Commentary: The Lasting Importance Of Bracket-Class Racing
 

A veteran offshore racer, Johnny Saris breaks down the essence of Bracket-class competition, https://www.speedonthewater.com/comm...-class-racing/

Thanks for the opportunity to write about such an important piece of the puzzle.

Great write up, the description of how you have to throttle is great. As a old bracket drag racer consistency is the key, but at least our "track" was the same pretty much every run.

I have talked with a couple friends that are in the class and I can not imagine how hard it is to watch the speed to keep from breaking out at the same time watching the water, got to be a special skill for that. Class 700 is getting a new boat next year should be fun to see how that runs with the current ones.

Great article with great explanations by a great guy. Keep up the great work Johnny!

Great article Johnny, well written and really important take on racing.

Question. At the end of the race the deciding factors are from the gps that was in each boat. Are all the racers in your class gps readings posted for everyone to see? Or is it up to one person or a board to decide the outcome of the race?
Curious because i am building a boat to race and a lot goes in to deciding what sanctioning body to race in.

We get an email with everybodies results lap by lap. Distance, max speed, average speed, elapsed time. My advice would be come to an OPA race. Bracket racers are treated very well there. At "other" orgs they are treated like second class citizens.

Nate with team Predator posted this on Facebook. I thought it should be here.

I am pretty impressed with how at the start Saris stays with them till the first turn, those are not small motors in the Apache.

Check out the air Saris gets at the start.:cool-smiley-026:

I also find it cool how even in a “smooth” water race, after a couple laps it still isn’t that smooth.

To Johnny's point about the importance of throttling and not breaking out, notice where the sticks are on the Apache most of the time. Maybe halfway?

this is awesome boat racing! awesome job to everyone building these classes