Skater At 50—JAWS Returns
After eight years of not being on the water, Dave Wesseldyk let JAWS out to play last weekend at the St. Clair River Classic offshore race produced by the Offshore Powerboat Association. And the man behind Wesco Racing Engines in Jenison, Mich., is sure glad he made the decision to fire up the old blower engines and enter his twin-canopied 46-foot Skater Powerboats catamaran in the Clash of the Titans old-school-style exhibition race on Sunday.
The JAWS Skater was a fan favorite at the St. Clair River Classic in Michigan last weekend. Photos by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
“It’s been sitting in the barn for about eight years, but you’re probably going to see a little more of it,” said Wesseldyk, who was joined in the boat by Dan Soper for the St. Clair event. “I forgot how much fun it was running that thing. I’m a workaholic, so I don’t take off very much; running JAWS definitely reminded me how much fun Dennis Kaiser and I had racing.”
Powered by a pair of 1,350 hp motors built by Wesseldyk and equipped with a unique set of SCS Gearbox outdrives built by owner Mike Sage, the boat ran well on the four-mile course and got an enormous amount of admiration from fans while it was racing and just as much attention when parked along Riverside Avenue before the competition.
Check out the slideshow above for more images of the Skater.
One of the first 46-footers crafted by Peter Hledin and the team at Douglas Marine/Skater Powerboats in Douglas, Mich., the 1994-built offshore raceboat has a decorated racing history. In fact, it once held the American Power Boat Association offshore catamaran kilo speed record—set in 1995—at 158.452 mph.
Wesseldyk has raced in the Clash of the Titans before. A few years back, he showed off the radical 38-foot Cougar Powerboats catamaran Endangered Species so hopefully we will see that boat and/or JAWS back next year in St. Clair. Heck with Wesseldyk you never know what else he could have available in that barn.
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