Let me pick!!!
 

You tell me what kind of boat you have with what kind of power,top speed,rigging,expereance and length.And let me tell you what class.
Bring them on!

This will be based on P1-P5

I will start and say all F1 should be P3
all APBA F2 should be P2
all SBI F2 should be P1
most P5 should be P4
Anything over 100 mph P1
P5 rookies and older boats with little chance. (want a taste)
Everyone should step up so there is NO HOLDING BACK issues
Randy

Hey Randy,
A real good starting point is the one design, Especially if you dont want o break the family boat. Then step up the following year.

Pete great coment,has anyone contacted Chris Riendel to see if he wants to lease boats in OPA this year?

Randy, We are currently working with Chris, He wants the Jersey Boyz to come race in Cinn. Even offering travel $. And in exchange they are willing to come race here. First piece in the puzzle of cross racing

Randy.38FT..10,500 lbs dry..twin 650HP/510 cu.in. at 79.5 top end GPS in New Orleans first race with 4 blade 28 props and 75.8 second race with 4 blade 30's....bravo one's with the new zx??? upper gears and 2" shorty imco lower....you were there!!!!!But we had a lot of FUN...the best times were with all the guys,Eddie and Jimmy!

Augi you are perfect in P4 with your boat configeration.Now if you had a 2 man race rigged and lost 1500 lbs I would move you to P3
Randy

Thank You Randy,I'm not going on a diet for anyone! Hey Randy,Thanks for helping us with this. Augie

Who is next or are you afraid of the truth.
Randy

Randy, is there a top speed for F1? If not, what do you think it will take to win in F1?

thanks
Shawn

Shawn,
There is no top speed for F1, as long as you build the boat to legal wieght and drive hieght.I think APBA might have a restriction of some props also.
I think the trick to winning is be consistant,in the rough and the flat.If you can hang with the smaller and faster boats in the calm and then do well in the rough you will be in the hunt.Top speeds of 81-83 will be very competetive.

Frank

Sorry guys, I meant to type P1, not F1


Thanks
Shawn

can't wait......
 

Gonna come and run P3 with you guys! Can't wait.

Brian Hollis
PowerBoatTours.com P3-1
APBA World and National Champions

Good luck Brian, great to have you racing with us...
Frank

Brian, we run P3 as well Great news that makes 12 P3's so far. We are Team Wazzup. If there is anything you need give me a call or Email Ed 732 920 3945

Randy,
What class would the current "Outlaw A Class" boats run in?
This "P Class" format is the key to good racing.

RLW, I would have to say that outlaw A class would be in the P3 class.Most of the A boats are running in the upper 80's and I believe Mountain Dew set the kilo at around 93mph.Most A boat that are left and are very equal in speed and have expereanced race teams in them.
As for top speed in P1 it could be as high as 150mph but I dont expect to many boats with top speed of over 125mph. Only an experianced race team will be able to run at over 100mph for any length of time.
Randy

I hear the P5 guys crying about getting wooped by a 38 Cig that can't break 70 but will run 68 in anything. Should these types of boat be deemed none competitive together?

I was thinking of NO twin big blocks in P5. Twin small blocks would be OK.

Thoughts?

Randy, you and smitty seem to be very competitive together.


You say most P5s should step up to P4? Like which ones? Overall I agree competely with your opening statement.

Candy
You are wrong in that all F1 boats should be P-3. My boat has never gone over 80. You think it would be fair to run against hollis's Cigarette or Dirty Cash or performance marine's powereplay, Mountain Dew? Your talking 700Hp in single engine boats against 500hp. F-1 boats are the top of the food chain in p-4. Maybe YOU belong in p-3 since your so fast. Happy Holidays.

BJ Im saying if we should be in P-3 then Dirty Cash,Wassup,Hollis and any of those boats should go to P2.Most of them run in the 90's.As for the other A boats I think we could give them a run for there money.
Ron as for the 38 cig. I would let him run in P5 if he is a rookie only.And if he wins a race then move him up to P4 where he probualy belongs anyway.;) Randy

Ron,

Because size is not a factor (more accurately, not a consideration) in P classes, the number of smaller boats has dwindled. I remember that at the St. Pete World's in 99 there were no less than 8 boats 25' or less out of a total of just over 30 "local" boats. This year, there may have been two or three P class boats (excluding bat boats) less than 25' that competed in all the APBA race sites combined. APBA allows boats 21' and over to compete, but the owners of such boats know they are at a huge disadvantage. (Other than the bat boats, can anyone name a 25' or less boat that won a contested race this year - or even last year? The list would probably be very small.) In the past, small race boats raced against other small boats, or against slightly larger boats with the same power.

I agree that twin big blocks should not be permitted in P5. I think that stock, or slightly modified, small blocks should be the most twin power allowed in P5.

Another question I would offer regarding big boats with big power in P5 is whether they make sense from a spectator's view? If the classes haven't been confusing enough, fans have an even harder time grasping how some boats are expected to compete with others in the same P class. And, that 38' Cig at 68 mph, does it look like its moving fast enough to be racing? Is the crew physically fatigued after every race?

All good points.Size does matter.I like the idea of no twin big blocks in P5.But that leaves only small blocks and not many boats running those anymore for racing.Maybe Mike M. is the only guy I know of but he wants P4
Randy

What if P5 was limited by length? Say 25' max. There is no way these boats will even come close to 70 mph in the ocean-all races are in the are ocean. There are currently 4-5 boats under 25 so far. These small boats would get stompped on by all the larger P5 boats. This would also allow the small class to grow. Do you think these small boats are going to keep coming back and spending 500.00 to race knowing they will get whipped?
Carrabbas, Simply Awesome, Jerry M's Pantera would all be competitive with Typhoon and Geco in P4. Let all the other P5 boats step up to P4 were they would be better matched to race. Let the small boat class grow by limiting the length.

I agree, size does matter and should be part of the formula for class placement.I suggest:

P3 (80-89MPH 38 FOOT MAXIMUM)
P4 (70-79 MPH 30 FOOT MAXIMUM)
P5 (60-69MPH 25 FOOT MAXIMUM)

I know some will disagree with this as some boats will have to "step up" but in my opinion this would improve competition in all five classes.

P1 twin inboard cats,twin inboard vees with huge power
P2 twin outboard cats, twin inboard vees with big power
P3 twin big block vees, single big block vees with big power
P4 twin small block vees,twin outboard vees and single inboard vees
P5 small single inboard vees, single outboard vees
Again, just my opinion.

You got to love those small blocks


Mike

Runaway p4-54

I don't wanna whine here, but I am. Do you guys think that I should have to race my 24 Skater with twin 200's runs mid 90's in FLAT water against a 42 Foutain with 800's and a 37 OL with 900sc? I think there sould definetaly be size restrictions and allowances. Oh and my 2 cents is the CIG , the 28 Panters, and the twin small block Magnum should NOT be in P-5

Ryan I think you probualy belong in P3 with that size boat.What class are you in APBA and who have you been racing?What is the best placeing you did this year and with how many boats in class
Randy

Randy what are you going to tell the guys that have old heavy boats that can just get 70 out of them with twins? Go get beat up on by the P-4s that are running 10 miles an hour faster. I don't think they will stay racing very long.Pete

APBA made me run P2. I raced St Cloud against a Bat boat with a blower motor and won. I race Marathon against a 42 Fountain with 800's and got lapped. I raced Key West against the OL and Fountain. The Fountain broke and the OL lapped me 3 times. Hey how fast is a 37 OL with 900 sc any way?

Hey it's fine with me if you boat goes in the class it is supposed to. The guys in all the classes need to stop bull****ting about how slow there boats are. I am tired of hearing yea it's faster but he is propping down that a bunch of ****. I bet half the boats in the P classes are in the wrog class based on TOP speed.

Ryan

If you are talking about my magnum , Its in p4 class ,so i can kick typhoons ass.


Mike

confusing...............
 

And you wonder why our sport is so confusing? I just read all the proposals on the " new classes". My boat does not run 90 and I'm not running P2 against any 100 mph boats and I'll just stick w/ APBA Pro Series. Not hard feelings guy's , I know your tying but damn - BH

Mike I wasn't implying anything toward your boat but since you brought it up I just read on your boats previous owners site that it ran 102??????

Brian, APBA is going through these same questions and issues. Hopefully OPA/Jersey Boyz will end up on the same page as APBA. You know they are all reading this thread for ideas so lets have em.

Ryan, why were you in the same class with a 112 mph OL??? I'm sure your boat runs about 92 t0 94 but what are your average lap speeds. The feeling I'm getting is that average lap speeds would be more relevent than top speed in perfect water. This would put you in P3 as your lap speed probably falls between 80 and 89mph.

Brian, your boat seems perfect for P3.

I am looking at an older Skater 32' with triple 2.5s. I expect to run in P2. With ocean racing props, this boat should not exceed 100 mph. I will not buy this boat if I am expected to compete in P1. Why isn't P X one of the classes for Kurt etc.?

Well Randy, what class will I be racing in?

Shawn

PJA those big 38 footers that you say only go 70 can run 68mph all day long in the ocean and should be able to hang with any P4 boat.If they need help with showing them how to run a boat at full speed I would be more than happy to work with them.It doesant belong in P5 because the team isant experianced.You have to learn in the right class and stop steeling someone elses thunder.True P5 boats have to earn there wins on skill not size and being in the wrong class.
Ryan my guess an OL with 900's is capable of 120mph and how do you belong with these guys?
Whats wrong with having the inspectors run some of the questionable boats prior to race day and test for speed,handaling,setup,prop size and RPM then make the call.
Some boats are easy and dont need to be done.
Randy

ryan,

from strictly a competitive standpoint, your 24' skater w/ t-200hp would run nicely with the current APBA P3 fleet. You might have a slight advantage in those rare "ideal" conditions (like st. cloud) but you would not dominate with such a small boat at the open water sites. what is ironic is that there is a 24' skater w/ t-2.4s on the glscs web site team profiles listed in P3. similar boats, similar power, both racing apba, in different classes?

Shawn
A 32 Skater with triple 2.5 would definaltley be a P1 boat it should run 110-115 set up properly.
Rob
The GLSCS seems to run under there own guide lines, I was told by officials that I HAD to run P2 one of whom was from GLSCS, but then the allow the same boat to run P3, Hell they have a 28 Skater running P2 in the Lakes most 28's that I know of run 110 plus!

Well Shawn I would agree with Ryan that a 32 with triples should run well over 100mph.But lets say it doesant and you have a inspector run with you at full speed and they determan that your RPMs are maxed with the props you have.Then you do belong in P2.But if Ryan has to run P2 in his 24 with twins how good would you feel beeting him.
Randy

We are working hard to find a way to run the P class boats, where everyone has a fair chance. The problem is not only do you have a bunch of boats where no two are alike, but you have race sites where no body of water is alike. If you classify the boats by total speed, in flat water the cats run away, in the rough the V's run away. So you wait till race day and see what mother nature has in store. If you run the boats on a average lap speed, it puts the strategy in the hands of the crew, you have to manage the coarse, and not bust out. In the North East we have placed the boats, by what the tech guys felt the boats could run,and have been fairly successful. However we were only running 3 to 5 boats in any given class. This coming season it looks more like 10 to 15 boats per class. I really feel we can handle this fairly easily at registration and tech inspection. For instance we already know how fast the boats are that we ran with last year, placing them is easy. It my take the first race to see where everyone else runs. You can look at lap speeds in any given class and see who was busting out, and then you move him up. Last year we ran P3, a lot of the races there were no boats in our class, our option was slow down and run with the slower boats or knuckle down and go after the P2 and P1 We always went after the faster boats. My point here is all the racers I have met dont want to go slow, I was told you run as hard as you can for as long as you can, If there is a guy out there sand bagging he my win, but he had nowhere near as much fun as you. And I'm sure we'll figure out real quick who is hold back. Right now we dont have the answere. GPS or telemetry is an option. How about the honesty of the racer. The love of the sport. And lets just go tear it up!!! Happy New Year to all Team Wazzup.

Eddie it sound good on paper!

New Idea.At the begining of the season list the boats that are racing and mail out a pole as to what class each of the boats should be in.Each boat will have size,top speed and make of boat.Let the fellow racers also decide on a boats class.If anyone modifies there boat during the season they must notifiy OPA with written changes and post it.Majority rules.
Or narrow it down to 10 tec. inspectors

Randy