Behind the Scenes: Crafting Phantom F2 Race boats at DEMEY Yachts
- Nic de Mey
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
We're all about pushing the limits in boatbuilding and getting that edge in performance. Our Phantom F2 isn't just some ski boat – it's a finely tuned race boat built specifically for water ski racing. In this post, I'll walk you through how we put these things together and what makes our Phantom F2 the top dog in Formula 2 ski racing.
Our Unwavering Goal: Building the Best in the World
From day one, we've been hell-bent on designing and building the absolute best Formula 2 ski race boats on the planet. Formula 2 is a class in the World Water Ski Racing Championships with strict rules: a 300 hp power cap, generally all use Mercury 300R V8 outboards, specific minimum and maximum lengths, and a tight set of measurement parameters. Mess up those specs, and you risk a protest at a race event – so we stick to them like glue. Every Phantom F2 that rolls out of our shop is proof of that commitment. We start with full carbon-infused hulls, utilising top-shelf composite materials for exceptional strength without added weight. Our infusion process ensures the hull is both super light and tough as nails, ready to withstand the brutal pounding of serious racing.
Lessons from Over Three Decades of Expertise
After more than 30 years in this game, we've learned what works and what flops. You might think we'd have it all figured out by now, but there's always something new to discover. We continually tweak, upgrade, and fine-tune each build. Every new Phantom receives minor yet critical improvements derived from real-world racing, client feedback, and our relentless testing. This grind keeps us ahead, making each boat better than the last.
The Unique Challenges of the Phantom F2
What sets the Phantom F2 apart is its ability to tackle anything. These boats must excel in glass-smooth river races one day, then battle the rough, choppy waters of World Championships the next. We build them to perform in flat water, but they also need to handle extreme conditions, like taking on up to 350kg of water ballast in rough seas, bulldozing a track for the skier, and still perform well without breaking. This is, more than flat water, their primary use description. Balancing lightweight construction with bulletproof resilience is the heart of our design and construction ethos. It takes precise material choices and a rock-solid build process to ensure it finishes championships intact, with no failures and no distractions from the task at hand, which is winning races.
Engineering on the Edge: Our Hands-On Approach
For our large custom catamarans, we hire professional composite engineers to ensure every detail is perfect. But for the Phantoms? That's us. Years of racing and building boats have given us a sense of what works and what doesn't. We push engineering to the edge, refining details that others might overlook or consider insignificant. We know exactly what's safe to optimise for max performance and what needs to stay solid for reliability.
That said, we don't push our customers to the breaking point on their boats. Folks paying good money want dependability, not heart-stopping risks and horrendous repair bills, so we build in a safety buffer every time. That's why I'm stoked about our latest project: a factory race boat where we can test wild ideas without worrying about our clients or risking our reputation.
Introducing "War Machine": Our Bold New Experiment
Say hello to "War Machine" – our no-holds-barred test boat for trying out fresh structural tricks. Building this one in-house lets us chase lighter weights while boosting toughness. Think ultra-light panel laminates, solid carbon transoms instead of the standard 40mm core for increased stiffness and reduced bulk, plus a range of other weight-saving measures. These changes could significantly impact how we design and build our ski race boats.
The plan? Get "War Machine" or its successor ready to dominate the 2027 World Waterski Racing Championships, wherever they're held. It's the next chapter for our Phantom brand: pure, unfiltered innovation born from passion and hard-earned expertise.
At DEMEY Yachts, building Phantoms is more than a job; it's a craft we've honed through years of sweat and passion. If you're a racing nut or want your own slice of this legacy, hit us up – I'd love to talk about how a Phantom F2 can take your race game to the next level.
Keep an eye out for "War Machine" updates and more from our shop on the following social media.