legend

Lets get to the point. I raced in the 80's and early 90's. Offshore powerboat racing is similar to buying a plane ticket. When you sign up for that race you are putting your life on the line. If that jet falls out of the sky the chance of survival is slim to none. When a offshore machine gets a little to much air or hits one of those billion ripples on the surface at the speeds you are going, the chance of casualty is probable. Lets not try to make this rocket science. 70 90 120 200mph! Lets get real here. LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS! You can manipulate the odds a little with rules and changes but look at the speeds I just mentioned. If the racer choses to hit these speeds then his life is in his or her hands. When I got behind the wheel I told my self that it is very possible that I would be walking the line but I still had a smile on my face. When you take off in that jet you just put your life in that seat. You made the choice to leave the ground and if it falls out of the sky no one can help you. Car racing tried restrictor plates to control speeds and lets face it. Anything over 100mph, Your walking that line. Speed can kill. If there is a way to make it safer do it but at the end, You made the choice to strap your self to the rocket with a smile. Life is delicate and more so the faster you go. There is no government bail out here!

Ted G

iTrader: (1)

Okay I won't pull any punches. I am not talking about the boats per se. Every organization allows boats in that are old and past their prime in order to increase boat count. And OPA learned their lesson on that at our race and tragically at Patchogue. Now what killed the guys in BTM was related to a lot of that, it was an older boat going pretty fast and they made a mistake. Should they have let the boat race? I don't know. Would I have let the boat race, probably, and the result would have been the same. But what I have a problem with is that I know that some boats weren't inspected at all in KW. For all I know, NO boats were inspected in KW. And since they weren't inspected who knew if all their systems were working? This is Chuck's point, you cannot depend on racers to do the right thing you have to force them, but that costs money and time. So now we have a boat on the course that has an issue and MAY have had improperly working safety systems. And then if we have a situation where every diver is not familiar with the boat (since word went around that JC had ads for divers in the papers the week before the race) now we have set up the disaster, add in a lack of proper equipment and training on top of that and somebody dies. If we want to give JC a pass then we can say "Well he might of died anyhow." But I'm not willing to give him a pass, I just want him held to the same standards as we have been for 20 plus years, by the sanctioning body, insurance companies, and racers, it's not that hard to do, but it costs money and time and that is why it has not been done by SBI.

gmhdfan

Sorry I was waiting for the mail to come so I could put your hero cards in enevolpes for all the requests I get. But as I sit here like the Maytag repair man.....J/k. Lighten Up, It may have been a cheap shot but it was directed @ JC & Reggie. I did say it was going to leave a mark You have meet me & I will be happy to come by the next race and buy you a drink or help you in anyway I can. But that's just the kind of person I am. I think you stopped by Franks boat in St Cloud when we were trying to get it ready for the race the next day. Crockett & I spent till after midnight trying to fix his alternator because the guy @ the auto parts store accross the street was more interested in getting a piece of ass than keeping the store open. (not that I could blame him) I even went home and took the alternator off of my boat so he could make the race. I even dropped off the drive for Wardey @ Craig's shop on Monday. I am here to better the Sport any way I can. Hell I even flew up to Pt Pleasant to help Ron Poli so we could use my sister-inlaw's Sea Ray to take out the Angels during practice and it was a SBI race back than. Trent just let your racing accomplishments speek for them themselves and move on. I think it's cool that you let Dee in on your team. I've always said that a bad day at the boat races is better than a good day at work......But after going to some SBI races with piss poor boat counts, I have stopped saying that!! Karma is a biotch..remember when JC tried everything to keep APBA out of Key West and Hurricane Michelle came and everyone had to leave KW for the SBI race. Allweiss moved right into the Annex and ran his race...even got to use JC's bleachers that were still there
Peace Out

Tom A.

Last comment because this thread is getting a little too one side vs. the other for me.

I raced in the early 90's. We did things, made things work, and ran the boat is shall we say less than optimal physical condition due to money and time constraints. I was also in my early 20's and thought I was invincible. I would NEVER do that now. Yes I still run my boat over highway speeds but not under race conditions and not to the edge of its limits. Yes anything can happen but when you are running gunnel to gunnel at the edge of the boat's limits.... that's a big difference.
I would love to race again, but it would cost me a fortune to do it to the safety level I feel is required. Sure anything can happen but I would want to be running with every safety feature I could, in a new(ish) boat that hasn't been beat to snot for 10 years, and would want to know that there was a solid safety plan in effect.

And that is really all we are talking about in this thread.... a solid safety plan. There is no excuse for not having boat inspections in Key West. There also needs to be a proper plan for what to do in all emergency situations coordinated with the local emergency services. I volunteer on a first aid squad and know darn well that I could make two or three phone calls and have 3-4 ambulances, a couple of water rescue teams, divers, fire trucks, and police special ops set up for an event for very little money (most would volunteer to be part of the event).
Even the smallest of hometown race tracks does inspections and has a safety plan.

Interceptor

What form of risk assessment do the offshore sanction bodies complete ? Sure there is an element of danger in racing but things can be done to mitigate risk.

legend

I agree. The more safety in place the better. Lets face it though. These boats in this day and age are hitting speeds over 100 mph. During the blow over or barrel roll the G's are taking them out of consisnus and taking in sea water. When these crew members are getting into the cockpit in the back of there heads they should be thinking, This might happen to me. Now these three helicopters are trying to keep up with a large number of boats that can pull away from them at any time. These rescue members are jumping out of the sky in to carnage, fuel and debris with boats still racing by and having to remove a non responsive crew member from under a sinking boat within one minute. Is this rescue possible every time?

In the late 80's in the APBA race out of Vermilion Ohio I can still feel the spray hitting my face shield. I was doing 85mph in a 30ft Scarab with a Team Skater boat passing close to my port side. The boat tripped off a double and the spray almost knocked me out of my boat. Back then you stopped racing and let the safety crews do their jobs. Respect and Safety! The race can be restarted. Unfortunately the crew member lost his life. Back then you grew up knowing that you where going to race and you where taught how to race. The waves where your engine governor. You used the throttles to re-enter without scattering components. I read a question on OSO " Why do all the old school pictures show the boats way up in the air?" My answer is because we did not hit the speeds that the boats are going now so we prayed for rough rolling seas to get some air and make it exciting and dangerous. We didnt aquire a large some of success and say I think I am going to buy a Raceboat and race next year like the guy on the computer. It was most of the time what we where programed to do with our lives. I remember hanging out with Kevin Aoki Rockys son and gathering all the free Cedar Point race programs in the 70's and selling them for five bucks to the fans and racer so we could buy race jackets and Get ready for our day to temp death. This is what made us smile. I am still smiling! Its never going to be completely safe but racing is sure fun. I hope what ever they come up with for 2012 I will be able to witness my first Keys Race.

C_Spray

iTrader: (2)

Here is some terrific news, just posted on Facebook by a racer (who can identify themselves if they wish). This is an excellent idea, and exactly what is needed. I just hope that the proper people will attend, set egos aside and move forward. Perfect.

"A Powerboat racing -Safety Symposium (is) being put in place for Saturday Feb 18th at 10am til noon in Miami. Several global leaders in (the) racing world will be attending. Details to follow by end of business day today. All race teams, driver, throttle man, n crew, industry, organizers are invited. We are all one team for this. We need to work together before season starts. Please make note if you would attend. Some wonderful people coming together so we can make some positive changes and get ideas and improvements for our new season."

Panther

Please clarify?

When I see a family member name mentioned on the internet, especially associated with this thread, my brain tends to wander and seek answers.....

Respectfully,

Frank

sbracing

In an article I read regarding lack of safety (assets as well as procedures) at many short tracks, the author recommended that every racer should check what emergency/rescue plans and equipment are available at a race site.

That idea carries over to any form of motorsport. As racers, we are ultimately responsible for our decision to compete on a race course.

That fact doesn't excuse the various sanctioning bodies, in any sport, to constantly evaluate and improve their procedures. There is always room for improvement.

Lucididee

Are you referring to Lisa Matthews?