TYPHOON

Why is it so hard for people to move up to a spec class? I feel there must be reasons why people dont move classes. I believe P class was started to attract new racers and bring out some older race boats that didnt fit in classes.
With a starter class like SVL you can be in a canopy full blown race boat with a Merc motor thats good for at least 3 years with oil changes only. There is the $10,000 purse,intence competition knowing you are racing equal boats with equal power,strickt rules,better sponsorship opertunities and what looks like a better chance for TV coverage. You can get in one of these for as little as $50K and a new one around $140K. So what gives!
MD

chriscarbone

Lot Easier Said Than Done

Ted G

iTrader: (1)

Whelp, let's be honest here. If you pick up the 50k boat you are likely gonna need 100k by the time it's competitive and then about another 50k to campaign the boat across the country with the OSS. Then you have to take all the time that is necessary to get to and compete at the different venues. Then you have to grow a big enough set of balls to get out there with the master of disaster Randy Schleuss and dice it up. Pretty big order there buddy....


Happy New Year my friend, hope to see ya soon

BobbyB

For me it would be i need more MONEY.

BRUCE SEROFF

You all make good points. Randy and I briefly discussed this today and dont see eye to eye on a few things.

Chris is right. it is alot easier said than done.

As a small business owner, who does just about everything to keep things moving, Its very difficult to leave my business on Wed nite or Thursday morning and not return to work until the following Tuesday or Wed. Unforunately, I cant conduct business via phone or laptop. I have to be there. I cant afford a crew either. If I could, I doubt they could afford to take off from their full time jobs for 4 days twice a month.

Ted is right also ......
There is NO WAY you are gonna buy a SVL for 50k and run in OSS and be competitive. if Anyone bought a boat knowing that it had no chance of being competitive in a spec class, they are wasting their time and money. You can have just as much fun running P class. (Notice I refrain from saying less money.) Afterall isnt that why we do this? to have fun?

Bobby makes a valid point. Not too many guys in P-6, P5 or P-4class can afford to, or even wants to lay out close to 100K on a true spec class race boat. Many of them want to be able to go out on non race weekends and have fun. Its very difficult to go pleasure boating in a 2 seat canopied boat.

And last but not least "My Friend POO"

I think your #s are a bit off.
I think a team on a budget can campaign a SVL for the full season for as little as 30k per year. Thats not including tearing the drive off the back a few times.

If you start to add in airfare for the Driver and T man and their families and crewmembers, I think the number would jump to 50k . Now throw in a couple of transom assblys and drives and you jump up to about 70k. And thats assuming you do most of the repair work yourself.

Partnerships, in most cases, dont work out. be it a race boat or a pleasureboat.

I love the SVL class and would love to someday see 20 boats across the line. But unfortunately, time and lack of money (our own or sponsorship) are the more important issues for most of us.

As a former P class boat owner, I can tell you this. In the long run, buying a spec class boat ie F-1 SVL or SV with stock Merc power, it would be much cheaper than running a conventional V hull boat with BIG HP custom built motors.

Further....I can tell you this. If Schluess didnt have an Awesome crew, with the time to pull his rig to the races, he'd be looking at this topic in a completely different light. I know for a fact that he would have a tough time gettin on the road to pull the boat to all the races as well. He's been very fortunate all these years to have BIG Eddie and Trophy Biotch on his crew.

Obviously, the future of offshore racing is not looking too good at this point. And not too may people are going to go out and invest or blow a ton of money on a race boat when the current affairs of offshore are grim.

Now... if we all get together under one flag. We may have a fighting chance to make it work. Which is a very tall order.

Happy New Year to all. and to all a good nite.

TYPHOON

Whats harder to get Time or money? If you could get one of the 2 could you do it?
As in most teams there is a money guy and a worker guy. Most people with money dont have time or the mechanical skills and are willing to pay more to just show up. The mechanic may have more time but just cant come up with the money. Its a hard match to come up with and I have been very lucky with Murry,Trophy Bit$h,Big Ed and Natoli. Just trying to see what might help to progress the sport.
I have one suggestion that might help. Start a thread on here stateing what you are willing to pay to get in someones boat or what you are looking for if you have a boat and want a team mate. Sort of like a classified post.
MD

Wahoo ATV

I stepped up and bought the OSS boat and spent the time for travel to every OPA race and championship. Still I couldn't justifiy or perhaps even afford to run OSS Stock Class where it takes a real crew, 4 sets of props, 2 spare power heads, a couple of lowers and that doesn't even cover entrance fees. Even at that I find it hard to believe the racing would be any better or more fun. So I don't know that "stepping up to a spec class" is really stepping up. I guess it is how you define "stepping up"

Racegirl3

TYPHOON

Thats a bad phrase on my part. I should use the term getting in a canopy boat with spec rules. I totally understand the fun factor of P class racing its great but there is something to be said about testing yourself against others with equal boats and running WOT with your best set up. The talant in P class is outstanding and I wish we could all race each other in a spec class. I have been fortunate to have been able to race in F1 with 20 boats around us at the start and let me tell you about the fun factor. Its threw the roof!!!!
Less classes more boats per class is the only way. There just arent enough racers to support all those classes.
MD

TYPHOON

Call it stepping down. Im OK with that too.
MD