Oct 16

Oct 16 The Legacy of Roark Summerford and the Legendary SRV Hull

The performance boat scene from the eighties and nineties was an incredible time for designers and enthusiasts. Because of the lower costs and competition some of the most amazing boats were created in that time. Roark Summerford, who I’ve written about before, was a fantastic designer who raced what he built and made quite a few game changing boats. Under Laser Boats of Texas and later his own brand STV (Summerford Tunnel V) the most common hull of Summorford’s was the center pod tunnel boats often raced in the Mod VP class and sprint racing, renowned for their speed and stability. But, Roark designed a larger 20 V pad hull that was ahead of it’s time as it is now one of the most revered small performance V hull boats ever built. Let’s take a look at this ultra rare boat and what makes it special.

A cult following in Canada, the SRV hulls up north are all in excellent condition and mostly powered by Yamaha’s. The SRVs can handle the weight and power of the new four strokes with no issues. (photo credit: James Cole)

Roark only made an estimated 7 or 8 SRV hulls and they had similar deck lines to the LTV, with the molded in faring and slim cockpit. With a narrow beam and a really wide flat pad, the well balanced hull can handle big power. There are a few out there with tuned Yamaha’s putting out 330 HP that are in the 112+ MPH range. Stock Mercury 3.0L 250 XS could break 100 MPH. Those are all big numbers and make it one of the fastest under 21 V hulls out there. That’s always an open debate as there are so many boats of varying weights and designs but if you’re breaking 100 MPH with anything in the 250 to 300 HP range, you have a fast boat by any objective measure.

With all the high performance parts from MCR Performance inc. This blistering Yellow SRV owned by Charlie from Kawartha Lake Rippers has been loving brought back to perfect condition and running 112 MPH. The aerodynamics of this boat really set it apart. (photo: James Cole)

Another design feature is the rear cowl. The SRV actually looks similar to the Laser 380. Owners of the Laser 380 often remark how underrated that hull is, and it is known for being really fast and stable and so is the 420. I’ve heard of 420s in the low 80s with 200 HP. You can see the influence for the SRV; it’s almost a 380 with a race influenced deck and more setback, and a little longer. Either way, all the Laser V hulls were quite fast and the SRV is the pinnacle of Summerford’s V designs.

A beautiful Laser 380 Ray owned by Barry of Ohio. Clean lines and a real performer. The influence for the LTV center pod tunnel boat too.

What gets really interesting is that because so few SRV hulls were made, they are virtually impossible to find. A performance boat enthusiast from Ontario Canada, named Rob, ended up acquiring one and making a mold from it, and with boat builder John Spaeth made 5 in total. Two of these were special builds, infused with kevlar and built with carbon stringers; light and strong. With the movement towards bigger four strokes, a few SRV owners up north have repowered with the big 4.2 Yamaha V6 and have incredible results.

A trio of big Yamahas. The 3.1 Vmax on the left is tuned to “phase 3” from Hydrotec Marine, the others are featuring parts from MCR Performance inc, with James’ personal boat in the middle.

One of those builds is an eye popping yellow hull with black graphics and running a completely done Yamaha 4.2 SHO, Nizpro tune and all the goodies from Canadian Yamaha performance parts maker MCR Performance Inc. Charlie of Kawartha Lake Rippers on Instagram is the owner and he did a spectacular job refreshing the boat after it was neglected for a time. His original Mercury 250 XS could break 100 MPH but the Yam can hit 112 to 115 MPH. The Nizpro tune makes it 330 HP, and the parts include a side steering kit, solid mounts, HD shaft with 1.62 gears and more.

I have to thank James Cole, the owner of MCR Performance Inc, for providing some of the photos and who is the owner of the clean white SRV in the photos. MCR Performance Inc. have been making performance parts for Yamaha’s for a while now and design and manufacturer everything you need to tune and build up your modern Yamaha outboard. Everything from side steering kits, heavy duty prop shafts, bearing carriers, gear sets; along with being a Nizpro dealer. James owns MCR with his business partner Brock, both of whom are avid boat enthusiasts. They’ve owned 4 out of the 5 Canadian SRVs and the gray one in the pictures is Jame’s cousin Rick. Small world and a great group of guys up there. James’ personal SRV with a Yamaha 4.2L is running 115 MPH I believe.

An ultra clean white SRV. Amazing lines and even better performance.

Rick’s gray SRV is a bit more OG, in that it is a pristine example of a well kept one running a Yamaha 3.1L Vmax with Hydrotec Marine parts. Definitely a more old school setup and it really screams.

Roark Summerford really nailed the design on the SRV and the speeds are just one aspect. Visually, the boats are stunning and being able to run bigger modern power is a testament to the balance. It is one thing to run over a 100 MPH but can you run over 100 and not risk your life every time is the question. The SRV appears to be able to run incredible speeds in a really poised and controlled manner. This is what makes it ahead of its time. Aerodynamically it is sound, and being controlled at speed with power shows Roark’s expertise and design ability. The SRV is truly a remarkable boat.

Of course, you can’t really get an SRV unless one of the lucky owners decides to sell, like so many cool boats from the past. A group of guys in Ontario meet up with their Canadian builds and we can admire from a distance. With 5 in Canada and maybe 7 in the United States, these are very rare. There are some very devout STV fans, Laser fans and other Roark Summerford designed boats and anyone can see why. He might be low key one of the best boat designers of our time.