KennyOffShore

LATHAM MARINE DEVELOPS NEW HYDRAULIC LIFT SYSTEM,
FURTHER EXPANDS MARINE PARTS LINE INTO SPORT YACHT MARKET

Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Latham Marine, a company that built its reputation with its hydraulic steering system and top quality parts for the performance boat segment, is further expanding its line with a new hydraulic lift system. The lift will debut at the Miami International Boat Show, February 12-16, 2009 at the company's new booth, # H80 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

While Latham Marine has manufactured patented hydraulic lifts for Thunderbird (Formula) Marine for over five years, the new system was created for another customer with a 47' sport yacht under development. The lift's 4-bar linkage system with a port-less ram is unique, as it encloses all the hoses and fittings within the cylinder, making it corrosion- resistant and minimizing the chances of a hydraulic fluid leak. The stainless steel system is machined and built in-house to the Latham standards for strength.

Bob Latham, president of the company, has specialized in engineering problem-solving systems for over 35 years and brought his intuitive talents to the new lift project. He and his team devised a weight-specific, integral mechanical lock that secures the cylinder in the "up" position; the lock provides back-up security and strength as boat owners seek to safely and smoothly move watercraft and dinghies aboard onto the swim platform.

"We saw other systems on the market as flawed," said Latham, "Our commitment is to 'over-engineer' to make sure that our parts and systems work impeccably. We always want to ensure that we exceed our customers' expectations."

In addition to the lift, Latham Marine will display its sea pump, debuted last year in brass, and this year in aluminum, to accommodate smaller, lighter boats. The sea pump is an important factor in avoiding engine over-heating and Latham's specially developed, self-priming pump was a popular addition to the company's extensive line of OEM and after-market parts www.lathammarine.com. The internal cavity design and manifold porting not only draw water into the pump, keeping the impellers saturated and cooled, they also provide equal flow rates from each port in multiple cavity pumps, so all components are cooled properly. The pumps can be plumbed for water intake from either front or back and are available in single, dual or triple stage manifold, with multiple NPT fittings.

The Latham Marine "finger tip" side-mount steering system for the Yamaha F350 engine will also be on display. This steering system marked Latham's expansion into the fishing boat market at last year's Miami show and was developed to accommodate the larger, heavier engines preferred by boaters who wanted more power--but also steering ease and reliability from the new V-8, 5.3 liter F350 outboards.

Latham Marine hand-crafts and machines all its parts in its Ft. Lauderdale factory, where quality control and customer service are top priorities. Latham started his company to provide top-quality, strong parts that could endure the rigors of offshore racing and he brings the same commitment to every component produced under his name. "I build every part as if it was going on my boat," he states.