Offshore races May 2, 3, 4 in New Jersey

[roadtripse]

Interesting discussion. No doubt the cats are spectacular pieces of technology and are faster in calm seas than a deep v. However, I agree with the semantic argument; it ain't offshore racing if you can still see the shore or have to shorten the course because the waves are too big.

I'd love to take $5M and use it to try and monkey-stomp the Bermuda Challenge record. Now there's an exercise in patience, endurance, and pushing equipment. One of the last remaining cannonball run / the only rule is there aren't any rules motorsports events.

Maybe I can get Donzi as a sponsor with a real light 38ZR with surface drives, 1,200 hp worth of diesels, and a big stinking fuel cell. If not, I'll be taking donations.

I'm in. One correction, a ZRC please. Nice ones out there that can be bought right and re-rigged right now. Hold the cats, please, as they are bad for your health.

-The Dreamer-

[duckhunter]

I'm in. One correction, a ZRC please. Nice ones out there that can be bought right and re-rigged right now. Hold the cats, please, as they are bad for your health.

-The Dreamer-

Sweet, it's ON! Good call on the ZRC. Preliminary planning meeting, time TBD, in the salon of the Roamer.

[Inferno]

When I raced if anyone said there are planning a big offshore race at any lake except the Great Lakes, they would have been kicked out of the sport ..I can see Betty Cook, ,Rocky , Bernie Little , Joey Epolitio, Knocky House , John Crouse and Don A all in heaven how just laughing out of what Offshore is today ... It's a Joke !!! A bunch of showoffs that want to impress everyone with there 140 mph boats. Once we left the dock you would not see us for 3-4 hours. When we returned we felt like we just finished a 12 rounds with Ali. I remember guys with broken legs,arms and backs ,urinating blood,etc. I lost 27 of my friends in this sport and I would do it again, if they would bring it back to the ocean (not the beach).

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Seabuddy ,overall the event looks like it is going to be very interesting , and not to mention fun. http://www.oparacing.org/

[boldts]

OK, valid points by everyone here. I never raced, but used to work as a support boat at as many of the Great Lakes races I could with my 18 Classic. Interesting that no one as mentioned the fans yet. I personally believe that races have been moved to inland lakes so that the fans aren't sitting on a pier, beach or hotel balcony waiting 2 to 3 hours to see the racers come back to cross the finish line. Of course those people awaiting the return of the racers are probably to drunk to even tell you who won the race due to nothing better to do in that time. I've been to Key West and to the once run Atlantic City World Championship race. The only time I saw the boats was the idle out of the wet pits, the start, the finish and the idle back into the wet pits. My best view was in the dry pits which allowed me to meet the racers and ask questions. That is why I enjoyed supporting the races so much. Yes I had a job to do, but I was on the race course and could see the boats in racing conditions and no I wasn't afraid to go far out on the course in the same waters the racers were dealing with. Can't count on my hands how many times I heard your not going out in that boat are you or are you sure you don't mind being that far away from the shore? Those 50' cats were amazing with the technology with-in them. Like comparing a Formula 1 race car to your local dirt track racer. Both have there place and in my opinion just shouldn't be together in a race. OK, so if it has to be that way, that is why again in my opinion APBA has become 2 or 3 different organizations now. Egos, money and flash over the hard nose racers of the past making their boats last and return from a true offshore adventure. It all boils down to the cost of television covering a true offshore race because lets face it, if television isn't showing you the boats offshore, you and most of the public except those who truly love the sport aren't going to the race or watching it on TV.

In Atlantic City, there was more complaining about the rough water than there was racing. Saturday's races were canceled. Because of cats like Mr. Copelands or Don Johnsons saying they couldn't run in those seas? Maybe....... Sundays race was shortened, but a champion was crowned. They've never run the Worlds there since. Who won that Championship? Beats me. I don't even remember with out doing a search on-line for the results and that might take some time.

Just my opinions here, but a little different look at Offshore from a fan's view.

[roadtripse]

OK, valid points by everyone here. I never raced, but used to work as a support boat at as many of the Great Lakes races I could with my 18 Classic. Interesting that no one as mentioned the fans yet. I personally believe that races have been moved to inland lakes so that the fans aren't sitting on a pier, beach or hotel balcony waiting 2 to 3 hours to see the racers come back to cross the finish line. Of course those people awaiting the return of the racers are probably to drunk to even tell you who won the race due to nothing better to do in that time. I've been to Key West and to the once run Atlantic City World Championship race. The only time I saw the boats was the idle out of the wet pits, the start, the finish and the idle back into the wet pits. My best view was in the dry pits which allowed me to meet the racers and ask questions. That is why I enjoyed supporting the races so much. Yes I had a job to do, but I was on the race course and could see the boats in racing conditions and no I wasn't afraid to go far out on the course in the same waters the racers were dealing with. Can't count on my hands how many times I heard your not going out in that boat are you or are you sure you don't mind being that far away from the shore? Those 50' cats were amazing with the technology with-in them. Like comparing a Formula 1 race car to your local dirt track racer. Both have there place and in my opinion just shouldn't be together in a race. OK, so if it has to be that way, that is why again in my opinion APBA has become 2 or 3 different organizations now. Egos, money and flash over the hard nose racers of the past making their boats last and return from a true offshore adventure. It all boils down to the cost of television covering a true offshore race because lets face it, if television isn't showing you the boats offshore, you and most of the public except those who truly love the sport aren't going to the race or watching it on TV.

In Atlantic City, there was more complaining about the rough water than there was racing. Saturday's races were canceled. Because of cats like Mr. Copelands or Don Johnsons saying they couldn't run in those seas? Maybe....... Sundays race was shortened, but a champion was crowned. They've never run the Worlds there since. Who won that Championship? Beats me. I don't even remember with out doing a search on-line for the results and that might take some time.

Just my opinions here, but a little different look at Offshore from a fan's view.

Scott,

I have been a fan of offshore racing for years, just as you have. On one of these occasions, we even had the pleasure of being stationed on a turn as a diver rescue boat at Key West, thanks to Madpoodle and Buizilla. Memorable. Especially, when I almost had to run Reggie over, because he wouldn't get out of the way on the launch ramp. Great days.

I have also seen what happens to a cat in less than ideal circumstances, three times in races (Jack Carmody at Corpus Christi was particularly horrible to witness first hand) and twice in the Lake Cumberland Poker Run over the past few years. You are flying, not boating at the top end. Things get a little side ways, and boom, you're hooking a sponson, and hoping that canopy is strong enough over your head, if you are lucky enough to have one. You won't see me in one, ever again.

Secondly, a lot of the fractionalization of offshore racing has been due to the high dollar cat owners taking their toys and going home. They don't like the rules, they don't like the conditions, they don't like where they placed, and the list goes on. Then they go off and create their own series and play their own game. This is all generalization, but cats are the worst thing that ever happened to the sport in recent times, from my view.

Finally, the sport has never been spectator friendly. Offshore is offshore. Showing it on ESPN is a disaster, because even with the short track racing format, it's impossible to follow, the classes are out of control, and the inherent nature of the sport, makes it impossible to film and view, even from a helicopter.

Now, I do think the endurance challenges are the best hope for offshore racing. We are busy putting together "Team MPO" or at least the dream of it. Are you in? We need pit crew...

[duckhunter]

Some good points being made. I'm sticking with "it ain't offshore if you can still see the shore." Still racing, still cool, arguably better for fans, but it's not truly "offshore" racing.

The endurance races have really piqued my interest over the last couple of years. The Boating mag Bermuda Challenge is a cool deal that, like many epic endeavors, was dreamed up in a bar. The US currently has the record again; Chris Fertig and Tyson Garvin did it in a little under 16 hours in Aug. Fabio Buzzi (Italian powerboat designer) won in 2012. With the right weather, the right boat, and a little luck the 15:48 could be crushed.

Here's another one that's pretty cool, the Ft Lauderdale to San Juan PR run. Donzi Yachts gave it a shot back in the day and the article is well-worth the read for anyone into boats. http://www.donziyachts.com/article.php?file=1000_miles

[roadtripse]

Um, Houston we might have a problem....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reRRiJ_rrl8

[roadtripse]

Sweet, it's ON! Good call on the ZRC. Preliminary planning meeting, time TBD, in the salon of the Roamer.

Well with that plan, I bet we can get an entire team of dreamers assembled. We could call it "Team MPO" for short! Heck, we even have a Captain in a figurative sense, even if we aren't going to let him drive anything more than his own two feet down the stair well in express mode. Sally Struthers would look awesome sprawled all over the side of the boat, too. I'm talking pre-Meathead days, of course! I like the whole concept!

[duckhunter]

I'll have my people talk to her people about sponsorship! Backup plan is Lindsay Logan (pre-crystal meth days).

Need the Miami contingent to start working on Cat and Cummins to see who will cough up some free motors. Stan has bought enough drives recently that he probably has a couple spare Arnesons in the shed.

Tito's Vodka is interested in sponsoring the pit festivities.

It's all coming together!!

[MadPoodle]

I have 18 cases of Pabst, and two Deutz diesels ready to go....





And I LOVE Tito's!!!!

[duckhunter]

OK, the PBR puts you on the team!

I've got an idea percolating for the mother ship for NY Harbor. It's about 60', 1271s, aluminum hull. And stripper poles. Where do we find something like that?

[The Hedgehog]

OK, the PBR puts you on the team!

I've got an idea percolating for the mother ship for NY Harbor. It's about 60', 1271s, aluminum hull. And stripper poles. Where do we find something like that?

Boom.....right here.....in a real metal boat. Not like those space ship looking cruisers they are building today out of Tupperware!

i feel a team meeting for Team MPO coming on.....and yes, Titos will sponsor!

Basically we we will let the Hydro's and Cats play in the lakes, we will take the big V's out with the bad boys!

[The Hedgehog]

Well with that plan, I bet we can get an entire team of dreamers assembled. We could call it "Team MPO" for short! Heck, we even have a Captain in a figurative sense, even if we aren't going to let him drive anything more than his own two feet down the stair well in express mode. Sally Struthers would look awesome sprawled all over the side of the boat, too. I'm talking pre-Meathead days, of course! I like the whole concept!

Team MPO is going to have a meeting. Hedge is sponsoring offshore races at The Gorge. At least as long as it does not get over 6" of chop. Team MPO will enter a canopied Allison and we will spank those non-pad Donzi's!

[BUIZILLA]

you should be able to schedule the *event* between the Edsel and Studebaker reunions.. so the leftover and dry rotted wide whites can be used as turn markers