Welcome to Luxury Center Consoles

Story and select photos by DinaRella / Additonal photos courtesy of HCB Yachts No doubt about it, HCB Yachts has done a 180-degree shift since its Hydra-Sport Custom Boat “bass boom beginnings” back in the ‘70s. With each passing decade, the Tennessee-based builder assiduously solidified its center console collection by continually fine tuning fit and finish, increasing angler amenities and pumping up pony power. Today, with a portfolio steadfast and unwavering in character, the flagship is at its apex delivering “yacht-level” looking, feeling and functioning fast crafts. Simply eyeing the name HCB Yachts says all you need to know. However, should there be more, director of marketing Wako Kollenberg will let you know.  He’s the exceptional individual who goes the extra mile for luxurycenterconsoles.com always stopping in the middle of whatever he is doing to personally walk and talk me through HCB’s latest and greatest ...
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Story and photos by DinaRella / Additional photos from Six Speed Photography PART ONE On the sunny Sunday of Veterans Day weekend, the steel and chrome crowd geared up to go ga-ga over the 300-plus curated rare and dear drool-worthy gems at the fourth edition of the Exotics on Las Olas (ELO4) in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. Another incentive for the motorsports masses to hit up the hotbed of horsepower was the chance for a quick chat with former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Floyd Rag; as the event producer and co-founder, the possibility of that happening was pretty big. Following the successful production of the uber-popular Supercar Saturday series for local dealer networks, including meet-ups at Rag’s Lamborghini Broward Dealership, four years back he moved the showcase over to the palm tree-lined promenade of boutiques, bistros and bars on Las Olas to reach ...
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Story and select photos by DinaRella / Additional photos from Manatee Marine & Bryce Batzer South Florida “boat show time” became South Florida boat “show-off” time, a mere 72 hours after Miami’s biggest marine extravaganza to date drew to a close. For round two, the Magic City emptied out and Florida Keys waterways filled for a pair of horsepower-induced happenings – the Florida Powerboat Club (FPC) Miami Boat Show Poker Run and Keys Island Runners (KIR) inaugural Rey Marino Memorial Fun Run and Raft-Up. Gilbert’s Resort and Tiki Bar situated in the middle of it all, served as home base for the high-octane fest. Similar to last year’s setup, the Mile Marker 108 hub hosted both the FPC luncheon and KIR sunset get together; and housed the in-water exhibitor demo fleet with Nor-Tech dealer Legend Marine and Plantation Boat Mart positioned at the entrance greeting ...
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Story and photos by DinaRella The last time I hit the LOTO Shootout was in the early 2000s doing PR for AMF Offshore Racing, prior to the Day-Glo yellow turbine team securing its hefty “Day-Glo green” Geico-bankrolled sponsorship. Back then, when Shooters was home base for the horsepower happenings (until its 2008 demolition day when the hoopla headed over to Captain Ron’s in Sunrise Beach for its 20th Anniversary), I never had the time to venture far from Mile Marker 21; but fast forwarding to 2021, this year’s trip changed all that. A tri-fecta of boxes were ticked for some spirit sipping and pool dipping at Backwater Jacks Bar & Grill, Dog Days Bar & Grill and Redhead Lakeside Grill, and what I discovered – Osage Beach is just like ‘80s rockers Poison sang “Nothin’ But A Good Time.” Backwater Jack’s Bar & Grill 4341 ...
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Story and select photos by DinaRella / Additional photos provided by Ben Robertson, Colleen Robertson, Inka Rodriguez, Nate Stuewer & Kevin Taylor Two aquatic kin came together connecting for a weekend on Key West waters making a splash in – old-school meets new-school Fountain style – that’s the simplest synopsis of how the 2021 Florida Powerboat Club Poker Run and 40th Annual Offshore World Championships progressed in my powerboat playbook. Why old school? Because scoring a coveted triple-digit ride to the rocking FPC Saturday raft-up in the legendary 1993 Fountain competition series raceboat, let me feel first hand how Reggie Fountain’s monster power, mono-hulls crushed their twin-hull offshore racing adversaries in the old days – and how the “Cat-Killer” call sign came to be. That’s why! Equally unforgettable was my new-school Fountain commute down to the Southernmost City (on Wednesday prior to the tie-up), cranking ...
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