A little something for your viewing pleasure: Epic Offshore Racing Showdown!! Miss Geico Team USA Vs Gasse Norway - YouTube
It's difficult to digitally convey the drama and adrenaline of going 135+ mph in an offshore boat, but this video is as close to reality as you'll get. I miss packing air in the tunnel and that feeling of flight that no other motorsport can capture, but I don't miss broken parts. Or bones.
The fastest we've been in a boat is 90 mph and having run 60-70 mph in one many times, the 90 was so far beyond. There were moments you felt airborne and as if you were losing contact with the water. So, that said, I can't imagine 135+ in an offshore boat, but I do not believe I'd ever have the nerve to do it. We even briefly considered getting a go-fast boat and just too conservative for them even. It's one thing on perfectly smooth water but in more than a chop, I don't think so. Plus the cost and effort of maintaining them. And broken bones. That I definitely choose to avoid. Maybe I'm a wimp, but I remain intact without medical repair.
I do/have done/still test/depends on how many pain killers I've taken/ race. A lot That video shows just how busy you are on a boat. Very good calls from the Nav seat, he won that race. Yes, I felt every bump and held my breath on each and every turn, what a stupid, silly sport it is. We start in March, if anyone wants to come along. New motors and props to play with.
If you want to hear how some Lambo V12's sound in a boat, this may help. You may even see me on my crutches, after I broke my leg, clutching a beer and a girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjM1RFpoWc4t=8m48s
This was shortly before Casiraghi was killed and since then I have not followed the Offshore 1, but it was nice to see all the boats and guys again. But even more I liked the monohull era in the late sixties. Then we had a race in Sweden where all the giants participated, first to win was Don Aronow in 1967. He had a Swedish guy onboard who the year before had designed a boat that was winning all races in the smaller classes. I stumbled upon this boat a couple of weeks ago and have now a restoration project.. Luckily we have special rules for vintage boats where you are not allowed to drive more than 60 knots...
They are doing a vintage boat thing at the Isle of Wight, looks good fun. Here's my Dad doing his best back in those days. A Ray Hunt 34
I love those bigger boats, but we are racing our offshore inshore, why our boats are smaller. The one I just bought is 18 feet and should have a speed just above 50 knots with the original Volvo B18. The picture is from the trials in 1966...
My neck still hurts & it's been 10 years since I raced this Outerlimits! I have been faster on a boat than on land! Not in our old race boat F2-07 Wild Child, I went 148 mph in a 46' Douglass Skater I believe I left a souvenir on the seat It's very difficult to explain how fast things are happening on the water at those speeds. In the beginning of the Geico video, it shows them in the pits & says "waiting is the hardest part". OMG, I barely remember the races but I remember the waiting before hand. My ritual before and after the races consisted of walking to the outskirts where the medical teams staged their stuff, shook everyone's hand & said "thanks for watching out for us & I'll see you AFTER the race".
I was always scared to climb into a cat, I don't have the intestinal fortitude to brave something like that. My one and only foray into offshore racing was the unfortunate night I walked into his resturant, and Roaki conned me into throttling for him in the Miami to Bimini race. Nice guy but had more money than talent. But I was surprised at how much the deck of the Miss Geico flexed! What are they 46 feet or 54 foot hulls? Anyway, great video...I didn't hear any audio at all.
CTdave, you remember climbing out after a race and wondering where your kidneys went? I'm fairly certain that's why I'm only 5'9"! Even being a young buck, in great shape, and it wasn't the day after the race ...it was two days after...I felt like I'd been 10 rounds with a heavy weight!
If Jorge won't say it I will ... That lovely whistling sound is coming out of system made by Fort Lauderdale's very own DeAngelo Marine Exhaust!
The fastest I've been was 94 mph in a 18' Stallion tunnel hull with a 2.4L Bridgeport. 7200rpm's spinning a 27" pitch cleaver. That was scary fast in a 18' boat. The Geico video was really cool, especially from 15 minutes on. When I was running a boat for seatrials at the Miami Boat show several years back. MPI had one of their big cats there with the then new Merc 1350's in it. They took 2 of the guys I was working with out on it and did 145 mph with them in it in Biscayne Bay. I think it did 165 mph +/-
Miss Geico currently is racing a 50ft Victory with Mercury 1650's. Their previous (most recent) boat was a 50ft Mystic with turbines that burned to the water line.