Scism on MTI: “We are slammed.”

MTI reportedly has several new orders for its 36-footer, shown here in front of MTI and Cigarette dealer Pier 57.

Summer is traditionally slow for high-performance powerboat builders, but don’t tell that to Randy Scism, the principal of custom offshore catamaran builder Marine Technology, Inc. in Wentzville, Mo. According to Scism, MTI models currently “coming down the line” include “multiple” 48-, 42- and 40-footers.

“As we speak, we have a couple of deals closing on a few 36s, too,” said Scism in a telephone interview earlier today. “We’ve only done about a half-dozen of those so far, so that’s good news.

“We are just slammed,” he added. “It’s been really busy.”

While a few of the models in production have been ordered with twin Mercury Racing 700SCi engines, most have been ordered with the Fond Du Lac, Wis., engine builder’s more-powerful turbocharged offerings. To date, MTI has built 14 cats with Mercury Racing twin-turbo, quad-overhead cam 1350 engines, according to Scism.

“We have a couple boats with (Mercury Racing) 1100 turbo packages going now, and a couple more coming,” said Scism. “We only just started receiving those packages.

“The 1100s run phenomenally well,” he continued. “On 89-octane fuel, they run as well as the Mercury Racing 1200s did on race gas. If you’re coming out of a 1075SCi package to an 1100, it’s night and day. They make something like 1,050 or 1,100 foot-pounds of torque starting at 2,500 rpm. The acceleration is just awesome.”