Jim Court points to a Turbulator ring in the cutaway of an engine.

Production manager Mike Szwecyk holds a center engine tailpipe for a Formula.

Gil custom battery box.

Gil's Turbulator ring.

Of course, there are dirty jobs like grinding, welding or coating where carpet and pastel walls are out of place. But, even sections of the plant where these tasks are done are clean and orderly. It is a work environment deliberately created to promote the company's goal of producing the highest quality products possible.

"We're offering the best product out there, not only from a quality standpoint, but also for utility," says Hartman without boasting or bragging. "If you look at pricing, it will cost the consumer a couple hundred dollars more for one of our exhaust systems. Unless he knows better, the consumer may go with a lower cost system."

Gil builds high-end exhaust systems for individual performance boats as well as for production builders such as formula, Baja, Thunderbird, fountain and Cigarette. It also supplies high-performance parts to Mercury/Quicksilver. Jim Court is responsible for selling to these manufacturers. "What got us started with Mercury is something we invented called the Turbulator. It solved the water condensation problem inside the tailpipe."

Gil's patented Turbulator ring is a deceptively simple, one-piece device made of stamped stainless steel. Condensation occurs in the tailpipe of an inboard engine as a by-product of combustion. When the engine is shut down, warm moist air can move up through the manifold and into the valves or even into the cylinders. Corrosion and hydrostatic lock are possible.

"The Turbulator traps this condensation and flashes it off to steam because the stainless steel is hot. So, the Turbulator extends the life of the motor," says Court.

Engineers using the latest CAD programs design Gil Marine products. Data from the engineering department goes to computer controlled milling and production machinery. Tolerances can be as tight as 40-millionths of an inch. And, before any new product is put into production, it must pass rigorous testing in the company's in-house laboratories.

Not everything the company engineers dream up gets into production. For instance, they created a continuous variable pitch propeller recently. "It's smooth shifting and very efficient," says Hartman, "but it would cost us too much to manufacture profitably today."

Gil Marine also developed a monster V-12 powered outdrive called the "Gorilla." It was targeted for big, ...very big, high speed cruisers. "The market just wasn't there," says Hartman sadly. "We also introduced it just in time for the U.S. luxury tax on big boats." Only a couple of gorilla drives were built, including the one on display like a museum piece in the company offices.

Unlike the gorilla, most ideas from the company's engineering department have been spectacularly successful. Take the company's molded composite exhaust tips. Inside, there is a small rubber water-flapper to keep water out of the exhaust system. It looks similar to the flappers in exhaust tips made by other manufacturers, but there is a major difference.

"Look inside," says Gil customer service specialist John Salvatore. He points to a rounded wedge molded into the inner surface of the exhaust tube. "The flapper rolls over this wedge when it opens, so it stays flat. The rubber doesn't have to re-conform itself to the round shape of the tube. That's why our flapper valves don't crack and wear out like our competition."

If you call Gil Marine with a question or a problem, chances are you'll talk to Salvatore. "I answer technical questions that come from consumers as well as dealers or boat manufacturers," he says. "The most common question is: what will a Gil exhaust system do in terms of performance?"

He shakes his head to emphasize the elusive nature of performance gains. "There's no set thing. Every boat and every engine are different. There's no guarantee that you will go five or ten miles per hour faster. But, our system will improve horsepower and torque." Salvatore says.

A large number of Gil customers are replacing their boats' original exhaust systems which have deteriorated with age. "Our systems hold up much better than factory equipment, especially in saltwater," the customer service specialist says. "Thanks to our Turbulator ring we don't pass any water through the gasketed surfaces like the factory system. That makes our safer in the long run. You don't have to worry about water ingestion causing an engine failure."

One reason for the longevity of Gil exhaust systems is the continuous testing and checking that each part receives during production. Cast aluminum manifolds are inspected for defect when they arrive from the foundry. Each piece is given a unique serial number that identifies both the day it was cast and its batch number. After initial welding and grinding they are pressure tested for leaks before being sent to heat treating.

Once back on the shop floor, the manifolds are ground, polished and given a "Gilcoating". Then, each completed part is individually pressure tested in a vat of 200-degree Fahrenheit water for 20 minutes. This simulates the actual conditions it will face on a hot engine.

"Our assistant supervisor is responsible for quality because he understands the product. People wonder why one our highest paid guys is an inspector, but that's important. You don't hire somebody off the street and make him an inspector," says Hartman. Gil Marine has a network of distributors and dealers to serve the public. However, the company welcomes questions from individual boat owners seeking to upgrade their systems.

John Salvatore of customer service points to the Gilbracket.

True Gilbrackets are found on boats ranging from 20 to 30 feet in length, mostly saltwater fishing craft like those produced by Grady-White. Anglers love the extra cockpit room obtained by eliminating the conventional outboard engine well. Brackets also improve performance by moving the propeller back into undisturbed water behind the boat.

In 1990, the company became part of Associated Enterprises, a conglomerate with holdings in plastics, rubber, marine, aviation and real estate. Production was moved to an ultra-modern factory in Painesville, Ohio, just east of Cleveland.

"Our brackets are an all-aluminum fabrication," says salesman Jim Court. "Part is a casting and part is an extrusion that we weld into a frame. Then, there's an aluminum wrap that holds it all together."

Gilbrackets are available in single and twin-engine versions. They can be equipped with optional swim platform extensions. Stock colors are off-white, white, white and light gray. Custom colors are available by special request.

All cast and welded aluminum manifolds and Gilbrackets are protected with Gilcoating, a proprietary process that protects against corrosion in the marine environment. The process starts as a powder paint which is then baked onto the metal at temperatures above 400 degrees.

"The materials are essentially the same as everyone else is using," says Hartman. "What's different is the way in which we apply them."

However its done, Gilcoating is an ultra-smooth, high gloss coating. Many people are fooled into believing that it's fiberglass gel coat. The company believes in the benefits of its process enough to offer a five-year warranty on its Gilbrackets.