No list of the top events of any year in this sport would be complete without the inclusion of the topic of racing. In the best of years there are no shortages of points of contention to be found in the stories coming out of the competition side of our sport. The 2011 season will certainly be one that’s remembered.
Two events that particularly caught our attention in this past year were the rules changes in the class rules of Cat Lite (Super Cat), and Class 4 and the loss of race dates on the OSS calendar.
Cat Light and the formerClass 4 two classes that have always been quite popular with the true offshore racing fans. While certainly not as dramatic as the 3,000+ horsepower Extreme boats, these classes really resonate with the hard-core fan that favors the competition above the spectacle.
Class 4 has always been a perpetual fan favorite. These boats seem to be the most relatable to the average pleasure boater as they’re the boats most like the ones in their driveways. SBI’s rule changes in 2011 essentially eliminated what was Class 4. The 2011 modification of the rules in Class 5 allow only single engine monohull boats 30’ and smaller. The class was subsequently renamed Class 4.
The result of these changes could be seen in the World’s in Key West when comparing the most recent race versus the year prior. In 2010, Class 5 had eight boats racing and Class 4 had three boats competing. In 2011, Class did not technically exist, and Class 4, (the old Class 5 boats), had nine boats competing. Class 3 had three boats running both years. So, although it doesn’t sound like a lot- a net loss 2 boats, it’s more than the sport can afford when totals entries for the biggest racing event of the season are hovering around the 50 boat mark. Not only does the number lessen, the opportunity to attract more entries disappears. In SBI, there is talk of lowering the maximum speed allowed in Class 3 to 90, down from 95 this year, but there are numerous old twin-engine open race boats which are completely incapable of those types of speeds.
Old SBI P 5- Maximum speed 75mph 30ft and under single engine only (any hull type)
New SBI P 5 – Gone, eliminated, kaput, etc…..
Old SBI P 4 – 85mph, no limitation on hull type or engine number.
New SBI P 4 – 80 mph, 80 MPH (Single Engine only, Maximum 30 ft length Monohull only).
Old SBI P3 – 95mph, any hull or engine congiguration.
New SBI P3 – 95mph (Monohull Only)
Simmons Racing won the SBI Regular Season Points Championship, the Florida Points Championship, the National Championship in Clearwater, and the World Championship in Key West 2010 in Class 4. In 2011, his boat, a 34′ twin engine Phantom monohull, under the new rules was wholly uncompetitive and did not race. Also in Class 4, the Key West Worlds second place boat, Peters & May Formula, also did not run a single race in 2011 because it also was obsolete under the new rules. Team Velocity, which was the P5 champion in 2010 won the new P4 class in 2011 running under the same rules as the old P5. The loss of any team is certainly not beneficial. The loss of such long time and highly-regarded competitors is by any measure detrimental to the sport.
Interestingly, in OPA, the boats which would fit in the old Class 4 within SBI are one of the larger classes. Maybe this year there will be a rebirth of 4 and 5 in SBI, maybe not. We will just have to wait it out and see.
Changes in Cat Light resulted in the absence at this year’s World Championships of the three-time consecutive championship winning Team Amsoil. Moving away from the standardized rules across all there racing organizations, SBI’s rules changes seemed to make little sense. On the surface, the rules look to only make this class much more expensive to compete in. Not only does “taking the gloves off” on engine packages make for dramatically increased costs, the dramatic differences in rules between organizations essentially forces the competitor to choose one circuit or the other.
Old Cat Lite – Sealed Merc engines, stock ecm (5400rpm from Merc) can be replaced or confiscated by inspector, gear ratio for #6′s either 1.50:1 or 1.57:1.
New 2011 Cat Lite - Sealed engines by Merc, Chief, or Flagship Marine., Any reprogrammed ECM okay, no rpm limit, no inspection. Any ratio drive up to maximum 1.69:1.
While there’s merit in opening up the series to other engine suppliers, some of these changes push the class towards one where the racer with the thickest wallet can walk in and buy themselves a shelf full of trophies. In past years, Cat Light has been the source of some of the best deck-to-deck racing of any class. They’re big, loud, fast boats. Virtually all the teams fielded late model hulls. Parity has made the teams all very competitive. It’s the class where it could be argued that the racer’s skill is most likely to put them in the possession of a checkered flag. All those attributes make Cat Light a strong attraction for the fans.
The other big story in racing was the contraction of the OSS race date calendar. The loss of several OSS race events in 2011 resulted in a schedule of five events. Whether by virtue of the sponsor site just not being able to afford the date, or a reduced boat count, the OSS series certainly felt the pinch of a tight economy.
The 2007 Lake of the Ozarks race drew in excess of 30,000 fans. Their World championships at that same venue in 2009 drew a crowd of 70,000 spectators. In 2010 those championship races moved to Clearwater Florida and received a strong reception. OSS is definitely an organization that has proven they can put on a great show and draw strong crowds to their events.
The 2011 SBI schedule suffered from some contraction. And while boat counts weren’t as strong as anyone would have liked, they ended up putting on some great events in some fantastic locations.
For 2012 OSS has the Biloxi race nailed down for the weekend of April 27th through the 29th. It’s a great venue and a fantastic group of local fans anticipate the event every year. With a little luck and a warming economy we will hopefully see a nice boat count. We’re also hoping that OSS is able to bring some of their regular sites back to the schedule and maybe even some new ones. You can count on us to keep you posted as these events materialize.
Whatever happens between rules changes, racing organizations and event-hosting cities, you can always count on a couple things. The sport of offshore racing will continue to be exciting and dramatic, both on the water and off.