APBA single engine program for Super Cat??
02-21-2003, 07:12 PM
#91
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Ryan, no SC in the future. If hp was significantly increased and shaft drives permitted we would take a bite of the apple.
"Competition breeds innovation and speed" - Shifter's comment transcends this thread.
DPT, it's true check the APBA Offshore website.
Political glaciers may be moving....finally....maybe the winds of change can give them a push......and just maybe the sport will be what it once was.....
"Competition breeds innovation and speed" - Shifter's comment transcends this thread.
DPT, it's true check the APBA Offshore website.
Political glaciers may be moving....finally....maybe the winds of change can give them a push......and just maybe the sport will be what it once was.....
02-21-2003, 07:18 PM
#92
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DPT and Shifter,
You can still utilize the new technologies!! Who is taking the Bacardi Silver challange??? I think we need a Hard Lemonade to beat on that cute Bacardi boat - any takers?
I just saw on the APBA-Offshore page the release. Looks like a nice program. It will be interesting to see any cost difference to the teams. So far sealed engines have increased reliability, brought closer racing and minimized the Wallet Wins. Yes, unfortunately any new racers in the Supercat Class will still have to outdrive Drambui, WHM and Tommy Bahama; but hey, "There will always be someone younger that will eventually out-draw you."
You can still utilize the new technologies!! Who is taking the Bacardi Silver challange??? I think we need a Hard Lemonade to beat on that cute Bacardi boat - any takers?
I just saw on the APBA-Offshore page the release. Looks like a nice program. It will be interesting to see any cost difference to the teams. So far sealed engines have increased reliability, brought closer racing and minimized the Wallet Wins. Yes, unfortunately any new racers in the Supercat Class will still have to outdrive Drambui, WHM and Tommy Bahama; but hey, "There will always be someone younger that will eventually out-draw you."
02-21-2003, 10:45 PM
#93
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more facts - Koolaid anyone?
Rich:
Boat counts Gene's last season- 1998 (Gene was a stand up guy and the very 1st person I met in APBA Offshore))
1.Ft Myers -63
2.Corpus-30
3.Sarasota-83
4.Baltimore- 40
5.Palm Beach- 51
6.St Pete - 69
7.Toronto - 45
8.Biloxi Worlds - 68 (SBI had 77 boats in Key West that year)
449 total boats - 56 / race
This was also at the height of economic good times. It got worse in 1999 MA's 1st year and there were NO OPEN BOATS the last regular race of the season. SBI had more boats in it's NY race than APBA had in Toronto!
Last years numbers:
1. Daytona - 70
2. Marathon - 80
3. Cape Cod - 67
4. Savannah - 75
5. Cleveland - 80
6. Corpus - 43
7. Bahamas - 47
8. Key West - 110
572 total boats = 71.5 race
This was at the height of the recession and there were 13 Super Cats at The Worlds in Key West.
Well there ya have it just more facts - BH
Boat counts Gene's last season- 1998 (Gene was a stand up guy and the very 1st person I met in APBA Offshore))
1.Ft Myers -63
2.Corpus-30
3.Sarasota-83
4.Baltimore- 40
5.Palm Beach- 51
6.St Pete - 69
7.Toronto - 45
8.Biloxi Worlds - 68 (SBI had 77 boats in Key West that year)
449 total boats - 56 / race
This was also at the height of economic good times. It got worse in 1999 MA's 1st year and there were NO OPEN BOATS the last regular race of the season. SBI had more boats in it's NY race than APBA had in Toronto!
Last years numbers:
1. Daytona - 70
2. Marathon - 80
3. Cape Cod - 67
4. Savannah - 75
5. Cleveland - 80
6. Corpus - 43
7. Bahamas - 47
8. Key West - 110
572 total boats = 71.5 race
This was at the height of the recession and there were 13 Super Cats at The Worlds in Key West.
Well there ya have it just more facts - BH
02-21-2003, 11:11 PM
#94
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Congrats to Sterling, not sure why it was a surprise, they have won the last handfull of World and National titles.
From what I read the old engines will be allowed in, but I could be reading into it wrong.
Congrats Sterling, and lets all hope this is a good thing for APBA.
From what I read the old engines will be allowed in, but I could be reading into it wrong.
Congrats Sterling, and lets all hope this is a good thing for APBA.
02-22-2003, 01:58 AM
#96
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DPT,
The transmissions add to the safety. With JT and Laith we were stagger shifting coming into the corners to allow the boat to naturally corner, Mid corner downshift other side and then accelerate the rest of the way through the corner and upshifting down the straightaway.
The other way is put a 1/4 turn on the wheel wait, add a little more wheel wait, the ass end stepsout hooks the bow and lots of reverse lock to keep from spinning out.
It allow you to adjust the torque band of the engine to where you want it to be for a given condition.
Kent,
It is possible to take on the Bacardi with some technology. We have the toys. What is in the fun in beating one boat? It would be more fun to allow me to race my product against the rest of the SC fleet. If we had a package engine/trans/drive that was cheaper than the current set-up can we play?
pat W
The transmissions add to the safety. With JT and Laith we were stagger shifting coming into the corners to allow the boat to naturally corner, Mid corner downshift other side and then accelerate the rest of the way through the corner and upshifting down the straightaway.
The other way is put a 1/4 turn on the wheel wait, add a little more wheel wait, the ass end stepsout hooks the bow and lots of reverse lock to keep from spinning out.
It allow you to adjust the torque band of the engine to where you want it to be for a given condition.
Kent,
It is possible to take on the Bacardi with some technology. We have the toys. What is in the fun in beating one boat? It would be more fun to allow me to race my product against the rest of the SC fleet. If we had a package engine/trans/drive that was cheaper than the current set-up can we play?
pat W
02-22-2003, 08:03 AM
#97
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Released on the APBA-Offshore webpage:
New GM Super Cat Engine Program by Sterling Performance Announced
02/21/2003
APBA Offshore Power Boat Racing, LLC, the largest and most successful sanctioning authority for offshore power boat racing worldwide, has reached a new 4 year agreement with Sterling Performance of Milford, Michigan, to become the Official Engine Builder for power boat racing’s premiere class – Super Cat. 40’ long, 9500lb., 1600 horsepower catamarans, Super Cats are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 140mph on the open ocean, flying football fields at a time over waves that are taller than NBA guards.
Sterling also has a promotional agreement with GM Powertrain, the “Official Power” of APBA Offshore. In addition to the Official Engine Builder program, the three companies have created a new comprehensive single source engine program for Super Cat Racing which will commence in 2004. Details of the program have not been finalized but the goals and objectives include reducing the engine program costs of the race teams, increasing reliability while improving performance, and guaranteeing competitive balance throughout the racing fleet in order to produce even closer, more exciting racing for the racers, fans and sponsors. The initial cost of the program also will not be burdensome to any of the regulars on the GMC Pro Grade Championship Series as it will allow them to continue using their current engines with limited retrofitting to the approved specification.
“Sterling has become synonymous with elite quality extreme performance marine engines,” said Offshore CEO, Michael Allweiss. Sterling powered boats have won 3 straight Super Cat National Championships and 2 straight World Championships. “Mike D’Anniballe, the President of Sterling, is bright, dynamic, and arguably the finest high performance marine engine builder in the world today. All one has to do is tour the pit area of a poker run to see that Mike and Sterling are the dominant force in the huge power world of super fast big boats. We have been extremely impressed with Mike and his state of the art facilities as has General Motors, but we are most excited about his concept for the future of the Super Cat engine program,” Allweiss added.
“Sterling today is the number one supplier of extreme performance marine engines over 700 horsepower,” D’Anniballe commented, “and this opportunity is something the entire shop is thrilled about and committed to pursuing with excellence. We encourage teams to call us now so we can get them ready for the fast approaching 2003 season.
The GMC Pro Grade Championship Series begins with the Daytona Harley Davidson APBA Offshore Grand Prix, the weekend of April 11-13.
New GM Super Cat Engine Program by Sterling Performance Announced
02/21/2003
APBA Offshore Power Boat Racing, LLC, the largest and most successful sanctioning authority for offshore power boat racing worldwide, has reached a new 4 year agreement with Sterling Performance of Milford, Michigan, to become the Official Engine Builder for power boat racing’s premiere class – Super Cat. 40’ long, 9500lb., 1600 horsepower catamarans, Super Cats are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 140mph on the open ocean, flying football fields at a time over waves that are taller than NBA guards.
Sterling also has a promotional agreement with GM Powertrain, the “Official Power” of APBA Offshore. In addition to the Official Engine Builder program, the three companies have created a new comprehensive single source engine program for Super Cat Racing which will commence in 2004. Details of the program have not been finalized but the goals and objectives include reducing the engine program costs of the race teams, increasing reliability while improving performance, and guaranteeing competitive balance throughout the racing fleet in order to produce even closer, more exciting racing for the racers, fans and sponsors. The initial cost of the program also will not be burdensome to any of the regulars on the GMC Pro Grade Championship Series as it will allow them to continue using their current engines with limited retrofitting to the approved specification.
“Sterling has become synonymous with elite quality extreme performance marine engines,” said Offshore CEO, Michael Allweiss. Sterling powered boats have won 3 straight Super Cat National Championships and 2 straight World Championships. “Mike D’Anniballe, the President of Sterling, is bright, dynamic, and arguably the finest high performance marine engine builder in the world today. All one has to do is tour the pit area of a poker run to see that Mike and Sterling are the dominant force in the huge power world of super fast big boats. We have been extremely impressed with Mike and his state of the art facilities as has General Motors, but we are most excited about his concept for the future of the Super Cat engine program,” Allweiss added.
“Sterling today is the number one supplier of extreme performance marine engines over 700 horsepower,” D’Anniballe commented, “and this opportunity is something the entire shop is thrilled about and committed to pursuing with excellence. We encourage teams to call us now so we can get them ready for the fast approaching 2003 season.
The GMC Pro Grade Championship Series begins with the Daytona Harley Davidson APBA Offshore Grand Prix, the weekend of April 11-13.
02-22-2003, 09:08 AM
#98
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Pat,
I understand your desire to run your products in the SuperCat class, and I agree that the ability to adjust your shifting during cornering is probably very advantageous, it may even be less expensive. (Merc is not cheap). But because APBA is trying to keep a very level playing field in that class, it will probably be very difficult to allow it in that class at this time.
Bacardi Silver is the first boat to take on the PX class seriously. SBI has been courting these monsters for quite some time and has a reasonable following in their big class. Bacardi Silver is getting a lot of face time on TV since it is just running away in that class(and yes, many times it is the only boat in that class).
Instead of fighting to get into a strictly regulated class, why not support a competitor to Bacardi Silver with all of your best componetry? Your face time on TV will be significantly higher, and the limits to your product are minimal. As a business, you want the most amount of positive exposure at the least cost. In the PX class, you almost have free reign to technologies you can utilize. If you feel you can put together a package to put Bacardi in 2nd place; what a race!! Would love to see a Victory boat running next to it.
I understand your desire to run your products in the SuperCat class, and I agree that the ability to adjust your shifting during cornering is probably very advantageous, it may even be less expensive. (Merc is not cheap). But because APBA is trying to keep a very level playing field in that class, it will probably be very difficult to allow it in that class at this time.
Bacardi Silver is the first boat to take on the PX class seriously. SBI has been courting these monsters for quite some time and has a reasonable following in their big class. Bacardi Silver is getting a lot of face time on TV since it is just running away in that class(and yes, many times it is the only boat in that class).
Instead of fighting to get into a strictly regulated class, why not support a competitor to Bacardi Silver with all of your best componetry? Your face time on TV will be significantly higher, and the limits to your product are minimal. As a business, you want the most amount of positive exposure at the least cost. In the PX class, you almost have free reign to technologies you can utilize. If you feel you can put together a package to put Bacardi in 2nd place; what a race!! Would love to see a Victory boat running next to it.
02-22-2003, 11:58 AM
#99
www.weismann.net
Gold Member
Kent,
I understand your point. If you want restriction type racing run SCL and SVL.
The changes to SC were good in the begining. The Spec engines kept the speed in check. We were in with our drives and transmissions. Tommy Bahamma, Ragamuffin, and Don Q with more on there way. We had our homoligation papers from Linder. We put a ton of time and effort in to our designs and boats. Our efforts were put into handling, safety, cost and reliability. We accomplished our goals.
No warning no meetings no phone calls to find out if we were interested in a deal with the series. I am sure it was different with the engine deal.
The changes are for the racers pocket book or so they say.
I am in racing for the old saying " The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." I am not in it to see my face on TV.
I hate to see other companies go through what we went through.
pat W
I understand your point. If you want restriction type racing run SCL and SVL.
The changes to SC were good in the begining. The Spec engines kept the speed in check. We were in with our drives and transmissions. Tommy Bahamma, Ragamuffin, and Don Q with more on there way. We had our homoligation papers from Linder. We put a ton of time and effort in to our designs and boats. Our efforts were put into handling, safety, cost and reliability. We accomplished our goals.
No warning no meetings no phone calls to find out if we were interested in a deal with the series. I am sure it was different with the engine deal.
The changes are for the racers pocket book or so they say.
I am in racing for the old saying " The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." I am not in it to see my face on TV.
I hate to see other companies go through what we went through.
pat W
