DCB Performance Marine M42R Catamaran Gets A South Florida Workout

Heading back to their Phoenix headquarters from Miami this afternoon, Tony Chiaramonte and Parker Darland of DCB Performance Marine have been busy in South Florida for the past 10 days. After giving some 50-plus demo rides in the new M42R catamaran during and after the Miami International Boat show, their GPS breadcrumb trail looked like the handiwork of an energetic five-year-old with an Etch-A-Sketch. They did laundry at least once during their stay, and finished their stay by running to Hawks Cay Resort in the Middle Keys on Thursday with the Florida Powerboat Club Miami Boat Show Poker Run and returning to their home-away-from-home base in Coconut Grove.

The first M42R catamaran got a workout for the week-and-a-half in South Florida. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

So Chiaramonte and Darland are more than ready to get home.

But what better way to test and showcase a new model?

“What we tried to do was redesign what we had created in the M37R,” said Chiaramonte. “And I don’t want to brag about it—I’m not like that—but it checked every box.”

South Florida’s Greg Harris and Yvonne joined the DCB duo and a reporter for the Hawks Cay trip. As second-time M37R owners, the couple brought more than a little full-tunnel DCB cat seat-time to their experience. The down-and-back ride delivered water conditions from flat to sporty, especially during the Friday morning photo shoot prior to their departure.

The author (center) extensively covered the build of the first DCB M42R catamaran, which is owned by Kris and Shelby Hansen. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

Through it all, Harris and Aleman were dazzled.

“After the trip down in the poker run Thursday, I was thoroughly impressed with the way boat handled multiple wakes and easily accelerated away from other boats in tight quarters,” said Harris. “But yesterday, it proved itself to be a true rock-star in the sport catamaran world. Running 100 miles northbound into confused and very sporty waters, combined with 20-plus-mph crosswinds, it ate it all up with ease.”

Harris paused, shook his head and chuckled.

“Five of us carrying on conversations like we were on a sunset ride up the Miami river while cruising at 90 to 100 mph,” he said, then shook his head again and grinned. “If this new M42R isn’t on someone’s radar for a new build, they need to schedule a demo ASAP.”

Made in the shade—the M42R’s cockpit umbrella was functional and attractive.

In an hour or so, Chiaramonte and Darland will be on their way home. A week-and-a-half is a long time to be away from family and friends, regardless of purpose. But they’re heading back satisfied with what the 42-footer delivered.

“Running 80 to 100 mph in washing-machine water, even the nastier stuff during the photo shoot, was no problem,” Chiaramonte explained. “The 42 was a beast, and it did exactly what we wanted it to. The boat likes bumpy water.

“It is an absolute home-run,” he added.