New Year Events Take Center Stage For Sunshine State Performance-Boat Fans
For the final day of 2023 and the first day of 2024, Southwest Florida once again became the epicenter of the go-fast boating universe. A December 31 morning photo shoot in the Gulf of Mexico off Sarasota followed by a blast up the coast for lunch in Tampa set the stage for the next morning’s main event—the Joey Gratton Memorial New Year’s Day Fun Run to Caddy’s Restaurant in Bradenton.
Blake and Brock Gratton arrived in style for yesterday’s event celebrating their father in a new 38-foot catamaran from Doug Wright Powerboats. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Like their father, a beloved offshore racer and popular figure in the Sarasota area, Gratton’s twin sons, Blake and Brock, are performance-boat enthusiasts. In years past, they arrived to meet their mom, Priscilla, and families at the event in a well-traveled catamaran.
But yesterday, the Gratton brothers arrived in a brand-new 38-foot Doug Wright Powerboats catamaran powered by twin Mercury Racing 500R outboard engines.
“It’s an incredible boat,” Blake Gratton said. “And the guys at Manatee Marine set it up perfectly. It’s so easy to drive.”
Flanked by brothers Blake and Brock Gratton, photographer Pete Boden and organizer Ryan Beckley help celebrate the life of Joey Gratton and preserve his memory.
Standing within earshot of Gratton and beaming was Reese Langheim, that lovable lout from the Land of Lincoln, who owns the 2023 Super Stock-class world champion Jackhammer team. Langheim’s wife, Sara, co-owns Palmetto, Fla.-based Manatee Marine Unlimited with Jackhammer team throttleman Julian Maldonado.
A reporter looked at Langheim and laughed. “I did not ask him to say that in front of you,” he said. “But I do take Mastercard, Visa and American Express.”
Pete Boden’s annual New Year’s Eve photo shoot off Longboat Key produced some of the weekend’s most colorful images.
Langheim and his racing partner weren’t the only offshore racers in the crowd at the 13th annual Gratton happening. Ricky Maldonado, Julian’s father, who throttles a 38-foot Doug Wright cat alongside driver Logan Adan in the 450R Factory Stock class, was on hand. So, too, were Super Stock-class CELSIUS team owner/driver Chris Hopgood, his throttleman, Jay Muller, and Randy Sweers, who most recently competed in the Super Stock class.
Sweers brought his son, Chase, with him in a Statement Marine 360 catamaran, one of an estimated 80-plus boats in the fleet. But the recently turned 18-year-old wasn’t simply along for the ride.
“We started off the New Year right,” Randy Sweers said. “It was Chase’s first time driving and throttling at 100-plus mph.
“He got it to 118 mph,” he added, then chuckled. “Not bad for a rookie.”
To celebrate his recent birthday, 18-year-old Chase Sweers piloted a 36-foot Statement catamaran and enjoyed the ride of his. young life alongside his father, Randy. Photograph courtesy Randy Sweers.
Yet another racer from the Super Stock ranks, organizer Ryan Beckley described this year’s event turnout as “a little light.”
“The weather turned out way better than the forecasts and there were many captains of boats who didn’t want to dock or raft up,” he explained. “So they did the run and then went to lunch elsewhere. But it was still awesome.”
Boden’s New Year’s Eve photo shoot, which led into the “Munyan Run” for lunch at Hula Bay restaurant in Tampa, attracted 30-plus boats.
Among the participants who dropped by Caddy’s but didn’t dock was Chris LaMorte with friends Erik and Julie Breckenfelder in his 36-foot Skater catamaran. LaMorte, who is a veteran of the event, had time constraints and knew better.
“We didn’t want to get stuck in the raft up,” he said. “But the water conditions were fine and the weather ended up being great.”
As noted in Saturday’s coverage of the Fort Myers Offshore Holiday Fun Run, photographer Jeff Helmkamp was boating for the first time in Southwest Florida. Hosted by Devin Wozencraft of Wozencraft Insurance in his 32-foot Victory catamaran, the Illinois-based shooter described himself as “Devin’s deckhand.”
Photographer Jeff Helmkamp got his first taste of Southwest Florida boating last weekend with 32-foot Victory catamaran owner Devin Wozencraft.
“Jeff only got mad at me once,” Wozencraft said, then laughed. “Right before the start, I got a phone call I had to take from a client. It only took two minutes, but by the time I got going everyone was gone and Jeff didn’t get the pictures he wanted.”
“I still had a great time,” said the photographer.
Odds are good that, like the rest of the Joey Gratton Memorial New Year’s Day Fun Run faithful, he’ll be back next year.
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