Updated Skater 50 SS Catamaran A Team Effort

High-performance catamarans of the Skater Powerboats kind tend to live more than one life, and a 50 SS currently getting its final renovation touches at Boat Customs in Caledonia, Mich., is a fine example. The 2004 model was built as theme boat dubbed Zuperman and then-owned by Barry Zeckleman. The paintjob was among the most colorful of its day.

With all the elements complete this renovated 50-foot Skater catamaran will be back with its owner this month.

Long removed from its original owner and man-of-steel graphics package, the 50-footer currently is the property of Doug Stevenson, a Kansas City, Mo.-based performance-boat enthusiast and frequent Boat Customs client.

Boat Customs principal Chris Mills and his crew installed a new wrap-around windshield from Lee Aerospace for the boat’s eight-person cockpit. They also repaired and repainted its deck, extended its bustle and re-cleared the entire boat.

“Probably the biggest part of the project for was installing the new windshield and receiver for it,” said Mills

The project in progress.

For a new cockpit interior, they turned to Justin Wagner at Waves and Wheels in Osage Beach, Mo. Lucas and company also created a new Bluave audio system for the cat.

“We have done a lot of boats for Doug,” said Wagner. “He’s a great customer, really fun to work with. But he’s also one of our more conservative customers in his tastes so we created a nice, clean blue-and-white interior to match the boat. We updated and painted the dash panel to match, and created new side panels.

“We put three or four of our guys in there and knocked it out in about a week,” he added, then chuckled. “Anything for Doug.”

A hands-on owner when it comes to powerboat restoration projects, Stevenson likely will reinstall the interior with his own Kansas City crew, including his friend and frequent project collaborator Doug Knierim.

The boat will powered by a pair of supercharged 2,000-hp engines from Carson Brummett.

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