A longtime go-fast V-bottom man, Nick Hogan of Ohio is now the proud owner of a 2012 model-year Skater 40SS catamaran powered by Mercury Racing 1350 engines. A longer-time high-performance catamaran man, Ron Szolack of Missouri by way of Michigan is now the temporary owner of 2007 model-year Outerlimits GTX V-bottom powered by recently rebuilt Mercury Racing 1075 SCi engine. And as often happens in deals with Szolack, the two became friends.

Szolack had the 40-foot catamaran listed for sale with Performance Boat Center of Osage Beach, Mo., when Hogan first learned about it. Several weeks ago, he visited and stayed with Szolack at his primary home at the Lake of the Ozarks and went for an extended test-ride. That was all it took for Hogan to be sold on the boat, which is his first stern-drive catamaran.

Nick Hogan will run the 40-footer at the upcoming Lake Cumberland Poker Run in Kentucky. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“Once I experienced how the boat did high-speed, I was in love with it,” he recalled. “We kept doing circle after circle. People watching must have thought we were crazy.

“Ron went above and beyond,” he added. “I cannot say enough good things about dealing with him. So often when you buy a pre-owned boat, you don’t even get to meet and talk with the owner. Now we’re friends.

Added Szolack, “That’s the best part of deal—we became friends. We had a great time running the Skater, and Nick loved the high-speed turns. He had never driven a big-power stern-drive cat before, so I told him to come to the lake and I would teach him how to drive one before he bought it. I spent the whole day with him.

“It was supposed to be a whole weekend, but he is a fast learner and picked it up in one day,” he continued, then laughed. “I don’t think he will be back in a V-bottom anytime soon,” he added, then laughed.

Szolack took the V-bottom on trade, though Hogan also had to add cash to close the deal and take delivery of the cat.

“Nick is a man of his word, so I took his boat on trade without even seeing it in person,” Szolack said, then chuckled again. “He wanted me to run it, but I passed on that deal. He replaced pretty much everything on the boat so it is in very nice shape. It looks much better in person than in the pictures he sent me.

Hogan, who previously purchased a pre-owned Cigarette 36 Gladiator V-bottom through the multi-brand dealership, also had high-praise for Performance Boat center co-owner Brett Manire and his team.

The Outerlimits V-bottom is already for sale at Performance Boat Center.

“I also cannot say enough good things about Brett and his guys,” he said. “I own a couple of service businesses, and the key to sustainability in a service business is finding smart young people who want to work hard and learn. Brett has so many of those good young people on his team.”

Hogan plans to run the Skater, which he hauled back to his home after the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, September 5-7 Lake Cumberland Poker Run in Kentucky. The following weekend, he’ll have it back at the Lake of the Ozarks for Szolack’s informal gathering dubbed “Weekend At Ronnie’s.” Then he’ll haul it back to Ohio for the winter.

As for the Outerlimits V-bottom Szolack took in on trade? It’s already for sale by Performance Boat Center.