Hellkats Planning To Unveil First 32-Foot Catamaran Under New Ownership At Lauderdale Show

Just nine months ago, marine industry engineer Briland Hays—formerly with Contender Boats—and an investor purchased the assets of Miami-based Hellkats Powerboats. The fast-growing company was founded by the late Rey Marino. Its assets included tooling for 30- and 32-foot high-performance catamarans, as well as tooling for a 40-foot catamaran-hull-based center console to be offered in angling-specific and poker-run versions.

The new owners of Hellkats Powerboats are excited to showcase their 32-foot cat in Fort Lauderdale next month. Photos courtesy Hellkats Powerboats

Now the company is planning to unveil its first 32-foot catamaran under the new owners at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which will run October 30 through November 3.

As part of the company’s new 11-person team, Hays brought on Kris Thorpe, who is well-versed in the vacuum-infusion lamination from his work in the yacht-building industry. He also added Conner Berg, an experienced marketing man from outside the marine industry, as the company’s vice president.

The company’s key focus since being purchased by its current owners has been enhancing its own vacuum-infusion process, which Hays and Berg called “HK Vacuum Infusion.” Bringing aboard Thorpe, they said during a telephone interview earlier this week, has been the key to a stronger process.

“We vacuum-infuse every part, not just the hull and deck but every single part, with Pro-Set epoxy,” Hays said. “It’s very time-consuming, but it’s essential to our process.”

A closer look at some of the Hellkats Powerboats’ exposed carbon-fiber lamination work.

What’s more, he explained, the hull, stringers and bulkheads are infused as a single unit rather than separate pieces that are bonded together after each is laminated. They are bagged and vacuum-infused as one large piece.

Under its new ownership, Hellkats Powerboats received a National Marine Manufacturers Association certification and has a Coast Guard identification registration number that is different than it did under the company’s original owner.

“The goal is to build the strongest boat possible through the HK Vacuum Infusion process,” Berg said. “We will also offer the 32-footer in a canopied version that meets specification for the Super Stock offshore racing class. We’re hoping to have a Super Stock team running one of our 32s next season.”

Julian Maldonado and the team at Manatee Marine Unlimited in Palmetto, Fla., are rigging the first 32-footer with twin 500-hp outboards from Mercury Racing. Hays said he is “hoping to establish a long-term partnership” with the company.

“So far, the experience has been good,” Maldonado said. “They are serious guys. I think they’ll do well.”

Both the poker run (above) and fishing version of the company’s center console will ride on a 40-foot catamaran hull.

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