BRUCE SEROFF

My opinion.....P class is the only way to fit all boats in somewhere. GPS is also the only way (not 100%) to keeps max speeds in check. Its much easier to build a engine to fit into a P class, rather than have spec engines and hope that your boat is fast enough for that class. Some boats are more efficient than others. No doubt.

p4-33

Don't get me wrong - I run P-class, and enjoy doing so. With GPS, we have a level playing field. Simple rules are good.

My suggestion was one that fits within the spirit of this thread, consolidating the multitude of classes into fewer, larger ones.

If we're after a larger fan following, and the corporate advertising $$ that goes along with them, fewer and highly contested classes are our ticket.

Cheers,
Brian

p4-33

Larry - more technical rules is what has killed Factory classes. Maybe a way to resurrect them is to loosen the rules some. If I could run a 86 Fountain with (sorta) current HP500's in Factory 2, (or Open Vee) I might consider it. With looser engine requirements, a number of A-boats might be able to run F1 (OVL). Same with other twin v-bottoms and retired F2 boats that might consider racing against a large fleet.

I'm also not suggesting we rush out and do this tomorrow. Just food for thought for another season.

Brian

Offshore Addiction

great input guys,but personally,now remember this is only my oppinion,I think that this would help the sport alot due to certain facts,1.to many sandbaggers in P-classes,yes,the GPS's helped catch alot of them,but the rest are still playin half throttle out there,2.this is racing and the chance of a 82 mph boat running against and beating a 89.9 mph boat is racing,one point you guys havent mentioned is that a 82 mph boat running against a higher speed boat has the cababilities of higher average lap speeds due to the facts of better handling,in most cases.3.it makes racing,if all the slower nascar teams dropped out and went to the local weekend tracks and only the fast ones stayed competitive,how many fans would walk!so maybe this could be a push for better racing that the fans could understand,if you count 4 P-4 boats,6 P-5 boats,6 factory boats,and 4 A-boats,thats 20 boats,enough for a single race with all the same #'s,thats what made factory racing popular,wether it was factory one or factory two.but hey,thats like anything else,just an oppinion!

it also looks like I won't be able to make marathon due to a death of a friend and customer,his funeral is this coming weeked,so be safe guys!

MIAMIBOYZ

I for one and Bruce`s boat are made to race A class or for now P class. We would have to modify and spend about 10k to race in a F1 type bracket. I plan to move up next year in a SV boat and sell my boat at the end of this season.

Albert

Mag27

Fellow P class racers,just a word of caution.Be sure you know what your going to give up before jumping at somthing like this.Dont forget F1 needs you a lot worse then we need them.Im not going to say any more on this because next year im going back to being a fan again,you young guys can fight it out. Mel

ScottB

Mel, I think he is talking about all of these boats running A class. If it means 20 boats in a class, I'll run my P5 24 footer against you F1, P4, and A class girls
AS LONG AS THE ENTRY FEES STAY AT P CLASS LEVELS

1waterboy1

Scott,
I agree.I was fortunate enough to race in a 26ft Corsa in A-Class at the 1994 Worlds in Key West...there were 34 boats in the class!...it was so much fun.The class was actually split to accomadate the 5 or so twin engine small block A-Class boats that ran in US Offshore,and some of the larger CID and high compression single engine boats(Production A); and the single inboard/twin outboard APBA rules based boats(Offshore A).

The point is, we ran against 25+ single engine open cockpit boats...ranging from 24-30 feet with anywhere from 500-700HP.

1waterboy1

The rest of my message was cut off....

Anyway, I think we finished 15th....but we were actually running further back than that and benefited from atrition.

There were battles throughout the entire pack...we ran side by side with a 29ft Phantom with twin outboards, a 27ft Cobra and a 29ft Warlock....it was great racing, we seemed to make up distance in the harbor and catch them, and then fall back outside in the big stuff.The boats running at the top of the pack were "Franks Marine" a 24ft Scorpion(those guys were running so hard and fast it was insane; they actually lappped us!)"Scott Free" a 26ft Velocity, "Gulfwind" another 26ft Velocity...."Hogs Breath" a 26ft Corsa and I think "Archer Marine" a 26ft Scarab. We had a boat that boat that was capable...we just got outrun.Anybody who participated in that race said it was the best ever!It was by far the most fun I have ever had racing....and did I mention we finished 15th!!!!!!!!!!!

Mag27

Hey Scott,better be carefull about us girls.Gambler was a top A boat in KW in 95 and i got her 700 hp eng. setting in the corner yet.Just didnt want my team running that fast,thats wy i downgraded to P4.Dave is my grandkids father and i want to keep him around a while yet. MEL