LCI Sebring Tunnel PowerBoat Performance Review from 1987

[Christopher Lucero]

Dale wanted to start a new APBA class. LCI. Ill fated class adaptation experiment, but an awfully fun boat to own, nonetheless. Being under 20' long also avoided punitive insurance rates. I think I recall under 20' avoiding a boat driver age limitation for quite a while.

I used to let my kids freely drive it at Sandy Point - Lake Mead - not alot of other boaters around. youngest age was like 9 or 10.

 

[DomesticDrifter]

Was this later the Lavey Sebring?

 

[Christopher Lucero]

Was this later the Lavey Sebring?

it is the 18'10" version only. A very small run. Maybe @lavey jr can ask his dad or uncle ronnie about the evolution of the marque

 

[GETBOATS]

In late summer of 1985 Dale Clark contacted me thru Paul Bender G. M. of OMC west in Rancho Cordova ca. Dale brought a rigged Sebring tunnel for testing, I ran it a few times both in ocean waters and river. Shortly after Dale and I agreed to build a Parker 7 hour boat for the race in March of 1986. The Younger family and I had formed a partnership back in 1984 and campaigned a black Sleekcraft SST powered with a Johnson 2.6 GT. In 86 we ran both, the sebring's MPH was a mile or two slower but would turn very well. Earlier that year when the Sebring was developing, Dale had added runners on the outside sponsons hoping the result would be more transom lift. It worked too well and caused the boat to bow steer violently when setting up for a turn, note the missing portion of windshield in the picture attached. Upper turn in practice the day before boat hooked thru Keith out of the seat breaking the windshield. Later that day Dale himself got under the boat with a grinder and modified the sponson strakes to relieve some of the transoms lift. Boat was better suited for short course and did well at Firebird and Laughlin.

 

[LazyLavey]

20.2

Don't know if it's accurate.... but I was told years ago the 20.2 was developed for the anticipated V-8 class