WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM
MERCURY AND NITRO: A WINNING COMBINATION
Patented RPS System
handling. We may not be the fastest, but our overall performance is difficult to beat.” So, how does one go about crafting the
ultimate performance hull? First, the boat is computer designed in-house
to achieve certain performance characteristics. Then, a plug” is made. The plug is ultimately what the mold for the final boat will be made from. The mold is made, and testing begins. “The test method we use to validate what
we’re doing is key,” Williams says. “Some people call it trial and error, but it’s actually scientific method.” The team spends months working on the
boat, testing it and making changes to maximize its performance abilities. Deadrise, pad angle, transom angle and more are all looked at and heavily evaluated. And it’s not controlled conditions the boats are tested in. Instead, the team takes the boats to Lake
of the Ozarks, a Missouri lake with a range of “attitudes,” including heavy winds and chop. Williams says the team tests every boat
in best- and worst-case scenarios to ensure optimal performance in every condition, from an Elite tournament to a weekend outing with family. It’s a challenge to achieve perfection, but one that pays off for the anglers who depend on NITRO. Professional angler Edwin Evers is definitely
impressed with his boat. “When I’m in a tournament, I know I have
the total package. I have speed. I have shallow- water floating ability. A great rough-water ride. Organized storage where everything is at my fingertips. The best livewells. The most fuel capacity. “I have every advantage possible fishing
tournaments in my NITRO bass boat,” he says. Emmitt says it’s not just the professionals who
The RPS transom breaks up the vacuum of the hull, allowing for a quick holeshot.
Another contributor to the renowned performance of a NITRO boat is the Rapid Planing System (RPS) transom, a patented design originally developed for the MAKO 18 LTS bay boat. The engineering and design
team realized it was a perfect fit for a NITRO performance hull, and worked it into the design. “The boat has a natural
The port and starboard pods add flotation aft to counteract the weight of the motor, allowing for even flotation and better tracking.
vacuum to it that wants to pull the boat down,” Mason explains. The stepped design of the RPS transom breaks up that vacuum by letting in air and helping the boat lift at takeoff. The result is a quicker holeshot, less bow rise and better planing in shallow conditions.
are impressed. He takes passengers in NITRO boats on photoshoots through the Florida pigtrails, where the waterway is only a foot or so wider than the boat, and not much more than a foot deep. “I have to have total trust in the handling
of our boats. The trails have sharp turns, and the NITRO responds quickly to keep the boat tracking in a straight line,” he says. “I get a kick out of the expression on the passengers’ faces when we first start to make these runs. They look at the trail and the helicopter pushing the boat around, and it’s a bit scary at first. Once they see how the NITRO performs, though, they become relaxed and enjoy the exhilarating ride.” n
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