Tribute Performance Boats

It's no mistake that the word "performance" makes its way into the name of Tribute Performance Boats. The company's owner, Rich Scheffer, spent 10 years as the shop foreman for the late Jim Smith, helping the legendary builder reach unheard-of speeds with his swift sport-fishers. "Obviously my time under Jim Smith was the biggest influence on my career. I always try to think about what he would be doing now, what materials he would use and what direction he would go with respect to design," Scheffer says.

For the last 15 years, Scheffer brought that same dedication to his own company and the sleek, stylish speedsters bearing the Tribute name. His most recent offering, an 86-foot triple-engine sport-fish, pushes the envelope on both size and performance. 
 
But speed comes with a price. "Smokey Yunick's motto was 'Speed costs money — how much do you want to spend?'" says Scheffer. "High strength and lightweight costs money. All the advances in high-tech composites certainly haven't made boats any cheaper. But then again, we are putting equipment, both electronic and mechanical, on these boats today that we never dreamed of 20 years ago. Today, we pay more for a pair of engines than we would have for an entire boat back then. But people expect high performance, so we build as much quality and structural integrity into our boats as the budget will allow."
 

At a Glance: • High performance, very fast • High-tech composites • Classic Florida lines

"My feeling has always been that the hull is the last place you want to save weight. Using today's high-tech materials, we are close to the limits of practicality as far as boat weight is concerned. You still have to fish and travel with these boats," says Scheffer.
 
As would be expected of a builder who takes pride in the performance of his boats, Scheffer designs most of the hulls he builds, but he's not afraid to take on other projects. "Business is business, and if someone wants me to build another designer's boat, then I will build it. Gary Grant designed a stepped hull for one of my customers; Steve French worked on a couple of our boats, and Michael Peters and I collaborated on my latest hot rod, a 61-footer with twin 1,800-hp MTUs," says Scheffer. 
 
For more information, contact Tribute Performance Boats of Jupiter, Florida, at 561-775-6060, or visit www.tributeboats.com.

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