Doug I feel what you are saying about canopyed boats. Im not sure what the average racer thinks happens to your boat with a lid on it. Still same 27 feet with the same 525 motor with a prop that you cant go faster than 75 mph. Sounds like a factory 1 boat that many of us race in class 5. If you cut the top off its still the same boat except you may get hurt if you get ejected. If twin big block 30' boats are ok then I dont see any big deal with a 27' 525 canopy boat. I would rather see your boat in class 5 and no new twin boats. It would make more sense if the class was restricted to single power nat. asperated gas pump boats.
MD

no twin new boats...typical randy...if they fit put them in the class. Smitty has always been good to the racers
thats why opa has a better following then any other org. deal with it. or go to OSS and spend more $$ and have less fun

Exactly, dont over complicate things. Thats the beauty of the OPA. Run whatya brung and have a ball. The better the competition the more fun it is.Were going to run a bout that will be strung out at 75 against other boats that really have the acceloration factor going for them. The more boats the better.

Okay I have a 35 fastech with 500 efis runs 80 LIGHT on fuel does it fit in P5 NOOOOO rules are rules make the boat conform to the class not the class to the boat or it is going to be way off course. The team that says they can't afford to put power in the 30+ boat should not race because if you can't do that then you can't commit to a healthy boat for the season you are gonna race 1 and done and the rules are changed to fit one team. Truly OPA has made a standard stick to making the boats conform to the classes no bending the rules is a good rule because in the end people will build to compete and stay.

hey randy thanks for the back up.Sounds like hannibal doesn't like you.Did you beat up on him all season or something?

No offense,but Randy is 100% right...the proof is in the past when single io and twin ob vees were forced to race twin io vees in the old USO A-Class.It did not work;the boat count dropped,and eventually A-Class was changed back to single io/twin ob vees only.The twins were moved up to B-Class.I think the current OPA Class 5 mirrors the the old USO A-Class.

No doubt..but you cant expect a twin i/o 30 foot boat to just move up to class 4. They wouldnt have a chance

I have been stalling on the conference call. For the simple reason, I figured I would wait and see where this thread goes. Before we blow some head gaskets, I'll get with Waterboy in the am, and get the call going. Great reading by the way. Shows all the passion you guys have for Offshore. Fear not we'll find a way to make Class 5 even better. Smitty

Well ,,i quess first of all the boat is 32' ,,,if u have a 29 foot fountain its realy 26 but still counts as a 29 !!!!!

Second of all i run a 32 single in class 4 !!!! Now do u think the 2 feet make that much of a diffrents ??

+ i have a 10 inch notch at the transom ,,,does that make it a 31 ??
Come on ,,stay sirius with the length ,,,a 32 foot Sunsation is 32 FEET !!!

A few years ago Smitty "inherited" a broken racing club and built it into what it is today. One of the reasons for the success was simple bracketting rules, combined with a few parameters (length limits) and placing boats into the right class. This led to fair racing, which led to higher boat counts, which led to great OPA success.

Smitty is caught in a dilemma, let a boat run in a class where it meets the speed but not the length, or put them in a class based on the boats length.

Smitty/OPA has always maintained race "integrity" by showing no "favoritism". OPA has DQ'ed boats if they broke out based on GPS readings. Just as the rules have speeds set in stone, length limits have also been set. The problem with allowing a boat that exceeds the class length limit is that it sets a "precedent". Its not just about how fast you go, but how well you go fast. If XXX Sunsation 32 can race in class 5 due to speed, does OPA then allow a 28 Pantera with stock power race in class 6?? Where does one draw the line? The line has already been drawn-in the rules. As a racer, I like black and white rules. Several have said; "Build a boat to meet the class, not a class to meet the boat. I hope the guys with the Sunsation do come out to race! I'm sure everyone will welcome them.
I think highly of OPA and respect what they've done, I'm sure they will make the right decision!!