Dave’s Custom Boats Prepares for Miami

Dave’s Custom Boats will have one of its latest M35 Widebody catamarans on display at the Miami International Boat Show in February. Photo by Robert Brown

Last year, Dave Hemmingson and the crew at Dave’s Custom Boats made their first journey east from El Cajon, Calif., to the Miami International Boat Show. The West Coast custom builder impressed quite a few onlookers and industry insiders with a couple of its Widebody catamaran models.

In a month from today, DCB will be on hand for the 71st annual boat show, which takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Feb. 16-20. And, according to Hemmingson, the company is extremely excited to be returning.

“Last year’s show was so much fun,” Hemmingson said. “We met so many great people—we’re looking forward to seeing all those faces again and meeting even more people.”

Along with two newly constructed models—an M31 with twin Mercury Racing 1100s and an M35 with a pair of Mercury Racing 1350s—the company also plans to show off some images and information on its highly anticipated 41-foot catamaran. Although the M41 is far from complete, Hemmingson said the bottom plug for the M41 was recently finished.

DCB will be located in the same spot as 2011—Booth E57—and for the first time in many years, the company won’t be attending the Los Angeles Boat Show, which takes place the weekend before at the L.A. Convention Center (Feb. 9-12).

“If the L.A. show was in March like it was last year, we’d be there,” said DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte. “We’ll be setting up in Miami when the L.A. show is going on so we physically can’t do both shows.”

Chiaramonte hinted that DCB may participate in the Florida Powerboat Club’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run the weekend after the show, but nothing had been decided.

DCB also is very close to unveiling a redesigned website (www.dcbracing.com) so keep an eye out for the new site, which Hemmingson said was sorely needed.