Hotboat Shop Tour of California Marine
Performance boating is a universal sport. It can be found wherever we find waterways. The only difference is in the length of the seasons. The old saying, "Dynamite comes in small packages," was never so meaningful as after this month's Shop Tour of California Marine in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. This compact, custom performance-boat shop is nothing short of amazing. It puts many warehouses to shame. Whether you're in search of parts for jets or V-drives, California Marine can supply them, in new or used form.
For three and a half decades, David Hutchison has combined his hobby and career by building high-performance boats and distributing parts throughout the continent.
David came about it naturally. His father, Jim Hutchison, took him circle-boat racing during David's formative years. Jim was a hydroplane driver, builder and designer who campaigned his boats throughout Canada and the United States beginning in the early 1950s. In 1952, he captured two Canadian World Records and was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame as a Designer and Builder of the sport of Hydroplane Racing in 1984.
By the mid 1960s, David knew he wanted to be around fast boats for the rest of his life, and while engaged in the real estate profession, he began to build fast boats with his father's assistance and guidance. "Dad was a perfectionist," explains David. "His fabricating skills were second to none, and his mechanical and design talents were incredible."
After performing the usual garage-scene weekend installations, David dove in full-time in 1968, opening his first store in Vancouver. He devoted all his efforts to his high-performance boat shop, California Marine. The adventure had an auspicious beginning as he hooked up with Irv Brendell, of Hondo Boat fame, and began building bare hulls. David said back then it took eight men to take the bare hull and turn it sideways to walk through the front door for placement in the showroom. When the boat was sold, David would take the hull to his other shop, where he fabricated most of his own hardware, all made by himself and his father.
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Machinist Attila Hrivik performs California Marine's custom work
on all jet pumps, from impeller blueprinting to full race units.
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Left: Once inside, you'll find every new or used jet or V-drive
part you could ever need to build an entire boat.
Right: A complete motor and jet unit is ready for sale--or
available to view.
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Left: Whether it's a minor part or a major component, David Hutchison
will gaurantee you get the correct item.
Right: Even complete jet units are totally rebuilt and shipped
worldwide. This one will be powdercoated prior to delivery.
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As the years passed, he perfected his V-drive installations, and was even making his own boats from Hondo Boat Co. molds, with their permission. As the early 1970s hit, David had found a new performance audience in the jetboat crowd-and he, too, discovered he could sell them faster than he could build them. Well, when you already build the boat hull, fabricate the hardware, install the motor and build the trailer, how hard could it be to give your boats a name?
How about "Catalina"?
Catalina Boats was now going to become a top name in performance boating throughout the Northwest. By 1973, a full line of 17- to 19-foot flatbottoms, jet vee-hulls and hydros were being produced. During those days, David says, it wasn't uncommon for a customer to order a flattie on Monday and be able to take delivery of it by Saturday. David had the parts, jigs and know-how. David and his Dad built the boats, and Dad built the entire trailer, custom fit to each boat, including the step pads, bunks and the color of paint, It was during these early years that David and his father designed motor rail kits, motor mounts, shaft logs, struts, accessory brackets and numerous other custom parts that they are still making and that are still sold today by California Marine.
One other innovative item of the time was the plexiglass splash rail at the rear of the boat that formed approximately three more inches of freeboard. In 1968, California Marine designed their own and produced them as a water barrier for low freeboard boats. David made them from a pattern, and also made his own windshields for his 19-foot Catalinas.
With performance always in mind, he designed an adjustable ride plate that completely adjusts from the rear of the plate, instead of the traditional center or bottom. It is fabulous looking, and reportedly is superior in operation.
As the boats became faster, they almost always became noisier. Naturally, the Canadian authorities soon began regulating noise at local lakes. California Marine responded in 1981, by designing a noise deflector that really Did the job. Looking like a miniature oil pan with an open end, the unit bolts over the exhaust port in the transom and simply directs the sound down to the water, directed at the bottom edge of the boat. And it works. He never attempted to market it, other than as an option to his own customers. Yet today, we see a very similar part being marketed nationwide by a famous company.
In the mid 1970s, I had gone to my hometown in Vancouver, British Columbia, and had stopped by California Marine to meet Dave, since we were all in the same type of business, and it was very evident that he was partly responsible for the hot-boating craze in Canada. California Marine now specializes in the marketing of parts for these true performance boats by maintaining a full line of new and used parts for V-drives and jets only. Just to Canadians? No way. Last month, a shipment went to South Africa and another to Palm Springs, California. California Marine is on the web (check out their site at www.californiamarine.com) and can be reached by e-mail as well. Just imagine: Any parts for performance boats from 1966 to the present in V-drive or jets are available from one location. In stock-on the shelves! For instant shipping, the airport is just around the corner, and Greyhound is down the street. California Marine sells new American turbine jet pumps, and stocks parts for complete rebuilds of Berkeley, Jacuzzi and Dominator. If they don't make a part for your jet pump, David's shop machinist, Attila Hrivik, will carve you out a custom impeller or other associated part. Their in-house machine shop is fully capable of custom blueprinting, assemblies and powdercoating of the final unit.
These guys are definitely innovators of many performance techniques, and their years of experience are extremely evident. When it comes to engine parts, Kodiak aluminum exhaust and Glenwood exhaust are in stock for the big three (Chevy, Ford and Olds). What, no Hudson parts? California Marine is one of Glenwood's oldest distributors that still maintain a vast supply of parts.
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Left: Here's the all original 21-foot Spectra Jet. It's a clean,
eye-popping delight.
Right: This complete Catalina jetboat was one of the last produced by
California Marine in the late 1980s--and it still looks like new.
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This ride plate adjuster was designed and made by DaviD in the early 1970s.
Today, it remains one of the best for ride control.
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Left: David prides himself in maintaining complete stock at all times.
And only the correct parts are shipped to the customer.
Right: Some of the many parts on display at Califiornia Marine.
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In the V-drive section, we find mostly Casale gears, shafts, bearings, seals and gaskets in all the bins. Next, Morse cables, Speed Pro products and miscellaneous camshaft lines cover an entire wall. Other items, such as heat exchangers, deck hardware, lighting and trailer parts, grace tables and cabinets. It's all here waiting for shipment. They also stock many hard-to-find used parts for V-drives and jets. This used section took me back at least 30 years. It was great to see hard-to-find parts all gathered together, ready to go. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour more as a functioning museum, rather than a computer-aged warehouse.
Many warehouses are basically a "part in a box," numbered by someone who has no idea of what they're selling to a customer. Not so at California Marine. When the call comes in, David ascertains exactly what part is needed for the job, and after a thorough verification, it is shipped to the customer with an assurance that it is definitely the correct replacement part. It's totally a family operation, with David's wife, Barbara, assisting with the paperwork and books. Even his mother, Nina, still comes into the shop daily and keeps the shipping paperwork current.
In the back of the shop, we found one of the last 18-foot Catalinas looking as if it had been prepped for delivery today. Wow! It's a 1989, delivered over ten years ago, but still glistening as if it were never used.
While looking over some of the unique custom parts, it was easy to imagine why California Marine was still carrying on such a strong following. Their trailers were absolutely gorgeous, including a custom bow tiedown that was fabricated out of aluminum. Just one remained in the shop on the wall. It was definitely innovative in its day. Another super-clean piece was Attila's 1976 all-original 21-foot Spectra jet. The pictures won't do it justice. It was absolutely exquisite.
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From exhuast manifolds, to big-block and small-block Chevy's,
to 460 Fords, they're all in stock and ready to go.
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For hobbies nowadays, David still boats on the weekends at Penticton in the Okanagan Valley, while occasional street-rod outings take over several weekends in warmer times. For your Canada connection, contact California Marine Sales Corporation, 150-6751 Graybar Road, Richmond, B.C., Canada V6W 1H3; (604) 278-1880, fax (604) 278-6040 or e-mail sales@californiamarine.com.
Published in the October 2000 issue of "Hotboat Magazine"
Copyright Hotboat Magazine, 2000. Photos and text by Brian Davidson.
Copyright California Marine Sales Corporation, 1999-2024.
California Marine Sales Corporation, #150-6751 Graybar Road,
Richmond, B.C., Canada V6W 1H3
Phone (604) 278-1880, Fax (604) 278-6040
Email: sales@californiamarine.com
** We Ship WorldWide **
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