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Featured News

More headlines.

• AMERICAN POWER BOAT ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES RESULTS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• Organizers gearing up for 16th Annual Quake on the Lake
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• Battling back
• River Chase also making a splash in Rock Falls
• $12K Donated to Records And Regatta Challenge
• Capsule Training Helps Drivers Be Safer on the Water
• Phipps and Robertson to new teams
• Boat races returning to West Milford in spring
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• Power Boat Races Return to Huntington
• Proud father enjoys sons' powerboat success
• LISTEN LIVE! 2015 Marathon Nationals
• Bonney Lake's Kelly takes Oryx Cup battle; Covington's Shane captures series title
• Fast Starts Serve U.S. Well at World Championships
• Local jet boat river racers make waves
• Former pilot reduces cost, weight of hydroplanes with composites
• American Power Boat Association announces results for Board of Directors

February 1, 2023

Powerboat P1 has announced the UIM Class 1 World Championship race calendar for the 2023 season, which sees the series heading to Wisconsin for the first time and returning to favorite locations in Florida and Indiana. A fleet of eight Class 1 boats is expected to compete in the six-venue championship from May through to September.

In October 2020, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) assigned to Powerboat P1 the international rights to Class 1 racing in an exclusive ten-year agreement that includes organizational and promotion rights to the world championship. However, with the pandemic seriously impacting the 2021 season by preventing overseas teams from traveling to the United States, it wasn’t until this year that P1 was able to action its plans to attract more race teams and grow the series through social media and building the worldwide television audience.

Racing will kick off at Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Atlantic Coast in late May, before moving to the Gulf Coast at the end of June when the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix will celebrate its 38th anniversary. In August the series will head north to Indiana for the Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix, and a new event in the Wisconsin city of Sheboygan on the western shore of Lake Michigan will host the Mercury Racing MidWest Challenge. Featuring the top categories of U.S. powerboat racing including Class 1, the three-day festival is expected to attract more than thirty teams to race along the Sheboygan waterfront. In early September the Class 1 fleet will be back on the Gulf Coast in St. Petersburg, and P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala is in advanced discussions to stage a season finale in Miami. “We raced in this iconic city in 2018 and returning this year with the Class 1 boats would create an outstanding climax to the 2023 championship,” Rangoonwala said.                

“As we look ahead to the 2023 season, I can confirm that both the M CON Racing Team and Sudrheim Offshore Racing will be joining the series to give us an international field of eight boats with teams representing Australia, Sweden, Norway and, of course, the United States,” said Rangoonwala. “The M CON team will compete in a fully branded Monster Energy boat. This new canopied Skater 438 catamaran is the first purpose-built Class 1 boat for more than a decade. With Sudrheim Racing flying the flag for Norway next year, we can look forward to another Scandinavian team battling for the world title.”

This season’s championship will build towards an international race calendar in 2024 with host venues in Scandinavia and the Middle East being added to the schedule. In five years’ time, the key goal in P1’s development plan is to have twelve Class 1 teams racing at ten international venues. “Our live streaming this season will be significantly enhanced by the introduction of a new timing system which will show boat positions, distances between boats, speeds and lap times as live graphics,” explained Rangoonwala. “We’re on an exciting journey and our mantra is to take UIM Class 1 back to the pinnacle of offshore racing."

UIM Class 1 World Championship – 2023 Race Calendar

Thunder on Cocoa Beach : May 18-21 Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix : June 30 – July 2 Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix : Aug. 4-6* Sheboygan - Mercury Racing MidWest Challenge : Aug. 11-13 St. Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix : Sept. 1-3 Miami Powerboat Grand Prix*

*To be confirmed

Latest News

Loto shootout live auction names 2024 honorary chair, $100,000 donor matching and venue location, powerboat p1 launches new hospitality experiences for coming season, team woody, 35' fountain, repaired and set to race 2024 season, myco trailers turns up the bling with plashlights.

P1 Offshore;

Powerboat P1 is the fastest growing marine motorsport series in the world and has a long term commitment to growing and developing the sport of power boating at all levels. The Powerboat P1 team works closely with the sport’s governing bodies, the UIM, APBA and the IJSBA. P1 has delivered more than 85 world championship events in over twelve different countries for more than a decade.

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• Phone: +1 407 985 1938
• Email: [email protected]

Cocoa Beach

Fri 17 - Sun 19, May

Lake of the Ozarks

Thu 30, May - 01, Jun

Fri 09 - Sun 11, Aug

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St. Petersburg

Fri 18 - Sun 20, Oct

Powerboat P1 Announces Abyss Battery As New Partner

Preparing for its offshore season-opener in Cocoa Beach next month, Powerboat P1 has unveiled details of a new partnership with Abyss Battery for the upcoming race season. A leader in next-generation lithium marine batteries, Abyss Battery becomes a sponsor of the P1 Offshore National Championship, the UIM Class 1 World Championship and the P1 AquaX USA National Championship. Based in Largo on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Abyss Battery is a world-class battery company that designs and manufactu Continued

From Shaft To Six - Inside The Monster Energy/M CON Drive Conversion

From an original story in SpeedOnTheWater.com, Written by Matt Trulio You weren’t alone if you noticed something different about the Class 1 Monster Energy/M CON Skater Powerboats raceboat on display during last weekend’s Performance Boat Center Open House and Boat Show in Osage Beach, Mo. You also weren’t alone if you couldn’t ... Continued

Powerboat P1 Announces Partnerships For Upcoming Race Season

With the countdown underway to the opening P1 Offshore event in Cocoa Beach next month, Powerboat P1 has unveiled an array of sponsors and partners for the new season. It features a mix of existing and new sponsors across a wide variety of industries – from energy drinks to insurance, from trailers to vodka. A year ago it was announced that ... Continued

Powerboat P1 Launches New Hospitality Experiences For Coming Season

+ On-beach hospitality venue with private lounge to watch the world-class sporting action + Four-day Class 1 premium pass offers VIP access to all areas with deluxe dining Powerboat P1, the international marine motorsport promoter, has announced plans for its coming race season that will see it offer multiple levels of hospitality and a simplified ti ... Continued

08 Apr 2024

Powerboat p1 announces expanded partnership with mercury racing.

+ Partnership began in 2017 and new agreement extends across all Class 1 races this year and five P1 Offshore events + Mercury Racing designated Official Engine of UIM Class 1 world series and Powerboat P1 racing Powerboat P1 has ... Continued ...

18 Mar 2024

Substantial prize purse on offer for mod v teams.

Offshore racers in the flourishing MOD V class will be competing for a significant prize purse this year being provided by a sponsor. The MOD V National Money Series presented by Powerboat P1 will have total prize money of more than $12 ... Continued ...

11 Mar 2024

222 offshore receive sam griffith trophy in monaco.

The 222 Offshore team travelled to Monaco on Saturday to receive the Sam Griffith Trophy awarded to the UIM Class 1 world champions. Australian driver Darren Nicholson and Italian throttleman Giovanni Carpitella were presented with the ... Continued ...

04 Mar 2024

Alex pratt returns to class 1 with dfyoung.

+ Pratt to join owner/throttleman Rich Wyatt as driver for upcoming season + New pairing aiming to improve on dfYOUNG’s third place championship finish in 2023 + Testing in the Sarasota-based 50-foot Mystic sponsored by Good Boy Vodka to start thi ... Continued ...

07 Feb 2024

Sheboygan honored as apba best race site 2023.

The city of Sheboygan in Wisconsin has received the 2023 American Power Boat Association Best Race Site Award for hosting the inaugural Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in August last year. Designed to acknowledge excellence and improve ... Continued ...

05 Feb 2024

Bally sports p1 offshore broadcast times for february.

Please see below the TV broadcast dates/times for Bally Sports for Powerboat P1 Races ... Continued ...

29 Jan 2024

Myco trailers continues its partnership with powerboat p1 in 2024.

Long-standing relationship gives MYCO exposure through P1’s race events, television broadcasts, marketing and PR programs ... Continued ...

12 Jan 2024

Powerboat p1 adds lake of the ozarks to 2024 race calendar.

+ Rebranded Shootout Offshore event confirmed for the end of May + P1 race events to be part of the APBA national championship + Class 1 teams to race in Missouri in second round of UIM World Championship Powerboat P1 today announced that it ... Continued ...

09 Jan 2024

Powerboat p1 unveils 2024 p1 offshore and class 1 race calendar.

+ P1 race events to be part of the APBA national championship + New end of season dates for Sarasota and St. Pete grand prix + Mercury Racing event to return to Sheboygan after 2023 success Powerboat P1 has today announced its P1 O ... Continued ...

04 Jan 2024

Bally sports p1 offshore broadcast times for january.

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INSIDE F1H2O

• What is F1H2O?
• The Championship
• The Grand Prix
• Rescue&Safety

The UIM F1H2O World Championship is the 'flagship' international series of single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing.

Highly competitive, intensely challenging, risky and entertaining, the F1H2O World Championship is the ultimate adrenalin rush and regarded as one of the most spectacular and exciting sports in the world.

The series attracts up to 20 of the world's leading drivers and is a sport that has to be seen to be believed as these diminutive tunnel-hull catamarans enter hairpin turns at over 90mph and top 140mph on the straights.

Picture the scene; 18 to 20 sleek, powerful and lightweight catamarans lining up on the start pontoon. Inside each cockpit sits a lone individual peering through a tiny windscreen. One hand grasps the steering wheel, the other poised over the start button. The tension inside the cockpit is intense as the drivers wait for the crucial start. Beyond the cockpit, an eerie silence descends over the entire arena, all attention fixed on the start.

No sooner does the wait end when 10,000hp of highly tuned brute power bursts into life sending the fleet screaming towards the first corner leaving nothing but a glorious fountain of white spray in its wake.

However, with the thrilling high-speed action comes the risk of ruin as drivers endure brain-numbing G-Forces - their rigs taking hairpin turns at over 90mph while they dice deck-to-deck in often zero-visibility.

Now in its 36th year the four decades of the World Championship have witnessed considerable change and evolution; the seventies and eighties saw multiple promoters and two giant corporations of the sport OMC and Mercury vying for supremacy to be the pinnacle of the sport.

OMC were touting their 3.5litre V8 package that became known as the OZ class, Mercury pushing their 2.0litre engine and called the ON class, the disparity in power would soon lead to bitter wrangling and infighting amongst competitors.

The split came in 1981, FONDA was formed running the ON class engine with the OMC backed PRO ONE run series running the OZ class engine, both rival championships claiming the right to use the title World Championship, a dispute settled by the sport's governing body the UIM later that year awarding the OZ class the accolade.

1984 saw the beginning of yet another twist as safety became a major concern with engine development and increasing power of the V8s taking its tragic toll and signaled the slow demise of the OZ class internationally, ending in 1986.

The door was now opening for the existing FONDA World Grand Prix series to reinvent itself. From 1987 to 1989 there was no official UIM World Championship, and with no challenger, the UIM reinstated the World Championship status and in 1990 the FONDA World Grand Prix Series became the UIM F1H2O World Championship, Mercury's 2.0litre engine the preferred power-plant of the time, the Mercury 2.5litre engine coming in in 2000 and used today.

In 1993 the UIM appointed Nicolo di San Germano as Promoter; his ongoing 30 year tenure has brought stability, a new direction, improved safety and an ever broadening geographic footprint encompassing Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia and with this expansion a growing commercial value.

Over the last 38 years the sport has played out 295 Grand Prix in 33 countries across five continents, 15 drivers have captured the World title, 48 becoming members of the illustrious Grand Prix winners club.

Of the 15 World Champions 8 are multiple title winners; Italy's Guido Cappellini is the most decorated winning 10, Italy's Alex Carella and American Scott Gillman with four, France's Philippe Chiappe, Italian Renato Molinari and American Shaun Torrente with three each, Finland's Sami Selio and Britain's Jonathan Jones with two apiece.

While today's F1H2O catamarans bear a striking resemblance to those in action throughout the 1980's there is a world of difference in terms of driver protection and general safety.

The early boats were constructed from thin plywood with drivers sitting in an open, exposed cockpit with the risk of injury a high probability in the case of an accident.

With safety at the forefront of boat development, British designer and racer Chris Hodges set about improving the situation and constructed a safety cell that was produced from an immensely strong composite material.

Instead of the cockpit being part of the main structure Hodges' capsule was separate and was fitted to the hulls and centre section.

For the first time drivers were actually strapped into their seats. The idea was that if a boat was involved in an accident, the timber hulls could break up and absorb the impact forces while the driver remained well protected inside his cell.

The new device proved itself on several occasions and the U.I.M. called for it to become compulsory, and in the early 1990's Burgess introduced canopies that made cockpits fully enclosed.

In the late 1990's further developments saw the introduction of an airbag in the cockpit that would inflate in a crash to ensure the capsule wouldn't sink before rescue crews could attend.

Over the years boat construction has been developed and today few if any are built of timber, now replaced by modern composites.

In 2023 ten teams and 20 drivers from 12 countries will compete at Grand Prix in Europe, Middle East and Asia for the coveted World title, the prestigious number 1 plate will be carried by the defending World Champion Shaun Torrente driving for Abu Dhabi team.

The Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) is the world governing body for all Powerboating activities. It is fully recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is a member of the Association of the IOC Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF) and of SportAccord for whom the UIM President serves as President and Board member. The UIM has almost 60 affiliated National Federations. Circuit, Offshore, Pleasure Navigation and Aquabike are among the main disciplines. The UIM has signed a Cooperation Agreement with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to further its range of environmental initiatives and to share expertise.

President: Dr. Raffaele Chiulli General Secretary: Thomas Kurth

Idea Marketing is the sole and exclusive worldwide promoter of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, the UIM-ABP Aquabike World and Continental Championships and the UIM H2O Nations Cup World Series.

The company is the worldwide television and commercial rights holder for all Championships and responsible for all commercial, marketing, television, media and organisational activities.

Founder: Nicolo di San Germano Vice President: Lavinia Cavallero

h2oracing.net f1h2o.com aquabike.net

The F1H2O World Championship is the leading formula in single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing and was sanctioned by the UIM in 1981.

It is a multiple Grand Prix series of eight events taking place in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Points allocated at each Grand Prix count towards the overall World Championship standings.

In addition to the World Championship, points are also allocated for the BRM Pole Position and Team Championships and the Fast Lap Trophy.

A three-tiered qualifying session is run over 60 minutes, the multiple lap Grand Prix run over a minimum 45 minutes, not to exceed 60 minutes.

In 2023 ten teams, 20 drivers from 12 countries plus technicians and support staff will compete for the coveted World title.

DAY 1 Documentation and registration Technical scrutineering Drivers' briefing (compulsory for all team managers, drivers and radiomen of each boat) Free practice Boats and racing equipment (including racing gear of the driver) must be in the pits 24 hours before starting the technical scrutineering

DAY 2 Drivers' briefing (compulsory for all team managers, drivers and radiomen of each boat) Free practice Official Qualifying Podium presentation

Pole position and starting line-ups are determined by a three-tiered qualifying session, Q1, Q2 and Q3 preceding each Grand Prix race. Stateof-the-art timing equipment records the performances of each boat to decide the final classification and starting positions.

Q1 : A twenty-minute session with all boats entitled to run multiple laps at any time during the session, with the 12 fastest progressing into Q2. The times set by those that didn't qualify for Q2 denote their starting positions.

Q2 : After a seven-minute break, the times will be reset and the remaining 12 boats will then run a fifteen-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the session the six fastest boats will progress into Q3. The times set by those that didn't qualify for Q3 denote their starting positions.

Q3 : The times are reset and the top six boats from Q2 will run all together for 10 minutes and the arrival order at the finish line will decide their start positions.

If a driver is deemed by the officials to have stopped unnecessarily on the circuit or impeded another driver during qualifying, his times may be cancelled

No refuelling allowed during timed trial.

Every race circuit is different in size, but are generally about 2000 meters in distance. Each circuit has at least one long straightaway and several tight turns, mostly left with one or two right turns.

The turns produce a G-force of up to 4.5 on the driver, which means his weight is multiplied 4.5 times as he makes a tight U-turn at over 100 mph.

Water is a constantly changing unstable unpredictable surface and conditions play a major part in the outcome of each Grand Prix.

With water current and wind conditions varying on every lap and spray being continually showered over the tiny console screen, drivers are quite often driving 'blind' at full speed, mere inches away from their rivals.

In the event of a 'barrel-roll' (capsize), a mandatory air bag installed above the pilot's head will inflate upon contact with water. This enables the cockpit to remain above water until rescue arrives.

All drivers have a self-contained air supply fitted inside the capsule as an added safety features.

LIGHT SIGNALS Each entry must have the electronic time-keeping device and lighting equipment. Compliance is required for scrutineering clearance. Lights signals are used in accordance with these rules to designate specific times or to give instructions to pilots.

Lights and their purposes are as follows:

YELLOW : Reduce speed to 3000 rpm maximum - extreme caution on race course - hold current position - no overtaking - follow pace boat

RED : Race stopped, slow down instantly and return to the start dock, identical to actual black flag.

WHITE AND BLUE caution FLAG : Rescue boats must be given the right of way. A complaint from rescue personnel will be penalised.

Boats that have broken down and pulled to the infield or off the racecourse will be towed to the trailer or the start dock only during a "race stop" condition and if pick-up boats are available.

During the time trials and the race, one crewmember should always remain at signalling area and maintain radio contact with his driver during free practice, timed trials and race.

Each team consists of a manager, two drivers, mechanics, radio coordinator, technical coordinator and equipped with infrastructure such as trailer workshop and welcome marquee.

They should have two catamarans fitted with a 2.5 litre engine and compete at 8 to 10 Grand Prix events in a season.

Imagine this: up to 20 lightweight, 17-foot carbon fibre catamarans hurtling around a racing circuit at speeds topping 220km/h (130mph); all boats are powered by highly tuned V6 outboard engines, each pumping out 400HP at close to 10.000 rpm; they boast an awesome power to weight ratio and weigh in at around 500 kilos.

HULL : Twin sponson, tunnel-hull catamaran

MANUFACTURERS : BABA, Blaze, DAC, GTR, Molgaard, Moore, Victory

HULL MATERIALS : Carbon fibre, Kevlar, synthetic fibre, airex & nomex

LENGTH : 5.10 metres (min)

WIDTH : 2.1 metres (min)

WEIGHT : 550 kg (including residual fuel and oil), the driver with personal equipment, but excluding loose water, circa 380 kilos (not including driver or engine)

FUEL TANK : Carbon constuction, built to accomodate circa 120 litres

ENGINE : Mercury or equivalent outboard engine 6 cylinders 2-stroke

ENGINE CAPACITY : 2.5 litre up to maximum 3 litre

STEERING : Cable with electronic power assist, ratio open to driver preference

GEARBOX : Fixed ratio direct drive

PROPELLERS : As gearbox is fixed ratio, various diameter and pitch from 10.5 by 16 inch upwards (dependant on length of circuit). Forged stainless steel alloy CNC machined

HORSE POWER : circa 400 HP @ 10,000 rpm

TOP SPEED : Over 220 km/h (136 mph)

ACCELERATION : 0-100 km/h (60mph) in circa 3 seconds

BOAT CONTROLS : Hydraulic ram systems controlling engine angle and height operated by a series of switches on steering wheel, dash and foot rest. Foot throttle controlling engine power delivery

SAFETY FEATURES : Cockpit built in composite materials, crash boxes built with energy absorbent foam. HANS head and neck support, airbag, polycarbonate nine millimeter screen and deformable frontal areas to stop penetration in event of accident. Life support system, air bottle and demand valve with helmet attachment used if boat capsizes and driver unable to exit cockpit prior to arrival of rescue boat and team. Inside cockpit the driver is strapped into a carbon hybrid moulded seat with 5 point harness and detachable steering wheel for easy entry and exit. Cockpit canpy latched into closed position for maximum protection against water pressure

The Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team provide rescue services for many powerboat racing events and has a fleet of 6 specialist drop front ambulance boats, 2 of these boats are permanently assigned to providing rescue services to the UIM F1H2O World Championship.

Each boat is manned by four fully trained individuals 2 qualified rescue divers in full kit; 1 qualified helmsman; 1 radio/communications operative; Every member of the crew holds a current Basic Life Support Certificate. Every member of the crew wears a wetsuit as maximum flexibility is required.

Carried on board each boat are the following 2 sets of self-contained breathing apparatus; 1 stabilisation frame in the event of a race boat being upside down; 1 Lift bag to prevent a race boat sinking in the event of extensive damage; 1 fire extinguisher; 1 spine board and stabilisation blocks; 1 oxygen set; 1 radio for communications with the shore based medical team and officials; 1 comprehensive medical kit that contains specialist resuscitation and trauma equipment, details below:

To control catastrophic haemorrhage - CAT tourniquet - ‘Quick Clot’ ACS sponge - 6” Haemorrhage control bandage

To control airway with c-spine control - Suction – hand held with spare spout - Nasopharyngeal airways - size 24 (child) & 28 (adult) -Gels size 4 adult (50-90Kg) size 3 (30-60Kg) - gel sachet on each

To control breathing - Non-rebreather oxygen mask x2 - Ambu-bag, connector & Facemask

To control circulation - Cannula x2, tape, IV giving set, IV fluids – Saline 1000, Gelofusin 500 - Protection and General Kit: gloves, field dressing packs x2, tuff-scissors, stethoscope, saline eyewash, foil blanket, triangular bandage, safety pins, light bandages x2

At each event the team brings A training rig to train and test drivers in escaping from an upturned cockpit. An air compressor to fill diving air cylinders and drivers’ emergency air cylinders carried on the race boats. Generators to provide power A Global Positioning System to ensure the course is laid correctly and to specification.

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Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Day One: Super Stock And Bracket Class Winners

The oldest saying in offshore powerboat racing is “to finish first, first you have to finish,” and that couldn’t have proven truer as the favorites in Super Stock and Bracket 500 succumbed well before the checkered flag waved on the first day of action at the 39th annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix in Sarasota, Fla. Produced by Powerboat P1 , the Grand Prix is the third race of the  American Power Boat Association  Offshore National Championship Series and the second race of the  Union Internationale Motonautique  Class 1 World Championship Series.

The Super Stock fleet at the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix included 11 catamarans. Photos by Pete Boden/ Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

In Saturday’s final race, the 11 boats in the Super Stock class took to the Gulf of Mexico. Winds were picking up and there were white caps, but conditions were fast and racy. As they did in the first two races of the season, the 32-foot Victory catamaran, Jackhammer , with owner/driver Reese Langheim and throttleman Julian Maldonado bolted to the lead. Giving chase was a pack of boats including the 32-foot MTI cat, CMR, with driver/owner Sean Conner and John Tomlinson subbing for Shaun Torrente on throttles. Throttleman Rusty Williams and driver Myrick Coil in the 32-foot Doug Wright, Performance Boat Center /FASS Diesel Fuel Systems, were in the mix as were owner/driver Daren Kittredge and throttleman Grant Bruggemann in the 32-foot Doug Wright, Northwing Offshore.

A total of 64 teams descended on the city on the west coast of Florida that has become one of the favorite sites in offshore powerboat racing. A checkered flag from Sarasota is rivaled only by one from the world championships in Key West, Fla., in November. The weekend kicked off with a party on Friday evening where fans could meet the teams at the 10th Street ramp party followed by racing in the bracket 500, 600 and 700 classes and Super Stock boats, plus Class 1 pole position qualifying on Saturday.

The day started with calm conditions, but winds slowly built through the day and temperatures in the mid-90s added to the challenge.

It didn’t take long for the teams in the ultra-competitive Super Stock class to push the limits. The 32-foot Doug Wright, LPC, with owner/throttleman Loren Peters and driver Anthony Smith, started moving up through the fleet when it rolled on the outboard leg of the 6-mile course that had the racers navigating in a clockwise direction. Competition was halted after less than a lap. Peters and Smith were OK and the boat was hauled back to the pits.

The CMR team of Sean Conner and John Tomlinson ran a consistent race to earn the Super Stock-class checkered flag.

The carnage took its toll quickly. In that first lap, the 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Allen Lawn Care and Landscaping, appeared to have something torn off the stern and didn’t make the restart. Neither did the 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Bermuda.

After many Super Stock competitors voiced concerns about quick green flags in Cocoa Beach at the previous P1 Offshore race, the starters made sure the boats were grouped more fairly in Sarasota. When the green flag flew on the restart, Jackhammer jumped to the lead, with CMR, Performance Boat Center and the 32-foot Victory, Big East Construction, which is owned and driven by Cole Leibel and throttled by veteran Gary Ballough, giving chase in a tight pack.

It didn’t take long for attrition to rear its ugly head. Jackhammer had an engine go into guardian mode, which shuts down the 300-hp outboard to prevent more significant damage. “Nothing like stopping and going every 30 seconds,” Maldonado said. “We had a 14-second lead at the start and guardian started and never stopped.”

The team kept the boat on the same lap as the leaders and appeared to just be running for points.

CMR and Performance Boat Center battled for the lead, with each boat enjoying an advantage on different parts of the course.

“In head seas, they’d catch me, and in following seas, I’d catch them, and it went like that for a few laps,” said Tomlinson, who had raced with Coil in the Super Cat class previously and knew that he could enter a turn with his competitor/friend and not worry about any incidents or collisions.

Check out the slideshow above for more images from the Super Stock race.

Unfortunately, the battle to the finish didn’t materialize when Performance Boat Center pulled off with mechanical issues. Big East Construction moved into second and appeared to be in position for a much-needed podium finish until broken motor mounts forced Ballough to shut down one engine and limp around the course attempting to gain as many points as possible.

With CMR in the lead, Torrente, who qualified for the pole position at an F1H2O tunnel boat race on Saturday afternoon in France, watched on his cell phone while eating dinner with his family. Tomlinson and Conner took the checkered flag followed by Pete and A.J. Bogino in the 32-foot Doug Wright, CoCo’s Monkey, and Jackhammer, which kept running because the race isn’t over until the checkered flag waves.

“I’m pacing the streets of France as we walk back from dinner,” Torrente said in a message to speedonthewater.com from overseas. “It was an amazing race. Sean was turning the boat incredibly and Johnny was getting used to the boat and kept getting quicker and quicker. I’m so thankful for him sitting in for me.”

But as we always report on speedonthewater.com, all results are unofficial pending official inspections and video reviews. According to the APBA Offshore Commission chairman Rich Luhrs, four combined lane infractions at the start and post-accident restart that resulted in four yellow cards (Luhrs declined to name the penalized teams.) That, in turn, changed the official finishing order. Though CMR retained the checkered flag, Jackhammer moved into second place, followed by Big East Construction in thrid.

Almost serving as a harbinger of what was to come, the Class 1 boats took to the 6-mile course to see who would claim the coveted inside lane on Sunday afternoon. The boats ran a “get-comfortable-with-the-course” lap and then followed that with two timed laps. The fastest time would give a team the pole position on Sunday. First up was the team of throttleman Steve Curtis and driver Brit Lilly in the 47-foot Victory cat, Huski Ice Spritz.

In the end, owner/driver Darren Nicholson and throttleman Giovanni Carpitella in their own 47-foot Victory, 222 Offshore Australia , posted the fast number of the day—3:05:85. Tomlinson, who is pulling triple-duty this weekend, joined driver Travis Pastrana and clocked the third fastest time of the day in their 50-foot Victory, Pothole Heroes. The other three Class 1 entries had mechanical issues and didn’t complete a lap.

In the Bracket 500 class, throttleman Elijah Kingery and driver Eric Ullom ran a great race in their 29-foot Warlock, Bulletproof/Team Farnsworth.

Whetting Fans’ Appetites The offshore racing action kicked off at 1 p.m. when the Bracket 500, 600 and 700 classes took to the course. Bracket racing takes a different approach because each class has a set speed limit. If a team exceeds the speed limit, it “breaks out” and is penalized for doing so.

The Bracket 500 fleet had nine teams including two 30-foot Phantoms that racing fans would consider to be favorites. Owner/driver J.J. Turk and throttleman Micheal Stancombe were the defending national champions in TFR/XINSURANCE and when the race started, they had a strong challenge from throttleman Elijah Kingery and driver Eric Ullom in the 29-foot Warlock, Bulletproof/Team Farnsworth, and the father-son team of Rob and Vincent Winoski in their 30-foot Phantom, Bronx Phantom.

Bracket racing is about more than just making sure you don’t exceed your class’ listed speed. It’s about letting your competitors drive away from you when they are going faster in the heat of competition and run the risk of doing just that. That story didn’t pan out because TFR/XINSURANCE pulled off the course with a mechanical problem first, followed by Bronx Phantom.

“We kind of knew that Bronx Phantom broke out because we were at 74.9 mph and they pulled away from us so we backed down a bit to make sure we didn’t break,” Kingery said. “We let them go and then when we saw J.J. break, half a lap later, we could hear Bronx Phantom’s motor starting to break up.”

Enjoy more pictures from the Bracket-class competition in the slideshow above.

This may have resulted in a historical finish with two 29-foot Warlocks finishing first and second in an offshore powerboat race. Hammerheads/Fly SRQ with driver Dennis Austin and throttleman Don Jackson took second followed by YabbaDabbaDo with driver Larry James and throttleman J.D. Ivines in third.

The second start of the day featured a deck-to-deck battle in Bracket 600 between a couple of 26-foot Joker V-bottoms for all five laps on the 6-mile course. George Ivey drove his new boat while Damon Marotta throttled Ivey Racing against a pair of 22-year-olds who have a big future in the sport, throttleman Ryan Stahlman and driver Reef Delanos in Freebird.

The two boats appeared to have a rope connecting their admiships cleats at the start. One took the lead and then the other but in the end Freebird continued its momentum after winning in Cocoa Beach.

“I’m definitely hooked,” said Stahlman, who started navigating in his father’s 41-foot Apache, Predator , last year. When asked what he learned from his race in Sarasota, the youngster said, “How to take corners when you have someone with you like that. You have to hold your lane.”

Finally, in the Bracket 700 class, Brian Guy, owner of the 21-foot Superboat, Jackhammer , gave a performance boat enthusiast the opportunity to check an item off his bucket list.

Instead of racing with his usual throttleman, Julian Maldonado, Guy ran with throttleman Francisco Duran, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who is close with the Maldonado family.

Jackhammer owner and driver Brian Guy won the Bracket 700-class race with Puerto Rican Francisco Duran, who was racing in the United States for the first time, on the throttle.

“He never raced a boat in the states and he always wanted to do this,” Guy said.

Guy added that he broke a couple blades off his prop on the first lap but could still run about 56 to 57 mph in the class bracketed at a top speed of 60. The battle was behind him as a pair of 22-foot Velocitys powered by single Mercury Racing 300Rs fought for position. In the end, Dees Nuts/Meara Classic Cars took second followed by Statement Marine .

As if letting Duran check an item off his bucket list wasn’t enough, Guy’s five-year-old daughter, Kora, also was on hand to see dad win.

“She helps out and is a big supporter of mine,” Guy said.

That’s something attrition can never take away.

Spectators lined the beach in Sarasota to catch the racing action.

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What Is Powerboat Racing?

The sport of powerboat racing has been around for over 100 years with popularity worldwide. The powerboat, which can also be called a motorboat or speedboat, is powered by an engine which allows for high performance speeds. It is one of the most popular forms of boat racing, with multiple international events annually.

Table of Contents

Playing surface, powerboat racing equipment, rules and regulations, athletes and racers, events and competitions.

Powerboat racing competition was created in the early 1900s, with the first race taking place in 1904. The sport began to grow and led to the founding of the American Power Boat Association (APBA) which held its first U.S. event in 1911. Over the next 50 years powerboat racing became popular across the world, with increased organizations, races, and tournaments. Sports within powerboat racing have expanded as well, with organizations created to sanction specific types of racing.

Naturally, the overall playing surface for powerboat racing is water. That being said the two types of powerboat racing, inshore and offshore, come with slightly different racing conditions. Offshore powerboat racing takes place out on the open ocean hence the name “offshore” whereas inshore powerboat racing often takes place in smaller bodies of water like lakes. Be sure to take into account what race you’re looking to participate in, as it can have a substantial impact on the playing surface you’ll be racing on.

Powerboat racing is an exhilarating sport, but also carries a level of risk. That being said, there are a few basic essentials you’ll want to have handy regardless of what type of powerboat racing you plan on trying out. Each of these pieces of equipment are important to ensure you have the best and safest time powerboat racing possible.

Here is the essential powerboat racing equipment you should have:

• Close Toed Shoes
• Neck Restraint

At the end of the day, powerboat racing carries the same objective as any other racing sport: to finish the course the fastest. That being said, the distance and overall course in a powerboat race can change from venue to venue. Further, inshore and offshore powerboat racing each offer different course conditions. Be sure to read up on your local powerboat race’s course to be as prepared as possible, and ensure you have the best shot of winning the big race!

Powerboat racing is a serious sport that can carry serious consequences if rules designed to protect all drivers aren’t followed. There are extensive rulebooks for most major races, but here are some basics that should more or less hold true regardless of what race you’re looking to participate in.

Here are the most important powerboat racing rules you should know:

• Strict adherence to boat classes
• Compliance with pre race engine checks
• Safe and respectful passing maneuvers, giving space to boats riding the inner lane.

Powerboat racing carries certain terminology separate from any other boat racing sport, as well as some basic terminology for boat racing as a whole. There’s a multitude of terms out there, but some are far more widespread than others.

Here is the common lingo and slang in powerboat racing:

• Bow : The front end of any boat.
• Hull : The shell of a boat.
• Port : The left side of any boat.
• Starboard: The right side of any boat.
• Stern: The back end of any boat.

Powerboat racing athletes come from all over the world. They typically become more popular when they compete in large international competitions rather than just their home country. In some instances, 2 or more athletes compete as a racing team. We see this in events such as the F1H2O UIM World Championship.

Here are the most famous powerboat racing players you should know:

• Alex Carella
• Jonas Andersson
• Peter Morin
• Shaun Torrente

Powerboat Racing has multiple leagues and organizations that hold events around the world. They are typically governed by the official powerboat association of their respective country. Don’t be surprised to see large races that encompass different water sports, such as Inshore Powerboat Racing or Offshore Powerboat Racing.

Here are the most popular powerboat racing leagues you should know:

• National Boat Racing Association
• Super Boat International
• TCPBA Powerboat Racing

There are a multitude of powerboat racing events out there, however some are bigger than others. The top events in the world feature the best racers from across the globe, the biggest sponsors, and the most fanfare.

Here are the most popular powerboat racing tournaments you should know:

• F1 H2O UIM World Championship
• Offshore Superboat Championships
• UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship
• UIM F2 European Championship
• UIM H2O Nation's Cup

Pages Related to What Is Powerboat Racing?

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Top 10 powerboat racing icons that helped make boating what it is today

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Hugo Peel explores the top ten power-boating events, people and inventions that have influenced today’s sportsboats...

Powerboat racing may seem a world away from the type of cruising most of us do but the sportsboats we enjoy today wouldn’t be half as good as they are without the racers, designers and builders whose heroic efforts helped shape them.

Auto-boat racing, as it was originally known, traces its history back to the late 19th century and for a brief period was even an Olympic sport, with races staged off the Isle of Wight in 1908. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that the sport exploded in popularity as developments in engineering, materials, speed, safety and propulsion really took off.

Racing was the anvil on which these promising technologies were forged. So what are the ten most significant events, inventions and people that have contributed to today’s impressive levels of performance, safety and utility?

While many of these names and events may be unfamiliar now, they are the stuff of legend to all who recall the glory days of British powerboat racing.

1. The Cowes-Torquay-Cowes offshore powerboat race

Many people regard offshore powerboat racing as the ultimate challenge for craft and crew. Arguably the most challenging race of all and certainly one of the oldest is the legendary Cowes-Torquay competition.

Initiated in 1961 by Daily Express newspaper magnate and keen yachtsman, Sir Max Aitken, who foresaw it would help grow the UK marine industry, it bred a string of British and international heroes and brands. This 200-mile race, now known as the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes, and its coveted Harmsworth Trophy, intermittently awarded since 1903, is still the one all top powerboat racers yearn to win.

The marathon Round Britain Powerboat Race started and finished off Portsmouth

2. The marathon Round Britain Powerboat Race

If a 200-mile race sounds challenging, the 1,500-mile endurance marathon that is the Round Britain Race is on an altogether different scale, yet it proved so appealing that it has been run three times over four decades.

The first BP-sponsored race in 1969 comprised ten stages over 1,459 miles and was won by Timo Mäkinen, a champion Finnish rally-driver in Avenger Too propelled by triple Mercury outboards – he averaged 37mph.

The 1984 race was sponsored by Everest double glazing and attracted famous names, including Italian racer/designer Fabio Buzzi driving White Iveco , a single-step GRP monohull with four 600bhp Iveco diesels. Against him was fellow Italian Renato della Valle in Ego Lamborghini , an aluminium-hull craft powered by two ear-splitting 800hp, race-tuned V12 Lamborghinis.

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Test driving the Sunseeker Hawk 38 prototype with Fabio Buzzi

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Victory went to Buzzi who, after the 157-mile Dundee-Whitby leg, during which White Iveco averaged a staggering 69 knots, dismissed it with shrug saying: ‘In Italy, this is just a cruising boat.’

The race was revived in 2008 attracting a field of 47 raceboats old and new, including a number of production RIBs and sportsboats from companies like Scorpion , Goldfish and Scanner. The favourites included Fabio Buzzi again in his classic four-engined Red FPT , and Austrian casino millionaire Hannes Bohinc in another Buzzi-designed monohull Wettpunkt .

This time the overall winner was a Greek entry Blue FPT navigated by Britain’s Dag Pike, who at 75 years old, was the event’s oldest competitor. Many of the production boats also did remarkably well, showing just how far they have come in recent years.

Steve Curtis MBE is powerboat racing royalty

3. Powerboat racer Steve Curtis

If the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes is the benchmark, surely the top driver must be found among its winners? Home-grown contenders must include Tommy Sopwith, a winner in 1961, 1968 and 1970 and the Gardner brothers, Charles and Jimmy, who clocked up victories in 1964 with their Bertram 31 Surfrider , and again in 1967 in the iconic Sonny Levi-designed Surfury .

On the worldwide stage, Italy’s Renato Della Valle won four Cowes Torquay Cowes races in a row from 1982 to 1985. Hannes Bohinc collected the trophies in 1995 and 2003 and another German, Markus Hendricks, whose boat sank on the 2008 Round Britain, took a re-engined 34-year-old monohull, Cinzano , to victory in 2009 and 2011.

They are all brilliant in their way but how could this category ignore the UK’s Steve Curtis MBE, owner of Cougar Marine, with no fewer than eight Class One powerboat racing world championships in fearsome 175mph catamarans? Curtis’s 2016 victory in the roughest ever Cowes Torquay Cowes race, in a 30-year-old aluminium boat sealed his place in the history books.

4. Lady Violet Aitken – the first lady of fast

The field of legendary female powerboat racers may be smaller but is no less worthy for it with three principal candidates – two titled British ladies and an American grandmother.

From the USA, Betty Cook – focussed, smart, and tough – arrived with her 36ft Cigarette Kaama and blew away the opposition in the 1978 Cowes Torquay Cowes race. She went on to secure two world championships.

The British aristocracy provides the eccentric and brave Countess of Arran, who fielded fast if unconventional designs of three-pointers like Highland Fling among others. She was described by The Guardian in her obituary as ‘beautiful, vivacious, funny, fun and entrancing’.

But our top female driver is Lady Violet Aitken, wife of Cowes-Torquay founder Sir Max Aitken and Ladies’ Trophy winner on several occasions. Racing is still in the blood as her daughter Laura and granddaughter Lucci are both keen powerboat racers.

Buzzi’s legendary status stems from 40 years of work in the marine industry

5. Powerboat designer Fabio Buzzi

The late Fabio Buzzi is a legend, both behind the helm and at the drawing board. In more than 40 years of activity, his company FB Design has won a staggering 52 world championships; seven Harmsworth Trophies; two Round Britains; and set no less than 56 world speed records in both European and American classes.

Buzzi designed the boat that has won more races than any other powerboat in history, the quadruple-engined, be-winged 44ft Cesa/Gancia dei Gancia . Today, the descendants of these monohull designs are found in service with government and military agencies all around the world, as well as leisure craft like the Sunseeker XS2000 and Hawk 38 .

But the competition is hard-fought. Sonny Levi’s delta-shaped race-boats A’Speranziella , Merry-go-Round , Alto Volante , and Surfury leave lasting memories by their sheer performance and poise. And their legacy, the Levi Corsair, is still made today.

The UK’s Don Shead also runs Buzzi close having designed ten Cowes-Torquay winners and the 1984 Round Britain race winner. The early Sunseeker ranges also came from his drawing board.

Peter Thornycroft and Alan Burnard merit attention as designers of the iconic Nelson and Fairey hulls respectively, many of which are still in service today. But the sheer scale of Fabio’s achievements trumps them all.

The Mercury V8 took powerboating to another level

6. The Mercury V8 engine

Early racers only had American petrol V8s for choice, mainly Ford Dearborn Interceptors, tweaked to deliver big torque and 300-400bhp. There were also a few marinised Jaguar straight-six engines, which consumed oil at a terrifying rate and were fragile. Then Carl Kiekhaefer, head of US outboard giant Mercury, refined numerous Mercury Racing V8s and Lamborghini V12s providing up to 850bhp and things took off. Literally.

To this market came car racing engineers Ilmor in the 1990s with a tuned Dodge Viper V10 engine, pushing out a reliable 700-800bhp. The Italians, at the behest of Fabio Buzzi, developed the 16-litre 1,000hp Seatek diesel for ultra-marathon events, providing unparalleled torque with (relatively) light weight and reliability.

A special mention for the maddest motors must go to Tommy Sopwith, who put a pair of helicopter turbines into a 44ft Don Shead hull delivering over 1500bhp and Domenico Achilli, who ‘glued’ two Subaru flat-four rally car engines together, and split our eardrums while winning the 1990 Cowes Torquay Cowes race.

But for sheer consistency and the countless number of ever-faster, smoother, more reliable production engines its powerboat racing successes have spawned, Mercury and its big displacement V8s have to take the crown.

Offering horizontal thrust and reduced drag, the sterndrive greatly increased the speed and efficiency of both race and pleasure craft

7. The sterndrive unit

Early shaft-driven race-boats normally placed engines amidships with straight shafts to the propellers. Then the vee-drive option enabled engines to be moved astern for better weight distribution but, in both cases, the angle of thrust was still pushing the hull ‘uphill’.

With the arrival of the sterndrive came horizontal thrust to harness the growing power of engines, and hugely reduced hydrodynamic drag by doing away with separate rudders, shafts and P-brackets. This greatly increased both speed and efficiency while the ability to trim the angle of thrust also enabled drivers to adjust the boat’s trim to suit differing sea conditions.

Surface-drives from Arneson and Trimax reduced drag even further but at the cost of low speed manoeuvrability and we mustn’t overlook the impact of the outboard engine on both race and leisure sportsboats.

However, for sheer versatility, the impact it has had on both powerboat racing and leisure craft, and its ability to work equally well with both petrol and diesel engines, the sterndrive has to take it.

Hunt’s deep-vee design proved a powerboat game-changer

8. Racing hull designer Ray Hunt

The most successful hull builders embraced the fast-developing world of engineering and materials as well as developments in design. Cold-molded mahogany plywood gave way to GRP, which in turn surrendered to carbon-fibre reinforced by Kevlar.

However, it’s hard to think of a bigger leap in hull design than Ray Hunt’s deep-vee concept, demonstrating an immediate and staggering superiority over previous hard and rounded chines. Nothing underpins this assertion better than Dick Bertram’s 1961 Miami-Nassau victory in his prototype Moppie – finishing a whole day ahead of the third-placed boat.

The likes of Levi, Shead and Bertram all helped refine the concept but the winner has to be Ray Hunt who, along with Dick Bertram’s investment and encouragement, became the grandfather of today’s sportsboats.

Peter Dredge skims Vector Martini to an average speed of 94.5mph during the 2015 Cowes Torquay Cowes race. Photo: Alamy

9. Speed record breaker Peter Dredge

World Water Speed records set by the likes of Donald Campbell’s Bluebird and Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Challenger II are momentous achievements in their fields but their designs have bred few, if any, current sportsboats. Offshore powerboat racing records may not be as well publicised but are arguably far more relevant.

The average speed records of historic races like the Cowes Torquay Cowes race are a perfect demonstration of the improvements made in powertrains, hull design and strength. The first race in 1961 was won by a 24ft wooden Christina averaging 24.5mph. It took another two years to break 40mph, and a further four to exceed 50mph. In 1969 the record tumbled again with an average speed of over 60mph.

A gap of six years then ensued before the record climbed over 70mph and a further 13 years for technology to reach an average exceeding 80mph. A very calm race in 1990 saw the Italians hit over 90mph average – and then we waited 25 years before that speed was finally exceeded in 2015.

So until that record is beaten, preferably with a speed of more than 100mph, our winner is the current record holder Peter Dredge who propelled the awesome 1,500bhp, 44ft Vector Martini to victory at a remarkable average speed of 94.5mph.

Dag Pike, the brains behind so many great powerboat victories

10. National treasure Dag Pike

No top ten list could be complete without mention of those quiet but significant contributors to the sport of offshore powerboat racing. Among those names must be Class-3 racer, commentator, sport historian and MBY ’s longest-serving contributor Ray Bulman, who passed away last year .

The racer, organiser, enthusiast and flamboyant, chain-smoking Tim Powell also has to be in the running. Other characters like Commander Petroni of Italy’s Tornado Racing Team and Tommy Sopwith’s regular crew Charles de Selincourt, who guided him to victory in several Cowes Torquay Cowes races also deserve mentions.

But my National Treasure award goes to Dag Pike; writer, raconteur and navigator extraordinaire who has been the brains behind countless race wins for dozens of different drivers. Having been shipwrecked eight times himself but also having rescued more than eight people in his long career offshore, he has in his own words ‘balanced the books’.

The last word

As with any top ten list it can never be comprehensive and will always be open to differences of opinion but that’s not the point of this article. We simply invite you to ponder that, whatever boat you drive and whatever propels it, its performance and seaworthiness possesses at least some of the DNA of the many great raceboats, designers, engineers and technologies, forged in the heat of offshore battle.

First published in the June 2019 issue of Motor Boat & Yachting.

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It’s a powerboat racing website that has covered circuit racing, offshore racing and PWC since 2016. Maintained by The Race Factory based in Norway who have specialists in event planning and promotion, social media, graphic design, and photography. We are currently working on our vision and believe that we can and will make a different in powerboating. We will dedicate our time to produce accurate factual stories and to promote the sport to a wider global audience.

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F1 Powerboat Championship 2024 Season

The 2024 F1 Powerboat Championship starts this May and runs through October. We will be racing at several new great venues this year around the country and going back to Colorado In October. You can watch all of the exciting racing action from each race day in its entirety right here on the official website in the video player above or join us on the F1 Powerboat Championship YouTube Page. Keep checking back right here for updates as we work out the details for the 2024 Racing Season.

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CIRCUIT POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION

The CPA is the recognised authority for Circuit Powerboat Racing in Great Britain by the National Governing Body the British Power Boat Association (BPBA) as recognised by the UIM the international governing body for Powerboat Racing. The CPA was formed at the end of 2018 when the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) ended its role as the National Authority for Powerboat Racing.

2024 Dunk Tests

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Circuit Powerboat Association

3 months ago

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