Take a look at these threads too, as Bill was the original owner of the one-of-a-kind center-steer 45' Cigarette Maximus too.

45' Maximus Centerdrive

45 maximus

I’ll definitely tell her you said hi I just saw her recently over Christmas! That’s a beautiful boat as well man big fan of Sonics! Especially sweet as a first boat! It’s super awesome to hear from people who knew Bill! My mom still owns the offshore building and leases it out. Really such a small world.

Yup! We have a picture of it mounted in our garage to this day, I believe it may be an excerpt from an old magazine with a brief article. Still largely an exclusive boat to this day as far as I’m concerned. My uncle owned one that he bought from offshore back when it was first commissioned. I was a little kid at the time but I remember when he brought it to our house and docked it on our pier and it was immaculate! Again so cool to me that people are familiar with stuff like the Maximus.

both those cigarettes he owed were exclusive. The spider boat is one of 5 ever built as is the 45 cigarette except it’s the only center steer ever built and the only one with a cabin. Your grand dad had great taste and apparently liked to go fast!!

interesting. I’ll keep my eye out for it although I’m sure he spends most of his time on the south side……

Ive been a friend of Chris @ Ocean Performance in CT for 40+ years. Ive seen many many classic/custom offshore boats go through Chris' business either on consignment, traded in or getting work done. That 45 Maximus was there for sale for quite a long time..... I recall getting in that boat many times to check it out, and it was such a cool boat! I believe it had Merc 900's at that time?. Thats a boat that once you see it up close, you dont ever forget it.....actually, the bottom picture was taken in the driveway at Ocean Performance.

Yep, it was originally built with Mercury 900SCs. (Remember when those were a big deal? Strip Poker also had them.)
That's why the Maximus has that odd hump over the rearmost engine, as it needed clearance for those two big air cleaners.

I bought the boat from your mother. She is such a kind thoughtful person and wanted me to have the boat. I regret selling it everyday but due to health issues and financial ones I had to. I knew Doug and Chuck could and would use the boat how it should be. The spider boat was my unicorn and I'm beyond happy that I had the opportunity to own it, polish it and run it. I didn't sell it to make money or anything along those lines. Im glad its out there being seen and appreciated like I know Bill would want.
RG