Photo courtesy of speedonthewater.com & Michael Craig and Jay Nichols/Naples
Reflecting on MTI at 25, pinpointing Hammertime!, the 2007-model-year 44-foot catamaran commissioned by Tulsa, Okla., dentist Michael Craig, among the most impressive remains a puzzle. Yet, within the MTI community, its colorful legacy and spirited history resonate deeply, embodying an era of high-speed adventures and vibrant camaraderie. To learn more about the MTI-manufactured boat, continue reading.
In terms of the most impressive MTI catamarans to ever hit the water, I have no clue where Hammertime!, the 2007-model-year 44-foot catamaran built for Tulsa, Okla., dentist Michael Craig, ranks. But at least for me, as someone who’s covered the brand for many years, it’s high on the list.
Even amongst those most knowledgeable about the boats to leave the Marine Technology Inc. facility in Wentzville, Mo., during the company’s first two-and-a-half decades, it’s unlikely the colorful 44-foot cat that was painted by Visual Imagination in Peculiar, Mo., and powered by twin Mercury Racing 1075SCi engines would appear on anyone’s list of top 10 MTIs, or top 25 for that matter. Seriously—scope the list of the MTI At 25 stories that have appeared on speedonthewater.com this year in recognition of the company’s 25th anniversary.
Fortunately for Hammertime!, which at the time boasted a large caricature toward the rear of each hullside hammering the throttles with his mouth flapping from the wind, there was an impressionable journalist on the Powerboat Test Team who never forgot the boat, kept in touch with its owner from time to time and often wondered where one of my first 100-mph rides ended up.
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Original article published on spedonthewater.com