Skater At 50—Remembering A Shootout Favorite
The all-white 36-foot Skater Powerboats catamaran was not a boat that anyone knew by name—it didn’t have one, nor did it have any graphics that identified it as a Skater. But the 2002 Skater 36 Classic that Jim Melley and Garth Tagge ran in the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout for many years was a fan favorite, mainly because it’s one of the fastest Skaters to compete in the top-speed contest, but also because the Georgia performance boaters were rather humble gentlemen.
The last time Jim Melley and Garth Tagge ran their 36-foot Skater at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout was eight years ago—and they reached 194 mph. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
In 2016, the duo ran the 36-footer, which was powered by a pair of 1,500-plus-hp Smith Power engines that were upgraded by engine guru Carson Brummett, to 194 mph on the three-quarter-mile course, which was good for the second-fastest run of the weekend. Weeks prior to the late-August Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the teammates ran 184 mph at the GLOC Performance Boat Challenge on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees.
Unfortunately, Melley and Tagge never got the chance to run the boat again in Missouri or Oklahoma as they died in a boating accident during the Potomac River Radar Run in Fairview Beach, Va., on October 15, 2016. That was a day their families lives changed forever and a day that many of us in the powerboat community will never forget.
Jim Melley, left, and Garth Tagge waved to their friend, Tristan Garvin, who took this photo during the 2016 Lake of the Ozarks Shootout.
As professional as Shootout competitors get, Melley and Tagge will always be remembered for their competitive spirit and youthful enthusiasm—hence why we waited to feature their 36 Classic in Skater At 50 until the week of their favorite event. Those two loved the Shootout and the Shootout loved them back (if that’s such a thing).
Of course, it would be nice to see the all-white Skater running down the course this coming weekend or have gotten to see Jim and Garth make a run at 200 mph at some point during the last eight years, but that wasn’t in the cards so the least we can do is take a moment this week to remember the two members of the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Bob Morgan Memorial Hall of Fame.
We miss you Garth and Jim—everyone here does. The Shootout hasn’t been the same without you.
In 2016, Melley and Tagge competed at the GLOC Performance Boat Challenge in Oklahoma and went 184 mph on the three-quarter-mile course. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp/Helmkamp Photos
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