Kicker Marine Audio Rolling Out Red Carpet For Super Cat Fest West And Desert Storm Boaters

Starting this week, the team from Kicker Marine Audio is stretching West from its Oklahoma roots to join its distributors, dealers and fans in a couple of high-octane festivities in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.—Super Cat Fest West (April 15-18) and the Desert Storm Poker Run (April 21-25).

Kicker Marine Audio is all set for two weeks of fun in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp/Helmkamp Photos

A multi-time title sponsor of the Desert Storm Poker Run, Kicker Marine Audio decided to join the fun for the all-new Super Cat Fest West a week earlier than the annual poker run that features its popular Thursday Street Party. Headquartered at the London Bridge Resort and transplanted from its successful origins as a longtime event on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks that was founded by Alvin Heathman, an avid boater and former offshore racer, Super Cat Fest West has a few key events taking place this week.

A VIP welcome party at The Boat House Grill and Islander Storage Marine kicks things off on Thursday and Kicker Marine Audio is sponsoring a DJ-fueled raft-up party and fleet photo session at the Havasu Springs Resort on the south end of the lake following Friday’s lunch run. Later that night, a celebration at the London Bridge Resort includes a bikini fashion show and music, amid the display of boats at the docks.

On Saturday, the band LIT is performing at Pirate Cove Resort following a fun run with various destination points encouraged as Heathman—and his co-promoters, Speedboat magazine and its chief photographer, Todd Taylor of Joker’s Wild Productions—are opting for a casual approach to the event, similar to the one on Lake of the Ozarks.

The following week, Kicker Marine Audio’s presence will be seen on the Thursday Street Party where its display truck is going to feature a travel edition of its famous headquarters “Wall of Boom” on McCulloch Boulevard, where millions of dollars of performance boats and tow rigs are going to be on display from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Kicker Marine Audio team plans on participating in Friday’s poker run, which starts with a boat parade from Thompson Bay through the well-known channel at 11 a.m. A customized Trifecta pontoon recently outfitted with top-of-the-line Kicker Marine Audio gear and an 11-inch Tower System is going to take part. The boat, which is owned and equipped by Dan Murphy of MurfCo. Inc., Kicker Marine Audio’s Manufacturers Rep Group that sets up distributors and dealers in the Southwest region, emphasizes the company’s tagline of “Livin’ Loud!”

Gatorwraps and Kicker Marine Audio teamed up to spruce up a Formula Boats 302 SR-1. Photo courtesy Kicker Marine Audio

The Trifecta is one of many boats the 38-year veteran Kicker representative has outfitted for this and many other events. Murphy, who has partnered with the Stillwater, Okla., company for so long because it is “the best,” also partnered with Frank Zepeda on the Boom Toon, a “vintage” 30-foot Starlight 1986 riverboat that’s going to be along for the ride and the fun.

The boat, which was transformed into a runabout double-decker party barge, is now a fan favorite—complete with a slide, party poles and a kicking Kicker Marine Audio system, at Desert Storm, which is sold out with 200-plus boats expected to participate in its 24th year.

Also along for the ride at Desert Storm is another Kicker Marine Audio partner, Rod Voegele of California-based Gatorwraps. The company will display its specialty large-scale vehicle and vessel wraps on its Kenworth W9 show rig and International CXT show truck, both heavily decked with Kicker audio components, and broadcast live and loud from the Street Party and throughout the event. Gatorwraps also will feature a 30-foot Formula Boats 302 SR-1, fully customized with 11 amps powering its two-dozen-plus speakers and subs.

“The clarity of Kicker Marine Audio is what sets it apart from other brands,” Voegele said. “I have a friend with a Rinker installed by Wired 4 Sound in Lake Havasu and when he pulls into a cove, everyone else shuts off their stereos because his sounds like a live concert! We get those comments all the time when we play our Kicker sound systems—the sound is that clear.”

Both MurfCo and Gatorwraps have had long-time Kicker audio affiliations including friendships with Kicker founder Steve Irby, who was a pioneer in the 12-volt, mobile audio world.

“Kicker Marine Audio finds kindred spirits in the performance boating community,” said Jeremy Bale, the company’s brand manager. “This group of boaters enjoys being seen and heard, and Kicker certainly has all the right top-grade marine equipment to help them achieve those goals. Lake Havasu has been a good location for us with longtime dealers, distributors and installers, and we enjoy getting together with Rod (Voegele) and Dan (Murphy) at these events to engage with our customers. We’re happy to lend our support.”

Kicker Marine Audio Rolling Out Red Carpet For Super Cat Fest West And Desert Storm Boaters

Address

Quick Links