A NEW BERMUDA CHALLENGER ARISES

Can this Fish Mavericks crew in an Evinrude-powered Renaissance Prowler beat the record?

It’s a tall order. The Bermuda Challenge is a 780-mile open-ocean run between New York and Bermuda founded by retired Boating features editor David Seidman in 1995. The current overall record stands at 15 hours and 48 minutes, set by Chris Fertig and Tyson Garvin in 2013, who ran a Skater 399 V-bottom powered by Cummins diesels and Arneson surface drives. The math works out to an average speed of 48 mph, and Bermuda Challenge boats may not be longer than 40 feet overall, which limits seakeeping and the amount of fuel that can be carried.

The current outboard class record of 22 hours and 23 minutes was set in 2002 by Neil Burnie and Bill Ratlief aboard a Prowler 302 catamaran powered by twin 225 hp Honda outboards. Hold this thought.

The latest Bermuda Challenge team is led by Capt. Jerry Harris, star of the reality fishing show Fish Mavericks, who is partnering with Renaissance Prowler offshore fishing catamarans. Harris and a crew made of Capt. Dave Schunke and Robb Pami will run a Prowler 36 powered by four 300 hp Evinrude E-Tec G2 outboards in their record attempt. Prowler owner Bill Ratlief—the very same Bermuda challenger mentioned above—says the boat will be a “straight-up Prowler.” I specifically asked whether high-tech materials or special processes would be used to build the Bermuda Challenge boat, and Ratlief insists he is building a stock boat, although the boatbuilder did say he’d take some measures to reduce weight.

“We won’t be installing the rod holders, the stereo and other nonessential gear aboard the boat until after the Bermuda Challenge,” Ratlief says.

They will be adding to the Prowler 36’s 382-gallon fuel capacity. Harris says, “The boat is stockstock, but we’ll be adding a 450-gallon fuel bladder.”

In late July, the fabled Bermuda High usually settles over the western Atlantic, creating favorable conditions for such a run. That is the target window, according to Harris and Ratlief. But danger persists—Ratlief struck a whale during his 2002 run and still set a record. Watch for developments on these pages, on Boating’s social media channels, and at boatingmag.com/bermuda-challenge.

Kevin Falvey, Editor-in-Chief editor@boatingmag.com

THE CREW (from left to right) Jon Harris, Robb Pami, Chris Pami, Capt. David Schunke and Capt. Jerry Harris. Jerry Harris, Robb Pami and Schunke will make the run while the others provide support. Notably, they are all brothers and brothers-in-law.