Project Update: The American Outerlimits In All Its Glory

Because of the relentless storm season that’s been wreaking havoc on the Gulf Coast region of the country over the last couple of months, Texans Steve and Marsha Brantley haven’t been able to use their radically redone Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats 42 Legacy V-bottom as much as they were planning this season.

Steve and Marsha Brantley were thrilled with how nice The American, their 42-foot Outerlimits V-bottom, turned out. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

Fortunately, the fun-loving Brantleys, who spend their downtime between Tennessee’s Pickwick Lake and their farm in Meridian, Miss., were happy with the time they were able to spend on the boat with their family after picking it up in late August at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks, where it had been for several months getting redone by the team at Waves and Wheels and its sister company, Graphix 1 Paint, which is owned by Waves and Wheels owner Justin Wagner and his friend and longtime collaborator Andy Imhof, who owns Maryland Offshore Performance Marine Center.

“It’s been a crazy year, to say the least,” Steve Brantley said. “Between the pandemic and the hurricanes, we’re ready to get 2020 behind us. At least we got the boat done—that was one good thing about this year.

“The boat turned out fantastic,” he continued. “The depth in the paintjob is incredible and the level of detail in the interior is amazing. Marsha and I are so pleased with how it came together. Justin and his team did a remarkable job. Of course, the stereo is unbelievable, too. I have to thank my wife for allowing me to spend the kind of money on the boat that we did.”

The slideshow above includes more images of The American running on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks and sitting on its trailer and in the water. Photos courtesy Pete Boden, Justin Wagner and Marsha Brantley

When asked what her favorite part of the 42-footer was, Marsha Brantley didn’t hesitate with her answer. “The underside of the engine hatch,” she said, referring to the bald eagle mural painted above the patriotic-theme boat’s twin Mercury Racing 1075SCi engines, which were refreshed by Mark Boos of Precision Marine Performance Engines in Louisiana.

“I’m beyond pleased with how well the boat runs,” Steve Brantley said. “It’s a fun boat to drive and it gets on plane so easy now. It also handles the rough water with ease. Mark and Andy were able to put their heads together and work out some of the fuel pressure issues we had been experiencing before. I can’t say enough good things about those guys. Andy was super instrumental in the project—he helped keep things on track and he did a lot of it over the phone without too much input from Marsha and me.”

Thanks to the dramatic makeover, Brantley said the boat is practically unrecognizable.

“We’ve done projects that were more extensive and projects with bigger budgets, but I don’t know if we’ve done a project that was as extensive or as dramatic as The American,” Wagner said. “We’re very happy with how the whole thing came together and I’m extremely proud of everyone who had a hand in the project. Working with Steve and Marsha was a pleasure, too. They are such nice people—they deserve an incredible boat like The American.”

Check out the detail shots of the 42-foot Outerlimits in the slideshow above.

Wagner added that Graphix 1 Paint is running at full capacity with an expanded crew, and to call now to book a paintjob or a touchup for the coming months. He also said to contact Waves and Wheels for a stereo or interior overhaul and to reach out to Maryland Offshore for any other project needs.

“The boat is definitely transformed—it’s like a completely new boat,” Brantley concluded, adding that he plans to take the 42-footer back to Waves and Wheels next year to let Wagner and company update the cabin and tighten up a couple of things that Brantley said got overlooked or were left out because of budget constraints. “I don’t think there’s another 42 Legacy out there like it. The original Joker theme was cool, but The American is on a different level.”

Project Update: The American Outerlimits In All Its Glory

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