Waves And Wheels’ Wagner Delighted By ‘Incredible’ Desert Storm Street Party
For more than 10 years, Waves and Wheels of Osage Beach, Mo., has been the title sponsor and among the driving forces behind the Shootout On The Strip, the Wednesday night exhibit and celebration ahead of the annual two-day Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. Not only is Wagner the event’s primary backer, he goes all out with his own display. Thanks in part to his Bluave sound systems—installed in everything from high-performance boats to side-by-sides—that can be heard at both ends of the Bagnell Dam Strip, the Waves and Wheels exhibit is a focal point of the Shootout on the Strip.
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Though Waves And Wheels had four boats on display, its highly customized 36-foot Doug catamaran took center stage. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Jeff Helmkamp Photos.
But at last Thursday’s Desert Storm Poker Run Street Party in downtown Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Wagner was simply an exhibitor. Of course, Wagner took that role seriously as seriously as he does back home, which translated to showcasing a 36-foot Doug Wright Waves and Wheels Edition catamaran, a Skater 50SS dubbed Raiden that he and his crew completely renovated, a 37-foot Waves And Wheels-revamped Outerlimits V-bottom and a Playcraft 366 tri-toon equipped with what he called “an insane Bluave stereo.”
Rest assured, when Wagner calls a sound system “insane,” he knows what he’s talking about.
Just as he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to street exhibits. And he loved the recent one in Lake Havasu City.
As good as it looked during the Desert Storm Thursday street party, the 36 Doug Wright Waves and Wheels Edition catamaran looked even better the following day in the poker run on Lake Havasu
“The whole experience was incredible and the staff was outstanding, very, very friendly helpful and courteous,” said Wagner. “It’s hard to beat the hardware at the Lake of the Ozarks, but the hardware was excellent and there were lots of vendors at the Desert Storm street party. The vendors are cool—they give people some to do.
“It’s a neat experience though different than our Shootout On The Strip event,” he added. “Not better or worse, just different.”
A 50-foot Skater reimagined by Waves And Wheels, Raiden grabbed attention on and off the water.
On the logistical side of things, the event’s morning set-up schedule delighted the Waves and Wheels founder. Wagner was done in time to make a few calls take care of some work details back home before the street party opened.
“I was even able to have lunch with my wife, Cicely, before the madness started,” he said, then laughed.
Wagner vowed to return to the 2024 Desert Storm Street Party.
“I’m already looking forward to being of it again,” he said. “I want. to help make it even better—if that’s even possible.”
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