Apba Starts!!
 

Instead of the standered mill in a circle and everyone trying to get in lane one, what if you were lined up in a line with the highest points boat in lane 1 and second highest in lane 2 ect. We then could all get a fair start and space ourselves out before we take off.I dont understand all this milling and chance luck as to who you start next to. YOU SHOULD EARN YOUR STARTING POSITION.

We have had some really ugly starts for no reason other being in the back of the mill when the pace boat takes off. If they lift the green early and dont give you a chance to move to the line it sucks.And I dont want to hear that we werent ready to go either! With 45 offshore races under our belt trust me we know where to be.

WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK OF A START LIKE THAT?

Randy

do it LeMans style.


the boats are parked lined up in row and you have to run to em :D

in all seriousness at eth SBI race in NYC last summer firewater somehow missed the start and about half a lap in they realized and ran to thier baot and hauled ass out of liberty marina (i think they might have breached the 5mph zone a little)

It was trip to see a boatlike that moving so fast that close to shore. I think teh spectators enjoyed it. I know i got my best picture from the whole race right there of them goign like 70 in a no wake zone(nest year i need a bigger telephoto lense)

Puder I'm not talking about missing the race because your stuck at the docks.I'm talking about a bad start when you are in the mill. Its alot of work to get there to only get pinched out by boats on both side running loose for 100 yards and then you have all there **** water to get through to get in the game.
Been there,done that!!!

Randy

Candy,
Sorry I mean Randy!!!! LOL!!!! Try putting that on the APBA website if you have not already. Pu tit on there and I may know how to get some high ups to look at it. See you in Daytona!!!!!
Dennis P Tracey:D

Don't the Class1 guys over in Europe do it in order of who has the fastest Pole speed ?
I know they have some sort a qualifing thing.

that is why the orange smoke. When you see the smoke you need to get your boat pointed and ready to go. You can usually time it to go around one more time, or just go wide and get ready to go. I've never been penalized for getting out of line. You know the rules just say not on plane, so get on it but not on plane to get where you need to be. I always go for the far outside anyway so the dumbasses that think you will move so they can squeeze you are not near you, oh thats one reason I run a canopy boat, we won't move over for anyone if we are in the hunt.

typhoon i know what you meant. I was just saying that when firewater flew passed the crown 50' from shore it was pretty damn cool. And if all ethboat swer ina dock and all teh driver had to run to them hop in start up and take off well it woudl be a sight and a half :D

and yes i think teh millgin circle is kind of wierd. I've read the rule on starts several times and i'm still not totally clear. I am goign to haev to have it explained to me inperson at some point by someone who really knows.

FYI i want to try to race in a p class next year :D

see you at the OPA races this summer

read the rule book.its saids you have to mill but it does not say you have to go in a circle .all you have to do is move the boat.let the rest go around and you set there going left to right.pot it in gear and out of gear.

read the book.


mike

I seem to remember you HAVE to turn left in the milling area. I know that at leaste one boat was penalized for turning right a while back. I am not sure what option they have other then the mill. How do you line up a bunch of boats like that in swells? It could be very hard. Also how do you decide who runs in what possition? I think it is not fair to say the points leader gets to start in slot X. Just some ideas for ya.

Jon

boats with crash boxes are unforgiving if you are trying to hang and wait for a pace boat or some starting sequence. With canopies, its nearly impossible to be looking 360 degrees for the other boats. At the Worlds this year, we were circling ccw while the supervees were in a seperate mill. When the puff of orange came, it was real easy to just turn on course and get lined up.

Why shouldnt the fastest boats get the best line at the start?What other motor sport start racing when the smoke stops.Its like musical chairs when you were a kid racing for a chair.And someone always got f#$%#ed. Mike you have to mill in a counter clockwise rotation even after the smoke stops.The smoke is only to let you know there is 3 min. or less till start time.YOU ARE NOT ALOUD TO BREAK THE MILL UNTIL THE PACE BOAT MOVES TO PICK YOU UP.
I agree with crash boxes and big seas you couldnt just sit there.

maybe you start a half mile back and all idle in gear to get your position.

Ive been in to many races that at the end everyone was pissed at how we were started.If they raise the flag to early and you arent there your beat.Its not the norm but it happens.

Randy, it sounds like a good idea to idle and find your assigned lane according to points. The pace boat could easily administer this task. Maybe you should talk to your class spokesperson and bring this up at the next meeting.

I ran the pace boat in PP NJ the last few years and I always hold the yellow flag for as long as possible until everyone that wants to get in line can find a lane and have an even start. I think some guys just want to start a hundred yard behind the pack.

That sounds good to me Randy, I would like to see that the green must come out 1.5 miles before turn 1, The first Key West start in F1 was scary, the green was held almost to the turn do to the Chicks Beach boat, the Pantera boat was on the rub rail, maybe have a rule that the race must start before the start/finish shute or a restart...just an idea.

Eddie Simmons
Superboatusa.com

Eddie wouldnt you like to start next to someone with equal tailant all the way on the out side.(just kidding couldnt help myself)no seriously just think the better teams should hit the first turn first with the newer or slower teams following or going wide.Talk about taking some of the danger out of the start!
Just to give you all an idea of the start picture this.APBA worlds first day 24 F-1 boats at the start.We break out of the mill from the back and see 23 boats bunched 5 yards apart from each other and we have no place to go except the far outside.Do the math that puts us out a min. of 120 yards more than the length of a football field.WE HAVE A FAST BOAT BUT TRY TO MAKE THAT UP BEFORE TURN ONE IN ABOUT 1 MILE WITHOUT CUTTING OFF 23 BOATS!After lap 1 we were in third or fourth when we broke.
Randy

There has to be a better way