Gordo, there is a ten MPH difference between the classes. To move a team up isn't right. In the past there were always a lot of fast boats sitting back in slower classes. Not the case anymore. Most of our boats are wide open in their class. The sixth class made a hugh difference in having a competitive series.

Smitty, what number system is everyone going to use?
P1-01 or 101.....

Augie, Smutty runs a little shop down on Canal street.lol

So I beleive the question is to P or not to P, can we all agree weather or not to drop the P on the numbers? How does this get started? a vote from all P racers SBI and OPA collectively? If so lets get that ball rollin and get it done before Algonac. that will be one step forward. Smitty what is your personal suggestion for the speeds? X2 MPH - x5 MPH leaves 3.5 right in the middle is that the number everyone should look into heading for or keep it a round number. What is your opinion. I actually don't know if all the OPA classes end in a 5 for speeds so i could be alittle off in my math.

Sorry, spell check in a hurry gets ya, Smutty

Eddie,

The challenge here is going to develop the best classes to accomodate most of the boats in OPA and SBI. For example, OPA P5 boats really do not compare to SBI P5 boats. Because the SBI P5 class is limited to 28 foot and under single engine and our boats have been competitve in all types of water. To throw the former F1 boats into that class would give an unfair advantage to the OPA boats. Former F1 boats run SBI P4. So maybe we combine the OPA P6 with SBI P5 at a max of 70 mph, 28 foot and under single engine...call it P6. Then combine OPA P5 and SBI P4 into a P5 75 mph class and leave SBI P4 as is but at 85 mph.

Again, my point being meet in the middle. Now I know we've heard develop a boat for a class and not a class for a boat, but I believe in order to find the middle ground, we need to develop the classes based on the current registered boats.

Sean

Where's the unfair advantage, Im just looking at boats registered from the SBI Web Site,
P6
Army
V&M Velocity
Shogun, P6 or P5
Not Guilty
Papa Dukes
Crocket
Locked Up
Akula
The 2 Bat Boats
P5
Rum Runners
Crazy Chicken &
Joker, same boats
VR1 Velocity
Pirate Offshore Racing
Team Gallagher Challenger Powerboats 28' 620hp
Typhoon, OPA World Champion, 26' HP500
Outrageous
Specialize Racing
Extras
AMF/Raylar
Offshore Addiction
Pump It
Jamaican Me Krazy
Goumada Racing Team
Cintron/Panther
Jersey Pirates
Wahoo ATV

You can not have Single engine boats, Racing Large Twin engine boats 6 to 10 feet longer, as you cant have 24' boats Racing 30' boats, but you can have 26' boats racing 30' boats
as we had in OPA and F1 for the last 9 years

I think I understand what you were saying. Kinda "Cornfusing" But it looks like that would work. I agree that both sides should meet in the middle.

Eddie,

I whole heartedly agree. But let me associate this to the OPA rules to clear up the confusion Brad mentions.

Change OPA P6 to allow 28 foot max. Then you'll have a place for the single engine boats from 24 feet racing a max of 28 foot boats. That fits into your rationale. Plus, it allows us SBI P5 boats a place to race other single engine boats and not the twins, which are not allowed in SBI P5 and have therefore kept our 24-28 footers competitive.

To me, this is meeting in the middle. OPA gives 2 feet, this allows the SBI guys not to have to race the twins in OPA P5, and SBI adopts the OPA speed. One change for OPA, one change for SBI. Both fit into the rationale of the class design.

If SBI then increases the speeds to match OPA's, this may be the only change required on OPA's part. The SBI P5 boats will split into OPA P5 and P6 like you noted, OPA P5 boats stay where they are, SBI P4 boats could split into OPA P5 or P4. I believe the remaining classes would just require the SBI guys to get a little more speed out of their boats.

BTW...I'm all for dropping the "P" as well.

Sean