Offshore Racing’s Unlimited Class Unified To Decrease Power For 2019 Season
 

Big news from the most high-powered class in offshore powerboat racing, https://speedonthewater.com/in-the-n...or-2019-season.

As a race fan, the most important thing to me is the safety of the racers and I think that by reducing the power they will achieve that goal. I also believe that by reducing the power it will reduce the cost and increase the reliability and hopefully those changes may bring more racers into the sport in the future.

^^^ Granted but its a bracket class - there is NOTHING unlimited about unlimited class running 1100's... its a new version of 750 and 850 Superboat (cat)

Crazy that Poker Runs (that are not a Race) will be the Unlimited Class in offshore "boating"

Strictly IMHO

It isn't a bracket class, spec engine class maybe....Makes a lot of sense. The show is good close racing, not who has the biggest engine. Let the poker run guys have the ego trip.....

I guess they'll have to change the name of it????

So Unlimited is limited .

Im ok with it . I miss keith and bob and etc.

But you have to come up with a new designation right ?

Correct - TY.

So is this the beginning of the end of Merc Racing's advancements in technology/design except in the Verado's?

Pushing the power led to the advancements in technology - racing 1100's is still going to be racing but attrition set the greats from the fields... and 1100's will still grenade under max loads - maybe a bit longer life but...

So the "un" is out.........

In my opinion, the class is not sustainable. Overly expensive and unreliable engines with limited participants make for a short life. This is a good step to keep the class going. It is all about good racing.

ive always thought the unlimited "run what ya brung" racing pretty boring to watch. Sure they are some pretty awesome boats but most times its just a matter of staying running long enough to finish in a two or three boat field or their is such a spread between mismatched boats its over in one or two laps. i'm not trying to knock the effort those guys have put in, there really is some amazing hardware. It just gets boring when the fleet spreads out and theres ten laps left. Spec class has always been the best, closest racing . . . . just my .02 cents :cool:

sounds like a great move by the class and it is most certainly NOT bracket racing. Its standardizing the driveline to achieve some parity . . . .

Good move!

I was just having this discussion last night... unlimited is awesome to watch but they break alot. Main reason supercat and v lite are my favorite classes... they usually run the whole race. Side by side.

the class instigator and twisted metal are in is also amazing, but need more boat count.

This is a ball-sy proposition, very likely may drive people away. Top fuel lost a TON of fans once they went to 1000'.

Looking forward to the outcome.

If no one announced the change I'm betting most spectators wouldn't notice the difference in speed.

Why not just run supercat 750 ?then there would be an xtra 8 boats.

18 boats in supercat suberboat whatever sounds awesome.

Of course it means obeying rules which just doesn't sit right with some .

What about the other engine builders that can provide reliable 1100 hp like sterling scorpion v 16

What Jim said...

I can't blame the team owners for wanting to get off the blown engine merry go round, but why is this being proposed as Mercury only? I can imagine someone like Billy Mauff moving up to this class, and Sterling is quite capable of building him 1100 HP engines. Competition between engine builders is part of the appeal of racing, just as much as Skater vs. MTI.

I guess technically, If they would permit diesels. Tyson could run his 50 and be a contender... then run to the outer islands after the World's

Does anyone know how many grenades Bob Bull's teams have encountered with the QCV4's (not electrical/sensor issues)?

One thing for sure they need to put a minimum boat length on it so at a flat race sombody doesent bring in small boat over powered

It could be interesting racing - Overseas FIA Class 1 is only 850hp in the same hull lengths.

Super cat and similar are limited to max 42' depending on association.. unlimited was generally 40'+

In progress on a new 368

and will be illegal to small

I think we all know that doesn't work in Unlimited class.

I stand corrected.

limited

Crazy that Poker Runs (that are not a Race) will be the Unlimited Class in offshore "boating"

Strictly IMHO[/QUOTE]

and that's a problem.......

X2