Calling All Single Engine Race Boats
 

Please chime in if you have any interest in some sort of semi spec under 32 ft class,based around 85mph? maybe based on some prop calc. or HP x weight, this is your chance speak up !!!!

Isn't prop calc and a mph designation exaclty how the OPA classes work now?

The "semi-spec" class would have to have very specific rules that everyone builds to and speed ends up where it may.

let's hear what you got?

I don't mean to be a hater here but you've got one guy that wants this class that has a 500hp type motor and one guy who has a 750 supercat motor........I don't know where your going to end up at a semi spec class with that big of disparity to begin with???

AND LIKE ALWAYS <<<<RYAN TAKES THE FUN OUT OF EVERYTHING !!!!!!

WY DONT YOU TRY TO GET SOME MORE BOATS TO RUN IN YOUR CLASS ????? SO ATLEAST YOU CAN BE HAPPY .:rolleyes:

Daredevil...Ryan does make a very valid point. He has been involved in the sport for many years and is certainly someone who knows what he is talking about.The A-Class was strong in the early to mid ninties in terms of boat count; mainly because it was the most affordable class.I was fortunate enough to drive an A-Class boat in some USO and SBI races.As the class evolved;so did the variety of hull and engine combinations.You had everything from 24ft open cockpit conventional vees with 450hp to 30ft canopied vees with 750hp.Inboards,outboards,stock,modified etc.The disparity in power and speed capabilities of the boats ultimately compromised the racing, and lead to the formation of the spec Factory 1 Class.

I understand why people want wide open throttle spec racing.I guess the real challenge now would be to try to develop a set of rules to address all of the variations in the boats that may want to participate in this class.It will also be interesting to see how the new open cokpit vee one design class developes.Bracket racing,although far from perfect,at least provides a place for the older boats to still race competitively.Just my opinion.

Anyway..I look forward to seeing your team at some OPA races in 2009 in whatever class you decide to enter.

I agree with Ryan and Mr Waterboy. You guys are trying to resurect a dead class. Hollis made a go of it two years ago with F-1, and the only team that committed was Typhoon. Whats different today? The economy sucks ...period. no one has the cash to piss away when they are worried about keeping their jobs. Lets stick to what already exists. You are trying to complicate things.

Scott, what happens when you blow a motor or two and you are out for the season? No money to keep going. The class is dead. Stick to P-4 and you'll be fine.

Oh,,,no doubt Ryan knows what he is talking about.
I was just trying to be funny and non the less think that it can be done.
There are alot of people out there that whant to see real racing,also alot of racers are tiered of Bracket racing.

Like you said rules that make sence is what we need for a class like this.

My boat is an old A-Boat ,basicly all the Phantoms and Extremes are too,but i would love to have a class only for open cockpits ,,,,,because its hard to run against a canopy boat.
And i think if we keep the rules simple enuff ,we are on to something.
Like Just N/A engines ,not more 540 ci, not longer then 32 and not smaller then 26.
No Blowers or any other kind of compression boost, not lighter then 4800 # max weight 6200 # and i think it can work.
Drives dont matter because the bravo style has the advantage in weight,and the SSM is solid and fast.
But wy would anybody put a SSM on a 26-28 foot boat weighing 4800 # ,so it will equal itself out ( kind of ).
The boats should all do between 75-90 MPH easy ,,,,,so lets race. :ernaehrung004:

Also i would not care about stepped or non step, both of them have good and bad points.

I also would not compare it to F-1 because they had merc.sealed engines which made it hard for the bigger boats.

So again if you built a 800 HP N/A motor it needs to last and you can built it the way u whant.
If i put a 525 and a bravo in my boat , i would need to run P-8 or so. LOL

Bruce,,,been there ,,,blew up every time:mad:
But kept going and thrust me im on a smaller budget then u think,,,or everybody else.:eek:
But i love it,so i do my best to get back out and hopefully i will get an engine that lasts.:rolleyes:

build your boat to run the class,

I believe this thread started, where Al is a little frustrated with not being able to run wide open. Lets look at even the 850 class. They are controlled by rpm gear ratio and prop pitch just like we are. There I must believe it was to keep the boats at a safe speed. From the amount of limiter popping they do, there is definately more speed if more gear were allowed. Hats off to them for realizing competition does not nessessarily need ultimate speed. It needs deck to deck racing. That has been accomplished. The Rules in OPA were structured around the same principle. Prop, gear ratio, rpm. If the boat is set up correctly, and run in the correct class you are running wide open. Example class 2 basically all Fountain SV's class speed 105. While all these boats are capable of 108-109, on a race coarse we can hardly ever get to 105. 90 percent of the time you are wide open. If I entered my boat in class 3, 95 mph class with the intention of trying to dominate the class at 95 mph, yes I would be bored holding the boat at 3/4 throttle. In Al's case the boat is too fast for class 5, and too small for class 4. While he has the speed to run class 4, the twin engine V's are hard to catch in big water. But if you look at it as a series and not just one race. Al can win at the calm water races, where the twin V's are stuggling in the calm conditions. Al I am not singling you out, just using your problem to try and solve the issue. If there were a single engine class with a speed set at 85 instead of 75, I can only think of 3 or 4 boats that would be capable. Not enough for a class. At the same time class 5 is so strong, why pull boats out of there. Boats that come to mind, Crazy Chicken, Octane, 27 Activator canopy, who else? Or Al, I will go halfs with you on one of Gino's Spec Boats, and lets go try and kill each other. Open ears.....Smitty

On the other issue of horse power to weight, that only works if you have the same hulls. In P1 the new tech. Hulls win. In our world, you have new hulls, old hulls, stepped hulls, V hulls, Power to weight will never work.

Example, sorry if I use my own boat, but it is the perfect example.
32 Viper Old straight V, 8000 lbs 1500 hp 106 mph.
Our Fountain although 38 foot actually has the same running lenght as our Viper. It also weighs 8000 lbs.. When we put the engines from the old boat in it we saw 136.
Two boats same weight, same length same power,106 vrs 136.

Even though i very selden agree with you ,,,,,,,,,i think u got a point.:party-smiley-004:
By the way did you find the tailpipes ?:evilb:

I am all ears on this thread:drink:

I know this site is for racers, not fans, but OPA is doing a terrific job, so I would just let them continue what they're doing. From what I read, OPA is the deal, all the others are on there way down. Correct me if I'm wrong.

This site is for racers, officials, fans alike. Your input is important too, as we all need to work together.

Rich

Thanks everyone, I consider any input on this topic very helpful and after the reality, there are only a few boats & teams that really would benifit from a new class. I feel that for the betterment of OPA that I do not fragment any class going into such trying economic times.I plan on attending the Dec. 13 meeting, gearing up for some class????

great thing going, let's not mess it up