Mr. Mike Gable shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Mike , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Great Question: “Many people see standard production boats—like the pontoons, tritoons, and power catamarans common in the Tampa Bay Area—as strictly ‘leisure’ vessels with a performance ceiling. The biggest misconception is that if you want more speed or a smoother ride through the Gulf or Bay chop, you have to buy a bigger, more expensive motor.
In reality, we’re proving that you can transform the boat you already love using VARA® Foil hydrofoil accessories. By adding these ‘underwater wings,’ we lift the hull and assist it to reduce drag, which can easily increase speed by over 25% and cut fuel consumption significantly.
While some worry that hydrofoils are only for racing, they are actually perfect for the everyday tritoon or power catamaran owner looking for a drier, quieter ride. Customers tell us they will never go back to normal boating ever again.
The ‘con’ is often a fear of complex installation, but our kits are DIY-friendly and require no permanent hull modifications. We aren’t just selling parts; we’re giving boaters a way to upgrade their existing lifestyle without the ‘money pit’ reputation usually attached to marine performance.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
“I’ve always believed that the best way to experience Tampa Bay is from the water, but I noticed a recurring frustration among fellow boaters: the trade-off between comfort and performance. You either had a slow, stable pontoon or a fast, fuel-thirsty performance boat. I set out to bridge that gap.
My journey has been driven by the idea that technology shouldn’t be reserved for elite racing teams. This led to the development of VARA® Foil, where we specialize in bringing hydrofoil technology to everyday production boats. By focusing on power catamarans, pontoons, and tritoons, we help owners get more out of the vessels they already own—making boating more efficient, smoother, and ultimately more accessible. Based here in the USA, my goal is to redefine what ‘entry-level’ boating feels like by giving every captain a smoother ride through the chop.”
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
“As a God-fearing man, I know He saw me first. Long before I understood the ‘why’ behind my path, He was preparing me. I grew up in the North, always around the water, but I was eventually led to the Tampa Bay community with a very specific purpose.
That calling brought me to the world of high-performance racing, where I spent years learning the craft from experts in the field to building and blueprinting boats on the absolute ‘leading edge’ of the industry. In that high-stakes environment, I learned that precision isn’t just about speed—it’s about stewardship of the machine and the experience. God placed me in those circles to master the physics of performance so that I could eventually bring that same ‘leading edge’ technology to everyday families.
Today, VARA® Foil is the realization of that journey: taking the elite engineering I learned in the racing world and making it accessible to anyone who wants to experience the water with more grace, efficiency, and joy.”
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
In my younger years, I was self-assured and convinced I couldn’t fail. That pride met a hard reality during a medium-sized epoxy restructure job. I missed the mark on the exact chemical mix required for the resin, and the cure failed completely. What should have been a profitable two-week job turned into a grueling four-week ‘mind over matter’ battle that cost me money and a lot of sleep. The weight of that mistake was amplified because the client was the president of an extremely large local bank.
That experience humbled my human side forever. It taught me that in the marine world, there is no room for ‘close enough.’ That failure became the foundation of my commitment to precision; it forced me to respect the chemistry and engineering of my craft at a level that most never reach. It was the one of the hardest months of my career, but it’s the reason I’m still in the business today.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Since 1980, my life’s journey has been a singular pursuit: making boats faster and more efficient through the highest end materials and technology. This isn’t just a hobby; it’s a commitment to the ‘leading edge’ that has allowed me to work on high-end regatta rebuilds and performance upgrades for both power and sail. From consulting with Olympic teams in the USA and Canada to working with One Design Worlds level racing and the Bahamian Sloop national teams, I have dedicated decades to mastering how a hull interacts with the water.
I am committed to the belief that this elite technology shouldn’t be locked away in the racing world. This lifelong project is what led to VARA® Foil. Whether it’s a world-class racing vessel or a local family’s tritoon, I am dedicated to proving that we can always push the boundaries of what’s possible on the water. No matter how long it takes, I’ll be here refining the science of the ride.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Real change in the marine industry moves at the speed of a slow moving tide. Alexander Graham Bell proved the potential of hydrofoils back in 1919 when his HD-4 set a world speed record of 70 mph. Yet, over a century later, the US is still catching up to places like Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, where hydrofoils are already leaders in the recreational and commercial marine travel industries—making ferries and recreational craft more efficient, fuel-conscious, comfortable, and mostly JUST MORE FUN!
What I am doing today that won’t fully pay off for 7–10 years is the long-term intro to boaters locally and afar of hydrofoils and their design and use. Every conversation I have with a boater about VARA® Foil is a seed planted for the next generation. I’m not just selling a product; I’m teaching all ages how this technology benefits our environment through reduced fuel consumption and creates a better riding platform for future use.
My hope isn’t just for today’s progress, but for that eventual shift where hydrofoil technology becomes a standard for a faster, smoother, more efficient, less maintenance, and happier more accessible American boating experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://varafoil.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pontoonhydrofoil/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-gable-413579224/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PontoonHydroFoil/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pontoonhydrofoil
- Other: https://powercathydrofoil.com/
https://tritoonhydrofoil.com/
