from DCB prior to their M35, seem pretty confident that they made the right decision.
“The outboards are a whole new experience; it’s going to be fun learning to drive the boat,” said Dave Hoekstra, who added that working on the build with the team at DCB was extremely enjoyable. “The boat drives different and handles different than our M35. The first thing we noticed is that we didn’t have to wear headsets to talk back and forth.”
Hoekstra laughed, then continued.
“The boat is amazing,” he said. “We’re still finding details that we didn’t know they were doing. Sheri enjoyed discovering those little surprises. She was even more hesitant than me to go to the outboards because she likes the horsepower, but so far she loves the new boat. It’s definitely fun to drive and the fit and finish is outstanding, in typical DCB fashion.”
The 37-footer was constructed with DCB’s Vacuum Infused Resin process and foam-cored with a carbon-fiber layup. The Hoekstras opted for the Phase III gelcoat scheme with a full cap, which they said turned out flawless and very clean between its lines and its black bottom.
Check out the slideshow above for more images of the 37-foot cat powered by twin Mercury Racing 450R engines.
Hoekstra said Chiaramonte was willing to spend as much time as the couple needed going through details and providing driving advice about the boat, which includes two Simrad 9-inch touchscreen monitors and a single Garmin 22-inch GPS monitor in the middle of the dash to the right of the custom Isotta Fanete steering wheel with black suede leather and white stitching and ahead of the Mercury Racing DTS controls that were custom painted black and white with trim override switches on both sides of the throttles to provide the person in the starboard seat the ability to throttle the boat.
“Tony was great when it came to the delivery, but I didn’t waste his time because I’m the type of guy who kind of likes to be left alone with my boat,” Hoekstra explained. “We got to run the boat to Topock and back to get a good feel for it. We’re thrilled with it and the responsiveness of the engines. We’re also impressed with the new interior—our last boat was 100 percent Alcantara so we went with 25 percent Alcantara and 75 percent CoolTouch this time and it came out great—and the triple-axle trailer that Adrenaline Trailers in Lake Havasu built for the boat. Wayne (Monasmith) and his team did an amazing job.”
Hoekstra, who plans to take the boat, which features Shaun Torrente Racing engine brackets, a Stage II stereo system with JL Audio and Fusion components, and an interior RGBW lighting package, to the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout and Super Cat Fest later this month in Central Missouri, added that DCB hit a home run with the M37R.
“I was most surprised that they got it finished when they said they would,” Hoekstra said. “Now comes the fun part—enjoying the boat.”
Related stories
DCB M37R No. 6 Escaping To New York
Sweating The Details—DCB Delivers M37R Widebody No. 5
Seismic Shift—DCB Delivers M37R Widebody Catamaran To Former F-32 Owner
DCB Delivers Third M37R Widebody To Professional Trophy Truck Driver
Image Of The Week: Menzies’ Lake Havasu Victory Lap In DCB M37R
Second M37R Cat Highlights Casual DCB Gathering
Image Of The Week: Inside Peek At DCB’s Red-Hot M37R
Image Of The Week: Molten DCB Hotness
Sneak Peek: DCB Sea Trials First M37R Catamaran
DCB Scores High Praise And Sales With New M37R
Inside SOTW Mag: DCB M37R Profile—Light At The End Of The Tunnel
and then