It's good to be King........

[7xchamp]

Unlike cells dividing, each split diminishes both parties. Up until the Indy split, I could name every Indy car and driver. Now I don't give a flying f**k. I was US delegate to the UIM Offshore Commission for 3 years, back in the 60's, and my job was keeping harmony in the rules, so that we could race over here, and over there and vice versa. Now look at it.... For that matter, I am against the split with OSO. I guess I was born without an ego. Good news, though, I met a guy the other day who was NOT an offshore world champ.......

It started going bad in the Nordskog days when he was pres. of APBA, He said that the UIM world championships were out of the grasp of the average guy campaigning an open class boat, that`s why the Italians were winning the championships, they hired the top guns from america and had 2, 3, and 4, boats campaining around the world. As a result of his work came the single format world championships which stayed UIM for awhile. Under the rules you had to compete in your own APBA or Italian , South American and European, races to qualify to participate, and you had to finish all races in the top three positions. We had to have permission and be sponsored by APBA or other bodies to Race for the UIM world championship.
Bottom line is that there were three sanctioning bodies who worked TOGETHER !!!!!!! UIM was the ultimate sanctioning body, then APBA, then the Local clubs who were APBA affiliates. All used the same rule books, and had the same recognized classes. I think it was three classes recognized world wide. Open class for the big guys, Modified class, Production class, . The local club classes could have run what you brung classes, but if you wanted to compete nationally you had to be a member of a club and a member of APBA, If you raced UIM also you had to have a letter from your APBA afiliated club saying you were qualified and were sponsored.
Seemed simple enough and worked pretty good until the Indy split. Now nobody knows who`s who, and like Brownie says we got more World Champions than carter has pills. In the day we had a UIM ultimate world Champion which was represenatative all the world local clubs, and all the world sanctioning bodies. After that you had your US1 champions in APBA as did the Europeans have ther champions. After that you had your club champions in there respective areas. Like I said Simple days simple times. Hope I have made some sense about how it was and everyone pretty much knows what happened to get where they are today. Worst thing that happened is that APBA Offshore sold out to individuals, and split from the UIM. Currently I think the best racing is UIM !!!!!!!!!!!!! I still enjoy racing and watching, I just don`t know who is who or what equip. they race Etc. Names I recognize and look forward to watching are names like Geico, Bud light, Tomlinson , Steve Curtis, Stan Ware, Bob Teague, Amsoil etc. Just as a past racer and having watched the last Key West worlds, that`s all that stick out in my mind. Used to be like Brownie said we knew almost every class and every person racing, and we knew there stats. Yeah STATISTICS what they had done, what there equip. was etc. we new who to hate and who to love, again like indy. Guess all things change, but nothing says they can`t go back to the same or similar, we should learn from the past, even though we don`t have recorded history in Offshore, That`s another subject and my finger is tired from all the typing.

[Sean Stinson]

It's funny, I was looking at a (free from the LA Boat show) issue of Performance Boats yesterday (yes in the crapper) and I noticed that Sunsation has the "Offshore World Champion" in their logo. It occured to me that one of these days when I'm really committed to procrastinating on something very important, I need to go through and see how many boat companies advertise themselves (primarily in their logos) as the Offshore World Champion (and yes, I'm feeling pretty parenthetical today)...

Indy meant a lot to me growing up. It represented a special bond that I had with my father and grandfather. It had a sense of history and direction that connected one generation to the next. Currently, it's most profound meaning is it gives Robin Miller a foil to say hilariously derisive things about people who consider themselves motorsporst professionals.

I wasn't aware you grew up bro

[Sean Stinson]

It started going bad in the Nordskog days when he was pres. of APBA, He said that the UIM world championships were out of the grasp of the average guy campaigning an open class boat, that`s why the Italians were winning the championships, they hired the top guns from america and had 2, 3, and 4, boats campaining around the world. As a result of his work came the single format world championships which stayed UIM for awhile. Under the rules you had to compete in your own APBA or Italian , South American and European, races to qualify to participate, and you had to finish all races in the top three positions. We had to have permission and be sponsored by APBA or other bodies to Race for the UIM world championship.
Bottom line is that there were three sanctioning bodies who worked TOGETHER !!!!!!! UIM was the ultimate sanctioning body, then APBA, then the Local clubs who were APBA affiliates. All used the same rule books, and had the same recognized classes. I think it was three classes recognized world wide. Open class for the big guys, Modified class, Production class, . The local club classes could have run what you brung classes, but if you wanted to compete nationally you had to be a member of a club and a member of APBA, If you raced UIM also you had to have a letter from your APBA afiliated club saying you were qualified and were sponsored.
Seemed simple enough and worked pretty good until the Indy split. Now nobody knows who`s who, and like Brownie says we got more World Champions than carter has pills. In the day we had a UIM ultimate world Champion which was represenatative all the world local clubs, and all the world sanctioning bodies. After that you had your US1 champions in APBA as did the Europeans have ther champions. After that you had your club champions in there respective areas. Like I said Simple days simple times. Hope I have made some sense about how it was and everyone pretty much knows what happened to get where they are today. Worst thing that happened is that APBA Offshore sold out to individuals, and split from the UIM. Currently I think the best racing is UIM !!!!!!!!!!!!! I still enjoy racing and watching, I just don`t know who is who or what equip. they race Etc. Names I recognize and look forward to watching are names like Geico, Bud light, Tomlinson , Steve Curtis, Stan Ware, Bob Teague, Amsoil etc. Just as a past racer and having watched the last Key West worlds, that`s all that stick out in my mind. Used to be like Brownie said we knew almost every class and every person racing, and we knew there stats. Yeah STATISTICS what they had done, what there equip. was etc. we new who to hate and who to love, again like indy. Guess all things change, but nothing says they can`t go back to the same or similar, we should learn from the past, even though we don`t have recorded history in Offshore, That`s another subject and my finger is tired from all the typing.

Couldn't have said it better Richie....I think the old days need to comeback....All the nonsense needs to stop...We need to give it a kiss (Keep It Simple Stupid)....

[Dude! Sweet!]

i wasn't aware you grew up bro

zing!!!

[Fast Shafts]

Great post 7X!! I specificlly agree with all the clubs running the same rules.

[Rik]

Thats not the case Superboat could run with no restrictions. Open class was limited to 1000 cubic inches normally aspirated.... If you super/charged or turbo/charged there was a penalty assessed to you wich knocked the cubic inches down to 714 cubic inches....hence the 355 cubic inch Gentry Turbo...I may be off a bit in the specs but very close

348 ci is what Gentry made

[Sean Stinson]

348 ci is what Gentry made

Like I said a bit off in the specs but very close.....Whats up Rik?? Hows the Golden State

[Rik]

Like I said a bit off in the specs but very close.....Whats up Rik?? Hows the Golden State

Hot N Cold.

[T2x]

As I recall the first year that the Popeyes 4 engine Superboat arrived on the scene it ran in the Open class under the over 45 foot rules which allowed unlimited Cu.In..... or some formula. The following year the rules were changed to make a separate Superboat class and that is what Gentry, Ciasulli, Morales and others went into with 3 and 4 engine behemoths.

T2x

[Sean Stinson]

As I recall the first year that the Popeyes 4 engine Superboat arrived on the scene it ran in the Open class under the over 45 foot rules which allowed unlimited Cu.In..... or some formula. The following year the rules were changed to make a separate Superboat class and that is what Gentry, Ciasulli, Morales and others went into with 3 and 4 engine behemoths.

T2x

There you go I will take Rich's word anytime concerning rules

[T2x]

There you go I will take Rich's word anytime concerning rules

Why? Because I broke so many? I am doing this from memory using my hazy brain cells....not necessarily a safe bet these days.

T2x

[Sean Stinson]

Yours are better than mine brother....Maybe its lack of alcohol in the system or just not being all involved with it anymore!!!!!! I do think we should do a series bringing back the old formats of racing and the old courses!!!!

[MikeyFIN]

Pssstt guys.. there´s a split brewing in the UIM too as we speak...

[FastDonzi]

Pssstt guys.. there´s a split brewing in the UIM too as we speak...

Thats because there's Boats,& Racing, and people with money who haven't won a "World Championship" Yet, and as long as they keep having to race against Real competition they never will, so they'll split off and start their own org (Series) where their boat fits their rules and they can win easier than racing against a bunch of proffesionals. I bet I could make a good living just selling "World Champion" Decals