The 200-MPH Club
Earlier this week, Myrick Coil renewed his membership in the 200-mph club and Rusty Williams joined the exclusive group. Other members include John Cosker of Mystic Powerboats, former offshore racer David Scott, current offshore racer—and TNT Custom Marine co-owner—John Tomlinson and Canadian Bill Tomlinson.
Exclusive. Elusive. And downright dangerous. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Coil described the 205-mph run, which covered three miles on the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri, in the Performance Boat Center Skater Powerboats 388 catamaran, iits former raceboat. The boat currently is owned by Skaterfest organizer Ron Szolack, who ran it with Coil to 173 mph during the recent Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, and powered by 1,700-hp Sterling Performance engines, as a “Sunday drive.”
Typical to his Midwestern roots and decidedly chill demeanor, Coil, who previously shared a cockpit with Scott at more than 200 mph and throttled the 38-foot Performance Boat Center Skater with Williams behind the wheel, was understating things. Because no matter how well it goes, running 200 mph in a powerboat never is a Sunday drive. At that speed, a boat covers 293 feet per second on a constantly changing surface.
Running 200 mph on the water is a tall and very dangerous order, which is why so few people—despite more than a few unsubstantiated claims—have done it. Even for likes of John Tomlinson, a renowned throttleman who shares the cockpit of Performance Boat Center team’s MTI catamaran with Coil, it is an extraordinary feat.
Related Story:Â Coverage Of The 2019 Lake Of The Ozarks Shootout
and then