Damaged in a collision with fellow Superboat-class competitor M-Con during last Sunday’s Super Boat International National Championships in Clearwater, Fla., the Pro Floors Racing NZ-1 39-foot MTI catamaran could have been repaired in time to make the upcoming SBI Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla. That’s the word from Steve Curtis, the owner of Offshore Racing Services in Orlando, Fla., who sold the boat to the team. But Pro Floors Racing teammates Chris Hanley have decided to opt out this year and take their time getting the canopied 39-footer, which they purchased from Curtis earlier this year, repaired and improved.

While their boat was damaged, neither Pro Floors Racing NZ-1 teammates Wayne Valder nor Chris Hanley were injured in a rollover incident during last weekend’s SBI National Championships (click image to enlarge). Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“We could have gotten it together in time for Key West,” said Curtis. “It’s more than fixable. If the team wanted to, we could have done it in a week.

“But if they’re going to spend $50,000 to $60,000 on repairs, they might as well to do things to improve it while we have the boat apart,” he continued. “We might as well do a few major modifications for next season and make it mean more. Plus, Chris and Wayne have done Key West before. It just doesn’t have the same ‘wow factor’ for them. So we’re not rushing to get it done. I think they made the right decision.”

The Pro Floors Racing catamaran rolled in Sunday’s incident and reportedly remained upside down in the water for a significant period of time. But the boat’s engines did not ingest saltwater, according to Curtis.

Pro Floors Racing NZ-1 teammates Wayne Valder and Chris Hanley won’t compete in Key West next month but they are planning to run next season.

“They have already been sent to Jon Kaase at Jon Kasse Racing Engines,” he said. “Those engines have been fantastic, to be honest. We haven’t had reliability problems and they make good power.”

Curtis believes the New Zealand-based team will return to competition in the United States next year.

“That’s what they’re saying and I certainly hope so,” he said. “It really is a great class they compete in, and they’re a couple of great cometitors and great guys.”

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