I don't race SBI. But I think what you are doing is a good move. Putting boats in fewer classes and at the right speeds is a step on the right direction. There is no reason a 115mph DW should be racing at 95.

I see this 'entry level" term thrown around allot lately but I wonder what it really means to some people.

Is it entry level as in "skill" ? or entry level as in price to race?

Dean there is not a DW out there with stock outboards that can run 115 in race trim you are way off the mark on that number

NO, but a I/O with #6's !!!!!

You are right, because they set them up to run 100mph. My opinion has always been that you put the boat in the class by its speed in perfect conditions. Just like the rules state. Your boat and the other DWs can run 110+ with 31s on most straightaways on todays courses. It's just my opinion, but I believe that in order to win you should have to run 100% and be lucky, not just prop down.

And it not just the SS boats in the P Classes that do it.

Dean again you are wrong they WILL NOT go 110 plus with 31's. YOUR boat was NOT a legal Stock class boat as you raced it. It was 500lbs under weight when it was built and DID NOT have stock legal motors. Was it fast, YES it was. It had grandfathered, modified motors on it. In rough water it broke apart every time it ran. We owned the sister to that boat and it was 300lbs under weight and it also broke apart. For someone that has NEVER raced in the "STOCK CLASS" you are really off base with you knowledge. With legal 280's, 2:1 gears, 8200boxes, at 4300 lbs a 32 DW WILL NOT run 110+ on todays racecourses.

Ryan,

I specifically did not say that your boat would run 110. Obvisously yours is well off the pace, but I would beg to differ on the DWs. In perfect conditions, ie long flat water every DW out there will run 110. Even though they only need 105 to run C2.

I also never said anything about my old boat, but you were correct about it being fast.

OUCH, you got me!!!!

That is exactly the response I thought I would get. Thanks for not letting me down Dean.

At the last X-cat race in Abu Dhabi GB finished 7th not breaking 110 in a FLAT water race on the inside and yet finished ahead of the other 4 DW's, so there 5 that weren't going 110 plus.

I can tell you that Talbot NEVER went over 110 all of last season but won 6 races........

But what do I know.......please enlighten all of us with more of your wisdom.....

Ryan, if you were me and just wanted to have some fun for 2 or 3 races a year with my old ass 32 skater where or what would you do??? Man I do not want to piss anyone off but I worked my ass of back in the day to try to keep up with Callahan-bud offshore and ran way over my head to do it in that 25 motion but was always 20 ft from him at the finsih. I look back and think how dangerous that was. I want to be just a little more evenly matched. Thanks Micheal...

Ryan,

The point is that SBI is doing the right thing by putting boats in their right Classes. What makes it even better is that the racers agreed to do it to better the races.

It is simple if a boat is capable of running 110+ in perfect conditions it has no place racing at 95mph. But in the case of SS at least you have a spec class.

August 03, 2007 Kilo Record

S-12 Deep V Cat Lap Speed Record Speed
2nd run 1st Direction 116.175 119.14
2nd Direction 122.112