Multi-time Offshore World and National Champion and Lilly Sport Boats founder Art Lilly has died, Speedboat has learned.

Lilly was the father of Offshore World and National Champion Brit Lilly, who has competed in numerous classes, most recently in Super Cat (in Dirty Money Racing) and Mod Vee (in LSB RevX Oil/Speed Marine). He also held kilo speed records as a throttleman.

Art, 77, was an offshore racing legend who competed fiercely and victoriously beginning in 1986 and through the decades as a member of such notable teams as Heartbeat, Dragon Lady, Team Fountain USA, Carlos ’n’ Charlie’s and Pier 57, to name a few. He first recruited Brit into the cockpit with him in 2007 and eventually into his first Stock Vee in 2013, where he had most of his racing success.

Art was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2016 but attended as many races as he could, with the assistance of a scooter. Speedboat caught up with him at the 2021 Race World Offshore awards ceremony following Brit's World Championship in LSB Hurricane of Awesomeness. “I’m proud. Extremely proud," told us. "He works so hard…he deserves this."

“You can’t tell my dad has Parkinson’s when we’re winning,” Brit laughed. “It’s always important to me for him to be a part of everything with my team and I. We call him ‘The General.’ He still can always find something not clean enough or out of place. But what an honor to receive a UIM medal standing next to my dad. It’s all just a dream that keeps coming true.”

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