Performance Boat Center Spring Fun Run Erupts
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Event Coverage: Performance Boat Center Spring Fun Run Erupts
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Just 24 hours before yesterday’s Performance Boat Center Spring Fun Run—the traditional season-opener for events produced by the multi-brand dealership at the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri—registration reached a record-setting 97 boats. But did the fleet reach the century mark?
An offshore racer who calls the Lake of the Ozarks his home-water, Reese Langheim (center) throttled Mrs. Jackhammer, a 32-foot Doug Wright catamaran, with his wife, Sara Elizabeth, behind the wheel in yesterday’s Performance Boat Center Spring Fun Run. Photos by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.
No one involved is quite sure at the moment. But one thing is certain.
The event was a hit.
“I counted 68 boats at that showed up at the first stop,” said Brett Manire, who co-owns the MTI, Performance Powerboats, Sunsation and Velocity dealership with Mark Waddington, this morning. “We were rafted-off in all directions as their docks were full.
“It was a total success,” he added. “And we sold two new MTIs.”
For participants who traveled from out-of-state such as Mike Barnes, who along with this wife, Melinda, was among the Wisconsin-based crew in Jeremy Tschida’s 46-foot Outerlimits catamaran called Topless, the event was an ice-breaker of sorts.
“I think all of Performance Boat Center’s events are fun,” said Barnes. “However, this one is the first (of the season) so that makes it pretty exciting considering we just came out of freezing winter weather.”
But participants didn’t have to be from out of town to appreciate Performance Boat Center’s season-opener. The local contingent was thick.
“We had so much fun,” said Nikki Sorenson, who lives year-round at the lake with her husband, Chuck, and joined Neal Schneider and his fiancé, Brit Kay, for the day on a Mystic Powerboats M4200 center console. “Summer is finally in full effect. Our boating family is back.”
Lake of the Ozarks locals Nikki and Chuck Sorenson swooped through the day with their friends Neal Schneider and his fiancé, Brit Kay on a 42-foot Mystic center console.
That family includes Reese and Sara Elizabeth Langheim, the Illinois-based owners of the Super Stock-class Jackhammer offshore racing team, which will be in mix at next weekend’s American Power Boat Association Offshore Championships Series season-opener in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The couple shared the cockpit of Mrs. Jackhammer, their next 32-foot Dough Wright pleasure catamaran, in yesterday’s fun run.
“Sara and I had a blast running together,” said Langheim. “Performance Boat Center put on an awesome event, and we’re looking forward to running together again for sure.”
Enjoy more images from yesterday’s Performance Boat Center Spring Fun Run in the slideshow above.
Starting at Performance Boat Center in Osage Beach before noon, the fleet headed to its planned stop at Lake Burger in Gravois Mills for lunch. That stop was followed by a short hop to Frankie & Louie’s in Sunrise Beach, though not all boats made it to the next destination
“The second stop was really busy for docking, so we turned around and went to Tap and Grill and got in the pool,” said Barnes, who along with his group did make it back in time for the Performance Boat Center post-event bash at the Redhead Yacht Club/Lakeside Grill Tiki Bar. “It was a beautiful day.”
And that’s the beauty of the dealership’s events. Participants can stick with the group or go their own way if they choose. The only goal is for everyone to have a safe, good time on and off the water.
Said Manire, “These little fun runs have turned into serious fun. The amount and level of hardware showing up is crazy.
“It was an amazing day, all kinds of people and boats getting together with no drama, no issues,” he added .”Just fun.”
Wisconsin’s Jeremey Tschida filled his 46 Outerlimits catamaran in the event.
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