Class 5 Cambridge all teams read this
 

Friday afternoon between 3-4 Anthony and I are going for some boat rides. We will test EVERY SINGLE boat in class 5. Be in the water ready to go by 3pm. 74.999 Bring lots of props and lots of chips. It is up to you to have what you need to make your boat legal. If we cannot get your boat to run within the limits of the class, Up you go. Say hello to Mr Simmonds. You have had all season to work on your setup. There is no current in Cambridge. No Full Moons, No Luner Eclipses, and no excuses. Smitty

Not starting anything but after talking to several teams no one knows why there is a need to check prop size or boat speed. Who cares is the point. Its more inspections,time and in some cases a feeling of being a whiner if you protest. If you breakout its all over end of story period. What advantage would you possibly have by running a oversized wheel when in this style of racing its all about excellaration.
I would propose each boat have a secondary GPS on there boat as a back up in case the first one broke or didnt read. But not as 2nd opinion if your first one showed you broke out. This would eliminate the case of what to do if someones GPS failed. Also testing peoples boats in rivers with currents is close to imposable to be fair and accurate.
Is this something that is open for discusion in class 5? Just trying to make it more fair and easyer for all involved.
If you are in class 5 and running a 80 MPH prop you have not been doing this real long or just dont understand the theory of running at a higher RPM for max excelaration.
MD

try that spell check thing,it works

Randy,

Let me say right up that my opinion of props and chips is a flawed way of racing. You know I started in F1 were parity was the name of the game and you had to show your talent and skills to win.

Now you have a large disparity of torque and HP in boats running in the same class. I don't get it. You use the extra HP and blow through the turns and gain a huge acceleration advantage getting back up to 74.99 MPH. Pretty soon you going to have a 1800 HP blower motor running class 5.

My view of racing is dialing in to run as fast as you can, fitting in a class of similar boats, and showing what you and your team mate can do. This watching the GPS so you don't break out seems absurd.

Jim

Jim....while bracket/GPS racing may seem obsurd to you, it seems to be the only way most of these teams can have a place to race. If we didnt have it, there would be alot less boats on the race course, and alot of good people out there who would never get the opportunity to live their dreams of racing an offshore race, and the sport would never grow to where it is now. BH tried to resurrect F-1 and there were no takers. So this is the next best thing. If you want a level playing field to hone in your skills, run OSS. For now, this is the best we can do. Its not perfect, but its something and everyone seems to be enjoying it. Additionally, the big power boats are not always winning either. They are older, heavy conventional Vees and need that much more power to be competitive. They also break that much more often. So, until we come up with something better, without adding 5 more classes, it is what it is. Let's make the best of it.

Bruce your points are all valid. But why not move the guys up to an appropriate class instead of letting them prop down & use chips? I'm talking about 85 MPH boats running in a a 75 MPH class. If the best you can run is 80 then sure, prop down. That helps maintain parity in bracket racing. If your best speed is over 80 then your in class 4. Your thoughts?

Jim

First off, Im not sure many of the class-5 boats are really capable of 85. Maybe 80-82 at best. And thats hangin it out. If they were bumped up to class 4, they would be forced to run against bigger boats with twins, and would have little or no chance of being competitive, and would then hang it up. Its hard enough for us in a SVL to compete in class 4 and thats with a roof over our heads. You cant bump these guys up. Its not safe and obviously will not be fun. I think the class 5 fleet is gettin it together as best they can. They talk to each other and OPA in efforts of making it as fair as possible. But like I said before. Unless you add 5 more classes, its the best we have for the time being. Plus, it makes for some exciting racing. I enjoy watching them battle it out almost as much as I did when F-1 was at its peak.

I think you pick your setup seal the hatch so no Chip change is possible. All boats should remain in water to verify props.Look for the bypass switch on the revs Keep it clean.and it gets closer to competion. Also if a boat can run 77
mph let him it will be their demise. I can't run 85 and if forced to run P 4 I might as well not show.

Bruce my point is exactly what you said "capable Speed" Boats should be classed based on what they are capable of. I took a look at the OSS results for SVL and all SVL light boats should be in class 4. As a group you were a little under 85 MPH in Biloxi, a little over in Pickwick. In class 4 you still have something to motivate you to improve and race harder. If you drop to class 5 you can keep and eye on the GPS. After a couple of races what satisfaction do you get from that?

Jim

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Smitty....keep doing what your doing...if testing the boats keeps eveyone where they should be then do it....you have put bracket racing back on the map...do what you feel is the best for the sport and keeping everyone within the rules...

We have seen to many racers complain over the years...and its been a very mute problem this year....

You are the President....and you will always have racers complain....you have been fair to everyone and have heard them out on there concerns......and there always has to be RESPECT for the president....keep your vision and keep doing what you feel is the best for the sport....

Take care of Puff.....and will see ya in few days...

Jim -

First off, there are no canopy boats allowed in class 5 other than the little 24' batboats. Now worries of a SVL dropping into class 5. Not too mention just about all 5 boats are singles, bumping them to 4 would be tough as they'd be running against twins AND longer boats. Running a time-trial style top speed setup is one thing, to run those speeds in a racing environment and having the necessary acceleration is quite another. Keep in mind it's not only power but you have to look at where a certain boat style is safest.

I just don' t understand how you can knock the GPS racing???? Look at not only overall team turn out but the numbers of DIFFERENT teams that have won or at least done very well!!! Best I've seen outta this sport in quite sometime. And to compare to F1?! That was great racing when it started but NO ONE came back when the series was brought back. Personally I HATE the idea of spec motors...drives the price of racing way up and opens the door for whining about cheating. The way we have it setup you build the boat for the class. Find the class your boat style fits and build the best powertrain combination you can and dial it in for the speed. It's out in the open and no reason for racers to *itch and whine too much.

Smitty - I agree with the above, do what you feel is best for the organization. However, I feel you need to rely more on the technology to be the final determining factor, not old school "get out and run it". I'm just curious how it is insured that the setup you run will be the same when the green drops??? With the number of breakouts, I'm sure that has everyone's attention and they'll do there best to run under the #. To me that's a more straight forward route than running them, but you may have other ideas. Again, you have provided a great place for all of us to race so if this is needed then by all means do it.

See everyone in Cambridge!

Nothing is taken away from the fine job OPA has done in putting on great races and building boat count. That is self evident. This discussion is about concerns like yours quoted above. How do you dial in classification of the boats, or, do you leave it alone and let it run?

Jim

Randy, we laid off the prop calc inforcement in the last couple of races and the result is self evident. The rule is prop calc. the GPS was intended as a back up, and a scoring device. The rule is the rule....we will inforce it. Besides, I love boat rides. Smitty

AMEN

Chris....are you coming to Cambidge....one of your boats is in the hunt...You need to come to Cambrige....I haven't seen you in a while....

Hope you can make it....first one is on me.....then the rest are on JC....

Hey Jim, As A former F1 Racer I totaly understand your point, but this is a different type of racing, yes we do watch the GPS in these flat water Races but its a lot more to it than that, First of all you are never racing by your self, you are always battling with 2 or more boats so it becomes more about excelleration, who turns the best and who can stay hooked up the best in the rough water. It's every bit as much setting up and testing as F1 was if not more because you have do do all this work within the parameters. On paper it seems boring but hike out here and join us you'll see what I mean. Look how many different winners we have had in class 5 and 4 this year, and some that didnt win may have finished 1 but broke out but, they were capable of winning.

Eddie