Deep Impact Impressions From The Lake Of The Ozarks

On busy days such as those during annual the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout week, the water becomes a hot mess. It’s not like open Atlantic Ocean or even Lake Michigan on its rowdier days—the wave heights at the Ozarks don’t even come close— but the rugged jumble of midday Ozarks water is a special kind of unpleasant.

Deep Impact brought a commanding presence to the 37th annual Central Missouri event. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

That wasn’t lost on a group of Deep Impact center consoles owners who made the trek to experience the event on the Central Missouri waterway. The owner of the first Deep Impact 499, which was unveiled at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Simon Tusha was particularly grateful to have his brawny, quint 500-hp Mercury Racing outboard engine-powered 49-footer there for the week.

“When you put 20 people in a boat that goes 85-plus mph in a solid, three-to-four-foot washing machine shit-show and every single one of those people is safe and actually enjoying the ride, you know you’ve made it,” said Tusha, as an owner comes from the large-yacht world. “Anyone can develop a boat that looks pretty and goes fast in a straight line. The 499 is different.

“I’ve owned a lot of boats and Deep Impact reinvented what pleasure-boating means,” he added.

Owned by Simon Tusha, the first Deep Impact 499 was picture-perfect on the Central Missouri waterway.

Tusha’s center console was one of two 49-foot Deep Impact center consoles turning heads on the waterway during shootout week. Dennis Delatorre and Brianna Murray of Plantation Boat Mart, Deep Impact exclusive dealer, which is based in Tavernier, Fla, brought 499 center console No. 2.

Since sold, the 49-footer is powered by a whopping six 500-hp outboards.

Both Delatorre and Murray were delighted by the ride provided by the 499.

“Like all Deep Impacts, the 499 is designed to deliver a comfortable ride in rough water,” Murray said. “It also delivers equal amounts of adrenaline and awe.”

But the 49-footers were just two of the six Deep Impact center consoles in the Ozarks mix last month. Owners Nick Child, Brian Crane, Mike Leardi and Greg Timmons brought their 399 models.

“Last year we came to Shootout week with two 399 Sports and it was an absolute home-run,” Murray recalled. “This year, our lineup looked a little different with two 499s alongside four 399 models

“The street party at Bagnell Dam combined with the dock party at Camden resort this year was insane,” she added. “We got to meet so many people from all over the country and the feedback on the new 499 was incredible.

By all accounts, the 39-footers also had no trouble handling Lake of the Ozarks slop.

A longtime Lake of the Ozarks fan, Leardi knows the lake’s often-schizophrenic waters. He’s been boating there since 1987 in vessels from a 23-foot Sea-Ray runabout to his current quad-outboard-powered 399 center console.

“A rough day used to mean two-foot waves,” he explained. “Now you have 65-foot cruisiers and houseboats creating wakes that make two-footers seem like ‘calm’ water. And the waves come at you from all directions.

“With the Deep Impact 399 in those water conditions, all you have to do to run comfortably is set the trim at 9 percent and keep the tabs in full-up position. Having been in the ocean with five-to-six-foot waves for six hours—and the washing-machine-water of Lake of the Ozarks for almost 40 years—the Deep Impact is the only boat I will own for the rough water at the lake.”

The Shootout On The Strip Street celebration presented by Waves And Wheels was the first stop for the second 49-foot Deep Impact center console. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

Though the Deep Impact owners who came to the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout went their separate ways after the event, the season isn’t over for the company’s leadership group. They’ll showcase a new 399 at the under-new-management Lake Lanier Charity Poker Run next weekend, The first 499 will be in the mix at the Florida Powerboat Club’s Emerald Coast event the following weekend.

The following month, Deep Impact will unveil its first 449 center console at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat. Five outboard engines will power the hull No. 1, though the new model can accommodate six outboards.

“It’s the only boat in its size-class that can accommodate six outboards,” said Mark Fisher, the owner of Deep Impact Boats.

Less than two weeks later the first 449 and other Deep Impact offerings will be displayed at the Conch Republic restaurant dock as part of the Florida Powerboat Club Key West event fleet.

The good news for participants in Florida Powerboat Club happening? Mostly on the Intracoastal Waterway, the course from Biscayne Bay to Key West likely won’t be as rough as the Lake of the Ozarks was during Shootout week. But if it is, the Deep Impact owners headed that way know their boats can handle it.

Added Murray, “Deep Impact Boats are built from a passion for the lifestyle. We always say that ‘No day is a bad day’ to run our boats.”