Stillwater, OK – KICKER Marine Audio is stretching West from its Oklahoma roots to join its distributors, dealers and fans in some Spring festivities at the Cat Fest West – April 14-18 and Desert Storm – April 21-25, both taking place on Lake Havasu.
Since KICKER Marine Audio has been the title sponsor of the popular Desert Storm for several years, its presence will be seen on the Thursday Street Festival where its display truck will bring a travel edition of its famous headquarters “Wall of Boom” to Havasu’s Main Street, where millions of dollars of state-of-the art performance boats will be on display from 1-9 PM.
On Friday, drivers will be displaying their boats on parade from Thompson Bay and through the Bridgewater Channel from 11-11:30 AM.
Then, the Desert Storm Poker Run will be unleashed, with card stops along the route, ending at Havasu Landing Resort & Casino. On that run, competing for the hefty purse, will be some prominent boats, including a customized Trifecta Pontoon boat, just outfitted with top-of-the-line KICKER Marine Audio gear and an 11” Tower System. This boat, owned and equipped by Dan Murphy of MurfCo. Inc., KICKER Marine Audio’s Manufacturers Rep Group, setting up distributors and dealers in the Southwest Region, emphasizes the company’s tag line of “Livin’ Loud!”
The Trifecta is one of many boats the 38-year veteran KICKER representative has outfitted for this and many other events. Murphy, who has partnered with KICKER for so long because they are “the best” also partnered with Frank Zepeda on the “Boom Toon,” a “vintage” 30-foot Starlight 1986 riverboat will also be along for the ride and the fun.
The boat was transformed into a runabout double decker party barge, and is now a fan favorite, complete with a slide, party poles and a KICKING, KICKER Marine Audio system. The Desert Storm event is “sold out” with 237 boats participating in its 24th year.
Also along for the ride at Desert Storm is another KICKER Marine Audio fan and partner, Rod Voegele of California-based, Gatorwraps. The company will display its specialty large-scale vehicle and vessel wraps on its Kenworth W9 Show rig, and International CXT show truck, both heavily decked with KICKER audio components and broadcasting live and loud from the Street Party and throughout the event.
Also in the event Gatorwraps will feature a 30’ Formula 302 SR-1, fully customized with 11 amps powering its over 25 speakers and subs.
In addition, a Rinker Flotilla F-24 has too many KICKER Marine Audio components to list but 10, 8” Horn Coaxial speakers with LED Speaker Rings (plus 2, 6.5” Horns) and 6 11’ Horn pods, plus the appropriate number and size of amps and support gear, give some idea of the SOUND of this boat!
Says Voegele, “The clarity of KICKER Marine Audio is what sets it apart from other brands. I have a friend with a Rinker installed by Wired 4 Sound in Lake Havasu and when he pulls into a cove, everyone else shuts off their stereos because his sounds like a live concert! We get those comments all the time when we play our KICKER sound systems—the sound is that clear!”
Both MurfCo and Gatorwraps have had long-time KICKER audio affiliations including friendships with KICKER founder Steve Irby, who was a pioneer in the 12-Volt, mobile audio world.
On Saturday, Desert Storm Shootout runs from 9am – 4pm, weather permitting, with drivers running a one- mile course, starting near the Site Six Launch Ramp, heading south.
Best viewing for the Shootout will be on the surrounding bluffs on the Island near Site Six to Spectator Point.
Another new event for the area is Super Cat Fest West, headquartered at the London Bridge Resort and transplanted from its successful origins as a long-time event on Lake of the Ozarks, founded by Alvin Heathman, an avid boater and former offshore racer.
A concert on Saturday, April 17 with the band, LIT, at Pirate’s Cove is a highlight, and while there will be a “run” with various destination points encouraged, Heathman prefers a casual approach to promoting the finest performance boats in the country, partnering on this inaugural party with Speedboat magazine and its chief photographer, Todd Taylor of Joker’s Wild Productions in Lake Havasu.
Ray Lee, co-publisher of Speedboat was quoted by Speedonthewater as saying, “Come for the Fest, stay for the Storm,” combining two back-to-back events as a destination feature for the popular West Coast resort town. “These events are a great one-two punch for the area,” says Lee, “The city has been very accommodating and we’re so pleased to be a part of making Lake Havasu a recognized performance boating destination!”
KICKER Marine Audio will sponsor a DJ-fueled raft-up party and fleet photo session at the Havasu Spring Resort in Parker, AZ, following the Friday, April 16 lunch run. That evening a celebration at the London Bridge Resort will include a bikini fashion show and music, amid the display of traffic-stopping boats on the docks.
The previous day, Thursday, April 15, a VIP Welcome Party will be held at The Boat House Grill and Islander Storage Marine; on Saturday, the LIT concert will wrap up the weekend.
“KICKER Marine Audio finds kindred spirits in the performance boating community,” says Jeremy Bale, brand manager, “This group of boaters enjoys being seen and heard and KICKER certainly has all the right top-grade marine equipment to help them achieve those goals! Lake Havasu has been a good location for us with long-time dealers, distributors and installers and we enjoy getting together with Rod (Voegele) and Dan (Murphy) at these events to engage with our customers. We’re happy to lend our support!”
For photos of the KICKER Marine Audio installation in the Trifecta Pontoon, the Gatorwraps truck or customized Formula 302 SR-1, please visit our Dropbox file.
All KICKER Marine Audio’s can enclosures are tough, UV-treated and come in black and white to complement a boat’s color scheme, complete with LED light complements.
Amps, media centers and KICKER’s signature square subwoofers are only part of the line, so when you want to “Kick” up your sound system, rely on the brand that delivers the finest quality acoustics and marine-grade components—KICKER Marine Audio.
About KICKER Marine Audio
KICKER has been known since 1973 in the “12-Volt” world of car, truck and Powersports mobile audio and has more recently flexed more muscle in the marine environment.
Located in Oklahoma, the brand initially appealed to many neighboring lake boats and the pontoon market, expanding to wake and surf boats. Fishing boats and cruisers are adding to the KICKER Marine Audio ranks, based on the strong, waterproof and reliable characteristics of its product.
Tower systems, coaxials, subwoofers, amplifiers, receivers, service units and remotes for operation and lighting are part of the offerings, but KICKER Marine Audio has gone the extra mile to ensure that its behind the scenes components are waterproof, durable and problem-free.
This attention to detail is expressly seen the components like fuses, cables, coaxials and subwoofers, which are both certified and compliant with stringent marine standards.
KICKER tests all its components in salt, fog, weather and UV for corrosion and moisture resistance and IP testing for debris and water ingress. OEM builders, dealers and customers experience peace of mind when using KICKER Marine Audio.
New products are also being added to the line, including more wiring, AMP kits, RCA Interconnects and terminals, all designed from the start to be marine compliant.
