Mercury V Class
 

To run with Class 1.

http://www.proprider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92

It would be great if you were not forced to run that motor.

pat W

what about catlite. now there is racing

I think Class 1 is looking for something to enhance their events as P1 seems to be challenging their status as the premier racing series in Europe.

Depending on how you look at it it's either fortunate or unfortunate that Mercury has gotten involved but I don't believe Class 1 will walk away from the publicity and money that Mercury can bring to the table.

Normally when a manufacurer gets an exclusive the racer does not have to pay for the product, it is part of the sposorship agreement. IROC.

By the way IROC died this year. Great close racing though. Big wrecks.

Just remember you are the billboard did you get paid? Or are you paying?

Class 1 needs a support series not IROC.

P1 is a good set-up. Modified and stock.

Pro vee can mimick that and keep it interesting.

pat W

The boat with trailer must fit in 40' Container!! With 850 motors, and very light minimum weight. Damn, a 38 Fountain canopy would outrun the Class 1 boats in flat water!!!!
P1 is a phenomenal series!!!

Ouch. I paid less for my entire boat. We put 750's in the 38 Fountain,at 130 mph. I couldn't imagine 850's. Gonna need a Glass man.

The pro vee is a single engine class. They have been runnning it for a while with seateks and gas motors in Buzzi hulls and cougars ect... up to 32 ft.

The only change is the motor restriction.

pat W

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So Pat, what's this Bravo replacement I have been hearing about. Smitty

It is up next. I am just finishing a couple projects before I get to that one. It has been drawn for a while and we are testing the gears now.

What ratio do you want? 1.55 -1.56- 1.57- 1.70- 1.88. I need a ballpark.

pat W

Depends on the lower. What type of wheel? Bravo configuration or #6

The lower is open. I have both drawn. I originally thought the guy that already had a bravo prop ect....just wants a drive that will not puke with minimal changes after upgrading his motor. That is why I based everything on no mod replacement.

As far as performance not much has been exploited with driveheight because of the "fuse". I am of the opinion a big hub wheel/cleaver will outdo a #6 style. But I could be wrong. I am not a prop guy. From what I have seen they just try to sell you whats on the shelf. We have always asked what do you want.

pat W

Mercury V Class
 

Back in 2000, along with Steve Curtis, we created ProVee. It looked simple. Take the existing Class 2 monohulls, which were sitting around doing nothing because the Victory Team's BMW powered Class 2 catamarans had made the series a non-event. Create a set of simple rules for the diesel boats (power-to-weight) and the same for petrol engines (power-to-weight). At the opening race in 2001 we had just two teams bother to turn up! Gradually, we managed to get the numbers up to around 10 but it was like pulling hen's teeth. We gave the teams free hotel rooms at each event, free fuel, a full international TV package but still they weren't happy. The end result was that in 2005 the series died through lack of interest from the teams. I then decided to go and create my own team and support the Powerboat P1 series because, like it or lump it, they are the only show left in town because Class 1 is ridiculously expensive and serves no purpose whatsoever for the marine industry. At least P1 offers a production class (akin to Factory 2) as well as an Evolution (modified) class. As for the "new" Mercury engined V class, I can see the rush to join and the line is twice round the block already ...

Chris,

How is it going getting the rules changed to match what you have done in Europe? It looks like the racing is pretty good in P1.

pat W

Dry sump, 1.35 ratio with ssm style lowers and cleavers for under 20k per side please w/ Bam tranny. Ill take 2. Can you throw together a package deal for some 850's at cost???

Mercury V class
 

The P1 guys stated from the very beginning that their racing series would be for monohulls and would be to encourage production classes to take part. It appears to be working although this year will be a tough test for their technical team as we have a lot of good American product challenging the Italians, in particular Mr Buzzi, and they don't like getting beaten. P1 looks to have a field well in excess of 20 boats this year and with US manufacturers like Donzi, Outerlimits, Hustler, Dragon and Formula all involved, something must be right. All we need are factory efforts from Skater and Fountain to make it quite a bun fight. Then there's talk that the successful Honda UK national series, which Steve Curtis presides over, will support the P1 events not just in the UK but possibly in Europe so there's another 30 boats (evenly split between the 150 and 225 classes) making up a decent weekend's race action. Class 1, or the WPPA as it is now called having distanced themselves from the UIM, is out on a limb in many respects and will be looking over their shoulders when the race venues start assessing what's real value for money and what draws in the race fans. Only Norway and the Middle East have definite Class 1 races and that's because each of those countries has its own race teams working the deals!

Lostin,
Talk to Merc for the 850, and Mark for the Bam. If we get in the middle we will have to charge for it.

We will work on the price but we are keeping the manufacturing in the states.
pat W

Chris -
Thanks for your insight.

Now that class 1 has departed from UIM, any talk, or hopes or wishful thinking that a new cat series in conjunction with P1 will emerge? Something like class 3 (superstock) class 2? (cat light which is raced in australia, or at least was or tried to) and supercat or PX extreme like here? I'm going to grad school but when i graduate in 2 years I hope to have some racing to look foward to. Eventually throttling class-1 was my ultimate goal, but that appears to be going in the wrong direction, and my gf doesnt want to move to Dubai.

Chris,

Is there any talk about having some P1 races in the states? Maybe a world cup end of year event?

pat W

Mercury V Class
 

LostinBoston:

Your Superstock in virtually identical to our 6-litre Class 3S here in Europe but the Middle East is where they have the most boats and racing. Suggest, as others have done, to buy a Doug Wright boat and go over there during the winter and win some money. This year the 6-litre World Championships are in Italy in September. Three races inside five days just like Key West but without Duval Street!

Can't see P1 ever wanting to have a cat class running alongside but I could see the UIM make an attempt to create a new premier cat class based on American product ... but don't hold your breath!

Powerboat P1 In The Usa
 

Hi Pat,

Knowing the P1 management team as I do, I'm sure they'd love to have a race in the USA and Key West would be a great venue to stage a "World Cup" as you put it. Nathan Knight, their American CEO, came with me to Key West two years ago and was impressed by the venue. However it's a question of who do you deal with down there these days? Powerboat P1 has a strong and sound financial base and they are trying to run the show as a legitimate sport, not a weekend pursuit for a bunch of rich guys. For sure some team owners will get cheesed off being told what they can or cannot do but, in the main, what P1 are offering isn't such a bad package. At least we now have something to sell to our sponsors.

Chris,

Anyone who would like to bring a group of boats to Key West can do it by simply calling 305-296-6166. I’m sure that if you can come up with 5 boats, a Class can be set up for you to compete. Who knows, maybe some of us on this side of the pond might want to run with you.

As for who you deal with in Key West…that is still John Carbonell. Many have tried to get into Key West through the back door, side door, and basement window…only to find themselves being greeted by big John himself. Despite his reputation, John can be very easy to work with…as long as what you want to do makes good business sense.

I think that the P1 power/weight ratio rule structure would be very well received here in the States. The Super V Class, with its spec engine based program has run its course. The Super V’s have gotten so far away from the original intent of 105 mph straightaway speeds that the Class has dwindled from 10-12 boats per race, to 3-4 boats per race….its time for Super V to be replaced with something that reinstates the broad appeal that it used to have to equipment owners and manufacturers.

That's pretty much what I said on another website. I just don't see why anyone would choose this proposed class over P1.

If Class 1 wants a support class, it would be far more logical to try to get the now redundant ProVee boats out again. There are plenty around and are just gathering dust. It was excellent racing and it's an absolute shame the the class was not supported nearly as well as it should have been by the competitors (our team included.)

The boats in ProVee ran engines from about 850 to 1100 hp. The slower boats ran in the low 90s. The fastest one about 110. Chris Witty would have more details though.

Here's the link to the website.

http://www.proveeoffshore.com/

SVL as I understand it run the 525 Mercs and weigh a minimum of 4750lbs (OSS rules). I work that out at 9.04lb/hp. A gas powered ProVee boat with the maximum power allowed would be 6.25lb/hp. I believe the fastest of all the ProVee boats was a Nicolini Searacer 32 with a SeaTek and it probably ran 115 plus.

I'm also puzzled as to why there is such a discrepancy between the SVL boats and the ProVees. What sort of top speed would a fast SVL run now?

I watched Nicolini run that boat with Ken. It was fast but it had a wicked chine walk. I sat there and thought man that is a crap ride, it showed when the hull delaminated on the whole right side. This was the 1996 worlds in class 2 in Ireland.

I do not think the provee circuit will work unless the little boats are supported by the big boats.

pat W

That boat did slightly come apart in that race and it did chine ride like a b..t..d. Much the same as the Buzzi 32 ribs. Charles Burnet III being a prime example when he and Peter Dredge wore their boat as a hat in 96 or so.

BTW, Ken was the only monohull anywhere even close to the Victory cats that year at the Class II champs.

We have a fix for that chine walking problem. :D

I like that shot of the Buzzard running inverted.

pat W

PROVEE v SVL
 

Been away for a few days, watching race cars at St Pete over the past weekend. Always good to get a reality check now and again. Must have been 100 million dollars worth of 'four wheel real estate' on show! Good to see a number of powerboat guys in attendence including Craig and Mark Wilson, Bill McComb and Doug Valentine.

As for ProVee, as a concept it still has merit, but I've pulled the plug. I had a race organised in Travemunde, Germany in 2006 supporting P1. I even had a race supporting the Class 1 fixture in Arendal along with a race in Finland and also at the UIM 2-litre Worlds in Sweden. So we had a pretty decent calender on offer last year. Pity that only one team bothered to pay the pre-season registeration fee. We needed a guranteed 8 boats to get the green light from the race organisers above. So we had no option but to cancel the series and the UIM duly cancelled our operating agreement. End of story.

Our ProVee boats were bigger than the SVLs. Basically they were all existing Class 2 monohulls (rated at 32 ft) and we just increased the weight limit to keep them around the 100 MPH mark. Problem was some guys turned up the turbo boost (illegally) and got them running close to 110 MPH which was rather spooky to watch.

Great racing. Great concept. Great shame. Discussion closed!