Skater At 50—Win A Ride In Tilt
As a speedonthewater.com reader, it’s likely you’re familiar with Tilt, an immaculately restored, 2003-built Skater Powerboats 40-foot catamaran, whether you’ve seen it in past Skaterfest stories or remember it from the extensive feature we did in 2019 after Boat Customs completed the restoration project for Michigan performance boater Ed Tirakian, who is the CEO of Ebbco Inc. in New Baltimore. And if the radical red 40-footer pictured below during the 2023 Weekend At Ronnie’s event doesn’t ring a bell, let’s just say the boat—not to mention its enthusiastic owner—is well known on Lake St. Clair and the surrounding waterways.
You could win a chance to ride with Ed Tirakian in his flat-deck, 40-foot Skater this summer. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
So get this. Did you know that Tirakian has graciously offered up a ride in his Skater for charity?
Yep, Tirakian, who has been a supporter of the Algonac Lions Club for many years but never to this extent, is teaming up with the local organization to raffle “a once in a lifetime opportunity to take a ride on Tilt” as part of the 86th annual Algonac Lions Pickerel Tournament Festival, which takes place July 3 through July 6.
The one-hour ride in the 120-mph boat (or whatever speed the winner is comfortable in, Tirakian said) is scheduled for July 5, with the drawing set to take place on June 26. The club is promoting that the 40-foot Skater “will thrill, excite and amaze you and a two of your friends” and made it clear that, as always, the money raised will stay within the local community.
“I’m excited to help out the Algonac Lions Club this year and add to the fundraising part of their event,” said Tirakian, who has owned five different boats named Tilt that he’s run on the St. Clair River and surrounding waterways for the past four decades. “I’ve lived in this community since 1993 and have been boating here since 1984. And the Algonac Lions Pickerel Tournament Festival was an established community affair back then. It is such a fun, family friendly event. I can’t wait to host the lucky winner during the festival.”
Tickets for the fully licensed raffle are for sale at $5 a piece, or you can purchase six for $20 to better your chances and lower the per ticket cost. Locals can purchase tickets at events throughout the summer, but for those outside of the area, you can purchase them via Venmo (@AlgonacLionsPT). Be sure to put Tilt Raffle and your cell phone in the comments and the organizers will send you an image of your tickets. If you don’t use Venmo, you can reach out to the club via its website or Facebook page for direct access or to answer any questions you have.
The Algonac Lions Club is excited to have two raffles—the side by side and the Tilt Skater ride—in support of its 86th annual festival.
“I am a club supporter and do some of the dinners for charity, but to be honest, I try to donate what I can because I don’t have the time to get too involved,” Tirakian explained. “That’s why I thought a boat ride could be a cool idea to give back in a different way than someone else might. I also wanted this to be open for anyone to win. A business association friend of mine from Chicago bought tickets. I know guys in New Jersey and Arizona who are in the raffle already. So if you want a ride in Tilt, and get the full Michigan experience, buy your tickets today and help us raise some money.”
Tirakian, who added that the annual festival is still offering a side by side as it normally does in a separate raffle this year, said he wouldn’t be opposed to making the Tilt raffle an annual occurrence depending on the money raised.
“I hope this is the first of many Tilt boat ride raffles,” said Tirakian, aka Mr. Tilt, which is a nod to his days of buying and selling pinball machines. “The Algonac Lions Club does a lot of good for this community, such as supporting a location organization I appreciate called Leader Dogs for the Blind.”
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Creating The New Tilt: Boat Customs Makes Over 40-Foot Skater
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