DCB Performance Boats of El Cajon, CA, has delivered its fourth M37R catamaran to returning customer Nick Child.
Child, who owns a Utah-based powersports and RV dealership, was previously the owner of an I/O-powered DCB F32—a cat that started life as an open bow, but that Child later fiberglassed into a hard-decker. After driving the F32 for four seasons, he let DCB know he was interested in trading up.
“I was wanting to go to a bigger boat, but I really wanted outboard power,” he tells Speedboat. “I had demoed the M33R, but it wasn’t as big as I was wanting to go. Finally, [DCB co-owner] Tony Chiaramonte told me, ‘Just sit tight, we’ve got something coming for you.’ When they announced the M37R, I sent them some money so that we could get on the list early. And here we are.”
After growing up on Lake Powell and learning the ropes of boating by piloting yachts, Child got his first taste of performance boating at age 17 when a slip neighbor took him for a ride on a 2004 DCB F29. “I thought, oh my God, I have got to have one of these.”
Child’s transition from the F32—which had a pair of Whipplecharged 700 SCis—to the 450R-powered M37 has been a major topic of conversation in his circle since taking delivery of the boat. One of the best features of the package, he says, is the reliability of the motors. “Boating at Lake Powell, we’re a long way from any real help when it comes to maintenance and upkeep,” he explains. “Those 700s were good to me, overall, but they still required a fair amount of maintenance.”
Another consideration is fuel economy. “I put in a lot of miles and a lot of hours on the engines. It’s not uncommon for me to go 250 to 300 miles during a weekend. And with these 450Rs, I’m getting about a 30 percent improvement over my F32,” he says. “I also have greater fuel capacity, and way more range, which I’m extremely excited about. I’ll be able to go to Hall’s Crossing Marina from Antelope Point Marina and back on a tank of fuel—plus I can burn 89 octane. That’s a huge plus.”
Finally, Child says the M37R has significantly different driving characteristics than his I/O-powered F32. “They’re 100% different animals,” he says. “The 37 feels to me like it pivots more at its center in a turn, whereas the F32 was, in a more traditional sense, pivoting around its transom. I think a lot of that’s due in part to the inward-rotating propellers on the F32 versus the outward on the M37R. And then, of course, the fact that it’s a true tunnel, so it just gets itself on top of the water. The M37 is a very easy handling boat.”
One very cool and unique feature of Child’s M37R is a kind of mini-cuddy occupying the boat’s sponsons, fully carpeted and lighted, just in front of the cockpit bulkhead. Inside the sponsons are forward-facing lounge chairs that are accessible both through a crawl-through area under the dash or via a hatch in the top of the sponsons. These seats were conceived to be occupied by the kids Nick and his wife Monnica Child plan to have someday, but he says it’s roomy enough for him to sit in. “I’m 6’2″, and I can actually sit in them comfortably,” Child says. “Across the tunnel, the guys at DCB fabricated a bed pad as well. It turned out awesome. It’s very light and it’s very clean. It’s just a nice little comfort feature that makes it just a little more cozy. And I actually think we’ll overnight on the boat.”
Initially, the Childs were concerned that the mini-cabin might throw off the center of gravity, but everything worked out great. “Our boat weighed in just a tick over 5,700 pounds, and it hasn’t affected the performance at all. So we’re extremely pleased with that.”
Check out the complete list of features, as well as the slide show, below.
2021 M37R WIDEBODY