Pantera enters P1

[cfun]

Pantera powerboats have been mentioned numerous times on Boatmad namely the 28' which had gained fame for it's rough water ability's

JF mentioned on another thread that Martin Lai was having a new boat built after the sinking of his Formula in last years CTC and it appears from this it will be a Pantera so should be very interesting to see how their rough weather pedigree holds up in the P1 series

P1 Article ...

If preparation is key to a successful racing venture, then the new Phoenix 8 TV/Pantera Racing Team could be a contender in the 2010 Powerboat P1 World Championship SuperSport Class.

Two years ago, veteran American championship racer, Jo Nunez, president of Pantera Boats, began conversations with Powerboat P1 racer, Martin Lai, of the Phoenix 8 TV team, about building a boat that would stand up to the rough waters, normally associated with the Powerboat P1 World Championship.
Nunez, a world champion, and his father, Pepe, an offshore champion and speed record holder, were giving a second look at an existing mould for a 41-foot Pantera they had never put into production.
For 24 months Lai and Nunez exchanged emails and phone calls discussing the boat, the set-up, and racing strategy with conversations eventually resulting in an agreement to race together under the Phoenix 8 TV/Pantera Racing Team banner.
The pair will race a new custom built 41-foot Pantera with a twin-step bottom and powered by a pair of Mercury Racing 525 EFIs with NXT1SSM drives, a combination of the Mercury Racing #6 Drive and a NXT1 transmission. Nunez described the power-train package as "bullet proof." He said: "It will allow us to be a lot more aggressive with drive heights and open up a broader selection of propellers."
Lai, the only Chinese competitor in offshore racing, is a UK-based businessman and last raced in the SuperSport Class in 2008, although he did compete as a wild card entry in San Benedetto del Tronto in 2009. Lai said: “I am looking forward to racing this season with the new Pantera 41 and aim to win the 2010 Powerboat P1 World Championships.”
Nunez, an American with Cuban parents, grew up in the family boat-building business. Following in his father’s footsteps, he raced to a Super Boat International World Championship in 2001, and has extensive powerboat racing experience in Factory 1, Factory 2 and P-Class competitions.
Racing has been the main-stay of Nunez's life, starting his love affair with motorsports as a NHRA Drag driver for Benihana Racing aged 16. While he hasn’t raced boats since 2006, courtesy of a busy working schedule, he still races in motocross as a hobby.
Phoenix 8 TV/Pantera Racing Team will draw on Pepe Nunez’s 35-years of boat-building and race experience, including a Miami to New York record run in 1978. The elder Nunez set that record in a 24-foot Pantera with twin Mercury 2.4 litre outboards.
Pantera previously competed in Powerboat P1, when Fair & White Racing ran a Pantera 36 in SuperSport from 2004 through 2006. Jo Nunez is interested to see how they adapt to Powerboat P1 and the European-style of offshore racing, citing his experience in the speed-bracketed U.S. P-Class racing as an integral part of his education. He said: “The Powerboat P1 power-to-weight ratio is what racing is all about. It allows all manufacturers – hulls, engines, drive systems – a chance to compete on a level field--It’s real racing!”
The team has the advantage of a partnership with the largest independent satellite broadcasting company in China, Phoenix TV, which will televise the Powerboat P1 Championships globally, providing exposure for the teams in Asia, a new growth market for the marine and luxury products. The Powerboat P1 World Championships are broadcast globally through a variety of international broadcasters including EuroSport, RAI and in the US, MAV-TV.

Pantera Powerboats

http://www.panteraboats.com/about_us.html

[Big V]

Miami To New York in a 24 footer with twin 2.4's... BRILLIANT!!!

[cfun]

The P1 site has no Honda team news on it probably just as well looking at the outcome V Four nations, however they do have a piece on that long time offshore thrasher Miles Jennings always find it interesting to read about some of our racers, anyhow often wondered was it a lucky break that got him racing in those nice boats in the 80's and 90's perhaps a lucky scoop at some sponsorship that got him that nice Phantom 28 to race or the 40' Pro vee Cougar (wonder if its in his garden as some sort of flower ornament) anyhow looking at the info appears Miles is a also a dab hand in business if this is his company trading since 81 ... http://www.stovax.com/index.htm so perhaps it wasn't just a lucky break with a bit of sponsorship that got him that nice Phantom 28 but shrewd business sense

[cfun]

I see P1 is adopting the super vee light series that has always proved a popular racing class in the US, have posted a few times before on these 30' 525 engined boats as they have produced some competitive racing on the other side of the pond and the single 525 Merc engine propels their 2100Kg to a 90mph potential




if V24 had been heavily supported in the UK this would have made an ideal race series for the next class up, marathon aside

[cfun]

Reading through this it appears that the British team of Martin Lai are possibly on to a winner, with most Americans really enthusiastic about this new boat, and according to the speeds hinted at, even at Supersport weighting should exceed 90mph if it turns up to race at Cowes this year the Pantera should be a strong contender ... the Question is will Martin let Miles near it

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...-launched.html

[Cookee]

Bit late for the start of the season though!

[cfun]

Pantera 41' Pics

Pic's are of Martin Lai's boat

[cfun]

and 2 more ... it was said to be due into the UK a couple of weeks back

[timtap]

Originally Posted by cfun

and 2 more ... it was said to be due into the UK a couple of weeks back

Talked to Martin on Sunday , It is taking 3 weeks to get here but it will arrive soon and he is hoping to test here in Torquay around the 6th July and then straight Off to Italy .

[Cookee]

It was originally ordered for the start of the season my spies tell me, and it has been a difficult "birth" from my information - but to be fair none of that came from Martin himself - I wish him all the luck and hope it's a winner!

I still don't like stand up boats though - that's what Shelley's ejector boat is!

[cfun]

Originally Posted by Cookee

I still don't like stand up boats though - that's what Shelley's ejector boat is!

If I recall he has had some very near ... think I'll go for a dip moments ... in the old boat so You never no Cookee may be one day he'll come knocking on your door for a sit down conversion to his new steed

PS ... your new website looks cool must admit I must be getting boring to, as didn't go much on the horn either, kinda agree with Kitten on that one

[timtap]

Had a great day with Martin Lai , the crew and many familiar faces testing the Pantera 41 in Torbay.

Pictures Here:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/timtap...ai?feat=email#

[timtap]

Youtube video of Pantera 41.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ke16Nr95NM

[Paul E]

stunning boat, top of my lottery win wish list at the moment!

[Jon Holmes]

Quality video of a lovely boat.

Thanks.

[cfun]

Thanks timtap those are really nice pic's, it would be amazing if you can score a win in Sardinia Italy this weekend against boats that have optimized their setup with a huge amount of race testing, and it appears the team have a challenge after reading the OO forum ...

PP statement ...

''It is quite a coincidence that the new Pantera 41' first race is exactly 30 years to the day when i got a second place finnish in the Viareggio - Bastia - Viareggio race (Italy) in a triple outboard 28' pantera.''

so go go and get a first and then it would be great to see this boat racing in the 50th CTC

I agree with someone else that said this boat reminds them of a 41' Apache with steps no bad thing