Thats a heavy and expensive motor that will take a beating offshore. You need at least solid mounts, lighter cowls, etc to make the stuff last. It really isnt that simple either. Who is doing the teardown? Bracket is the way to go. Usually the people who dont think bracket racing is competitive racing...have never done either.

200hp is the perfect amount on these boats for running 60. You dont have to run loose, stuff will last, etc. But 3.0s are not an offshore motor...at least on these boats.

Maybe this isn't the place ? as I believe the rule book says 300hp. But since I am assembling a boat now, what am I shopping for? A buddy found a 250, if I pop on that am I screwing myself for the season, when it changes down to 225? I don't have an engine yet so I can acquire what I need, but only plan on doing it once.

Smitty needs to address this now IMO. Either have a conference call with teams and prospective teams and toss around the pros and cons or leave it be the wild west of HP and money. Do this class right and it will grow big quick. Let class 6 be the learning lesson and turn it down a notch or 2 IMO.

Talk to Mark Henderson, although as I understand it its staying open HP but Bracket Speeds.


Randy you cant compare 6 and 7. Weight makes such a big difference in these little boats...a 3.0 engine (250s, 300s, etc) is going to throw the balance of the boat way off. By the time you throw 100lbs up front to balance it, the guy with the smaller HP 2.5 is going to spank ya.
I get what you mean though

There are a couple 22's that will run 90+ with a 2.5 280, if you propped that thing to run in the bracket it would accelerate like a rocket

If it is a 250 merc, it can be detuned to 225 very easily, or even up tuned to close to 300 almost as easy.

And have to be rebuilt every other race.
They are also super light weight boats, with tons of setback. Not an ocean runner....
Right now the 21s running near 100 all have 300x motors.

A 22 foot Bat Boat or Backdraft with a Stock 90 Merc runs about 72MPH in the ocean. No other 22 footer will see it in the rough with anything less than a 2.5 . My 23 Bat Boat ran 103 with a 2.5 260 offshore propped for flat conditions. Set up for the ocean it ran 97MPH. On any typical offshore race day with a 6 mile course I was lapping my class by the third lap while texting from the drivers seat. My class was comprised of Progressions, Activators, Phantoms (British version), Superboats, Velocity. The closest was the Phantom.

Anyone have a 22' BatBoat they want to trade for my 22' Velocity ? ? Sounds unbeatable.