Top Banana

With all due respect to Matt Trulio's other thread, I did not want to step all over that, so I started a new one here that has a different take on the subject.

Let's start with a premise that the type of racing that I am talking about is exactly what was done in the 60's and 70's.

Boats were powered with three types of engines, outboard, inboard small blocks and inboard big blocks.
The inboard engine powered boats, used either stern-drive or shaft and strut drive lines. Engines were either single or twin engines on each boat.
Boats were between 20 feet and 40 feet in overall length
Classes were divided up by using a combination of boat length and engine number and size.
Smaller boats and engines were usually called Production Class racers.
Production classes had single or twin small block inboard engines or single or multi outboards.
Production class had 3 classes within that general heading. 1.) Sports, where most engine modifications were allowed. 2.) Modified, where some engine modifications were allowed and 3.) Production..meaning stock engines and drives.
The bigger class of boats and engines were called Open class racers.
Open classes had single or twin big block engines or multi outboards.
Open Class 1 was allowed less engine modifications
Open Class 2 was pretty much anything goes, as long as you did not exceed 1,000 cu in.
Production classes ran shorter courses, 80 to 120 miles and Open classes ran longer courses, 180 to 205 miles. Races were run non-stop.
The majority of the boats were mono-hull deep vee types, with open cockpits.
The boats were built heavier and had more fuel capacity than modern boats.

Top speed rarely exceeded 75 miles per hour for Production classes and 95 miles per hour for Open class.

Since the term Offshore has been diluted over the years, let's for discussion purposes say this new Ocean Racing will be called .....SEARACE,....... after the famous book by John Crouse.

If we wanted to start again with a new racing circuit, it might look like this.

SEARACE will have 6 classes.
Class 1.) Boat length minimum 20 feet to Maximum length 24 feet / Power - 1 outboard or 1 inboard small block max 1 carb
Class 2.) Boat length minimum 25 feet to Maximum length 29 feet / Power - 2 outboard or 2 inboard small blocks max 1 carb
Class 1 and 2 will have race courses Minimum length 90 miles to Maximum length 125 miles.
Class 3.) Boat length minimum 30 feet to Maximum length 35 feet / Power - 3 outboards or 2 inboards big blocks max 1 carb
Class 4.) Boat length minimum 36 feet to Maximum length 42 feet / Power 4 outboards or 2 inboards big blocks max 2 carbs
Class 3 and 4 will have race courses Minimum length 190 miles to Maximum length of 225 miles.
Class 5 will have race course of flat 50 miles at every event.
Class 5 HISTORIC race boats only that have a real offshore race history. All lengths
Class 6 will have race course of flat 25 miles at every event
Class 6 will be for modern boats that want to try this kind of racing. Minimum length 20 feet Maximum length 42 feet.

HISTORIC class will only receive a Participation Trophy as all sizes and boats will run together. Navigation will be required.


CLARIFICATION ........Only Deep Vee, open cockpit style boats..........No cats, canopy or step bottom boats allowed.

No headers or #6 or #8 drives allowed FOR CLASSES 1 THROUGH 4. Reason....keep the costs down!!!!

The SEARACE annual racing schedule will be no more than 5 races at historic race sites all over the country. (Mainly so small business owners can pay attention to their business and not be facing constant traveling.)

Potential sites
Florida / New York - New Jersey / Great Lakes / California / Bahamas

This will be a low cost, low speed, real Open Ocean style racing.

Any takers??

outonsafari

iTrader: (4)

never raced, can't comment on that part of it, but,

if there was enough retired race boat owners willing to show up for a no points no trophy "exhibition run"
no banging rub rails and blowing engines, all in good sport for the furtherance of the sport.
maybe it could be a positive addition to the venue.

for any number of reasons i would leave the word "race" out of the description as to how the historic class boats
would be operated while at the location where some other retired race boats happened to be that weekend.

Wildman_grafix

Never raced but why no headers?

No 6 or 8 drives, would you also want to say no arnesons or weisman? I assume this part is to try and keep cost down.

Top Banana

If and when any actual racers want to step forward and say they would like to race on a circuit like this with rules like this, it would then be up to them to solidify the rules.

Once again, the final results of the offshore racing of the 60's and 70's produced boats for the general public that were safer and more seaworthy than what the general public had before this kind of racing started.

By eliminating any modern race boats, canopies, step bottoms, cats, etc .....we say we are not asking you to slow your boat down or rebuild it to race here.

What you have done over there...wherever "There" may be, in any one of the organizations, is not the same as what we are proposing to do here with SEARACE.

As of today two guys or gals, could buy a boat that would qualify for SEARACE for about $20,000. or $10,000 from each person.

Add work needed to make the boat qualify for distance running with more fuel capacity or safety items like kill switches and a brand new trailer, you are still within $30,000 or $15,000 grand each. And you would also have a boat that could be safely used for a quick family trip from Miami to Bimini and back on a weekend.

Real boats that can work and race in the real ocean waters.....and not cost a fortune that eliminates many good racers who cannot afford the latest Kevlar, multi step Glotzcraft. Those are the guys that raced in this type of racing in the past and they are still out there just waiting for the right opportunity. Carburetors that can be rebuilt in a home garage, log manifolds that won't leak like headers that cost 8 times as much. Stuff that really works or could be improved on.

Believe me when the results come back and the general public sees that an old XYZ boat has returned after crossing real ocean waters, they get interested and then the boat companies get interested.

No more stories about the end of a race gone bad .....because the high dollar engines shut down to protective mode and limped the boat home.

Ohhhh, one last point, there will be no NO World Champions in this series......we do not plan on going around the world to race in other countries.

Top Banana

Boats that can thrive and survive at lower speeds than the modern race boats.

Click on and open up this photo.....this is the type of boat and these are the conditions we are talking about.

TYPHOON

No disrespect but I don't know where you can find a $30K race boat that can take that kind of beating and be competitive. I do respect all the men and women that have raced this style racing in the past. It was hard core for sure.

jeff32

I support any idea that goes with keeping cost down!

i do believe when you forget about fancy expensive things, you loose participant

wish i could be in!

Rhythm and Blues

I love the concept Charlie, I saw your post on FB. I'd say the greater percentage of powerboat "enthusiasts" I mean real enthusiast would say they'd love to see some real offshore racing again (SeaRace) ; I suppose the feasibility would be the question, as some have mentioned, no money, for the love of the sport, independently wealthy boat owner who wants to let it hang out, and or ambitious working man who could scrape together the coin to buy a retired race boat among other various scenarios whittles it down to some low percentage of demographics; at least that's my 1st thought. I've never raced, and I absolutely love the thought and concept but I dunno what kind of wet pits you'd end up with in terms of turnout. I would endorse and support any kind of open cockpit big V racing, and go out of my way to attend! Thanks for bringing up the subject; I hope it goes viral and reaches perhaps some key players who could help contribute to the passion. One question, why stop the open class limit at 42 feet? If memory serves there is a gentleman out in Reno who has Strait Arrow, Lucky Strike, and Little Caesars. Maybe the open limit could be 47'?

Matt Trulio

No. But I'd love to be wrong—and promise the best coverage speedonthewater.com can provide if I am.

And you didn't have start a new thread on my account, my friend. I kind of enjoy threads that get hijacked. They're fun.

lucky strike

iTrader: (1)

A classic photo!