P class, what I wrote in 04 and now
 

I was going to put this in the racing section, but current nonracers may be interested.
What I wrote then and observations for today.
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Ok, here I go again.

1. Current P class can continue if that is the class people want.

2. This idea could be run in addition to current classes.

3. I have thought about the complaints in p. My boat runs 85 do I
run p3 or p4. The GPS problem. I don't want to run throttled
back, I want to run my boat wide open. If anyone has ever run
Scca road rallies, It is very similar style racing.

4. My Idea is much more similar to bracket drag racing. In bracket
racing , you can take any car, run it as hard as you want too,
and if you do everything correctly you have as much of a chance
of winning as anyone.

5. Here is how I think it can work. First, do one of our
traditional starts, 10 boats 15 it doesn't matter do a mix of
fast and slow, how ever many starts per start etc. RUN 2 LAPS.
everyone pulls to center of the course( or returns to pits if
running different classes, OSS etc ) On radio or at pits scorer
tells you your lap speeds. Lets say 70 first lap 74 second. So
you think about it for a few seconds you know how your boat runs,
and you pick a speed of 75. This number is up to you if you
didn't want to run quite as hard you could choose 70 , if you
think you can run alot faster laps pick 80.

At that time the scorer tells you your start position on the
course. Example today the race is 30 min long (again it does
not matter the amont of time, races officals can make longer or
shorter) so you start 37.5 mile back from the finish ( today is a
10 mile course so you are 3.75 laps. the other guy said 80 he has
to run 4 laps) patrol boats can be asigned around the course as
needed. The race boat is sent to the starting pos. at the
patrol boat. The patrol is on station because he will be
assigned gps coor. The patrol boat is also the start boat for
the pos. Over the radio the starter sayes Go and the clock
starts. If you run the speed you thought, you should cross the
finish line in exactly 30 minutes. The first one across the finish after 30 min wins. You and the other guy
should be there at exactly the same time. If you ran faster
than you thought you could ie 72 average, you are dq. penalties
at the scores or groups liking, if slower you are scored on your
finish. Everyone that is running good should be at the finish
close. That is going to make exciting racing for the fans.

The exciting thing for me, is any boat on any day has a chnce to win.

There it is. Lets hear some feed back.
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Ok, when I wrote this in 04, I think the powers to be thought all boats would run as fast as they could. We now find boats running 2 or 3 classes under their max speed. So my concept with rules that may allow sandbagging, gets more creditablity now, since it's already going on.

I had never run an inboard race with a clock start at that time, and let me tell you, gentlemen, just how hard it is.
Steve David you out there.
Running a whole race to get there on time would be a blast. Your could set your speed to run as fast as you want,or as slow depending on conditions.
With my rules it's all about getting to the finish line right on time.
Go look at any inboard start...thats what the finishes would look like with my rules. www.ulhra.org under videos

Technology has improved that the GPS's your currently running will set your starting area...and being exact doesn't matter but being at the finish at 0:00 does.

All food for thought.
Mike Sadlon

One question....how in the heck would spectators follow all of that???????

I still can't believe so many people think a drastic number of boats are sandbagging. Just because a boat can run 100mph alone does not mean it can nor would be safe to run in a race environment. OPA does a great job of looking at the ENTIRE package (power, boat length, experience, etc) before dictating where a boat should/will race.

Everyone talks about top speed but rarely does anyone talk about acceleration. Some may view this a sandbagging but having the power and the prop selection just means you will more acceleration at the start and out of the turns. The boat STILL has to be dialed in to run the number flat out. How is that not running "Flat Out"??? Maybe I'm wrong but that is how I view the perfect setup...not one were its prop'd to run over then governed by hand.

What's in place works and will be continued to be refined I am sure. One thing I would like to see in the future is telemetry. Cost has come WAY down on this and with the right system it would show in REAL TIME when a boat breaks out, what place it is in, etc. This information could then be used to populate a display similar to horse racing or nascar where the racers # is displayed. Add a class number and bingo now the spectators know what the hell is going on out there.

I think that's a great idea! I'd love to do a little racing but my boat isn't going to be competitive in any class unless no one else enters that class! I keep looking at the POBRA site and I'd be a P5 boat but they run up to 75MPH. I can only hit 65 so I'd be at the back of the pack. Your rules would allow me to run with all classes and have a chance. I do think you might want to split up into two runs though, one under 90 MPH and one over for safety sake. That way you don't have to worry about a 120MPH boat passing a 65 MPH boat.

Sorry Mike, only read the top portion.

I've done a few rallys like you talk about in that bottom paragraph (car not boat). Those might be fun for an off weekend but it would never replace real racing. In fact I found them a bit boring but at least it was in the winter and nothing better to do! :drink: I think SCCA or some organization put it on.

Oh come on Baja what's another 10mph?! Throw some headwork, cam and some other upgrades and you're there! :ernaehrung004:

Bajafresh
You are exactly the kind of person I would hope to join this class. Everyone would be able to run with just minimal safety equipment..based on speed.
In theory, the the only passing would or should be at the finish. If someone has probelms and can't maintain speed slower boats always on the inside of the course. Every race site would have to deturmin how many boats to put on a certain course at on time...50 boats 15 15 20 or whatever is safe. grouped by speed.

fantastixvoyage
Think more of the Pinks way of staggering the racers to make uneven cars hit the finish at the same time.

Mike

Hey, don't tempt me! I will do that eventually but only have about 200 hours on the motors now. External steering is my next upgrade.


I am going to do the Rum Run (Long Beach to Catalina) race next year. I was a spectator this year and I think there were no P5 boats in the race. I may come in last but I'd still get a trophy.:D Plus, a couple fast boats went way off course and I may have been able to beat them in. Racing isn't always about just having the fastest boat! :D

Thanks, Mike. Your race might not replace OSS, et all but could be a great addition to the event. I think it could really catch on and a lot of poker runners might want to try it. While it may not be as exciting for spectators, it would be an opportunity for amateurs like myself to experience offshore racing first hand.

On the slow boat/fast boat class thing, if I'm at 60MPH dial in vs. a 120MPH dial in boat and we are running 30 minutes on a 3 mile course, I would run 10 laps and the fast boat would run 20, lapping me 10 times (at 60MPH faster) . Is this correct?

I can't think of when all the p-class racers were on the course at the same time. Typically its been 6-4 and 3-1 sometimes even having Unlimited, SC, etc running seperate.

Practice is fun tho since everyone can use the course....nothing like cruising along wide open and Geico comes blasting past ya 20 feet off your port side like you were standing still! :evilb:

Yes, you are correct(kind of wasn't thinking about it, closed course way). But always in all boating the overtaking boat has the responsiblity of a safe pass, not just racing. And always slow boat on the inside.

If you get a few minutes to to the ulhra.org and look at the 08 Chamberlain final. I had my escape hatch break open and was trying to get to the pits...and was about killed by an overtaking boat....next time I'll let it sink before I cross the course...there are other boats but only ONE me!

Mike

Wow, Mike. Those UL's are bad azz! How fast do you run?

This is my main concern when running with way faster boats. I will try to stay on the inside but you are at the mercy of the overtaking boat. What if he doesn't see you, misjudges your speed, has a mech failure? I understand racing has inherent dangers, but as an amateur, un-sponsored racer, I would like to see as much safety as possible.

The Rum Run is basically an open course so not too much to worry about. I got to be a safety boat in the Ventura POBRA race a few years back and it was a closed course. It was a great experience and there was some overtaking but not a large variance in speed.

Somewhere around 150-160 mph.....and then you turn...and only the losers lift!!!
Mike

Of course I go right to the classifieds (I swear I have a sickness)! LOL


Wonder if this one includes the sponsor?! Hahah they're everywhere!

That sounds fun to me I would like to do it. I think you have a great Idea.

opa is fine the way it is p6 class is a great class to start no boats over 28 ft and singles only, when I raced in 02 cape cod race apba it was so rough we didn't go over 40mph then my bolster broke and my navigator said thats it pull over,:rolleyes: we made it to 2nd place butnot for long thats when I pulled over:mad:but OPA is doing good my friend won a lot of the races with a 18yr old boat with OBs in p5 now class 5. artie

class 6 is 26 foot max.

No offense Mike,but I dont think this idea makes any sense at all.The most exciting part of the race for the racers and the fans is the side by side starts and the first few turns of the race.I do agree that the boats do begin to spread out after a few laps;but that is true in all forms of boat racing.

You can certainly relate;as heat wiiners in hydroplane racing are usually determined by nailing the start, capturing the ever important inside lane,and coming out of turn one in the lead.

In my opinion,the way to keep the racing as exciting as possible for the racers and the fans;is to run more laps on shorter courses in the ocean.Dealing with alot of turns,encountering boats running slower and faster in other classes, and the varying water conditions of the ocean; the crews will be forced to be on their game the entire race.These situations provide for alot of position changes as we saw last year throughout the OPA season.In one turn ,you could easily pass ,or be passed, by a number of boats in your class.

Think about what your saying and how do you sell that to the casual fan? What needs to be exciting, is the last few turns not the first few.

1waterboy1, you should watch some of our finals. We have boats with smallblocks to blown alcohol motors putting on a show. We make the blower boats stay to the outside lanes for the first lap. And 75% of our races are the blower boats trying to chase down the carb boats. It truly makes for a heck of a show. Excitement the whole 5 miles.

Offshore could adapt our 5 mile heats, but personally offshore should not become stadium racing...go buy an inboard if you want stadium racing.

Mike