Mandatory
 

Driving suits should be mandatory. What other motorspots let you race without them? People who are into "real" motorsports would probably laugh if they saw pictures of "offshore boat racers". Let's not make offshore boat racing a "low-class" motorsport.

Great first post Taco:rolleyes: ,but have to disagree with you. I think boat racers have some of the best uniforms going. Look at any "auto" related team uniforms and they have so damn many patches-I think they're ugly.
What would you prefer to see-a one piece fire retardent suit???

The top teams now wear them. Even in the 70's they wore the suits

There are some light weight alternatives to the nomex suits we wear. Peppers,GEICO, Reliable,Budweiser all have them. And there are more teams having them made.

I agree with Taco. If we want to be taken seriously we have to play the part. PLUS..the fans love them.

Contact one of these teams for information on wear to get the lightweight drivers suits

It is not the heat, it is the wieght of the suite when it is wet. The life vest would have to be much larger to keep u afloat. I have tested this in my pool with one of my race suites. (OMP) Had to work real hard to keep my head above water. That was with a life jacket.

PS: The Cats with escape hatches would most likely be OK. Maybe some of the newer suites may not hold as much water

I think the thin Karting suits would be pretty lite (at least in what I have read about them they are) That is what we plan on getting.

the single layer nomex is lighter than the karting suit. i can tell you, when a fan walks up to your camp, and your in a driving suit, they really look at you with a little more respect. not just a bunch of rich guys in shorts and t shirts racing some high dollar equipment. we have a total of $200 in ours with embroidery./
mike

Mike , can you get me the info on your suits?

I Bought Them At An Indy Car Racing Shop Here. I Will Send You The Info

Mike give me a call..

Andy

And cover up my beautiful arms and tattoos!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not You Augie, You Wear What You Want

Thanks for the info Mike..............you sure looked preeddddty in those suits, boy!

From a former race car guy and relatively new offshore fan, I love the fact that the guys driving Platnum Princess, Peppers or Muscle might happen to be barefoot! It's such a pleasant change from the rigid and (at the higher teirs) over commercialized world of car racing.

I do grasp the concept of marketability and can't blame guys for wanting to look professional in order to get someone else to pay the bills, but there is a classic feel to boat racing because it still looks like guys having fun. And it still looks like guys who are focused more on winning races than they are on selling me boner pills, dog food or charcoal briquettes.

Great thread !:cool:

Steve,

With your saltwater pool, that's a pretty good idea. I would like to try that. I would want to do it at night too...just in case the neighbors where watching. No need for a 911 call just because someone's in the pool wearing a helmet.

As for attire...it can get pretty hot inside a canopy. We typically see temps around 105 during a race. Long pants and long sleeves just aren't an option. Armorall shirts work well. It wicks off the sweat and keeps you comfortable without being constrictive.

When selecting racing wear, comfort and safety should be the primary concern. No jewelry, no lanyards around your neck, and nothing that might get caught on something as you make your way out of the cockpit.

Off the racecourse, or anytime the Team is out in public is another matter. Especially when attending an official race function.

I've always liked the "uniforms" the Donzi teams have. They are not really uniforms...just nice looking button down shirts with a team logo and the person's name. They look nice, they are practical, and you can definitely tell when someone is a part of their team. Dave Pyc always looks so nice in his Donzi wear, he could be their poster model.

Everyone's personal style is different, and team apparel should fit the style of the Team...otherwise we would look like a herd of penguins.

Steve, great answer. I never would have even thought about anything like that. Good Thread!

Peppers racing went to a school in greers ferry, and a V A Hospital in biloxi, i have done alot of these things over the years and when i walked out with my driving suit on, they looked at us like we were really racing professionals, like we are. i cant wear ours in the boat, but when we climb out of the boat, the suit is right there and we put them on.if we had a/c we would wear them in the boat

Which ones did you guys get???

Steve,

Next time...I'll do the honors.

Only thing is ...I've got a big ball-piene hammer.

Now we know why APBA had "STARS" Recue

SINGLE LAYER NOMEX

Boats used in Class-1 have A/C's?????? If they don't, I might have to add something to my dictionary. (I'm not fluent in English so I have to use my "J-E" dictionary when I write something on here.)

In my dictionary....it says......Americans: fun, funny, cool, crazy and TOUGH people.

It seems like I might have to add this later..... Americans: Tough people but Europeans are "tougher than Americans".

In auto racing, it gets really HOT in their "enclosed cars". It sometimes gets over 130. (I'm talking about "GT type of cars".) Some drivers get dehydrated and become really delirious and groggy druing a race in summer. They still have to wear driving suits and most drivers have full-face helmets and they also have to wear Balaclavas. Although, they wear this thing called "cool shirt inside" and have a drink bottle in their cars.



This is for those who are saying "It's hot in my boat."
http://www.coolshirt.net/index.html
This might be the best choice for "boat racers".
http://www.coolshirt.net/racing-port-a-cool.html

There are some Mechanics suits that look just like driving suits. Those suits would keep you a little cooler than Nomex driving suits.
http://www.rallylights.com/Sparco/CS_PRO_TEAM.asp


You know what.......if it's called "RACING", we shouldn't even be talking about stuff like this. It's so lame. If it's "dangerous wearing driving suits in boat racing", European boat racers wouldn't be wearing them, either.

I think it's time to make a change!!! (not to my dictionary, please!!!)

:D :D :D That sounds like those two !!!!:D Dave

I must have seen more than 50 accidents(Flipping and landing upside-down going over at 100-130mph) in "F1"(OPC) boat racing. But I've never heard of drivers' complaints such as "I almost drowned wearing driving suits". And they all FLOAT in the water. Plus, with the type of life Jackets they wear, it's harder to get out of cockpits when landing upside-down in the water because you are kind of pushed towards the bottom of the seat already. But they all manage to get out of the cockpits and FLOAT. (They have to wear "old-school" type of life jackets. They can't wear "pull-it-yourself" types)

They do have "harness" problems and other problems that might make drivers drown but never have "I might drown if I had to wear driving suits" problems!!!!!!

Why do I hear such a thing only in the States??? I mean you don't hear such things like this anywhere else in the world.

Wearing driving suits is not just for marketing and being "KOOL". It would protect you from getting cuts. When you blow-over or barrel-roll at a high speeed, your arms and legs would be flying in your boat.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PAroXqMLO84
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lg-Vv2Qu5Dc

F1 drivers wear lifeline float suits

Yes, they wear lifline "capsule" pants/jackets. Although they have less flotation, it's still hard to get out of the cockpit when landing upside-down in the water.

Taco, you might want to check the ACO/FIA regulations. I believe that A/C has been mandatory in GT1, LMP1 and LMP2 for at least a year. I guess those guys who run LeMans are sissies too?

Yeah, I heard about that but like you said, it's a new regulation. I don't think it's been mandatory for "years". Don't you think they made that regulation because it's dangerous getting dehydrated during a race??? If you know that regulation, why don't you start talking like "maybe it should be mandatory in offshore racing too, instead of saying "we don't want to wear driving suits"........Some offshore racers do have a different and weird point of view from normal racing/motorsport guys.

Who said anything about sissies??? Didn't I say auto racers wear cool shirts and have drink bottles??? I had to bring up that tough talk because it seems like there are people who don't know much about "Racing". Maybe people are not getting my point because my English sucks???......I guess that's just too bad for me.

OK. I am tired of this talk. Why the hell does everyone have to be like "G.B., Hey, I just don't like it" in Offshore racing in the States??? Since I am an American wannabe, I don't really want to talk like that but I really had to be ironic on this one.

I'm done with this. It's cool with me as long as they don't tell anyone that they RACE boats because they are not REAL racers. If they still think they are racers, I am just speechless......

Sorry to those who are true and real racers in the States but I know you are feeling me.

End of my story...............

Taco...You may want to re -consider bashing one of our top competitors and good friend..... in our sandbox. He's a unique guy and as far as I'm concerened has the racing credentials to be his own person if he wants too.

This is a public forum but that kind of talk sounds like sour grapes because he's kicking ass over in Class three.

reconsider how you are trying to get your point across.





.

Sweating like crazy, getting snagged exiting the boat, extra wieght to swim with when water logged. I'm with Mike, we race with shorts and shirts to keep us from getting chaffed from the belts, as soon as we get out of the boat we put our uniforms on. This is a very important thread as we are all aiming to elevate our sport. I guess it boils down to the individual circumstance of each boat. One thing in our favor is boat racers are the best looking racers of any sport!!:evilb:

Just a thought...before the season starts and while your swimming around in your pools with your helmets and suits on, why don't you put on your PFD and pull the cord and activate the CO2 cartridge and let the thing inflate and then try blowing it up manually should the CO2 fail. It is quite an experience if you have never done this. You can get replacement cylinders at West Marine and send it back to Switlick or whomever, they need to be serviced anyway.
I've talked to a few racers that have never had the experience of having those things inflate. Better to know what is going to happen before you are upside down.

Just looking out for your safety, my gear works...

Be safe,


-sammy

I always try to look my best for the public , drivers meeting's all events before and after a race. During the race in an open cockpit boat is another story . Anything can happen out there and does . I'v milled for more then a hour waiting for anything from sea turtles, to helo's refueling. I.v broken down with a 3hr tow to pits. Barrel rolled and broke the boat in half.Smashed my body with blood everyware, I,v never gone in the drink but I would not want to tread water JUST FLOAT If I ever did . All the races I'v been in my looking good never won the race for me. I may not be as tough as the europeans but oh well!