After the best year yet for MTI, this year looks to be no different. MTI has already hit the ground running in 2022 as they travel to the Miami International Boat Show, Florida Powerboat Club’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run, and Owner’s Fun Run from Miami to Hawks Cay Resort over the next several weeks. Continue reading to learn more about the future for MTI.
Marine Technology Inc. President Randy Scism and his daughter, MTI client relations manager Taylor Scism—both World Champion offshore racers—tell Speedboat that the company just had what appears to be its best sales year on record, and is already on target to break more records in 2022.
“We built 46 boats this past year, and we’ve been on target to finish 62 in the year ahead,” Randy says. “We should be seeing a pretty significant increase. It’s all moving forward very quickly, and we’re very excited.”
MTI builds a full line of luxury center-console vees and catamarans. The three vees are the 42-V, 50-V, and 57-V; the two outboard cats are the 340X and 390X. MTI also builds a range of I/O-powered cats ranging from 38′to 52’. The 42-V is the company’s fastest-selling center console, while the 390X is the hot seller in the outboard cat segment.
The Scisms will be showing off four boats at Booth MB168 of the Miami International Boat Show’s Convention Center location: the 42-V, 50-V, and two 390X models. In addition, the team will be offering in-water demo rides on the very same models at Haulover Marine Center, a 180-acre facility in North Miami Beach. MTI’s offerings will be powered exclusively by Mercury Racing 450R outboards.
“We’re going to go to the show full steam ahead,” Randy says. “We’re looking forward to moving back into the Convention Center—I think it’ll be a really good venue for us. And if we have customers who are seriously interested, we’ll schedule them for demo rides accordingly. I hope we can work both ends of the show and keep the momentum going.”
A week after the boat show (Feb. 24-27), the MTI crew will be taking part in Florida Powerboat Club’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run to the Florida Keys. “A lot of our clients who can’t make it to the boat show come down for the poker run, so we’ll see them there and offer demo rides as well,” Randy says.
The following month, MTI then leads customers on its Owner’s Fun Run from Miami to Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, FL. “We have 63 boats signed up so far, with nearly 300 people attending,” Taylor tells Speedboat. Participants will leave Miami on Thursday, March 10; some will return home on Sunday, March 13, while others typically stay until Monday. “It’ll be our biggest one yet,” she adds. “It should be a lot of fun.”
The company is also about to build its first center console powered by four Mercury 600 Verado V12 outboards. “It’s very exciting,” Randy says. “It should be an 80+ mph boat, limited only because of the propeller selection that’s currently available at this time. It should be a rocketship getting there, though. We’re looking forward to it.”
MTI’s gangbusters business means the team will need to expand its workforce to meet demands, so the company is actively seeking talented employees to join the team. “The paperwork alone on 120 boats is overwhelming, so Tom [Stuart] and I need someone to help us,” Taylor says, “especially with how much we travel, so we’re looking for help back in the office. We’re also searching for any talented riggers, painters, and upholsterers, and are currently accepting applications.”
Meanwhile, the 390X cat that Taylor drove with throttleman Johnny Tomlinson in 2021 has been sold to Randy Keys of Iowa, who plans to start campaigning the boat this season beginning in Cocoa Beach with an all-new name and facade. An all-new 390X is being built for Taylor and Tomlinson to compete in this year; it will retain most of the colors and graphics as their original race boat.
Original article published on speedboat.com
