Catching Up With Scott McCormick Of Velocity Powerboats—Off To The Races
A self-described former “shop rat” who washed boats and swept floors at the Velocity Powerboats during the early 1990s, 53-year-old Scott McCormick purchased the Florida company, which moved from DeLand to Sanford in the mid-1990s, in 2018. Along the way, he worked in lamination and rigging and sales and marketing, and eventually became general manager of the well-known V-bottom builder. With eye toward expansion, McCormick moved Velocity to a larger facility in Sanford and he’s been running flat out ever since.
Velocity offers outboard engine-powered V-bottoms up to 43 feet long.
Though McCormick has approximately 20 employees, he remains a one-man band in the management, sales and new-model-develop—all of which means he doesn’t have much “spare time.” Still, I managed to pin him down for a quick interview Friday.
The go-fast powerboat segment has, for the most part, gone to outboard power. How has that affected Velocity?
It’s been positive for us. The outboard craze has allowed Velocity to expand into new models with larger cockpits and greater durability. The boats are a huge hit for us because most companies have moved to center consoles. And we are one of the few that make still produce outboard-powered V-bottom sportboats.
McCormick recently ran this new build to more than 90 mph.
What model is your current best seller—and what makes it so popular?
Velocity’s best-seller is the 290SC sport boat. With the outboard application the cockpit is two feet larger, has an enclosed head, a galley and air conditioning and will run over 100 mph with Mercury Racing 400R outboard engines. It delivers a complete high-performance package yet has all the creature comforts of a family dayboat.
What new models can buyers expect from Velocity in the near and long-term future?
Currently, Velocity has two new models coming into the lineup. We have finished the tooling and molds for the New 330CC and 50 percent of the new 42 widebody. The 330CC will be 9-1/2 feet wide, have a Euro-style hardtop, double row helms and offer a side door. The 330CC is the first boat designed on CAD and cut with a five-axis router. I have changed the entire bottom of this boat and the performance numbers will show huge gains in speed and handling. This will be a 100-mph boat with triple 400Rs.
Carbon fiber builds are in the Velocity repertoire.
Have you been working toward greater manufacturing efficiencies at Velocity, and if so what tangible manufacturing changes has that amounted to?
Velocity has implemented modern manufacturing efficiencies that are helping our team build the best quality boats around. We constantly hear our boats have amazing with fit and finish as well as updated styling. We have CNC routers in house that cut all stringers and bulkheads, as well as upholstery panels and seat parts. We have moved into DNV lamination standards that are certified. We only use American made fiberglass and carbon knits. All hulls, deck and parts are 100-percent infused for a lighter, stronger boat.
For McCormick and company, supporting the Toys Tour is a privilege.
Velocity’s backing and organization of the Toys Tour is largely responsible for keeping it going. That must be a lot of work for you. Why bother?
The Toys Tour event started in 2000 and had a total of six Velocity boats in the fleet. It was just something we thought would be fun, and the Toys for Tots organization was on board. The late Rus Matos continued to make the event bigger and bigger each year, and he named the event The Toys Tour. Once I purchased Velocity Powerboats I told “Raceboat Rus” that I wanted to help make it even bigger so we became the event’s title sponsor. After Rus passed in 2019 I promised him I would keep the Toys Tour going. Now it has grown to attract 300 to 500 people and 100 to 160 boats each year.
McCormick is as hands-on as boat company owners get.
What are the biggest challenges currently facing the high-performance marine industry?
The high performance industry is alive and well with sales holding steady. But in the past few years, supply chain issues created crazy lead times that affected most boat builders. Currently. vendors are caught up and have been delivering components on time. I believe some customers may be affected by the rapid rise in gas prices and interest rates, but we believe that will subside in the next 12 months. And the industry will be off to the races again.
More than a line of fast V-bottoms, Velocity is a well-established lifestyle brand. Related stories
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