I hope you're right, I sure enjoyed Key West last year.




And the races were great too.

KW will be a good time regardless. However, it would be awesome if everyone was there together. Maybe next year

All said and done, I'll probably attend Key West, not because of the sanctioning body, but because it's Key West.

there ya go...have a great time.

wish we could be there

Cuda hit the nail on the head & Most everyone knows it.......

Wasn't WHY both the same weekend answered? Half answered, sorry I can't read minds so I don't know what people are thinking when they make a decision, I only know the outcome of the decision and it's effects.

Why the univite? Ask JC, all I know is that OSS was told to take Key West off their schedule or face a lawsuit from SBI.

What I find puzzling is last year, a big deal was made about the Conch Republic Powerboating Association stepping in to smooth out all the BS and bring a single Worlds to Key West.

So I called Bill Spotswood, the President of CRPA and asked what he thought about OSS being uninvited to Key West. He said, as long as SBI fulfills it's contract to bring 70 boats to Key West in November, we don't care what boats attend as long as there are 70 or more of them. Funny, last year he seemed to care. PS - Anyone got a web site for CRPA or the name of anyone else that's a member?

My point is that the good people of Key West should be PISSED OFF. 30+ big budget teams and some fans will be leaving their money in St Pete rather than in Key West.

So who does this benefit????????? I guess somehow, SBI benefits from having less aggravation and less sharing of the spotlight. Who looses??? Everyone else.

I'm going to St Pete to cover the OSS races, but I'm not happy about it. Hey its still FLA in November, and from where I'm sitting in NJ, that's still real appealing.

I'm sure you'll all have fun in Key West, how could you not. It just won't be the same as last year. You might as well go to Deerfield this weekend, it will be the same boats.

Hopefully Bruce is right and next year will be better. Something has got to change.

There are great things happening in this sport and some of those will not happen quickly or without forethought. But the landscape may look significantly different next year and those involved are definitely thinking "How will this benefit the sport?" first and foremost.

Amen to that. With that attitude, this sport can move forward.

Man I can't tell you how much I hope you're right. At the 2003 Sarasota Offshore Showdown which brought APBA back to Sarasota after three years, I was the "Course Captain", Chair of the Tow, Patrol,Turn Boat Committee and Co-Chair of the Driver/Sponsor Party. For eight days before the race until the races were over I had to take the time away from work to put everything in order. I will NEVER forget the feeling of accomplishment when after the awards, I went out to the dock by myself, drank two ice cold beers, and just thought of what we'd just done, pulled off a race in 91 days and put the best race on ever, in Sarasota, from the spectator's perspective.

I'd like to feel that again.

But only when all the crap gets straightened out and the back stabbing jealous egos are gone. One, in particular, in this area but no names will be mentioned.

That individual knows who I'm talking about.