Sterling 1700-Powered Skater 388 Update: Waiting on a Tailpipe

Though it was scheduled for completion the third week in July, the much-anticipated Skater 388 catamaran with twin 1,700-hp turbocharged Sterling engines is still at the Douglas Marine/Skater plant in Douglas, Mich. The delay, according to Mike D’Anniballe of Sterling, occurred because of an “incorrect” angle in one of the cat’s custom-manufactured tailpipes.

“I talked to Pete (Hledin, the founder/owner of Douglas Marine/Skater) this morning and they hadn’t seen the new tailpipe today,” said D’Anniballe. “They’re expecting it in the next day or so. Once it’s there, they’ll install it and take the boat on a shakedown cruise, just to make sure it starts, runs, has water pressure, all that stuff.”

D’Anniballe said that once the brief on-water session is completed at Skater, the boat will be returned to Sterling in Milford, Mich., for dialing in and final sea trials on Lake St. Clair.

“David Wade from New Orleans is going to come up and run the boat with the owner,” said D’Anniballe.