Honda?

[225]

Originally Posted by blind dog

does someone have a swim at every race then

no, Liverpool last weekend two went over and somebody stopped to help

[BluFin]

Originally Posted by Barry

How fast do they go?
I would have thought a light weight racing boat with 225hp would have been faster than 80mph, just thinking a Escort Cosworth or Impreza kind of power.

Think the record is around 67-68 Mph.

In reply I wasnt doing down of the series just a observation. Powerboating existed before Honda it will after.
Somebody mentioned previously 2 years is that how long the deal has to run?

[gazza]

Honda 225
Rupert Pugh
67.540
67.297
67.42


gaZ

[225]

Pictures from the Liverpool race


http://www.keith-slater.org.uk/honda.htm

[blind dog]

maybe as in a v24 you need a dunk test in honda you have to have a swim 2 lengths and a widths certificate

[Barry]

Originally Posted by blind dog

maybe as in a v24 you need a dunk test in honda you have to have a swim 2 lengths and a widths certificate

What!! of Liverpool docks

[Pearny]

Honda!! dont even get me started!!! they could not even do the full course in plymouth as the turn was to tight!!!!!!! (Or so they said) how com chris went around it in a cat in class 3!!! Class 3 is so much better! just a shame no one will sponsor it and premote it as its alot better class then the honda series. class 3 needs to be revived! Class 3 is fast, better (sea worthy) boats and also safer!

[225]

It was tight, could you imagine what would happen if 20 boats went round that corner at almost the same time

[225]

Dates of when the Honda's are on tv

ITV4
Torquay 225 hp ½ Hour 6th Sept
Plymouth 225 hp ½ Hour 13th Sept
Lowestoft 225 hp ½ Hour 20th Sept
Liverpool 225 hp ½ Hour 27th Sept
Isle of Man 225 hp ½ Hour 4th Oct
Torquay 150 hp ½ Hour 11th Oct
Plymouth 150 hp ½ Hour 18th Oct
Lowestoft 150 hp ½ Hour 25th Oct
Liverpool 150 hp ½ Hour 1st Nov
Isle of Man 150 hp ½ Hour 8th Nov

[Pearny]

Originally Posted by 225

It was tight, could you imagine what would happen if 20 boats went round that corner at almost the same time

Thats racing tho!! look at f1 car racing they do it on the first few lap and dont crash (well that much)! i know its not the same as power boat racing but it still racing! you can always back off the throttle

[Drainstore.com]

You obviously dont have a clue pearny, if you ever raced in the honda class you would understand that if you backed off you would be at the back of the pack very quick, you and your 2 litre buddies seem to think we are not very good drivers, you would be very wrong, some of us spend lots of time and money to get to the level we are at and you dont see that, some of the teams go out for 2 weeks solid everyday to get to the top, so dont sit there and talk sh*t when u have no idea what you are talking about, i have worked my ass off this year to get to the top and i have had to battle some brilliant drivers along the way and people like you just piss me off saying we are rubbish.

[Pearny]

Originally Posted by Drainstore.com

You obviously dont have a clue pearny, if you ever raced in the honda class you would understand that if you backed off you would be at the back of the pack very quick, you and your 2 litre buddies seem to think we are not very good drivers, you would be very wrong, some of us spend lots of time and money to get to the level we are at and you dont see that, some of the teams go out for 2 weeks solid everyday to get to the top, so dont sit there and talk sh*t when u have no idea what you are talking about, i have worked my ass off this year to get to the top and i have had to battle some brilliant drivers along the way and people like you just piss me off saying we are rubbish.

nice!! Ye i agree there are some good drivers/team's ie gav and nath are amazing. Not saying no one puts any effort in. I have worked on my boat solid for the last two years most weekends this year. I have worked my ass off on my own boat just as you. Class 3 and Ocr also spend thousands and dont get any reconigtion for any of there work, not even on the local new's! Unlike people in honda racing ie Heverly premoted, fansy venues put on for them, tv coverage. Not going to fallout with anyone but thats just my own view.

[BluFin]

Honda wanted to promote the Outboards , they couldn't run with the current pack so they created there own series in a different format & its working, good for them. Nearly didn't but thats another story.
225 have almost reached the speeds of ClassIII 2ltr circa 1976. with70 Hp more & an extra 1500cc
( Sorry had to get that in )

If one was to play devils advocate, if Honda wasn't around then all the Honda racers would be 2lt or 4 ltr rigs in Class III . That seems to be where the numbers have come from looking at the current situation & where they will go if they are into racing when Honda close shop.

[red 5]

I was once told by somebody very high up in Honda that Honda Marine are here only to promote the name HONDA to further Honda car and bike sales. He also said that a car sales room ( at the time Warwick Honda, Southampton) would make more profit in one year on car sales than Honda Marine UK would make in the same year. He also stated that Honda Marine do not have to make a profit at all; in fact Honda Marine UK is in the budget of Honda car/bikes as promotional division. He then offered me up to four Honda 225 for free!!!! I don't know if this is the case now, but as you all are talking about Honda products, they are doing something right !!!!

SO IF HONDA OFFERED YOU ALL A FREE ENGINE TO RACE WITH - WOULD YOU? CAREFUL HOW YOU ANSWER - YOU MIGHT JUST BE PREJUDICE.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by 225

no, Liverpool last weekend two went over and somebody stopped to help

And one of the crews got on the radio, called it in to safety and weren't given a time allowance for stopping, so where is the incentive to stop and help? The organisers aren't helping the sport at all, in fact they are putting crews at risk in my opinion.

It is refreshing to hear that the crew concerned would do the same again, but won't be racing a Honda next year.

[Red-Devil]

We are new to the Honda 225 Championship this season, I came from the Circuit boat area, Oulton Broad where I still race when I can, My point is that the Honda Championship is somthing all boat race fans and teams should be proud of, as I would never have raced offshore without the series, because if you live in-land and do not go West you never get to see the offshore race boats and so you stick to what you know.
Also as for the series being for rich only, I have raced this season in a self preped second hand boat with an old 225 engine, I sleep in a motorhome and the only costs I have is fuel and Drink, now the drink is very costley haha.
I have raced all the rounds so far and I have spent £1200 only, think about it where on Earth can you race in such a fun and compettitive series with great people and good Tv for that ?? I have raced in many types of racing on land and the Honda series is by far the best I have ever raced in, and it has people who do not slag of the rest of the offshore championships, in fact most of them me included have looked at how we could move up to your bigger and faster boats,

To summise its not a whos got the biggest willy contest but a great way to get into powerboat offshore racing at an afordable cost to the man in the street, not just Bill gates, and if thats what it has done then we should all be happy as we are all Boat Mad, I love the look of the bigger faster boats ,but it was the Honda Championship that got me to notice them in the first place.

As for the pig to drive I totaly agree, I raced a Hall F1 boat over the last few seasons and I can tell you it was so easy compared with the Honda, but I am enjoying it very much and you should have respect for the fast top drivers in Honda as they would do well in any boat, if you can drive a 225 fast then you are a first class driver.

A few may have drifted from the other series to Honda but most will be newbies to Offshore like me who came becuase it is well promoted and very cost effective, some boats are a bargine now, and with some hard graft you can make them as good as any.
Sorry to go on but I think we should all sing from the same hyme sheet as we all love boats

[Temporarily Insane]

Well said!

[225]

Originally Posted by Red-Devil

and you should have respect for the fast top drivers in Honda as they would do well in any boat, if you can drive a 225 fast then you are a first class driver.

And to back that up, look at James Sheppard and Craig Wilson, they are both ex Honda racers and are 2007 Powerboat P1 evolution class champions.

[jonny12t]

Originally Posted by Temporarily Insane

Well said!

dito

[cfun]

Although I appreciate the Honda set up 225hp ( Boat/engine combination ) may not be ideal which may be an understatement, like others I to find they make a great spectacle to watch, back in the early 2000's while watching the Class 1 cats at Plymouth...shock horror the highlight of my weekend was watching the Honda 150hp series not so much the 225,s but the 150,s as there were lots of them, ye they got out of shape but somehow the boats mostly recovered and carried on with a number of boats constantly vying for the lead it was great whereby the class 1, some failed to start then a couple retired leaving around 6 spread out which although a noisy spectacular sight is a bit boring when the boats just end up in a spread out procession and I am the most ardent fan of the larger boats in offshore classes to the point that in 3c I would be happy to break down and end up watching the race how sad is that (80,s loads of big boats to watch) hence the reason for not going back racing again I like being a spectator