GTMM’s New 39' Hits the Water - Speed on the Water

When a company is releasing a new model, even a prototype, setbacks are a part of the process. But when said company is just starting, one can only imagine the enduring process of bringing a new boat to market. Throw on the pressure of being a Theodoli—the family owns the prominent Magnum Marine in Miami—and expectations have to be amplified.

Giovanni Theodoli runs his company's all-new 39' in some rough offshore conditions near Miami. All photos by Forest Johnson/courtesy GTMM — Giovanni Theodoli runs his company’s all-new 39′ in some rough offshore conditions near Miami. All photos by Forest Johnson/courtesy GTMM

Well the wait is over and Giovanni Theodoli, founder of Giovanni Theodoli Marine Manufacturing (GTMM), is 100 percent ready to showcase his masterpiece—a 39-foot V-bottom he calls a Bentley on the water.

“We are completely thrilled to have the boat finished and dialed in,” said Theodoli, speaking for himself and his business partner Scott Smith, formerly of Cigarette Racing and Magnum Marine. “She runs incredibly strong and incredibly smooth. People have been so impressed when they see her. It took a long time getting her there, but she’s so beautiful. I’m very happy with everything.”

Theodoli, who founded GTMM in 2010 and had a work-in-progress 39′ on display at the Miami International Boat Show in 2012, admits he was a little nervous when they first test ran the boat, which is powered by a pair of staggered Mercury Racing 700SCi engines with NXT1 drives and Hering Propellers, in early February in Miami.

“Running the boat is so exciting,” said Theodoli, who was born and raised in Miami. “When we first tested it, we were all surprised how quickly she leaps out of the water. You hit the sticks and bang she’s on plane in a matter of seconds. And the acceleration from 60 to 90 mph is in the blink of an eye.

The new 39′ from GTMM reaches a 100-mph top speed with twin Mercury Racing 700SCi engines.Theodoli said the 39-footer, which is far from lightweight at approximately 9,200 pounds, tops out just above 100 mph—he’s extremely pleased with that number—and cruises all day at 70 mph in the 3,800-rpm range.

“She’s a little heavier than we anticipated, but that is for the better,” Theodoli said. “She’s stable, comfortable and solid. There’s no skipping around, no chine walking and no slippage. When she turns, she digs in and turns like she’s on rails.

“Another thing that feels good when driving her is the deep cockpit,” he added. “Rather than feeling exposed, you’re truly sitting inside the cockpit. It’s so comfortable for everyone on board. The nice tan, leather-style upholstery adds to the comfort and beauty of the boat. We also made a conscious decision to select top-notch, beautiful hardware throughout. Furthermore, you’ll notice there aren’t any hinges or screws anywhere—everything is back-mounted to add to the boat’s elegance.”

Based off the 39-foot Dragon Powerboats molds, the 39′ was constructed at Mystic Powerboats and went through sufficient hull design modifications with help from Mystic founder John Cosker. Theodoli and company also focused on changing the cockpit design to make it more pleasure-boat friendly as the canopy-style Dragon was best suited for racing.

Theodoli, who enlisted Eddie Guardado of Guardado Marine to paint the boat, said he’s hoping to sell a few 39-footers each year—they take roughly four months to build—along with a handful of new 27-foot models, the first of which he expects to finish around the end of the year. He said base price for the 39′ with twin 430-hp MerCruiser 8.2 Mag HO engines is in the low-$500,000 range, while the boat with the 700-hp engines is around $600,000 depending on options.

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