First Person: An Unforgettable Day At Lake X

Editor’s Note: Since South Florida’s Yvonne Alemán and Greg Harris ordered their DCB Performance Boats M37R Widebody catamaran in September 2021, speedonthewater.com has followed the build. On Friday, they had the thrill of watching Mercury Racing’s Mike Griffiths and DCB’s Tony Chiaramonte, with a little input from Grant Bruggemann of Grant’s Signature Racing, dial in the 37-footer at Mercury Racing’s famed Lake X testing center in St. Cloud, Fla.. The Mercury Racing 450R outboard engine-powered cat will be displayed at Sea Isle Marina and Yachting during the Miami International Boat Show this week. For the final story of the series, we asked Alemán and Harris to write about their day at the facility.

For new DCB M37R catamaran owners Greg Harris and Yvonne Alemán—flanked here by Mike Griffiths (left) and Tony Chiaramonte—their day at Lake X was simply incredible.

Yvonne Alemán: Incredibly Humbling
When we got to Lake X, we backed the boat into the shop and within minutes everyone was crawling all over it. They used all kinds of measuring devices and tools—everything you can imagine—to ensure precision. It was so impressive.

While Tony, Greg and I were out running the boat, they cooked us a barbecue chicken lunch and called us when it was ready. So we headed back and ate lunch outdoors—like a family.

The entire experience was outstanding and somewhat surreal. What really stood out as a moment that made me proud was when Mike and Grant came in from running the boat and told us what an amazing boat it is and how they really loved it. I looked at them, each one of them dead in the face, and asked them if they really meant that or if they were just saying that to make us feel good.

I said, “You would be honest with us right?”

They meant it. And to have two pillars of our sport feel this way about our boat was incredibly humbling.

Now we just need to figure out where to put our “Dialed in at Lake X” sticker.

With Grant Bruggemann at Lake X for the day, Mike Griffiths had another set of expert eyes on the newest—the first of its kind in the Southeast—DCB M37R catamaran.

Greg Harris: Something I’ll Remember Forever
You know the way you can feel history in certain sports stadiums? That is exactly how I felt at Lake X.

Within five minutes of our arrival, they went to work checking everything on the boat. The exacting way they made each adjustment was fascinating and impressive.

At one point, I climbed the fabled observation tower at the mouth of the entry to the Lake X facility. I watched Grant and Mike put our boat through all kinds of tests. It was a like a dream for us, and it was truly humbling.

Lake X isn’t the newest place you’ll visit. It’s also not the fanciest. But sitting and having a garage-cooked lunch with the entire team was something I will remember forever.

Now at Grove Harbour Marina with a couple of other stunners to be displayed this week, Mad Props is ready for its Miami Boat Show debut.

First Person: An Unforgettable Day At Lake X

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