• Key West World’s, 2011 - Superboat Stock

    by Serious Offshore



    There are many descriptions for this class of race boat around the world. In the Middle East it’s X Cat. In Australia and New Zealand they’re called Superboat Lite. In the US we call them Superboat Stock. But no matter where in the world they are, they run by the same rules; 2.5 Liter Mercury Outboards at about 280HP; 28 to 32 feet, twin hulled, closed cockpit, carbon fiber, catamarans. The longer boats carry more minimum weight to offset the improved lift and handling characteristics.

    Because of these worldwide class matching rules, there is a good opportunity to see some of the boats from overseas in Key West this year for the SBI World’s. If so, there could be as many as 11 or 12 boats racing for a world championship in Superboat Stock. As Gary Ballough said this past year in Dubai, “I think it’s the best world class racing in the world as it’s so professional. I’ve raced in the USA, Canada, Argentina, the Cayman Islands, and the Bahamas…. I like the fact that it’s only one class of racing and not a handicap system and it’s about the team that makes the difference of how you finish and not the boat. I love competing in fast action sports; I also race in the Super Cat, Super Cat Lite, Pro Stock, and Super V classes in the States.”



    The Teams that look to make it this year to Key West-
    S-1 Peters & May Racing, S-111 Cooper Standard/Fluid Sealing Products Inc., X-96 Yachts, S-12 Steve Quick Jewelers, S-324 BK Motorsports, S-5 WHM, S-31 Hulk, S-29 Talbot Excavating.



    The teams that may make it-
    S-516 Castronova, one team from France (Lux Media, Francois Pinelli and ?), and one team from Italy (Consul Brokers, Matteo Nicolini and Alfredo Amato?).



    A Superboat Stock World Championship with 11 boats competing would be an incredible spectacle to watch. Eight of the cats running at the same time, with the parity in the class due to the strictly enforced rules, plus the experience of this particular group of teams competing for this championship, will be an outstanding, exciting, edge of the pier, dock, or chair event to talk about for years.