Outerlimits SC 46 Catamaran Repower Project Complete, Headed To Shootout

With the installation of two new Mercury Racing 1350 engines by Gordon Performance in McHenry, Ill., the story of a well-known SC 46 catamaran built by Outerlimits Powerboats in Bristol, R.I., appears to be ending on a positive note. The repowered 46-footer left the Gordon Performance facility, which is next door to Shogren Performance Marine, this morning and is headed to this weekend’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout where it will be run—though not in the Central Missouri top-speed contest—by its owner, a longtime Outerlimits customer.

With fresh horses from Mercury Racing, this 46-foot Outerlimits catamaran left Gordon Performance for the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout this morning.

“Scott Sjogren and I ran the boat this week,” said Alan Gordon, who owns the full-service, rigging and restoration outfit that bears his name. “It ran very smoothly and was very stable. On our first pass, we did 153 mph. Our second pass was 161 and our next pass was 162, and she still has a little left in her.”

Check out the video of the repowered Outerlimits SC 46 during its first test sesson.

Though the boat originally was setup with 1,350-hp Chief engines and later was rigged with Mercury Racing 1075s before reverting to its original power package, it arrived at Gordon Performance three months ago without power. “When we got the boat the engine compartment was completely stripped,” said Gordon. “There were a few hoses laying in the bilge, and that was about it.”

The 46-footer did, however, come with Mercury Racing M8 drives that did not require replacement or refurbishment. Foam inside the fuel tanks reportedly had created issues, so Gordon “gutted the tanks,” meaning powered-washed them and scrubbed them clean internally. And that was just one element of the project.

For a closer look at this completed repower project, check out the slideshow above.

“Basically, we completely re-rigged the back of the boat,” said Gordon. “We installed a completely new raw-water system for the engines, replaced all the wiring and lines and hoses, made new engine mounts in house—everything was custom fit for this boat. I’d say the most difficult thing was fitting the engines. Getting them down as low as possible in the engine compartment was really challenging.

“We made a PVC mock up of the exhaust system and sent it to CMI,” he continued. “And they translated that into a real exhaust system that fit perfectly. CMI did a great job.”

While Gordon did nothing to the catamaran’s cockpit interior appointments, he did install a new Mercury Racing digital throttle and shifter system, as well as a new Mercury VesselView 7 system that interface with the GPS system at the helm station. “We were fortunate that the new throttles and shifters fit perfectly in the spot where the previous unit was installed,” said Gordon.

The 46-footer is slated to participate in the Outerlimits Owners Rendezvous on Friday. Outerlimits fans will be able to get a firsthand look at the boat at Coconuts Caribbean Beach Bar & Grill in Gravois Mills, the host venue for the event.

Outerlimits SC 46 Catamaran Repower Project Complete, Headed To Shootout

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