Let me be the first to whine........

[fastedy]

Gino, Every thing sounds good, This is your project and I am very intrested, as I said earlier, I have been thinking of something like this for a while, Mark and I spoke to Steve Curtice abought his Honda Program, my suggestions would be.
1. not limet to 30 teams, the success of the class would retain value in the boats
2 24 to 27' boats with rear seat like the honda boats
3 possibly small blocks, cheapest HP for the buck, I bet you can get these under 40/45K
with single ram sterring, bennet tabs
4. most important, dry exhaust, this is a race boat, it needs to sound like one.

[MANITIE]

Eddie....I will call you tommorow....the reason behind the 30 teams is also apperances...I don't want 40 teams and only avg. 15 boats a race...I would like to get team owners that I can thrust will be at the races...If I promote that there will be 25 boats there...I would want to have 25 boats there...by putting the team owner responsible on making 80% of the races to keep there ownership,it will let owners know up front...if your looking to only running a few races and picking up a pay check...that won't help the Series and we don't need that....I would rather have 10 boats with 10 good owners then 15 owners and avg. 8 boats a race....

The small block is a good idea but finding a engine sponsor to put up a sponsorship is not easy....sure you can find someone to build engines...but to find one that will make the races and inspect and give you a sponsorship deal on one is a differant story....

I'll talk to ya tommorow

[mikey]

Hey Gino just caught up on the post and would love to help. Check your pm.

Do you see this as being a way to get other people involved in the racing program. I know that you want the exprience of Ryan or Eddy, or any racer for that matter, but do you see this as a way to make the sport bigger by bringing in new people?

[THEJOKER]

Ballast tanks up front = safety. Just a thought.

[MANITIE]

Hey Gino just caught up on the post and would love to help. Check your pm.

Do you see this as being a way to get other people involved in the racing program. I know that you want the exprience of Ryan or Eddy, or any racer for that matter, but do you see this as a way to make the sport bigger by bringing in new people?

Mikey....what my goal is.....I'm trying to get some experienced racer who are not in boats right now to start with and then go after guys that are not involved in racing or had been and are out....I'm not trying to get current race teams to get out of there race boat and into this one....it will do nothing for the sport....The goal is to get your weekend boater to get into one of these, race for a while, the speeds are not crazy...but if they like it they can sell there ownership and boat and move up to P-Class and by them selling there ownership I still will maintain my numbers....

The 5 guys that I would want to be the first teams are not currently racing but have a great history of racing....they will be the guys I'm going after...and by compensating them will give them a reason to join in....

[MANITIE]

Well this tread has turned into a big help.....since posting the info on the Series I now have another engine builder interested in the Series....
I will leave all doors open till I hear everyone both in engines and hull manufactures....times are slow and companys need work...but I think the Hull make is pretty well set....I feel confident with them....but still will let the other 2 put there offer on papper....

Thanks to Brain H....he has offer his rule book from the ORL that I will input to what I have already.....

Thanks Brian....and thanks to everyone that has shown interest in the Series....

Again...I want to make myself clear....I don't want to take boats away that are currently racing....I'm looking for racers who are not racing but want to get back into it..so we can start the Series and make it appealing to the everyday boater....

[kirby]

Gino in just a few months youve done what these few hecklers could not do in 5 years . Kudos to you .

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Gino Good deal and good luck. I figured I share a thought. I don't know the extent of your travel schedule, but seems likely not everyone will attend all races as history shows from past seasons. Why not also invite racers that will only race a few. So if guys commit to a full schedule great, but try not to lose the others that can't or won't do them all. If you get enough over a broad area you can still put on a good show. If they commit to buy a boat that is great don't overwhelm everyone by insisting on a full season too. It would be great if everyone did them all, but it seems a little unrealistic to me.

Good luck.

[MANITIE]

Jim...

1st- It was good to see ya again in K.W. Its been along time...good to see ya back in the sceen again.....
2nd -You have been around for a long time in racing so any of your input is good information....thanks

The thinking is that if racers really want to be paid for there services then they have to contribute...by puting a Series together and working on putting a race boat together for 50k or less and get money back for everey race you attend...your investment will pay for itself down the road...but for it to pay for itself the owners need to committ....thats why the first 7 owners need to be paid for there services....for this to work we need to bring in a show..even with 7 boats to start with, we will still be able to put on a great show.....they will be able to miss 1 race a year...and for the teams that make every race they will be able to drop there worst race in points....

[kirby]

:gino dont let the guys who tore up real racing back in ,03 discourage you

[Ryan Beckley]

Make sure you start with a reputable boat company that a finance & insurance company will cover..........

[MANITIE]

TRUE !

Try some partnership deals ,where two or more teams own a boat and trade off driving crews. Since it's a budget circuit you are after ,and the owners cant touch the boat anyway ( other than the maintenance you described )they wont be arguing who's idea is best and could work out .

I agree in advance this would not work with a conventional team due too ego ( who's smartest ,who put in most $$$who is most experienced . )

It worked in the lease program tho .Guys showed up at their race took a boat and raced and left ,next race someone else may have been it .Youre program should be better since at the end any member selling off, gets some of his investment back .And for the little guys , they want that .And you did say the BOAT was the qualifier ?

The Big boys knew they lost their $$$ the day they ordered their hull ,big difference in thinking .

The thinking is...by have a ownership...the boat mantains the points...so if some racers cannot make a race but the owner has 2 other guys that can race that weekend they can...as long as they are members and are in good standings with the Series....its up to the owner if you trust the other racers...and with the contingency money out there per race...it would benifit the owner to have his boat in every race....

[MANITIE]

Make sure you start with a reputable boat company that a finance & insurance company will cover..........

Thanks for the input Ryan....

Yes all 3 manufactures boats are well know in the boating community and are insurable and I already have one bank set up if fin. is needed, you will have to quilifie but they will also due sub-prime players with a downpayment..

One of the things I'm not going to have set up right away is taking in trades...my shop will be set up for sales...but I will not jump in and start taking in trades in this market without having a buy figure or a buyer for your boat....Since I don't want to take race boats out of other Series...I will look more for pleasure boats to trade who's owneers want to get into the Series..I want to put my time in my current race team and the Series vice being in boat sales

[catmando]

If that idiot needs any help with that I know another idiot or two that love the concept and would be glad to help.

YOU lol

[catmando]

I was called a IDIOT when I told racers that racing was a buisness to me when I got started....so I like being called a IDIOT....

How crazy would this IDIOT be if he opened a race shop...lets say in New Port Richy were all boats were rigged exactly the same on a templet right down to were the battery boxes and bildge pumps, gauges were all located...nothing could be moved on the boat, every boat would be rigged exacly the same way and the owner would have to inspect the boat before delivery and sign off that everything matches the templet. All materials for rigging will be the same make so sponsorship packages can be formed, from seats to pumps to gauges. From that point on, the owner has full responsibilty that the boat remains exacly to spec. during all inspection.
And the race shop will also be used for workshops for getting sponsorships for your teams. The more teams with actual sponsors, the better for the Series..

And what if this IDIOT has been working with a engine munufacture for the last 7 months on the series and is now down to talking to hull manufactures to see what is the best for the series....one Manufacture was easy...told him what I was looking for and can he build them in a timely fashion and price was good...2 others I have been working with...1 since Feb 08, the other since April 08...will be meeting with the one on Nov 21. for finnal numbers and pricing and sponsorship and will then take it to the other manufacture to see if they can compete for the contract.....and then will make the finnal decision of the 3. The boats will have 2 race seats but also back seating....it will be a boat that you can truely race on Sat and take the family out the same day with no changes...so it can still be appealing to the 1 boat family.

This IDIOT has signed a 5 year contract with a sponsor with his race team which he can add to this Seires.....

Thinking on races sites....this IDIOT has not talked to any race Orgs but this is the thinking of the IDIOT:

1. I will approch the Orgs when the Series is formed and just like any sponsorship package I propose, I will sit down with them and lay out what the Series can bring to the table.

2. Offer to race on Saturday before regular testing on a shorter course. The IDIOTS thinking is, race on only a 3 mile course, keeping the course shorter with easier visability. since the speeds will not be very fast there is no need for 2 or 3 mile straight aways....in F1 we reached our top speed in around 300 yards when we started at 60 mph

3. The Series will bring in its own prize money and be responsible for its Series.

4. This IDIOT will have a little help if any pemits are need for this with the C.G.

This Sereis in no way wants to take current race teams away from other orgs....but to bring in more teams in a little differant type of racing...

Just some things in the works from a IDIOT....

I see you've been thinking about this a lot. I hope it works and you can get sponsorship which we all know is tough even in the best of times which these are not.

[THEJOKER]

I see you've been thinking about this a lot. I hope it works and you can get sponsorship which we all know is tough even in the best of times which these are not.

Somehow , someway Gino has been in this arena for a while. He's got a knack for never quitting. I wish him the best and I'll be the biggest drum beater of all if he call pull this off. I love open cockpit spec offshore powerboat racing.

[catmando]

I know an idiot that would be another idiot for this also. I guess my wife is correct, i'm an idiot !!!Dave

Yall could call Idiot Offshore Racing.

Sounds great Gino, it would be so cool to see this happen and I bet John "Can't Understand Normal Thinking" Haggin would be another IDIOT on board in a heartbeat!


[Edit I like Ted's Idiot Racing League better]

[catmando]

And how sexy will it be to do a poker run or raft up with a full lettered race boat

Absolutely, major props!

[catmando]

Gino what ci/hp are you looking at? I think I know an engine builder who might be interested.

[MANITIE]

Gino what ci/hp are you looking at? I think I know an engine builder who might be interested.

Since I have posted about what I have been working on with the Series I have had 2 other engine builders interested in it...I will hear them out...we will not need any big HP to get these boats in the low 70's on a fairly light weight hull....I have the weight of 2 of the hull munufacatures and working on the exact weight of the 3rd....but looking for a very reliable engine package that we can work with them backing and inspecting them and have involment in the Series.....If they are interested please feel free to have them contact me....I have one sponsor already done for the engine package...but I will hear every option before signing a contract. Once that is done I will have the 1st one built so everyone can see it...Once everyone acually see's it and has the opertunity to take a ride in it, then they will be able to picture how this could take off....