boats with crash boxes are unforgiving if you are trying to hang and wait for a pace boat or some starting sequence. With canopies, its nearly impossible to be looking 360 degrees for the other boats. At the Worlds this year, we were circling ccw while the supervees were in a seperate mill. When the puff of orange came, it was real easy to just turn on course and get lined up.

Why shouldnt the fastest boats get the best line at the start?What other motor sport start racing when the smoke stops.Its like musical chairs when you were a kid racing for a chair.And someone always got f#$%#ed. Mike you have to mill in a counter clockwise rotation even after the smoke stops.The smoke is only to let you know there is 3 min. or less till start time.YOU ARE NOT ALOUD TO BREAK THE MILL UNTIL THE PACE BOAT MOVES TO PICK YOU UP.
I agree with crash boxes and big seas you couldnt just sit there.

maybe you start a half mile back and all idle in gear to get your position.

Ive been in to many races that at the end everyone was pissed at how we were started.If they raise the flag to early and you arent there your beat.Its not the norm but it happens.

Randy, it sounds like a good idea to idle and find your assigned lane according to points. The pace boat could easily administer this task. Maybe you should talk to your class spokesperson and bring this up at the next meeting.

I ran the pace boat in PP NJ the last few years and I always hold the yellow flag for as long as possible until everyone that wants to get in line can find a lane and have an even start. I think some guys just want to start a hundred yard behind the pack.

That sounds good to me Randy, I would like to see that the green must come out 1.5 miles before turn 1, The first Key West start in F1 was scary, the green was held almost to the turn do to the Chicks Beach boat, the Pantera boat was on the rub rail, maybe have a rule that the race must start before the start/finish shute or a restart...just an idea.

Eddie Simmons
Superboatusa.com

Eddie wouldnt you like to start next to someone with equal tailant all the way on the out side.(just kidding couldnt help myself)no seriously just think the better teams should hit the first turn first with the newer or slower teams following or going wide.Talk about taking some of the danger out of the start!
Just to give you all an idea of the start picture this.APBA worlds first day 24 F-1 boats at the start.We break out of the mill from the back and see 23 boats bunched 5 yards apart from each other and we have no place to go except the far outside.Do the math that puts us out a min. of 120 yards more than the length of a football field.WE HAVE A FAST BOAT BUT TRY TO MAKE THAT UP BEFORE TURN ONE IN ABOUT 1 MILE WITHOUT CUTTING OFF 23 BOATS!After lap 1 we were in third or fourth when we broke.
Randy

There has to be a better way