Tough to catch a spectre

A bay area builder combines proven design with new materials and techniques in a fast craft that's built to last.

	[Times photos: Bill Serne]
	Tom Rissmiller and his wife, Karla, leave the Central Yacht Basin in a new Spectre 24 SCS.
	Spectre’s new 24 SCS is built for a boater who wants to combine fishing, diving and running about with enough class to turn heads.
	Tom Rissmiller, right, and his wife, Karla, cut the surface of Tampa Bay in a Spectre 24 SCS.

CLEARWATER - When Jay Pilini formed Spectre in 1993, the boat builder known for his performance catamarans hoped to take a bite out of the lucrative center console market.

"I started making 22- and 28-foot fishing boats," Pilini said. "They sold real well, but a lot of my former customers who were fans of my Motion catamarans kept bugging me to build another performance cat."

So Pilini went back to the drawing board. He spent a year and half in research and development until he settled on the design for his Spectre 30.

The twin-hulled speed demon quickly became the boat of choice for Poker Run enthusiasts looking for a fast, comfortable ride. The Spectre 30 also made a name for itself on the offshore powerboat-racing circuit, winning several national and world titles in the late 1990s.

"Once again our cats were selling great," Pilini said. "But then I started getting calls from friends and former customers who wanted center consoles."

Pilini knew Tampa Bay's boating market ranks as one of the top in the state, if not country.

"You can go inshore, you can run offshore," Pilini said. "We are really lucky. We've got it all."

The original Spectre 22s and 28s, though now more than 10 years old, are still in use along the west coast of Florida. But manufacturers have made great strides in the past decade, and Pilini decided it was time to try new materials and production techniques, and using the lessons he learned on the offshore racing circuit, build a center console for the new millennium.

The result is the Spectre 24 SCS. The 24-foot vee-bottom, rigged with a 225 horsepower Mercury Optimax motor, tops out near 58 mph.

"This boat can cruise between 40 and 50 miles per hour and still get more than 4 miles to a gallon," Pilini said. "If you want to go anywhere on the water these days - lunch in Sarasota or offshore fishing - you need to be able to cover a lot of territory in a reasonable amount of time."

Most of Pilini's customers are on their second or third boat.

"We seldom have first-time boat buyers," he said. "Most Spectre owners have had a boat, used it, watched it fall apart and now want something that will last."

Seasoned buyers look for stainless-steel hardware, vacuum-bag construction and the exotic resins evident in high-end boats.

"A race boat sees more punishment in one race than most boats will see in a lifetime," Pilini said. "The 24 SCS is built by the same people who build our race boats, using the same techniques and materials. The idea was to build a boat that you could go out and run 4- to 6-foot seas and not take a beating."

Pilini built the 24 SCS for the performance boater who wants a vessel that is functional enough for fishing, scuba diving and water skiing, yet still comfortable and luxurious enough for a dinner date at the Renaissance Vinoy in downtown St. Petersburg.

But Pilini knows there are many boaters out there who would like a stripped-down version of the 24-foot center console.

"The 24 SCF is the fishing version of the boat," he said. "It comes with rod holders, baitwell and T-top."

The 24 SCF has a 22-foot waterline, which should qualify it to fish on the 23-and-under division of the Southern Kingfish Association Tournament Trail. Pilini plans to add a 34-foot center console capable of carrying twin or triple engines.

"People who have 24s are saying that they want bigger boats," he said. "We think the 34 will be a true offshore boat that can compete with some of the other high-end fishing boats like Contender, Intrepid and Yellowfin."

Spectre plans to increase production in the coming year - Pilini doesn't plan to stop making cats now that he has added center consoles to his catalog - so a 150,000 square-foot facility opens soon.

Spectre also will unveil a new 32-foot catamaran, available with inboard or outboard power. And Spectre has joined forces with Mercury Racing to produce a boat capable of hitting 110 mph.

"We have a lot on the drawing board," Pilini said. "We are just trying to keep up with customer demand."

WHAT: Spectre 24 Sport Center Console Series

LENGTH: 24 feet

BEAM: 8 feet, 2 inches

WEIGHT: (w/o power): 1,950 pounds

FUEL CAPACITY: 83 gallons

DEADRISE: 22 degrees, vee-pad, reversed chines

POWER: optional

PRICE: $49,250 with Mercury 250XS Optimax Saltwater

INFORMATION: www.spectrepowerboats.com or call 727 573-2213.