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From
Mild to Wild
Randy
Corson's 120+ MPH Twin-Engine Liberator 21
Article and Photos by
Randy Corson
 "In November 2000 I
went to a repo (repossessed) boat auction to check into buying some boats to
resell. I've always dreamed of the ultimate boat - some kind of badass
tunnel hull with twin engines. Well, there it sat, a Liberator, 3rd boat
from the beginning of the auction. It was probably the baddest tunnel I’d
ever seen outside of Hot Boat Magazine, and it only had 24 hours on
it!"
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Randy's
Liberator, as he received it. It already was a stand-out rog, but a
change was in order.
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"The only problem was that buyers at this auction had to have cash with
them. It was a Saturday, and the auction started in fifteen minutes. Panic
sets in – what can I do to get the money? I went to everyone I knew, but I
had no luck for that kind of cash. I finally saw a dealer friend of mine
who was pre-registered. He told me that dealers who are pre-approved don’t
need cash. So I beg, and he knows that I’m good for it."
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Out with the
old:
Stripping the boat of all rigging, and sanding the surface for the new
paint to come. |
"By
the time they get to the third boat in, my stomach’s in knots and I know my
wife’s going to kill me. The bidding starts, and I stand in the back
waiting to see what happens. When the bidding slows down, I jump in, and up
go the bids. I’m getting nervous now, because one more bid and I’ll be
out. I make my last bid… there’s silence… then, sold! Now I literally
start shaking – I now own the coolest boat I’ve ever seen, I can’t believe
it’s mine!"
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Left
and Middle: Primed and blocking to
achieve a perfect-flat finish.
Right: Painted base
of solid yellow. |
"I
got the boat running that week and drove it for several months over the
winter. Then I started having second thoughts on keeping this boat.
Raceboat Russ wrecked his boat at the Toys For Tots Run that December while
trying to pass me. We saw it all! I could see this happening to me, so I
put it up for sale. The boat sold in March of 2001 to Rick in Mississippi.
On
the test drive, Rick and his friend got in and he said, "don't go over
100." Yeah right, my last ride ever and I'm going to take it easy? Nah -
114 on GPS."
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Left
and Middle: Spraying the fade-finish.
Right: Randy tapes
the flame pattern using only his eye as a guide. |
"Anyway, there went my dream boat. Well, all summer, every time a fast boat
came up next to my 21-foot Rally Sport, I’d think, “If only I had the
Liberator.” I started looking for another, but nothing compared. One day I
called Rick in Mississippi and told him I was looking for another Liberator
with twins. I asked him to keep an eye out for me. Well, the next day he
called and asked if I wanted to buy IT back. Seems his wife liked the
attention, but not the speed, so he was going to get something more along
the family lines. It turned out to be a 1999 26ft blown American Offshore
that was 40 mph slower."
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Left: Four days of taping flames - and it shows.
Middle and Right:
Flame patterns all masked, and ready for paint. |
"The deal was made. I
paid $2000 more than I sold it for, but I knew it was a good boat. I
went to Mississippi and got it. As soon as I returned to Florida, I
gutted the already-perfect boat because I just never liked the way it was
painted."
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