Pete B Pics 2021-2026
#3542
Unreal how the performance offshore pleasureboat market has been completely taken over by $750k - $1.5M outboard boats that max out between 90mph (V bottom CCs) and 130mph (cats) with stock power (Merc 500Rs). If you rewind the calendar just 10 years the same market was filled with inboard boats in the same market priced from $500k - $1M that maxed out between 140mph (Vs) and 180mph (cats) with stock power (Merc 1350s). Almost every pic from every poker run event is a new outboard powered boat between 34' and 52'.
#3544
VIP Member

Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 2,132
From: SW Ohio
We saw this in our model boats when the gas boats (as opposed to nitro) began to run halfway decent, and then again when electric got seriously fast. It opened up the hobby to the credit card captains who hadn't learned to actually DRIVE their boats on the race course. They just plunk down the cash for a boat that was competitive, completely skipping over the learning curve of driving slower boats, and drove it like they could afford to just buy another one.... Because they could. I literally heard a guy, who was his son's manager as an NFL player, shrug his shoulders, as he and the other boater were assessing the carnage from a collision he'd all but deliberately caused, and say, "Ah, well... That's racing. I guess I'll just have to buy another one." These outboards, being a complete package, low supposed maintenance, blah, blah, blah, give instant access to screamer machines that they just don't know how to manage. The old schoolers cut their teeth on boats that needed to be DRIVEN, went through the learning curve, well before they owned a monster that are actually fast. Not so with egg beater CCs, or especially the cats.
Rant over.....

Thanks. Brad.
#3546
Registered

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 965
Likes: 490
From: Mass
And yet, IMO, the old way was safer. Less accidents and with CCs being loaded with 6,8 even 10 people...WAY less injury.
Yes, plenty of duchebag captain's out there, but they aren't all driving CC's.
Last edited by techman; 12-07-2023 at 12:05 PM.
#3548
Douchebags drive boats of all shapes and sizes, make no mistake lol.





