who holds the record.....

[verytricky]

National record for Touring Class boats?

[Jon Fuller]

I do

[verytricky]

I was checking out the V24 records, and I saw a name I thought I recognised....



So you actually knew how to drive a boat hey?

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by verytricky
So you actually knew how to drive a boat hey?

Once upon a time maybe, but it was a million years ago, now I have no hair, and weigh a metric ton, so speed records are for keen youngsters

[Captain Chaos]

I'm keen & young..........but the several metric tons thing kinda rules me out.

whats the nearest current class to cruiser? is your record under any threat?

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by Captain Chaos
whats the nearest current class to cruiser? is your record under any threat?

there aint one really, so no threat, tiz all bollix anyway, racing seems to be gasping for it's last breath, unless all you young fkkrs get off ya arses and do a bit, it'll be gone in a minute!

[Captain Chaos]

Racing requires:

skill (nope, none apparant here)
Bottle (nah.......must have missed that cue!)
dosh (i did have some somewhere)
fitness (now your clean takin the piss)

so thats me out then, wheres Yorkie & Robbie slug when you need them?

[verytricky]

I was going to have a bash at the V24 record, but 75.summit MPH is not attainable in fresh water...

[Ciao]

Racing problems.

1) Takes ages to get anywhere these days with traffic congestion.

2) When you get there hotels and eating out are dear.

3) More people these days have to work on a Saturday

4) Many of my customers even have to travel abroad on a Sunday for work the next week.

5) Little chance of sponsorship due to companies being able to advertise their product cheaply on the net, TV advertising rates at all time low.

6) Total class fragmentation of the sport we once knew as "Offshore" i.e. in the old days a 1.3 Litre boat started and raced against a Class 1

7) Fuel at record high price.

8) Terrible organisation at certain races (South Africa 2002 springs to mind, without Annie and Hazel helping out that place had no right to run a car boot sale let alone a World Championship

9) Football is the sport of choice now for the wealthier person, whereas it was a working mans sport 20 years ago.

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by verytricky
I was going to have a bash at the V24 record, but 75.summit MPH is not attainable in fresh water...

Don't start that old nonsense!

For as long as I can remember, there's been this 'myth' about fresh water being slower coz it's less dense/bouyant, but I've spoken with various people on the subject, and always reckon it's bollix.

My theory is this:

Powerboat racing is full of utter bulshitters, wananbes, bad losers, people with 'incredible' imaginations, etc,etc.

Throughout the seasons racing,, their 'bar stories' about how fast their boat is, gets slowly increased with each pint, until it's totaly unrealistic, during racing, when they don't perform, it's usualy summat like the 'the wrong prop choice' that gets the blame, or engine trouble, or whatever.

But when you get to Windermere, and the official timekeepers give you your speed to three decimal places, and it's a little short of the mark, you need another magic excuse..........of course, fresh water!!!, no bloody good innit! somewhere down the line, a figure even emerges, 4% slower!...wow.

Also, a light chop is said to be faster, my own personal experience is that this is also bollix. mirror flat is what ya want.

On both occasions that TD and I went to Windermere, (and set records both times) we went quicker than we'd managed in Poole harbour on 'pre windermere' testing in the salty stuff!

The procecution rests it's case!

[Ciao]

Totally agree with you – I have seen boats go up there, do one run and sheepishly go home. The only way a boat goes quick is on a mirror calm surface, salt or not.
Never forget Ian Bernie in P25 Avia Watches (World 3D Champion) setting a 62 MPH - That said it all.
If Peter Wilson and I even hit a ripple we knew, we weren’t even close to what we wanted to achieve.

[Captain Chaos]

Originally posted by Jon Fuller
my theory is this:

Powerboat racing is full of utter bulshitters, wananbes, bad losers, people with 'incredible' imaginations, etc,etc.

hence why you started this site and I'm a masked superhero

Originally posted by Jon Fuller
The procecution rests it's case!

seems pretty damning.

I still maintain that one of the major contributary factors to boating (racing) being in decline is how stand-offish people are.

Amoungst themselves, they all talk about how wonderfull their bright pink & silver boat with its 2 huge mercs; all on its nice stainless trailer with 22" alloys is..............then, when someone inncocently asks them a few questions............what happens?

They're basically brushed off, insulted, called a tyre kicker or led to beleive they could never afford to go racing. OR that you couldnt go racing in anything less than a £70,000 V24, twin-rig cyclone ski-race boat or alike.

Now thats how to attract people into a dying sport (i think not!). Or is it for a couple of really friendly people to explain that a used P16 + 90hp could get you racing for a few grand & that the races are run as full events with a social scene etc.

Fair dews, the RYA had a pretty impressive stand the last couple of years at LIBS that catered for this kind of thing. But when I asked how to get involved I was patronised to the point at which I walked away before i punched the fellas lights out!

chew through that waffle!

just my thoughts!

[Ciao]

I think that is a very fair point. Trouble is racers get wrapped up in "ego, and pressure of racing" etc.
I have had many occasion in the past where a guy will come up to me in the pits and start chatting about racing, I try and tell him - then he lectures me about his P21 Ski Boat for half an hour.
I don’t think racers are deliberately rude, but time is short at races and there are a million and one things to do.
We have even bizarrely had "groupies" I remember one young couple followed Dad and I around the country - and then pitched up at our house one night!

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by Ciao
We have even bizarrely had "groupies" I remember one young couple followed Dad and I around the country - and then pitched up at our house one night!

Now that would scare the shit outa me!!

[Ciao]

I think we "fobbed them off " to Neil (He was far more successful and better looking!)

[Ciao]

Mind you he got his own back and nicked our sponsor!

[Captain Chaos]

Of Course, I have just made a couple of huge sweeping generalisations.

I have no idea what its like being in the racing circle looking out. but when your out; trying to look in the barrier seems set too high.

[Ciao]

It's like anything in life - I would be terrified to go to a boatmad do - you all seem so "clicky"!

[Captain Chaos]

dont be a nob.................they all hate me......I just feckin turn up anyway

[Jon Fuller]

Originally posted by Ciao
I would be terrified to go to a boatmad do - you all seem so "clicky"!

Don't be ridiculous!