Mount Dora Boating Center, Monterey and Volvo Penta join forces for Welcome to the Water Boat & Surf Expo

Volvo Penta teamed up with Mount Dora Boating Center and Marina and Monterey Boats to kick off the summer season in central Florida with a “Welcome to the Water” open house, held earlier this spring.

Local residents and visitors were invited to participate in the two-day event, which featured on-the-water demos of Monterey’s range of new boats powered by Volvo Penta’s next-generation high-performance V6 and V8 gas engines and the Forward Drive. The boat models included Monterey’s new 204 FS Bow Rider, 196 FS Bow Rider and the Roswell 218 SS Surf Edition, among others.

The weekend’s activities included beginner and advanced wake surfing classes with professional riders Ellis and Jaqualine Fort, and on-water boating skills training sessions led by Discover Boating’s U.S. Coast Guard certified captains. The courses took the form of small classes, allowing for dedicated one-on-one interaction with the instructors and hands-on experience.

“The collaboration between Mount Dora, Monterey and Volvo Penta on production of the Boat & Surf Expo proved to be a resounding success,” said Mount Dora General Manager Joe Lewis. “Our goal was to equip families with the knowledge and skills they need to optimize their time on the water, as well as introduce them to the growing sport of wake surfing, enabled by powerful products from Monterey and Volvo Penta. Fortunately, we’re also located on a great body of water that caters to the ultimate boating experience.”

“At Volvo Penta, our business strategy is to make it easier for boaters to relax and have fun,” said Marcia Kull, vice president of marine sales at Volvo Penta of the Americas. “The breakthrough Forward Drive brings the booming wake surfing sport within reach of more boating families. Once you try it, you’re hooked.”

“Volvo Penta’s Forward Drive, with the propellers placed under the transom, pulls the boat through the water rather than pushing it,” said Mark Owens, vice president of design and engineering for Monterey Boats. “This allows us to design and build a bow rider that’s optimized for wake surfing, creating the perfect endless wave while reducing noise and exhaust fumes on deck and astern. When coupled with Volvo Penta’s next-gen lightweight high-performance gas engines, it makes for an unbeatable one, two punch combination.”

Monterey Boats has a series of similar events planned throughout the 2016 boating season. These Boat & Surf Expos will take place in various locations across the country. For information on upcoming events, please visit: www.montereyboats.com/events/index.