Dredgeking

i have to agree that safety is a huge factor for me since my little girl was born in august. the canopies make a big difference. i don't know if i want to get back in an open cockpit boat after driving a canopy boat. as more sv's and svl's are made, maybe there will be more options on the used market. svl is my 1st choice right now.

screamin eagle

Here is a situation report on Factory 1:

There is an F-1 owners group holding discussions on Wetpits.com.

To date we have 18 active owners in the discussions.

We have voted within the group to use the HP500EFI to address speed/safety, availability, reliability and cost. The 496HO is not race proven; the 496/470 will not be available until late February.

We have voted to stay with the 4650 weight for all boat lengths that was instituted by APBA in Sarasota.

We are about to vote on the outdrive specifications.

We have attempted to communicate with APBA and have been stonewalled by Steve Miklos.

We have called, and exchanged email with, Mark Nemschoff who has advised us that 1) Mike is still running day to day operations at APBA and 2) that there will be no rule changes for the Factory 1 class for 2004. This decision ensures that the lack of parity will continue unless everyone steps up to the 525 which is expensive and too fast for this class.

We know that one of the few constants with APBA is change.

Our group is in discussions with the OSS group and will be evaluating race options for the 2004 season.

We will be working the phone lines trying to get a good turn out at whatever venues we agree to race.

We are trying to revive the Factory 1 class which is more than can be said for APBA.

Fair and balanced...you decide (that is stolen but applicable).

Allen Campbell
Screamin' Eagle
F1-83

MANITIE

Allen,
Let me get this stright.....when APBA said the rules are going to be the same for 2004 their were 8 F1 teams that said they would race and teams said to APBA give us an answer and will stand by it....now that they are you said the F1 teams are looking at OSS to race.....

First who are all these teams that committed to racing F1 next year with only a hp500....Even know Randy voted for the 500 he told me he cannot committe to F1 because he's working on SVL....thier are 18 actiive boats who's making all these disitions to race elsewhere....it sounds like if APBA dose not run the 500's you and a few other teams will race in OSS....how is that helping this class....the people I have been talking to are going with the APBA rules and now what another boycott if the only 500 packs. are not run....WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE......Its like eveeryone is voting on were there boat will be most competitive and cheap for them only......like I said in the wetpits you only had 7 votes for the engine thier are other teams out their who are not going to vote because they are already setting up thier boats for 2004 by APBA rules........this is good well have 1 boat in SBI 2or 3 in OSS and 3 in ABPA and 4 in the GLSCS......thats going to really help this class....

Offshore Addiction

gino,why dont you call Allen instead of bicthen here!and hey guys,all I know is when everybody including myself wrecked with the 500's,it may have taken awhile,but we were back in the saddle,the 525's have proven to be way to costly in money,life and injury's!they belong in closed canopies not open boats!even back when A-boats and B boats were open,manufacturers didn't have these agressive bottoms,just straight v-bottoms and as the steps were introduced the maufacturers were puttin tops on them!now everybodys tryin to run these big motors with the steps with open boats and its gettin crazy!

By the way,If you formula guys could send a merry christmas to jacks wife and kids from our team and family it would be greatly appreciated!

MANITIE

Al,
We have F1 guys that read these posts but do not particpate in writing here....some of the teams for next year are working on there F1 boats as we speak...the last thing they need to hear is that some of the teams may be running in different santioning bodys because the rules did'nt go there way....if were going to build up a class and teams are going to race by the rules in hand we either do it or not....we don't have to start splitting teams up hear....alot of guys that you don't hear from on hear are getting feed up with all the changes.....Why can't all the F1 teams just get together and race no matter if its not the best for there particular boat....
I started this post for some positive input from teams that have been around for awhile...and we have had some good input from Tom, Eric and a few others.....not to put down a class if the rules are not exactly right.....

Gino

Dredgeking

gino,

racers are very competitive people. if they don't feel they have a chance to win, then why would they race?

ray van

MANITIE

I agree....but are all the teams spending the same amout of money and time testing.....Mark and Randys boat were always up front in 2002....BC and BJ boat also but they will both tell you there engines are getting tired...and BC has spent alot of money on his boat this year...we all know that boat runs 82+ and would have been up front with a fresh engine in it we all know what BJ's boat can do and he would tell you his engine was not as strong...Some teams would have love to finshed 3rd all year in their boats.....we all know what we have going into a race and if you can't get your boat to run 80-82mph you will be up front....if you boat will only do 76-77 you are not going to be up front...but yet you have great competitors out this year....Look at SVL....their was'nt a team close to running with Steve M. do you think if Steve ran as hard as they could the races would have even been close.....but yet the class still keeps growing....
Just my thoughts.....

Gino

mr_velocity

I don't know if I agree with this, you're putting to much into the top speed of the boat and not enough emphisis on setup for the conditions. I ran SCL and our boat was not even closs to being the fastest out there. We were the only boat running 6s so in addition to power loss in the tranny and having to carry an extra 1000# in the boat just about everyone was faster than us. Top speed was off the kilo mark by 6 - 8 mph. It just meant we had to spend more time testing and making sure the boat was setup perfectly for the conditions of the course. We knew that in a flat water race we were going to have to fight for 3rd or 4th. But when things got rought and boats couldn't run their flat out top speed we dominated since we had spent the time in setup.
Steve dominated because he tests, alot. So does Randy. When it comes to winning races there is no other option. You need to test and not just the day before the race. You also need to make the investment into props to make sure you're setup for all conditions.

Treadwellmotorsports

screamin eagle and other's.

i don't understand what you guy's are complaining about on cost. a 500 efi package with same drive is a 3300 dollar diffrence then the 525 package. so please explain it to me.

as far as svl i can build one cheaper then a f1 boat. as far as expenses for the season they are the same.

off that topic i think is is great you guy's are talking and trying to get together and hope you do. ( but i don;t see it hapening )

Treadwell
oh one quik one. as far as speed if you went with a smaller engine the speeds would be down a little but not enough

Offshore Addiction

gino,then why is your fountain parked!it can still finish a race,can't it?or is something like it wont compete in the top three so you parked it and teamed up with mark?I ran all year doing the best we could with 200 different circumstances pulling at different things,I still havent recovered finacially from that wreck a few years ago,god forbid I still dont have total use of my left arm,and now the problems with my right shoulder,lets not forget the divorce,the business,this god forsaken ecomomy(remember I'm in the recreational business),loss of sponsors,attorneys,my beautiful kids,attorneys,and the attorneys,how would you like to pay someone across the board to take you to court to try to divide the value of a boat that in the last couple of years has lost 40% of its value and hasn't even been registered!,well I know you know about the value part youve got one sittin also!thank god scott and his family have helped with their support this year and have been just fantastic,and you have to compete against a boat that has more power and mercury racing has chosen to put more time in than most!so quit preaching to me about this crap,I've been racing alot longer than you,this is a business to me and thats what helps to me consider the choices that confront me...and by the way,BC did have a fresh engine this year,and mine only has about ten hrs since freshening and innovation has chosen not to support the engines they've built,so quit preachin charlie brown!Ive spent well over 250,000 dollars in the F1 series since I've raced in it!