If North America's marine industry had its own version of Hollywood's coveted Oscar, performance boating would be the undisputed recipient of the 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award.

At first glance, the concept may seem a bit too far-fetched - until you start to do some background research and discover that offshore performance boating has a rich and colorful history.

Competitively, the sport made its official debut back in 1904, with a 22-mile race across the English Channel. America's first major involvement in offshore pro racing came seven years later, with a speed run from Long Beach, California to Catalina Island.

The years that followed showcased some of the giants of offshore competition, including event promoter Carl Fisher (founder of the Indianapolis 500) and lengendary racer Gar Wood, who won the 1919 Miami to Key West run in a 50' boat built by Chris Smith (of Chris-Craft fame).

But it wasn't until the mid-1950s, that the professional side of the sport achieved international prominence. Billed as "The World's Most Rugged Ocean Race" the 184-mile run from Miami to Nassau put offshore performance on the world map.

From that point on, professional racing rose to great new heights, filled with glamour, supercharged with action and enhanced by active participation from international superstars like Chuk Norris, Don Johnson and Kurt Russell, and a Who's Who of list of famous names with all shared an unquenchable thirst for speed.

Like every sport, the pro circuit had its share of bad apples - who eventually paid a harsh price. Chalk it up to history!

The recreational face of offshore performance boating has also changed dramatically. It's still as dynamic as its professionally competitive counterpart. The "need for speed" remains in what has become one of the most popular family pastimes.

Cutting-edge technology and the dedication of talented craftsmen are significantly responsible for this positive evolution. So, too, is today's strong emphasis on safety which - as we proved when we pioneered the poker run concept in North America - does not, in any way, remove the element of the fun of performance boating.

Lifetime Achievement Award? I think it's about time, don't you!
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