Banana Boats selected for new entry race class
 

HORBA announces the Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series.

In June 2008, HORBA Ocean Racing LLC, successfully staged a real open ocean race from Miami to Bimini and back, a distance of 106 miles. This was the first open ocean event in more than 20 years and was met with a very enthusiastic response by racers and the public alike.

As a result of that response, HORBA will reintroduce open ocean racing beginning in February of 2010, with a race from Miami to Key West on the weekend following the Miami Boat show. This race will be the first in the new race series called the Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series.

The Aronow family has donated one of Don's original trophies to HORBA. This trophy will have new base and plaque added and the names of the winners for the coming years will be inscribed on this new plaque. A keeper trophy will be given to the high point winner each year.

As a result of many conversations about the good old days and how much easier it was to become a racer back then, HORBA has created two new entry level class of race boats based on the winning Don Aronow 24 degree deep vee designs for 24 feet and 28 feet.

This new HORBA entry level class of boats will be powered with new 250 HP outboard engines from any of the five engine builders, in alphabetical order, Evinrude, Honda, Mercury, Suzuki, Yamaha. The 24 foot boat class will have a single engine and the 28 foot boat class will have twin engines. (Honda only makes a 225 HP engine, but that is eligible for anyone that wants to run Honda engines.)

HORBA is taking the very best lessons from the successful Honda boat racing class of Europe. We also noted how well NASCAR operates with many different manufacturers supporting different teams. This gets the sport back to its roots, with manufacturers and dealers being able to jump in and support teams who want to compete without mega budgets. Simple, dependable boats on open ocean courses.

For the new Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series, all new hulls and decks will be provided by Banana Boat Co and all boats will be race rigged by a new rigging company called MAS. The three initials stand for McCarthy – Aronow – Saccenti and is a joint venture between Charlie McCarthy, Michael Aronow and Bobby Saccenti.

Additional classes, both historic and modern, will be allowed to compete in these new open ocean races, but only the new entry level class racers of 24 and 28 foot boats, will be eligible to win the Don Aronow Memorial Cup.

See the new entry level 24 foot class race hull, with a single 250 HP outboard, at the Miami Boat Show in the Banana Boat Co booth, right next to the Miss Geico display and right across the aisle from Skater.

More info coming at………HORBA www.historicraceboats.com

Hey airdog

Ready to sell your boat and step up! Sounds like someone was listning in on our conversation.

Josh

Congratulations to this! Fantastic!
If something is to bring new life to the brand Banana Boat, this is it!
Really cool:cool:

Do you have any info yet on how many boats you will get to build for this new series?

Hey Josh,

Yes that is strange that we were just talking about racing in 2010.

Charlie did however let me know about this class so I can't claim this was divine intervention.

I think the SOB class for the 24's is a great idea and a big thanks to Banana Boat Co for making it happen!

Hey Air dog, do you think you can come to RI and give me a few pointers.... would love to try it at least once.

I to was informed before our conversation. Was told it was top secret and that they were going to make the anounce it for the Miami show. I cant wait to see where this goes could be a very great thing for racing.

Josh

Great to Hear !!!!! I will see you guys at the booth, I will be in miami tomorrow thursday, through tuesday.

hey theres a group of us in the RI/ mass area that you can run with this year. we are meeting in fallriver on the 14th for dinner and some of us are grabing rooms. you should keep a eye out on the NORTHEAST US in that forum. if you want a pro to give you a hand for a day I am sure JEB BROWN is for hire for a day or maybe free if you want his phone # I can pm you with it he raced a single 300hp banana in apba two of them for years and won national and world championships, and we have a group to hang with give you pointers. we all over the bay go to block for day trips hope for some overniters this year. artie

Our objective is to have a class of these boats racing in the northeast over a summer.......then to come to Key West in November for the final run off....very similar concept as SCCA uses for cars.

Each region could have their own group....Florida...Great Lakes...Texas..Calif......etc

People can race in their local area...plus come to the 2 big events that HORBA will put on and still keep their racing travel costs within reason.

Big events for 2010..... Miami to Key west in February and Around Long Island (2 day event) first weekend after Labor Day in September.

And then we all get together in Key West for November.

I warned you......offshore racing is more addictive than anything known to man.

Don't blame me if you are ordering a new 28 with twin 250's on it.