The Smoking Tire Podcast: Boat Crew Show (+ Montana vs CA; Q&A)

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Date: March 17, 2026
Location: Aboard a catamaran, Marina Key, British Virgin Islands

Episode Overview

In this unique “Boat Crew Show” edition, Matt and Zack broadcast from a chartered catamaran in the British Virgin Islands. The episode’s main theme is a blend of their sailing adventures, the transformative impact of boating on travel and relaxation, and a deep-dive into the automotive news of the moment—especially the crackdown on Montana-registered supercars in California. As always, the crew fielded Patreon Q&A, covered automotive industry shifts, and delivered plenty of laid-back humor—all while sailing through paradise.

Sailing Adventures & Yacht Life

Setting the Scene & The Allure of Boating

• [01:02] The duo details their location and notes the “boat vacation” vibe:
  • Matt: "We are at Marina Key right now in the British Virgin Islands...this whole week has really made me appreciate the aerodynamics of yachts...for people's comfort, cooling them...using the wind.”
• [02:48] Reminiscing about local history and hurricane Irma’s destruction; seeing shipwrecks and rebuilt destinations.
• [04:15] Impact of increased tourism: cruise ships, coral death, busier anchorages, and “amusement parky” islands.
  • Zack: “A lot more cruise ships...that's contributing to some of the coral death we've seen.”

Living on a Catamaran

• [04:41] Sails versus comfort:
  • Matt: “As far as quality of sailing, they sort of suck. I mean, it's effectively like driving two RVs side by side...but it is very nice to live on.”
• [05:26] “Boating makes a small place feel big” — the immersive, slow-travel aspects of yacht life.

Boat Mishaps and Learning Curves

• [06:07] The generator dies (“threw its belt”), requiring a quick repair by the Moorings company.
  • Matt: “The distance that we're sailing in days, this guy's...our entire week's sailing distance is probably the service tech's day.”
• [07:54] New boat learning is “like getting a new car”:
  • Matt: “With sailing, you can't figure out how is the sail going to go up until you put the sail up.”
• [09:24] Quirks of twin-throttle catamarans.
  • Matt: “If you have a great boat, the two throttles will be exactly the same. If you have a rental boat...they may not be right.”

Real-Time Yacht Challenges

• [13:24] “Trial by fire” on first night mooring, learning new setup for mooring lines, bridle, and handling high winds.
  • Zack: “It was a trial by fire for sure.”
  • Matt: “Fortunately it’s gone much better since then.”
• [15:57] Google Earth and modern boating tech — satellite images helping with navigation.

Boating Philosophy & Safety

• [16:50] The mental engagement and relaxation of captaining your own boat.
  • Matt: “It does require thinking and problem solving and real decision making a lot.”
  • Zack: “But most of it's done at a speed that's kind of relaxing.”
• [17:50] Prioritizing safety (“our boat came off anchor in Thailand!”) over aggressive anchoring:
  • Matt: “Safety first sometimes. You know why? Because our boat came off anchor in fucking Thailand.”

Yacht Culture, Racing, & Superyachts

Notable Boats & Crossings

• [18:21] Admiring privately-owned boats and the legends of epic crossings.
  • Zack: “People that sailed the Atlantic in their cat, and their cat was only a little bigger than this one.”
• [19:08] The story of a couple who shuttled a boat from BVI to Thailand:
  • Matt: “She said they motor-sailed...for a month...800 gallons of fuel. One of the staterooms was full of canned goods.”

Racing Yachts and Privilege

• [21:13] Visiting the Bitter End Yacht Club, encountering 75-100ft carbon "maxi" racing yachts.
  • Matt: “…all carbon fiber, big open decks, crews of like 25 people...go 25, 30 knots. Huge boat going really fast.”
  • Zack: “The amount of carbon fiber on that thing...the mast, two steering wheels.”
• [23:08] Owner privilege:
  • Matt: “They come down on their own super yacht to watch the race from their yacht while watching their other yacht.”
• [25:21] Team ownership vs. driving skill:
  • Matt: “If Count Von Coxman didn’t need to fucking be a part of the team, we would have had a shot.”

Boat Comparisons & Yacht Preferences

• [35:17] Catamarans vs. monohulls, aesthetics vs. living space.
  • Matt: “The aesthetic of a monohull sailboat...it's just too pretty.”
  • Zack: “If you want to host people, this is the way, but to sail, the monohull just slips through the water.”

Cars, California vs. Montana Registration

The Montana Registration Crackdown

• [37:43] Discussion on law enforcement nailing dealers registering supercars in Montana to evade California taxes.
  • Matt: “If the engines don’t respond the same, it’s going to take you a minute to figure that out and it came into play.”
  • Zack: “It’s the bigger fish. California wants the money.”
• [40:58] Fairness and hypocrisy:
  • Zack: "You see expensive cars, the person clearly has the money ... pay the cost to be the boss."
• [41:23] On whether this crackdown will last (history suggests it probably won’t).

California Car Culture & Legal Reform

• [42:35] Advocating for sensible California import/registration laws:
  • Matt: “It’s effectively the iTunes model. — oh, people are pirating music. We'll make it easy for them to buy it.”

Project Updates & Giveaways

Dream Giveaway: 911 Turbo S

• [44:01] Launching a charitable giveaway of a 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo S.
  • Fully optioned, set up for canyon driving and touring.
  • Matt: “It is a charitable giveaway. We’re partnered with Dream Giveaway… donate to charity, not a merch requirement.”
  • $75,000 included for taxes.
• Previous 911 Turbo S stories:
  • Zack, [46:41]: “Magnus was just in the show, he’s got a 200,000 mile one of these ... I would truly love to just live with a Turbo S for a very, very long time.”

Live Yacht Judging (Humor & Humanity)

• [50:58] Extended, comedic real-time critique of a neighboring boat’s mooring “parking job.”
  • Zack: “For people listening, you're supposed to get two different ropes on the mooring ball, and they've got one on, but now the ball is, like, way off the side and behind them...”
  • Matt: “I only judge other people because I know for a fact they're judging me because we had... our first night was in front of a crowd, and it wasn't great.”

Patreon Q&A Highlights

On Car Hobbies in Island Life

• [33:45]
  • Matt: “If we lived in a place like this...couple dirt bikes and a sim racer...there's nowhere to drive.”

Boat Questions

• [59:50]
  • Matt: “Largest boat I’ve ever sailed was a monohull, was a 54. Once you get over 50, 55 feet, it starts to become real tricky to take out by yourself.”

Automotive Industry Queries

• [71:05] Honda and Japanese OEMs moving away from US EVs, possibly wisely waiting out the market.

Enthusiast & Fun Questions

• Best sedan trunks for hiding [mobster] bodies: “Probably the Lexus ES.”
• Pen recommendations for left-handed people: “Try gel pens or cartridge-based fountain pens; less friction than ballpoints.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [15:55] “It’s actually pretty amazing how useful Google Earth has become for boating...better than the boat GPS.” — Matt Farah
• [16:53] “There’s always like a 10-minute pocket of decisions where your processor speeds up...” — Zack
• [21:50] “You think you’re rich...but when you see that 0.00001%, you’re like, what the F— is weird.” — Matt Farah
• [40:58] “You see expensive cars, the person clearly has the money ... pay the cost to be the boss.” — Zack
• [55:30] “Nobody abuses like the abused. Nobody.” — Matt Farah, on hazing/cackling at yacht mishaps
• [61:09] “Manual transmission consumer level cars will hold their value better than automatic counterparts? ...That will for sure.” — Matt Farah

Timestamps for Major Topics

| Time | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:49 | Welcome/Boating intro | | 01:59 | Boating history & BVI context | | 04:15 | State of sailing spots, climate impacts | | 06:07 | Generator failure story | | 09:24 | Twin throttle quirks, differences | | 13:24 | “Trial by fire” on first night mooring | | 18:21 | Epic crossings, privately-owned boats | | 21:13 | Maxi yacht racing, boat owner privilege | | 37:42 | Montana/CA car registration crackdown | | 44:01 | 911 Turbo S Dream Giveaway | | 50:53 | Comedic live boat parking critique | | 53:42 | Patreon Q&A begins | | 59:50 | Largest sailboat you can still enjoy | | 71:05 | Honda/Japanese OEMs shifting EV strategy |

Final Thoughts

This episode was a blend of breezy island reflections, technical sailing deep-dives, and classic Smoking Tire car talk. Whether you’re a car enthusiast, an aspiring yachtie, or both, you’ll find wisdom, humor, and a unique perspective on enjoying the world—whatever vessel you’re in.

To catch more of Matt and Zack’s adventures (both on land and at sea), check out their YouTube channel — and don’t forget to enter the 911 Turbo S giveaway!