New Vee Bottom Rules
 

We are moving forward with the development of a new set of rules for vee bottom racing at SBI/APBA. Racing under the new rules is scheduled to begin at the Suncoast Superboat Offshore Grand Prix race June29-July 1, 2007.

The new rules incorporate the best features of Factory, Super Vee, and Manufacturer Production Classes….and a couple of innovative features to make racing under the rules void of the perception of unfair advantage.

Highlights of the new rules are:

• Twin Engine boats, 36 feet and over in length (canopy recommended)
• Post-race boat weights determined by horsepower to weight ratio.
• Dyno tested and sealed spec engine packages - dyno information open to all competitors.
• Maximum 1.50 to 1 gear ratio
• Maximum speed limit - verified by GPS data download.
• SBI/APBA National, Divisional, and Florida Championship Titles.
• SBI/APBA UIM World Championship Title
• Prize purses comparative to other SBI/APBA Race Classes

The rules are being developed with the goal of providing an affordable, multi-year racing option for teams who wish to compete in spec-style racing without the necessity to upgrade equipment to remain competitive within the Class. The objective is a racing class that maintains competitive performance through standardized propulsion systems, post-race equipment weights based on horsepower to weight ratio, and speed limitations…which when combined, create exciting deck to deck racing where any boat in the Class is capable of winning in any particular race.

Equipment owners who find themselves unable to attain the speeds required to be competitive today’s Super Vee environment will be in their element under the new rules. No equipment changes or upgrades will be required to race competitively under the new Rules…which are being designed to contain speed, minimized equipment costs, and maximize the your enjoyment of Offshore Powerboat Racing.

Don’t be left behind…start racing for points under the new rules in the Suncoast Superboat Grand Prix.

For more information…equipment owners should contact:


Ken Doyle
502-386-6591
[email protected]

Ken,
Is this a new class or P2 with some changes????

Are these rules going to be applied to other Manufactures Production classes??

Brad

If you build it they will come!

Doyle:

This sounds like a really great idea.

Gregg Reichman

Well were in...

Funhome...I would think this would be a new class...since 90% of the boats in P-2 are F-2's or Super Vee's we have been talking, to have a boat come out with big horse power and prop down would be no different then the older Super Vee's and F-2'S racing against the 110+ mph Super Vee's...
With the Gear ratio's at the 1:50 and the 525's and the top end set with the GPS...it puts all the boats around 100mph..
with the same exceleration.....as we all know excalerations is a hudge part of racing....but with us running the same gears and also running around the same top end within 1 or 2 mph it will make for great racing...not to mention how many boats out there fit this class....and these boats can come out here today and not have to make any changes to there current set up....

Not have to make any changes?
Are you kidding? how many Super V do you know that are running a 1:50 gear ratio? Also if you get these guys to prop down their acceleration will be incredible with no top end.

Bidpro,
Does this mean that you will be coming back or just flapping your gums. You have a boat sitting there ready to race why not bring it out and play?

Also....anyone know the deal with the Fury guys....I know he spent a lot of time and money putting in 525's...and heard the boat was running good...
Any chance of getting these guyscoming out here along with the Bad Boys boat....
it would be good to see Lisa and Billy out with us also even if there lid is cut off....

and any new on the Black Perl boat....that boat would fit right in this class...

Expo....I don't know you but do you race in Super Vee or F-2...
Most of the older boats are running Bravo's with the 1:50 gears...except the old OSS guys who are running 1:35 because of all the lakes they race...so if your running the 1:35's all you have to do is get a set of 1:50's and put them in...its a 2 hour job....
and know there are boats out there who are proping down and still are running 100 mph....that's why you see boats out there running the big HP....

don't see were your comments are positive...are you planning on racing with us or are you just trying to stir things up...becasue the guys running in P-2 are all for it....so if the racers are Ok with ....what we should not do it becasue people not racing in the class don't like it....

If you have boat that fits this class let me know....your only grip would be what....and lets see if we can get you out wit us...

I'm kicking it around - I have #6's, and I don't have 1.5 gear ratio right now.

Can you figure out a way to have the humidity around 20% in Sarasota in July so this Desert Rat won't pass out? Of course If I do pass out I'm sure Trumel will just smack me in the head with a wrench until I wake up.

Probably need to add to my ever growing propeller collection, oh gee, what fun.

By the way 'Expo", who are you?

Gregg Reichman

RumRunner,

The good thing right now is that all the Super Vee's and F-2 have seals from either Inovation or Mercury...and have been racing spec class....and most of the boats that are out there not racing today still have there seals on becasue they raced last year or are selling there race boats with the seals on so they will not have to be sent out.....

Hey Ken Why don't you just use the same rules as UIM P-1? They seam to have it work out pretty good. POPRA is looking at doing the same thing so we can get some of the old open cockpit boats racing again.

Kevin,

The one thing that is bad in P1...is some boats are running 100 mph to get out front and once they are out front they slow down so they run the avg speed they are required to do...there is sand bagging going on...thats why I think we have the next step of putting on the GPS's....

Ask Bad Apple who Todd is ...oops I mean Expo.

Now the anger thing makes sense.

Todd - when will you be returning to competition?.


Gregg Reichman

and Kevin...I was talking about there Super Sport Class...it would be like me running in OPA P-5 Class

It would be slower then our F-1 Class...only in 33 to 42 foot boats....

Brain...now I see why he made those comments...
Why dosn't he come over t0 SBI and race the Frenchmen..

Don't you need a Boat to Race?.

Gregg Reichman

Got ya. Hope you get it going. Keep me in the loop I'm still building a super vee. :)

Ken,

I like it! However, I don't necessarily want to see another class created.

I do support the concept though. How about a single engine class starting at 24 feet to maybe 30 feet? Then maybe a 28-36 foot single and twin class. Then your 36 foot and greater twin class. We could also have respective classes for the Cats. So Vees race Vees and Cats race Cats. Then do away with everything else (except the unlimited classes)...less classes with more boats per class.

Sean

Just to let everyone know.
My name is Todd Easton. Yes I did race with Brett aka BAD APPLE a few years ago. There is no anger here at all.
Bidpro........ what can I say, the last time you got into a pissing contest with me you lost. As for a boat, you have one and dont race so how is that any better than what you THINK I am doing.
Dont worry if you start racing again I will also start soon after.
Yes I am working on something and have something up my sleeve, so sit tight and time will tell.

Hey Gino, we run class 2 now and I don't see us fitting into that new class. We would sure love to run our 30 cat OB with you guys in KW.

Dean, Don't feel left out our Fountain is a 35' So I guess we are not in their plans either lol, guess you guys ain't the only ones scared of ((((("Strictly Business"))))). Looks like we'll have to have a class just for us.:p

Where can I see a complete copy of the rules and not just some highlights?

pat W

I thought that was what the p class was for, now the p classes have more p classes and rules, more classes is not the answer, less is if we are ever going to get to the next level. I thought that was the goal not give everybody with a boat a three dollar flag and a five dollar trophy. I don't see how this fixes things other than that. I think Gallagher has a better direction to increase competition not classes for everybody.

Steve its funny when I was trying to find someone to buy my SV last weekend Martin said that we should adopt the P1 rules and now I read this. By the way anyone want to buy a new SV. I will be at the Marathon race if someone is interested and wants to see, test or race after purchase this rocket.
Brett
Hollis that was funny

Wahoo,

I'm sure with the OPA and SBI/APBA P2/P3 Class there will be a lot of boats....but for example the 35 Fountain running with the bigger HP fits into the P2 Class...with a mix of other boats..

Vinny...you have a lot of complants about what SBI/APBA is doing...while you should concentrate on OSS and there Class to boat count....
Vin...open your eyes...there is no Super Vee left in SBI/APBA but one boat..there is no Super Vee in OSS but one boat...so the Class Ken talks about is a Super Vee / F2 Class for boats running around 100 mph..if this comes together this will be like the Super Vee Class...that fits over 20 to 25 boats out in the fleet....
You want compitition...you want close racing....you want to get some of the older race boats to come back...well we are doing that....we will all have close to the same HP, weight and lenght boats and gear ratios...and the Super Vees that are runnning 107+ mph can run P1 in SBI/APBA or OPA

So be a part of the sulution...and bring out the Bad Boys Super VEE and run a race or two starting with the Sarasota race...Brett's boat is for sale....there will not be a Super Vee in OSS...so get the Fury guys, Black Perl, and some of the other Super Vees not runnnig this year to try what we are doing....forget about who and what Organization we all run in....lets just try to get the boat count up...and we will all benifit from this sport....

Expo....

I hope you put something together and come out and join us....let us know if we can do anything....

Ken, I agree to an extent, it is a good idea and a good start to a set of rules, but sadly it is just another class.

Some say why not run P-classes with these boats, well I guess the reason is that the p-class just doesn't get the respect they want. It sure as heck doesn't get the exposuer.

I've heard it said that p-class is for people to start racing in, and that they are encouraged to "move up" to the "spec classes" or "pro series" (oops that phrase is already taken) after they get their feet wet.(no pun entended)

If people would stop looking at the p-classes in this manner and start to give them the respect their boat counts deserve and build their boats to compete in one of the FIVE classes then this would not be needed.

-To the average "Joe Blow" sitting on the seawall watching a race it will be even more confusing.

Brad Harrington

Hey Brad....good point...

But this is not really another class....there is no Super Vee...it would kind of replace that class in a way.....

But the ego's have to go...there is some great racing going on in P Class...the guys in SPB/APBA have talked and we all know who we are racing aginst....the same guys we were racing in the so called Pro Series....so to us its the same comptition...I remember watching the Muscle guys on TV a long time ago...now we are racing aginst them...

The same gose for the racing in OPA...A lot of the again so called Pro Series guys are racing in OPA....So the day of the P-Class as a entry class is gone...there are a lot of good racers in P-Class and there is a lot of Pro Series guys getting beat in the OPA Series...

Guys..lets not forget 4 years ago...when the racers said we want more of a say on what gose on in racing...

Well all the Organizations have given this to us...with meetings and our suggestions...

For John C to open the door to let us come up what some idea's to better the sport and hear are concerns and make some changes is great...its what we all have been saying should happen....

Smitty has there OPA meeting in the beginning of the year to go over the rules and have votes on it....

There has been a lot of progress over the years for the better with the relationship between the Organizations and the racers...

Every racer will never be happy...for that there will always be a small % of racer unhappy...it the nature of the beast...

But you will see by the end of the year....Offshore racing will have made a big improvement over the last 3 or 4 years...
and Key West will be a proven part of that.....

Its going to be a good year.....

Ok Todd, whatever you say. Last time we got in a "pissing contest" your Team Owner, who apparently had enough of your mouth tossed you aside like a red headed stepchild - so if that is winning - congradulations, you won, did you get a plastic "out of work throttleman" trophy?. and what a hot commodity you were apparently, Guess all the Owners were lined up to hire you.. oh, wait a minute, you have not raced sicne then??... hhmmm... bet John Tomlinsom was really nervous that Mr. Scott was going to bump him out and put you in the Bud Boat.

Frankly, if you do or don't come back, I don't really care and I don't think the racing community has been holding its breath either. The only reason I mentioned what I was doing was in response to a question.

Gregg Reichman

Brad - generally I agree that additional classes are not good, but this one I think will be simply from a boat count standpoint and taking equipment that otherwise would not even be showing up to run for middle of the pack or last place.

Overall, I think this is a very positive step.

Gregg Reichman

Gregg.....I had a talk with mother nature about Sarasota...

She said she would keep the humility at or below 78%....just for you....

Gregg Reichmann,

If you only knew half of wat you speak of you would be a pretty fart smeller.
I do beleive that you are correct, the last boat that i raced in was with Brett. And unless you know something I dont, it was a mutual agreement between he and I. I havent raced since then by my choice. I choose not to race at this current point in time. And yes I did get a trophy for being "out of work throttleman" and several for winning races, a world championship trophy and a speed record. I wouldnt want you to miss anything, or have to try and figure out more about me. Anything else you want to know? Just ask and I will fill you in.
Any time you want to put your money where your mouth is and race one on one I will be glad to spank you like a "red headed stepchild" oh wait thats me.
As for our pissing contest, you ran your mouth about how fast your boat was and then we showed up at a race not even on our schedule to race YOU and what were the results of that race?
TENNIS ANYONE?
Todd Easton

So Brett, If I show in Marathon, will you be pissed if I put a little purple down the side of that Green Machine. This SV is a rocket. Smitty

What keeps these guys from running in P2 now???

Expo..

Are you even a SBI/APBA member...or a current racer...

Youre negitive comments in this post are not called for or needed...so please if you do not have anything productive maybe stay out of it till you have a boat and a SBI/APBA member...

again....this post is to inform racers with race boats that fit this class....its to get more race boats out...not to hear of your accomplishments with Brett....

Fun Home....

Like we have said....this class is being put together for the old Super Vee's and F-2 boats....we could race P-2 but it would not stop the big HP boats from running against boats with less HP....

We already have 6 to 7 boats commited for Sarasota for this class....and still talking to more teams that fit....

The P-Class is still there....and a lot of guys that have the boats that we talk about are not racing because of they don't feel like coming out and racing against big HP boats...its just not worth it to them...

So if we can bring together 7 to 10 boats for this Class...it would only be a positive thing for the sport...

Again the racers that have the boats that fit into this Class are liking it....we should not have to please anyone but the racers and the Organization we run it....and for the fans..isn't that what they want...7 to 10 boats racing against each other...

I hope you understand.....

Manitie,
No disrespect was ment to this thread. My input was and still is that a newer Super V proped down is going to accelerate alot faster than one that is proped up to run 100. There are several Vs out there that are not running 1.5 ratio drives. Why choose that specific ratio? Could you not arrive at that same result with any drive ratio and proper prop selection instead of spending several thousand dollars to replace gear sets in drives and possibly needing to buy new props?

Smitty and Manitie
I'll be in Marathon with my SV and run whichever class there is but is my boat P2 if I prop down with you and Muscle.
Smitty I won't be pissed off if bring some purple to Marathon but if you beat me I am going to say you were cheating?
Ha Ha
Brett