Fort Myers Offshore Spring Fling Features Demo Catamarans, Signals Rising U.S. Demand

Presented by WMF Watercraft and Marine, the Fort Myers Offshore Spring Fling on March 6, 2026 expanded from a lunch run into a mini-demo weekend, with three catamarans available for on-water rides: Manatee Marine Unlimited’s latest 38 Valor, Doug Wright Powerboats/DWR’s demo 39 XTR and a Platinum 428 model. Event notices showed more than 60 club members and their guests signed up for the Spring Fling Fun Run to Three Fishermen restaurant.

Event copy listed dealer participation and media backing in detail. "The media sponsor for the run, Doug Wright Powerboats/DWR is bringing its demo 39 XTR catamaran to the event. Company principal Justin Wagner will be there to take would-be buyers for rides" appeared in the event material, identifying Justin Wagner as the company principal expected to run demo rides from the Fort Myers Offshore flotilla.

Manatee Marine Unlimited staged the latest 38 Valor for the weekend, with the listing referring to the model as a centerpiece of the demo slate. Related material tied that appearance to ongoing production, pointing readers toward coverage titled Manatee Marine Completing 38 Valor Catamaran No. 3, which underscores that the 38 Valor is an actively marketed model rather than a one-off.

Platinum Powerboats brought its 428 to showcase at the Spring Fling, with event text reading, "Platinum Powerboats is bringing at 428 model to showcase and show off. Company owners and Scott Grants Edwin Scheer will be on hand throughout the day." That exact line appears in the public notices and contains a typographical ambiguity around the owner names that requires confirmation from Platinum Powerboats before publication of corrected attendee names.

The Spring Fling’s evolution from a simple meal stop into a demo-focused run was captured bluntly in the event copy: "Originally a simple Fort Myers Offshore lunch outing, this weekend’s Spring Fling Fun Run to Three Fishermen restaurant has become a mini-demo event of the catamaran kind." The run format, anchored at the Southwest Florida eatery, provided the platform for dealers and builders to put models through their paces in front of a concentrated, 60-plus-person club audience.

Organizers and event material framed the demos as more than a novelty. "More than an entertaining diversion for the Fort Myers Offshore faithful, the trio of demo catamarans speaks volumes about the growing traction of the Southwest Florida go-fast boating community. This year alone, the FMO scene has attracted first-time sponsorship support from the likes of Concept Boats, Deep Impact Custom Boats and Performance Boat Center. That simply doesn’t happen if the people behind those brands don’t recognize and find value in the club’s events and the burgeoning village of serious high-performance powerboating enthusiasts it has fostered."

The convergence of dealer demos, a named media sponsor and first-time sponsor entries at the March 6 Spring Fling highlights rising manufacturer and dealer interest in the Fort Myers Offshore crowd and, by extension, a growing U.S. appetite for high-performance catamarans in Southwest Florida. The event turned a routine club run to Three Fishermen into a targeted sales and discovery opportunity for Manatee Marine Unlimited, Doug Wright Powerboats/DWR and Platinum Powerboats.