I left Sundays race with a sick feeling in my stomach. Why do I feel different about watching an offshore boat crash than when I see pro car crashes?

How do you guys feel?

Maximus

Ah, a couple more and you'll get used to it. - I'm kidding.

Answer is..... Boats aren't supposed to hit each other.

Survival rate?

Hey Max,
I think you feel the way you feel becaues you run a cat
on a regular basis in that same area. I drive a sports car on a regular basis but don't drive on Talledega on a regular basis. But when you watch that Nascar race you know there is going to be a pretty bad crash sooner or later. I watched everyone come down that start shoot in St Pete and said someone is going to end up on there roof in that first turn. Just a gut feeling I guess?

Maximus,
I know how you feel.

Try taking a trip to the Reno Air Races sometime. Part of our racing team is an individual who races a biplane in Reno.

Every couple of years a pilot goes down, and you never get used to it.

When the Reliable rolled and Brioshi hit the pier, I had the same feeling as when Gary Levitz went down a few years back in Reno.

We raced cars for 20+ years and had a few horrific accidents and never once did my wife think I would die. She did mandate that I race only canopy boats as she does not want to see me fished out and has been around racing long enough to know, wrecking is not an if, it is a when.

We race with full time air and per the wife, my employer and my life insurance are not allowed to race without it. In fact this weekend we installed our gear in a boat we were racing to add this extra level of safety.

I really believe the canopy boats are getting safer and the survival rate appears to be on the rise with the canopies.

Rick

I couldn't agree more, Troutly.

Also, by the nature of this board, I would venture to guess that most, if not all of us, run out boats a little harder than out on-road vehicles, perhaps. It's always in the back of your mind when you're on the edge.


Max,
I know what you mean, I had knots in my gut, too.

Ive been involved in some sort of racing (cars motorcycles, skiing) for 45 of my 60 years, and its kinda like combat, eventually your mind gets numb to it. You see a stock car hit a wall at 150 or a top fuel dragster blow over at 250 and chances are hes gonna walk away or sustain minor injuries. But when I saw our boat roll at the Sarasota race it wasnt If someone was gonna be hurt, I KNEW someone was and it was the worst feeling I ever had at a race. The first thing you think of is, is someone dead. Thats why I get anal about boat racing safety. If anyone ever has the misfortune of having that feeling you'll know what I mean.

Dan

cus if you survive the accident you still might down. plus "lazy loops" don't ahppen in race boat. In a car when you go eve rteh edge the is a margin of error. You can still try to ctahin it and if you dont; athts what run off area is for. Most boat wrecks are all or nothign, whena baot goes over thr eis no cathcing it.

Additionally race teams spend millions doing crash tetsing in an attempt to protect there drivers. Has a boat ever been intentionally crash tested?

Go to Nascar or CART/Indy to see the crashes. when they happen it's almost part of the entertainment. I don't feel that way with boat racing. maybe because I'm closer it than I am car racing, maybe because I know a number of the racers maybe because i could see myself in the drivers seat and know what its like piloting a fast boat (and when it get's away from you). Could be because I have a desire to race and the reality of the danger hits me.

Maximus

accidents suck period. in a car you always have a assh&le cut you off and your instinct is to avoid a hit, it's human nature . in a boat there is no brake petal.just close your eyes and hope that when it's over nobodies hurt .everyone is built the same,we all have red blood.