Deciphering Dunkirk

[Speed on the Water]

Race World Offshore struggled to attract boats in its first race of the 2019 season—and few spectators on scene even noticed.
https://speedonthewater.com/in-the-news/commentary/6316-deciphering-dunkirk

 

[Bobcat]

Looks like Englewoood is the new Key West....Hopefully the Poker Run Crowd will still show up in the Southernmost City.

 

[Serious News]

Power boats year two

City council calls weekend event a success

The Great Lakes Offshore Grand Prix was a point of pride discussed at the city of Dunkirk’s Common Council meeting on Tuesday. Many accolades were given to police and fire groups from throughout Chautauqua County, Dunkirk’s DPW, festivals and special events staff and volunteers by city officials and citizens alike.

The event cost roughly $200,000 to put on, with over $100,000 of that coming from the I Love New York campaign.

“This event cost us over $100,000 and the taxpayers did not have to put one penny of that in to bring these boats here to the city,” Mayor Wilfred Rosas stated. “This event was recognized by the I Love New York campaign and they want to again, do it next year.”

The race is only in its second year and Third Ward Councilman Shaun Heenan felt that as the city moves forward with this event, hopefully past the year 2020, that a few changes might be best to implement.

“Looking to build on this, some of my suggestions to increase our attendance here include hiring a professional marketing company that specializes in this type of event, to market a $200,000 event we need more help. It’s much more than any one person can handle,” Heenan pointed out. “Again this is my opinion, but I think that it’d be very important that we try to find another day for this event. Our neighboring county, Erie County, has their fair every year on that weekend and it’s one of the top five county fairs in the country. The last five years they’ve had over 1.2 million people in attendance with this past year being record setting, it’s 12 days and it overlaps with what we do.”

Heenan also took time to point out another boat race in the nation that is in its 11th year, the Great Lakes Grand Prix in Michigan City, Indiana, located an hour’s drive from Chicago. This event gathers roughly 135,000-150,000 spectators every year over a four-day period, and more than 50 racing teams; their event is handled by LaPorte County however, not the city itself.

“I Love New York gave us over $100,000 for marketing. We do have a professional marketing, it may not be specific to us however,” Fourth Ward Councilman Mike Civiletto responded to Heenan’s comments. “Another thing that was mentioned was how the county for Michigan City stepped up and helped with their race. I don’t believe, in my opinion, our county stepped up as much as they could have, but I do thank them for what they did do. I know last year was like pulling teeth to get the county to support us in that regard.”

Civiletto also was curious as to why these suggestions are being made now and had not been made in various meetings in the last two years. “These suggestions that were made, I don’t know where they were a year ago,” Civiletto questioned. “We know that the Erie County Fair is the same weekend every year. We’ve done this twice now, and those comments weren’t made. I’m trying to understand where those comments are coming from after the fact.”

Despite the discussion all members agreed that it was a good event all around, according to Heenan and Rosas as well as other municipal officials the boaters really liked coming here.

“We had more boats this year, then we did last year,” Rosas told the OBSERVER following the meeting. “I think the weather put off some people, but for the most part the racers, all of them said they definitely want to come back next year.”

The number of actual competitors this year was a confusing one. According to OBSERVER coverage it was believed to have been eight boats. That number is also posted on offshoreonly.com, a website that follows these events. However, when asked about the number of boats in attendance the mayor said “I believe I was told 21. Some boats didn’t get in until late Saturday, one didn’t come in until almost 1 a.m., some of them came in Sunday morning, so 21 total boats in different classes.”

The mayor also talked of a firm that comes in with drones that have mechanisms to count all the bodies along the shore line. He and others are looking forward to those numbers when they come in.

https://www.observertoday.com/news/page-one/2019/08/power-boats-year-two/

 

[Ratickle]

Interesting that the Mayor is telling the City Council that he was told there were 21 boats there. Who the hell told him that, Larry? I thought the Mayor was there and declared the day to be Larry's day?

And the city council didn't know any different?

I also love the part where the taxpayers didn't have to pay one penny of the $200,000 spent. It just magically appeared from out of no-where. Kind of like the Dems are telling the voters for free college, free medical, etc.

 

[john acosta]

In the article ,it states most thought all were in the same one race.

Sorry to put reality in youre faces but ALL the races have the same dilemma .

One year in keywest I heard a group of fans excitedly saying "look that little boat is way in front of the big one LOL.

offshore racing needs to be a couple spec classes .

P-class is old boats out havin fun on a weekend WHEN they can make it .

Blacking out an event because you don't like an individual is no way to run things .

As far as Dunkirk race .there was NO info at all. not here not social media ,nothing no where I could find.
That drops at Larry.s feet . His media man ( r,cox ) is not up to the challenge.

As far as teams pulling out as the last minute ? that's called pressure

 

[Ratickle]

I think that Clearwater will tell us a lot about the future of RWO.

It is amazing that they say they received $100,000 from I Love New York for promotion, and everybody says they need to hire somebody to do promotion because no one was aware of the event? Makes zero sense to me.

 

[Ratickle]

As for the Key West race, it cannot legally be called the Key West Worlds by anyone except SBI as they own the copywrite, I think the teams will show up unless RWO really messes up the Clearwater event.

However, two weeks after Clearwater is the last race of the OPA/P1 Championship in Fort Meyers. I don't know how many teams may skip Clearwater to make sure their boats are available, unbroken, for Fort Meyers.

:huh:

 

[john acosta]

keywest will happen if no boats register.

they used to go for the races , now just a yearly vacation spot.

they still get 150 awesome boats to see.(pra)

the offshore we knew is over.

no new blood

 

[Bobcat]

I wonder if SBI could get the FBC into use the Outer Mole as a stick in the Eye to RWO ( this reads like a Military SITREP!):rofl:

 

[john acosta]

I wonder also.

I wonder how many teams were persuaded NOT to attend Dunkirk?

I wonder How many teams are being discouraged NOT to attend Clearwater?

None in either case ? maybe not.

 

[phragle]

I wonder if the FarmBoat is going to be at LOTO to lay down some big numbers????

 

[Ratickle]

The boat will not run until this fall when they go after the record again according to what I'm told.

And, it looks better now.

 

[Ratickle]

I've heard very little backtalk on Clearwater, Dunkirk was a different story. But, Dunkirk is in Smitty's backyard and in a state he controls all APBA rights to.

 

[phragle]

The boat will not run until this fall when they go after the record again according to what I'm told.

And, it looks better now.

Im not holding my breathe

 

[Ratickle]

They've had it out testing, so we shall see.

 

[john acosta]

I've heard very little backtalk on Clearwater, Dunkirk was a different story. But, Dunkirk is in Smitty's backyard and in a state he controls all APBA rights to.

TRUE .
When SBI had control of apba haggin was putting together a kilo run at crescent city florida . Bubba said any boats who participated in that event would be banned from racing with him .
That's why I say one dictater for another. we,ll see soon enough.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I don't ever recall SBI having control of APBA. Pretty sure it never happened.

 

[Ratickle]

This is all I can find so far. It looks as if APBA and JC had a few combined years, maybe JC had control of Florida races during those years? I really can't tell for sure so far.

KEY WEST, Florida Keys -- Three different U.S. offshore powerboat racing organizations have agreed to stage a unified, season-ending world championship in Key West.

The announcement to combine entries from Super Boat International Productions, American Power Boat Association Offshore Racing and the Offshore Super Series Nov. 14-21 comes after nine consecutive years of different racing organizations staging competing world championships.

The confusion has had offshore racing fans, corporate sponsors and even some competitors wondering where each year’s true world championship was being held.

“There will only be one world championship powerboat race in 2004,” said John Carbonell, president of SBIP and the producer of the Key West World Championship.

The agreement for a combined event came after months of negotiations.

“We have come to an understanding that somebody has to do something good for the sport,” said Bob Bull, chairman of APBA Offshore. “We need to try to get things back on track like they were at one time.”

For years, APBA was the lead sanctioning body for professional offshore powerboat racing in the U.S., but in 1989 a group of disgruntled racers, led by actor/racer Don Johnson, separated and created a new organization called the Offshore Professional Tour. Since then, several other organizations have formed and faded away. In 1994 and 1995, APBA and SBI staged combined world championships in Key West, but have raced separately since.

OSS was created last year, after many of its members separated from APBA and had their own world championship in Key West.

“Our teams are excited about racing boats (that will be) coming together from other circuits,” said Elaine Motl, chief executive officer for OSS.

Indeed, the racers seem most pleased with the decision to get back together.

“I’m tired of explaining to people ‘that’s a world title for APBA’ or ’that’s a title for SBI,’” said John Tomlinson, a Miami throttleman for Bacardi Silver, who has won six APBA world titles and four SBI world championships. “This year, it’ll be nice to have everyone under one roof.”

Press release from 2004: https://fla-keys.com/news/article/1293/

 

[john acosta]

Bob Bull bought it . Started his first season in st cloud . went well.
After a while bob sold it to bubba for buck and a half.
Mobile man it was during youre hiatus

OPT was run by carbonell family.
then went under leaving room for sbi
allweiss and miklos took apba offshore.
oss stole what they could from them for a while and RUINED offshore .
They are the reason it is what it is today.
any of you who supported OSS earn ed what you now have.

 

[Ratickle]

You don't believe that OPT was the beginning of the first downfall of offshore racing?