Decoding Offshore Powerboat Racing’s Current Power Struggle
 

This year's offshore racing season might be a challenge to follow, but speedonthewater.com will continue to report as it unfolds.

https://www.speedonthewater.com/deco...power-struggle

its the classic, "the more things change......

So no X insurance teams will be at COCOA Beach?

We’re going to run OPA. We’re going to run RWO. And we’re going to run key west. Through the constant Facebook pounding our sport has taken (mostly by people not currently in boats), there are still some positives. OPA has an awesome north east schedule. RWO has invited everyone to KW.
It could be worse.
Let’s go racing.

I have just been an observer of this sport for 20 years or so, but in that time Boat/Offshore racing has been confusing at best. Sponsors and fans alike need for it to get figured out. If race sites (like Cocoa Beach) have poor boat count, then fans and sponsors get less impressed and may very well not return. That is no good for anybody.
I know that if I were a boat builder I would concentrate on poker runs and events and pass on the racing.

Glad to hear you guys are going to run them all and have as much fun as possible Johnny! I'll never understand all the negativity of the internet, for all of us that aren't campaigning a raceboat, none of this political BS even matters - we should all just be happy as fans of the sport that we have races to attend and follow online. I think it's a bummer that there's so much volatility in the sanctioning bodies year after year, decade after decade, but I also understand it - there's no money behind the sport! All the racers and fans alike should just be happy when guys step up and take on the roles of sanctioning and doing what it takes (which is a hell of a lot) to put on these races. I know what it's like to lose the sport, I raced the last West Coast race ever back in September of 2008 w/ Rod Karnofel in his 36 Skater - POPBRA, Pittsburg, CA - and it sucks not having any OS races West of the Mississippi since then.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e5d2899880.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...870e0d524.jpeg

Sometimes I wish I knew more about all that mumbo-jumbo and politics. But most of the time I’m happy don’t give a F.F.

Opa
 

Totally agree! Run OPA and have Fun!

Days Long Gone
 

Would be great to get back to the offshore heydays of the 1980s and 1990s. Wishful thinking,,,

Well I'll be going to Cocoa Beach. My opinion, which doesn't count is I think this x insurance guy is an ass hole who will ruin the sport. F him and his helicopter. Lol

its possible. US Offshore NE races. SBI in the south. Everybody met in KW.

Doesnt sound that different than this year in some ways.

Dale, I remember Honker Cut! She was bad! Sister ship to Lightning Jacks?

I don't think this one was Johnny, this 36 was a '99 and originally raced as the Fountain Mercury in Super Cat and dominated the 2000 season with Hugh Fuller and Jerry Gilbreath. They were so dominant that APBA kept making them add weight to slow them down and it never did, they just kept winning. It was a really light layup race 36.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0dc22eca50.jpg

Jerry tells awesome stories about that boat on a podcast he did last summer. Jerry was my hero back then with Alcone. Now THATS what Skaters are built for. Alcone, Dambuie and Big Thunder going at it Key West 1999. EPIC.
Not shootouts with pro mod engines :)

I'll ask again I think it got lost but does this mean that no X Insurance sponsored boats will be at Cocoa Beach?

after promising to honor the Contract cocoa beach already signed. And became a secondary sponsor. They took their ball and went home. No X Insurance teams are running. Pretty shifty if you ask me to do this so close to the race. I don't even care what the whole story is. I carecabout integrity. X INSURANCE is showing me zero integrity.