After two years competing on the offshore racecourse as in essence a running plug, the hull of a canopied 32-foot Phantom V-bottom, which ran as Mr. Technology in the Superboat Vee class on the Super Boat International circuit, has been digitized to create a plug at Doug Wright Designs in Melbourne, Fla. A hull mold will be pulled from the plug in the near future, according to Phantom Boats LLC principal Will Smith.
Will Smith’s latest raceboat will go into official production this year. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
The plug was built using a five-axis routerl at the Doug Wright facility.
“The 32 Phantom was developed as a one-of-a-kind raceboat,” said Smith. “We made modifications to eventually bring it to the front of the class. Obviously, in offshore racing there are a lot of variables from the drivers’ skills to the engines to the hull itself. So development takes time. But we eventually found out what worked and what didn’t work. Now with a few changes to the bottom of the boat, it’s running like a dream.
“It is the easiest-driving boat on the circuit,” he continued. “It’s very forgiving. It doesn’t try to roll or spin.”
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