Outboard Powerboat Endurance Championship!!

[Tango]

Or.... OPEC!! Let's Burn Some 2-Stroke OIL!!

If your boating passion is anything like mine, running fast with a pack of friends for a long cruise is where it's at! For years I have dreamed about running the Parker Enduro, I've watched every historical video I can find... read every thread, invested thousands of dollars and started a build on a boat that would be great to drive ONCE A YEAR!! I've had this boat going on four years and I just cannot bring myself to investing a week and a half in time it would take for the event or the thousands more investment to cover the costs of myself and a crew to see it through.

I have spent months talking with many of you here on S&F, other industry people like ourselves and reaching out to Safety crew companies as well as volunteering at the OPA/P1 races as a Safety Patrol boat. I wanted to see how the "Big Boys" do it and make it work at every event. I spoke to a LOT of people and it always comes to the RULES are what kills the series for the ones who give their ALL and passion to make it happen. So with that said... I am dedicating the next six months and whatever it takes financially to find a venue, sponsors, and come up with a Classification Structure that we can ALL come to compete under in a safe manner.

PROPOSED COURSE
My idea of an Endurance event is one that requires a strategy to WIN!!
The course would be a minimum of six miles per lap with a preferred layout of 10+miles to allow wave action to recede quickly as teams find their rhythm during a race. I have two venues to look into over the next few months, one being Patlaka just North of Corkey Bells to Crystal Cove and another venue in South Carolina which is a freshwater lake with very wide open running and no structured docking, grass banks and little to no non-event traffic off-season.

Key Event Venue Requirements

• Large areas for spectators
• Helicopter LZ and onsite during testing, qualifying & racing
• Multiple ramps and beaching areas
• EZ access to for onsite refueling
• Exceptional wave area runoff, no or little to no bulkheads on race course
• Easy to pass wide areas
• Spectator No Wake Transient Passing outside active race course
• PARTY PAVILION or Event Sponsor with lots of parking areas
• Camping, Hotels, RV sites or Cabins
• Emergency Hospital Local for AirLift

PROPOSED BOAT DIVISIONS

• EXTREME MARINE
  1. 20-24 feet in production hull length
  2. single 3.2L 300XS (2000# Min Wt), 400R (2300# Min Wt) or 450R (2400# Min Wt) Four-Stroke or
  3. TWIN 300R (3750#), 300XS (3500#) or 2.5L ROS (3000#) allowed. YES, I SAID TWINS!! IE: Skater 24, Tuff 22-24, Superboat, Velocity and so-on.
  4. Two mandatory pit stops of 12 minutes each. Single outboard non-integral tanks cannot exceed 40 gallons
  5. Only 15" or 20" mids allowed with any production shiftable gearcase
  6. Remotely adjustable setback brackets allowed, propshaft height is unrestricted
• PERFORMANCE MARINE
  1. 19-21 feet in production hull length
  2. Only single outboards allowed
  3. Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury 300hp 4-strokes must weigh 2000#
  4. 300hp >3.0L Direct injected motors, minimum weight is 1875#
  5. 250hp <3.0L Direct injected motors, minimum weight is 1750#
  6. 2.5L any hp minimum weight 1650# EFI, 1550# carb
  7. Single fuels cell not to exceed 35 gallons
  8. Two mandatory fuel stops of 11 minutes each
  9. Only 15" or 20" mids allowed with any production shiftable gearcase
  10. Remotely adjustable setback brackets allowed, propshaft height is unrestricted
• WILD MARINE
  1. Any performance v-bottom or ModVP style hulls 17'-18' in production length
  2. 300R V8 4-stroke allowed with maximum 35 gallon cell, 1550# minimum weight
  3. Yamaha, Suzuki 4-stroke with >3.0L allowed with max 35 gallon cell, 1450# minimum weight
  4. Direct injected motors >3.0L allowed with max 35 gallon cell, 1400# minimum weight
  5. Direct injected motors <3.0L allowed with max 35 gallon cell, 1350# minimum weight
  6. ALL EFI 2.4, 2.5 & 3.0L allowed with max 40 gallon cell, 1275# minimum weight
  7. Any carb V6 outboard allowed with max 40 gallon cell, minimum weight 1200#
  8. Only 15" or 20" mids allowed with any production shiftable gearcase
  9. Remotely adjustable setback brackets allowed, propshaft height is unrestricted
  10. Two mandatory fuel stops of 8 minutes each
• BASS CLASS????
• 110 MPH SPEED LIMIT???

I hope all who read this can see I am trying to put as much thought and fairness into rules and what we can do to improve the fun of our events. Please share your thoughts, be constructive and lets think about what it will take to take advantage of the epic technology in our World today to HAVE FUN & BE SAFE!!

PM Me if you want to help make it happen!

[CUDA]

Just looking at the weight for a 3L 300 on a 20 ft 1875lb

On a 18ft like a STV 1400lb 475 lb less ?

In MVP racing they raced same weight?

Lake Racer same weight 18 or 20 ft

Don't really think 15, 16 or 17 foot boats would do well at 105 MPH in that type of a race.

[Tango]

Just looking at the weight for a 3L 300 on a 20 ft 1875lb

On a 18ft like a STV 1400lb 475 lb less ?

In MVP racing they raced same weight?

Lake Racer same weight 18 or 20 ft

Don't really think 15, 16 or 17 foot boats would do well at 105 MPH in that type of a race.

ALL SPECULATIVE...

I have no idea what they all weigh but I wanted to begin with a suggestive path to begin from.

I tried to give anyone with a sound and safe boat a chance to try... do I think they would last? No, but I wanted to level the playing field by making a strategy for fueling, building the combo and giving someone a chance to win at any level

[JPEROG]

What class will my LCB fit into. Twin 2.5 opti powerheads on 15" 3L Mad Efi mids. the boat is 20 feet long.

Joe

[mr fun]

Palatka can get crazy rough depending on the day, 3' ers at the drop of a hat. just my 2 cents

[Capt.Insane-o]

Boat/motor categorization needs much work.

[CUDA]

True tunnel vs V vs MVP oh my...

I think 18 ft min, 18 ft to 20'6" one class

Then 20'7" to 22'

Al Stoker needs to chime in... Please

True tunnels should be run together.

[Tango]

All great points... lets get together. Joe, you suggested palatka. I'm in agreement on 18' minimum.

[Tango]

Boat/motor categorization needs much work.

What's your suggestion?

[Tango]

True tunnel vs V vs MVP oh my...

I think 18 ft min, 18 ft to 20'6" one class

Then 20'7" to 22'

Al Stoker needs to chime in... Please

True tunnels should be run together.

Let me break down my thinking on your points.

Okay, I put 19-21' into one class because there are some boats in that range that would be better suited for rougher waters over say an STV, Mirage or Allison. My 21' Eliminator Daytona will go through a lot rougher water than my STV ModVP would... so I extended the >19' boats required pit stops to give smaller boats a chance at not only a class win, but overall. I do not want 20'7" and 22' in the same class because there are several manufacturers like Liberator who build a 22' boat that is capable of running with a 450R as Randy has proven. That combo competing with a 20'7" boat would not be fair as the 450R will simply sit on cruise control since there will most likely be an Insurance Speed Cap of 110mph. I will press to raise this, but I think it is reasonable and safe. Again, the new four-stroke technology makes the pit strategy a challenge as the fuel quantity allowed and stop time is longer than say an STV ModVP with a 2.5L 280, 40 galc cell and only 8 minute stop requirement.

I wish Al Stoker would chime in. I have spoken with him on the phone about the rules for the Parker, so I would love to hear what he says now.

The only class with true tunnels is Extreme Marine, where a 21' or 24' Skater can run with the groups. What does it matter on the hull design if you are still limited by speed and given a mandatory fuel stop requirement? True tunnels are not allowed in any other class. So the advantage of having a true tunnel is limited by the rules. Again... does it matter? Could they even go the 4 hours or 300 miles with only two fuel stops? A boat with two motors also has twice as many issues...

And finally.... yes, let's bring up the ModVP boats with their "Training Wheels" versus a real driver's boat, an Allison. Yup, dem Hook'er botes sure ar fast!!! Where's T-Rex when I need'em....??? If it's going to be snotty water, a V-bottom might be much faster.

[Da Bull]

I think your on the right track. That old saying still exist`s "you can`t please all of the people all of the time but you can please some of the people some of the time". Tango it`s your call on all rules and I for one will try to compete in whatever class I can. I will read the final rules then plan my attack.

To me crowd/spectator boat`s need to be kept in check. They can be very dangerous.

[Capt.Insane-o]

Personally I would absolutely not allow twin engine boats and cap max length to 22 feet. Anyhoo Tuff will come along

[Da Bull]

I would be more worried about the Argo cat.

[Capt.Insane-o]

I wouldn't worry so much of the argo but rhe gearcase pushing it

[mjw930]

I’d suggest 18’ - 21’ but bump the next class to 21’1” - 24’ and break that top class into 2 classes, Extreme Marine Single and Extreme Marine Twin. I’d also consider capping it at 400hp in the single class and 300hp for twins. Allowing the 450 creates a situation when whoever brings the most cash wins, hardly what a grass roots racing event needs. Weights need to be tweaked but it will take some analysis. For example, the 400 adds 160-200 lbs but is still faster than the 300 so it may need another 100 lbs or so the even it out.

Those sizes allow the LCBs, Liberators, Talons, Argos, Twisters, etc. to run together as well as singles and twins but allows for class wins against like configurations.

Overall though it’s a great start. I’d also think a lake event vs. the St. John’s is preferable option. You aren’t going to be able to block off that much of the St. John’s on a weekend.