Must be referring to a freakish accident from 1981.

Some people on this Forum may not have even been born yet .

http://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/12/sp...at-safety.html

Al was a visionary. He helped carry the offshore technology forward and I liked him a lot. He was a good man.

To make a statement like this means you are clueless. An unfortunate accident that he had to live with until he passed. Love him or hate him, he was a great innovator and helped the sport in many ways. The man had a heart of gold!

From November 2009 (when Phenomenon was introduced at the SBI Key West Worlds) through December 2010, I covered this story. I wrote 12 articles (11 updates plus one commentary) on it during that period. While the Phenomenon project was short on success, it was long on ambition. Without dreamers willing to take a chance, nothing exceptional ever happens.

But I am curious. To those who are saying they'd like to see it run "again," when (and where) did you see it run the first time? I only ask that because, to my knowledge, the 55-footer ran just once in a "public" event, and that was the day before SBI's scheduled kilo runs in July, 2010 in Sarasota. The boat did hit the water more than a dozen times (by my count during 13 months of reporting) in Louisiana after its late-2009 introduction, but aside from those who live in the area I'm not sure how anyone saw it run. Of course, there could be videos. I couldn't find any on YouTube, but that doesn't mean anything.

Matt!

If reference was made to seeing Phenomenon run again, I believe that like myself, we would like to see the project carry on by someone else. It was Al Copeland Sr. dream and and it is such a unique and beautiful boat to just be sitting in the Classifieds. I also don't understand why someone would want to bring up negative comments about Al Copeland even thought it is their right. it is just plain wrong. Sometimes it is much better to keep your comments to yourself.

Thanks, AB, for your (as usual) thoughtful comments.

Everyone has a right to an opinion and the right to express it, I agree. I also agree that, more often than not, personal attacks (especially of the vague kind) on individuals are unnecessary and inappropriate.

The Phenomenon project didn't reach its goal—it didn't come close. But it created excitement in the performance boating world when, with the industry in sharp decline and offshore racing plummeting with it, that world was in dire need of something positive to talk about. In that context—and this is just one man's opinion—the project succeeded wildly.

I had some great times with Al when they still had races in New Orleans. He sure could host a race. He even took the time to let my 10 year old daughter board an check out the Cajun Princess. She really loved that. Thanks Mr Copeland. Artie

Any info regarding this AC powerboat? He had some wild boats!

really it was unfortunate it left 2 boys without their father just because someone had to snort white powder to get up his courage for the day.

Matt,

You are right, I do remember that boat was in the water for first speed testing in Sarasota. Somehow, one of the motor got locked and would not do anything as they had to get it out of water to do repairs and it stopped after that. I believe it hit close to 190 mph when a motor got locked.

Chris