Sit downs?
 

When did the Sitdown style race boat become popular in the v boats. Were there any classic sitdowns?

I can tell you that I had Recaro race car seats mounted on shock absorbers pedestals back in 1986.
It was in my canopy 28' Pantera, w/ roll gage, lexan windshield, oxygen in the cockpit etc.

When I showed up to race here in Miami, (National race) the APBA officials did not let me race! They told me they had to think about it!

I will find a picture and post later.
Pepe @ Pantera.

I think in the early-mid 90's they really became popular with the likes of the Ocean Spray and Apache Heritage boats showing up with sit down configuration.

We Had Sit Down Seats In 84 In The Rollin Thunder Of Vince Rinaldi(31 Express Cat) Worked Pretty Well In Rough Stuff

This Magnum ACTIVE-8-ER belonged to Bud Drettman it had a unique set of sit down seats with springs and shocks. It raced around 1977, this classic Mag was the old Wolverine and raced for many years before with a stand up bolster. Bud would later start Active Marine, and his navigator Ross Focht now runs Ocean Express.

Sit down.....built in 1994...

Sit downs go back to the very beginnings of offshore in the early 60's.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=147865

The sport started with boats from 16 feet and up racing in the ocean and most of them had seats. In fact this was well before bolsters were even developed. All of the Shadow Cats and Conquests we built had seats. I actually put a foot throttle in the first Shadow Cat prototype and ran it in huge waves. Some of the early Shadows had drop out cushions for the "old school" guys, but rarely were they used.. The truth is you have more control if you are not expending half your energy in trying to stabilize your body. Of course the impacts in some big Vees necessitated a stand up driving position, but the cats had no such problem.

T2x

I was under the impression I built the first sit down V bottom canopy boat in 1992 when I built the 47` Apache Heritage. When I showed up in Key West for the worlds. The boat was cut down so low, everyone thought it was a cat, and since we had the number 50 on the side they thought it was a fifty footer. Bottom line is if nothing else I would venture to say it was the first successful canopy V-Bottom as it won the worlds in 1992 and 1993 in Superboat, and in 1993 we won overall. We finished approx. 6 min. ahead of any other boat. Let me tell you there is no better feeling in the world than comming through Key West Harbor way out in front, it is the ultimate.
Since you asked only about V- Bottoms, I give my two cents.
I believe we set the bar by which everyone else followed. The next year was INXS Fountain #1 Then INXS Fountain #2 following year lighter faster etc. By the way the Fountain never beat us ( Omar Danial & Richie ) Even when we ran the Scarab Diet Rite cola Triple 42` We won the APBA worlds plus our two qualifying races to be eligible to race in Ft. Meyers worlds in 1993. We INXS finished second behind us within seconds. Tough fun racing.
7XCHAMP

OK, Pepe, I'll cover you on the outside, now lets see some shots of the inside! :D

I thought that was so you did not mess up your hair........

Nordskog
 

I thought Bob Nordskog ran sit-down from the very beginning(late 60's - early70'???). Also Bill Cooper's "Spooky" was a sit-down. Not to mention the fact that Daryl Jenkins ran sit-down in the water about 6' behind Cooper.:p -Steve

Hello h2oboater I worked for Active Marine back in the day. Also Danny Foster came up with the sit down idea in the ACTIVE 8 ER. Ross ran throttles and at one time was considered one of the best throttle men in the sport.

7x champ,
I did have the first canopied race boat as far as I know!
It was 1986 @ the Apache race here in Miami. As I said before, the APBA officials made me take off the lexan, then they did not like the idea of 5 point harnesses etc. Willy Diaz was the throttle man and I the driver. The race was Miami to Bimini and back.
It was designed by Jim Muir. He had also designed the
"Hard Top" on the 38' Signature for our friend Tommy Adams.

You did have a very sucessfull canopy w/ the #50 Apache!!!
Later,
Pepe @ Pantera.
PS, been there, done that!

Actually the Unlimiteds pioneered F-16 Safety Canopies in 1984-5.

But the very first canopied race boat........ I believe was this one......1962

T2x

Really been there, done that!

Rich....did you ever run your wing?

Anyone remember the very first full bolster boat?

T2X,
I was refering to DEEP "V" canopy boats!
Later,
Pepe @ Pantera.
PS, Been there, done that.
Watch where you going, remember where you have been!

No, I'm waiting for you to send me the last vinyl pieces....:p

Had to be around 65 0r 66???

Maybe a Donzi?

T2x

oh, I'm holding it up......what did you still need?

richie you the man. everyone is speculating but you lived it and were from the inception of this sport. a true legend

In The Earley To Mid 80s I Throttled A Boat Called Medicine Man In C Class, It Was Owned By Doc Dorenzo. I Think The Boat Was A 33 Mavrick, It Had Two Sets Of Three Man Sit Down Bulsters, With 8200rpm Small Blocks That Would Run In The High 90s. I Don't Rember What Year It Was, But We Were Racing In Point Pleasant, And Lost A Drive. The Boat Went Right To The Bottom In About 20 Seconds And The Only Thing Left When The Chopper Got There Was The Bulster Still Floating With All Three Of Us Still In It. It Took About A Week Or So To Recover The Boat , But It Never Raced Again.
Johnny

The numbers T-351 for both sides...... We "adjusted" the aft cowling positioning and screwed them all up........ I promise this is the last vinyl "replacement" we will need.

Thanks,

T2x

P.S. You really aren't holding it up, but I can't keep blaming Joey...... it isn't working:D