MTI is shaping the future of offshore… AGAIN. The article below, featured on Powerboatmag.com, showcases the new MTI V-bottom boat to be released in 2012.

For a handful of reasons, it’s not really a big surprise that Marine Technology Inc. (MTI) is building a V-bottom center-console offering. First of all, the performance-boat market has seen a major surge in the utility-style models. Second, owner Randy Scism and company have been contemplating building the model for a half dozen years. And third, Scism has actually built V-bottom models when he lived overseas as manager for the Dubai-based Victory Team.

“We’re letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak,” said Scism, a little tongue in cheek considering his company builds arguably the top offshore catamarans in the world. “We’ve talked about building this on and off for the last five years or so. The center-console market is the hottest market out there at the moment.”

The Wentzville, Missouri, boatbuilder isn’t planning to build the same-old center-console though. Engineered from the ground up, MTI has filed for multiple patents for the 42-footer, which it is calling an SV for Sport Vessel because, as Scism said, “it’s not your father’s center-console.”

The main differences according to Scism are the six-person seating arrangement behind the center-console and a windshield that will completely cover the roomy seating section, which also will include a flip-down bench seat ahead of the transom and twin lounges ahead of the center-console. The boat features a cabin with air conditioning and a head compartment in the center-console, as well as a well-designed side-entry door to make access in and out of the boat easier from the dock.

The boat will be 11 1/2 feet wide and feature complete composite, vacuum-bagged and post-cured construction for superior durability and less weight.

“We have a feeling this boat will be lighter, stronger and faster than our competition,” Scism said in an interview at the end of October. “We also expect it to be a much drier ride with better performance than anything out there.”

Although he expects to start doing some testing on the model in the next 60 days, Scism said the first boat probably won’t be on the water until the spring. He hopes to have one ready for the Miami International Boat Show in February, although he said that might be a little optimistic.

“We want to raise the bar on this style of boat,” he said. “It will be for people who want to step up to the next level after owning the typical center-console.”

He said power options will range from triple, quad and even five outboard engines to inboard variations if a customer wants to go that route with a pair of Mercury Racing 525s or even turbocharged 1100s.

“We’ve test drove nearly everything on the market so we know what the benchmark is,” he added. “We plan on surpassing that and building a state-of-the-art model unlike anything else out there.”

Scism isn’t worried about taking business away from his catamaran lineup.

“Most of my customers have more than one boat anyway—we’re just trying to address everyone’s needs.”

Source: www.powerboatmag.com