Patriotic Outerlimits 47 Breaks SF-To-Marina DR World Record
In 2023, an offshore powerboat team set out on a mission to shatter a record that had stood since 1988. While the record stood tall, the team resolved to tackle it with full determination, aiming to inscribe their names in the record books.
The challenge: to cover the distance from the Golden Gate Bridge to Southern California’s Marina Del Rey harbor entrance as swiftly as possible, marking a 400-mile open ocean run. While it sounds simple, like a journey that could be taken at wide open throttle, it was anything but.
Achieving this feat requires maintaining the perfect speed, ensuring an ample fuel supply, and navigating through unpredictable weather conditions. Fighting through these conditions was a necessary key to success.
On September 15, 2023, a team set out on this endeavor with the purpose of honoring the sacrifices made by America’s military. The team named “Patriotic Duty Racing” featured Steve Seaton handling the throttles, Tony Adams at the helm, and Alan Bellinghausen navigating. The team successfully conquered the run, breaking the previous record of just over five hours and 57 minutes.
The key to their success lay in the 47-foot Outerlimits GTX hull, equipped with twin 1350 Mercury Racing engines capable of propelling the vessel up to 130 mph. The boat’s power allows it to cruise at a remarkable 90 to 100 mph, an impressive speed on the water. Not only did this monster crank out some major power on that day but it looked and sounded the part of a champion as well.
Despite facing challenges such as visibility issues, the crew persevered, not only breaking the existing record but also setting their sights on another record attempt. The video below chronicles the timeline of how these records were shattered, shedding light on the challenges that accompanied this remarkable achievement. This race, produced by @OceanCup was one of a series of endurance races hosted by the powerboat organization who aims to put the ocean back into Offshore Racing. Fast Loud Photography
