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MAC Events Boat Show - Richmond Press

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SUNSATION F-4 SETS TONE OF RICHMOND BOAT SHOW

Friday, December 28, 2007

RICHMOND, VA—Not all boats are created equal as visitors to the 4th Annual MAC Events Boat Show-Richmond, Virginia, January 11-13, 2008, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA. will discover when they inspect the Sunsation F-4 high performance boat.

Imagine slicing the water at 100 mph in a performance-designed 43 footer pushed by a 525 hp powerhouse. The faint of heart should stand well back.

Equally astounding are the two, count ‘em, two, awards Powerboat Magazine conferred the Sunsation F-4 in 2007. Its workmanship is simply exceptional which is why it earned the Outstanding Offshore V-Bottom Workmanship award along with the New Model of the Year award. It’s the first time in the magazine’s history such honors have been earned.

Small wonder, according to Bill Braun of Harbor Marine, 4401 Pretty Lake Avenue, Norfolk, VA. who will bring this incomparable performance craft to the show.

“In common with many of its Sunsation siblings,” said Braun, “the F-4 has a Mitcher T paint job with vibrant and precise red-and-silver work on the big V-bottom.”

Also, explained Braun, the F-4 is laid up with standard high-quality materials including vinylester resin, 1708 and 3408 fiberglass and a 1 1/2-ounce skin coat. To save weight without compromising strength, the builder, Sunsation Performance, Inc., opted for SAS board instead of plywood.

Every piece of hardware on the F-4 is customized.

According to Braun, the numerous billet aluminum step plates, which eliminated the need to step on the fine upholstery, were perfectly fitted with traction-enhancing rubber inserts. Billet panels were used on the dash as high-tech background material for the gauges. All grab handles were fabricated cylindrical stainless steel with red billet caps.

“To secure the staggered Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines,” said Braun, “Sunsation Performance used offshore mounts through-bolted to the stringers. The mounts were powder-painted red, as were the step plates and billet battery boxes. As in the rest of the boat, only socket-head screws were used in the immaculate rigging.”

But where the “rubber meets the road” is the real story. The F-4’s V-bottom, which incorporated a notched keel and four steps, impressed Powerboat’s test drivers and co-pilots.

According to the magazine, “With the 700-horsepower engines turning 5,450 rpm, the boat reached 99.7 mph on GPS.”

And the manufacturer stated that the truly spectacular boat will "touch 100 mph" in ideal conditions with a light load of fuel. Really astounding for a craft that weighs almost 6 tons without a drop of fuel in its 235-gallon aluminum tank.

Powerboat Magazine also said that Mercury 35-inch, pitch five-blade Cleaver propellers put the power to the water, and the boat made decent use of the package in the acceleration department. With the trim tabs down, time to plane was 6.1 seconds and the bow did not rise significantly. From a standing start, the 43-footer reached 67 mph in 20 seconds. Midrange punch was good, as the F-4 ran from 30 to 50 mph in 5.7 seconds and from 40 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds.

“Handling was precise and predictable,” continued the Powerboat Magazine report.

The interior of the F-4 matches its performance. Braun explained that a full complement of Livorsi Marine Monster gauges mounted in billet panels is at the helm.

“Naturally, Sunsation Performance added a few more goodies including a flush-mounted, billet-rimmed Mercury SystemView monitor, a Garmin 3206 GPS and an Azimuth 3000 compass,” said Braun.

Like the cockpit, the cabin in the F-4 is completely decked out, according to Braun. Included are a flat-screen Aquos television, Corian countertops, Sharp microwave oven, cavernous head locker, plush lounges with trick two-tier upholstery and a giant berth.

“But you have to see the E-Plex touch-screen control system in the F-4 to truly appreciate design excellence,” said Braun. “From lighting to air conditioning, the system manages every function in the cabin. Lest the screen system fail, Sunsation Performance has included manual switches for everything.”

Boating enthusiasts who appreciate the ultimate in performance are sure to find much to like in F-4. Even if it’s no more than up close and personal on the show floor, time spent with the Sunsation F-4 is sure to etch memories for a lifetime.

And those memories----as well as the fabulous F-4----await attendees at the 4th Annual MacEvents Boat Show-Richmond, Virginia, January 11-13, 2008, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, VA.

The 4th Annual MAC Events Boat Show – Richmond will be open Friday, Jan. 11, from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Saturday, Jan. 12, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, and on Sunday, Jan. 13, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for children 12 through 17. Children 11 and under are admitted free. Seniors can take advantage of a Friday special admission price of $6.00 and couples can take advantage of two-for-one date-night admission after 6:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.

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