Tales from the Litterbox...Morehead City , N.C. 2023 OPA Championships

[Bobcat]

Should be arriving this Afternoon (Atlantic Beach) Drove in the Rain all day Yesterday....


Crystal Coast Grand Prix
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, September 29, 2023

Crane Area - 10th St Lot, Morehead City, NC
Ramp Area - Ramp at 10th Street
Crystal Coast Visitors Ramp (3407 Arendell St, Morehead City, NC)
Newport River Pier and ramp (Beaufort, NC)
Wet Pits - Jack's Waterfront Bar
Dry Pits - Jack's Waterfront Bar
Wash Down Area - Jack's Waterfront Bar

All Day - Arrival of Race Boats - Race Village - Jack's Watefront Bar (513 Evans St, Morehead City, NC)
10am-3:30pm REGISTRATION - Jack's Waterfront Bar
11am-6pm Race Boats Inspections - Race Village
7pm Volunteer Meeting - Jack's Water Front Bar

Saturday, September 30, 2023

10am Race Village Open
8am Team Physicals - Jack's Water Front Bar
9am Racer Meeting - Jack's Water Front Bar
8am Race Course Buoys set up
9:30am Medical and Dive team briefing - Jack's Water Front Bar
9:30am Patrol Fleet Briefing - Jack's Water Front Bar
9am Race Control Operational
9:30am Crane & Ramp Operational
11:15am Race Patrol Fleet & Course Support Fleet on station

12pm-5pm OFFSHORE RACING

7pm Awards Presentation - Jack's Water Front Bar

[Pete B]

Should be arriving this Afternoon (Atlantic Beach) Drove in the Rain all day Yesterday....

you're chance to bathe??

[Serious News]

[Serious News]

Crystal Coast Grand Prix scheduled this weekend, bringing powerboats to area
BY J.J. SMITH NEWS-TIMES Sep 27, 2023 Updated Sep 27, 2023

MOREHEAD CITY — Powerboats will make their annual pilgrimage to the Morehead City waterfront this week for the Crystal Coast Grand Prix.

After an eight-year absence, the event returned in 2020 and has taken place ever since.

Jeff McCann has spearheaded the effort.

He recalls sitting on a seawall as a young boy during his formative years on Harkers Island watching men from Down East communities race boats on Sunday evenings near his father’s Calico Jack’s Inn and Marina.

After watching those hydroplanes with Chevrolet 327-cubic-inch V8 engines, he later found himself in a Fountain powerboat when he was 12.

He found plenty of powerboat racing success from 2010 to 2016.

In 2012, he pushed his 47-foot Fountain Boat Show Direct Cat Killer to a victory in the Suncoast Superboat Grand Prix in Sarasota, Fla.

That same year, he captured the 30th annual Super Boat International Key West World Championships.

After years of racing at other venues, he decided to invest his personal time bringing the sport to Morehead City, not only due to his love for it, but also to help generate revenue for the area.

He did both.

During a seven-year run (2006-2012), the Crystal Coast Grand Prix, a three-day event that hosted the country’s most competitive powerboat racers, drew big crowds and generated huge revenue.

Boats will begin to arrive Friday at Jack’s Waterfront Bar at 513 Evans St. with registrations taking place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and inspections from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A race meeting will be held at 7.

The races will occur from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday on a boomerang course, starting and finishing in front of the N.C. Port of Morehead City. The awards presentation starts at 7 p.m. at Jack’s.

Mariners should be advised these waters will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday while racing boats practice.

Drivers should also be advised Evans Street from 11th Street to 4th Street will be closed from Thursday to Saturday. The Katherine Davis Park parking lot will remain open to the public, as well as the 4th Street public parking lot. Two-hour parking limits on Arendell Street will be lifted for the weekend.

There will be a free shuttle to Sugarloaf Island where spectators can view the race. The shuttle will run from Jack’s to the east end of Sugarloaf Island and dock at the Natural Light Barge.

Shuttles will begin running at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

[Ratickle]

So far the number of boats seems to be small. Hope that changes.

[Bobcat]

Pits.

[Ratickle]

Bobcat said 5 Class 7's and 2 Class 6's in the first race.

[Ratickle]

I cannot get either live stream to work

https://www.crystalcoastgrandprix.com/live

https://www.facebook.com/events/3542...tab=discussion

[Ratickle]

Live

https://www.facebook.com/OPARacing

5 boats it appears?

Jeff and Ed side by side. Jeff has 6 people racing in his race boat in Class 2 (I believe)!

[Ratickle]

Last race has 4 boats, running now.

2 Mod Vee's and 2 Stock Vee's.

16 boats total at a National Championship event?

[Bobcat]

I was on Radio Island for less than 5 Minutes...When the Cops showed up....Port Authority has taken over and it is now off limits....Would've been nice to know beforehand.

Guy was cool...Told Me to stay on the Beach, and not in the Jungle....

[Bobcat]

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[Bobcat]