KICKER Goes Overboard At IBEX With Massive Recovered Money Nor-Tech Overhaul – Speed on the Water
On top of a variety of new marine-specific offerings showcased during Tuesday’s opening of the IBEX Show in Tampa, Fla., including award-winning, quantum-leap-type products from Garmin, Roswell Marine and VoltSafe, a rather surprising performance boat made a lot of noise at the trade-specific International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference, which runs through Thursday, October 5. Loaded with the latest KICKER Marine Audio equipment, Team Recovered Money, a 50-foot Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats catamaran owned by Indiana-based powerboat enthusiasts Nick and Christi Evans, stole the show at the docks.
Featuring a new entertainment system from KICKER Marine Audio, Recovered Money is going to be on display through Thursday at IBEX—that is unless the boat is asked to leave for violating sound ordinances. Photos courtesy Kevin Johns/Instant Memories Photography
And, while sitting outside at the Tampa Convention Center docks, the new KICKER system managed to get plenty of attention from those inside the convention center, according to Nick Evans, who said he was honored that KICKER reached out a few weeks back about a last-minute project to turn his cross-country-traveling, poker-run machine into a “showboat” for the Stillwater, Okla., company’s high-performance audio equipment and accessories.
“Oh man what can I say? The boat is the showstopper down here,” Evans said on Tuesday afternoon, an hour or so before the “fun police” had a talk with his partner-in-crime/videographer Kevin Johns about keeping the decibel levels down.
“They said the KICKER guy’s stereo was vibrating stuff off the walls on the second and third floor, plus the windows are rattling,” Evans posted on Facebook. “Kevin is getting lectured on a suitable decibel level! Bets are on the rise on what day we get booted.”
If you know Evans, you know he’s joking. Well kind of, the possibility is still there, but Evans, Johns and their friend, Pedro Raul Zavala, are sure to be on their best behavior representing the company that supplied the product that was installed in impressive—and efficient—fashion by the team at Twin Lakes Audio in McDaniels, Ky.
“With the addition of Team Recovered Money to IBEX, we are able to create an audio and visual presence second to nothing on the docks,” said Jeremy Bale, the brand manager for KICKER, which also had a booth set up indoors in space 3-1714. “Nick and the team live out the boating lifestyle through every event they do and create opportunities for the boating community to join them for the ride. KICKER Marine Audio creates products for boaters like Nick to ‘Go Overboard’ on the water or on shore.
“From the most powerful speakers on the market, KICKER has packed luxury and performance into the DNA of its real marine products,” he added. “Team Recovered Money has a new understanding of high-performance audio with their new system and we’re glad they will be flying the KICKER flag and enjoying the best sound on the water for years to come.”
Check out the slideshow above for more images of the Team Recovered Money KICKER project.
Evans, who was complimentary of previous high-end stereo systems he’s had from Bluave Marine Audio and JL Audio, said that he is sold on the KICKER line.
“I’ll admit I was skeptical at first—I’ve heard of KICKER, but I didn’t know how good their stuff was,” said Evans, who plans to give away a third boat—a Baja Marine 38 Special that will feature a new KICKER Marine Audio system—on Christmas Day via the Team Recovered Money YouTube channel. “To be honest, there’s no comparison. I’m blown away.
“After a few weeks of scrambling, we got the boat finished and the guys from KICKER tuned it when we got here and man it’s crazy how loud and clear it is,” he continued. “I thought my last stereo was bad-ass but this one insane.”
The list of KICKER products installed in the Nor-Tech was extensive and included four sets of premium 6.5-inch 45KM654L speakers, two sets of premium 8-inch 45KM8L speakers, two sets of horn-loaded 6.5-inch 48KMXL65 coaxials, one set of horn-loaded 8-inch 48KMXL8 coaxials and a set of horn-loaded 6- x 9-inch 48KMXL69 coaxials. Also installed in the cockpit of the 50-footer was two KXMARLC volume zone controllers, four 46CWTB102 10-inch bass tubes, four 46CWTB104 10-inch bass tubes, four KXMA9005 amplifiers and one KXMA12002 amplifier.
Of course everything was installed using KICKER power and speaker wire, distribution blocks, amp power kits, fuses, LED speaker rings, subwoofer grilles and more.
The amount of KICKER equipment that went into the 50-foot Nor-Tech was impressive.
During the project, Evans turned to the team at Decked Out Factory in Osage Beach, Mo., for the marine mat for the cat, which is powered by a pair of 1,150-hp H.P. Mafia engines. He also thanked his sponsors—JP Marine, Seabound Yachts, WIA Marine Insurance, Decked Out Factory and Speedonthewater.com—for continuing to support the Team Recovered Money Poker Run Experience.
Following the end of the show Thursday, Evans said he has some rides to give before taking the boat home to get it ready for next month’s Key West Poker Run hosted by the Florida Powerboat Club,
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