offshore powerboat classes

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UIM Class 1 offshore racing

Introduction.

In October 2020, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) assigned the international rights to stage Class 1offshore powerboat racing to Powerboat P1. The agreement is for ten years and includes organizational and promotion rights to the UIM Class 1 World Championship. P1’s relationship with the UIM spans almost two decades and its aim is to take Class 1 back to where it belongs at the pinnacle of offshore racing. The agreement gives P1 the opportunity to grow the Class 1 championship in the United States and at the same time develop plans to globalize the series over the coming years.

Development

The sport of powerboat racing dates back to the late 19th century with the earliest recorded race being in Nice in the south of France, but the first officially recognized international offshore race was a 22-mile event from Calais to Dover. The modern era of offshore racing began in 1956 with the famous Miami-Nassau race which ultimately lead to a UIM-sanctioned World Championship in 1964. APBA-sanctioned Class 1 racing is promoted by Powerboat P1, with catamarans competing with strictly regulated sterndrive Mercury Racing 9.0L 1100hp twin-turbocharged V8 engines. The current Class 1 champions are the Victory team from the UAE. Offshore racing has undergone enormous changes since its earliest days, with the quest for speed producing boats, engines and transmission systems that are highly sophisticated and the use of advanced composites significantly improving safety levels.

Each boat has a two-man crew: the driver and throttleman. They work closely with their pit crews to decide the race set-up: the type of propeller required for the conditions, gear ration settings, the amount of fuel needed and race tactics. Propeller choice is critical.

A Class 1 race boat has twin inboard 1100hp engines and can reach speeds in excess of 160mph. All boats are limited by a minimum weight of 4,950kg. Each boat in the Class 1 fleet is around 12-14 metres in length and 3.5 metres wide. Safety is a priority and the cockpit is reinforced to withstand enormous impacts. Inside the cockpit there are satellite GPS systems, trim indicators, engine date dashboards and instrument panels. While a Class 1 race boat is highly technical and state-of-the-art, the skill of the crew and the relationship between the driver and throttleman who navigate and control the power is ultimately the defining factor and crucial to performance.

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The Excitement of Running a P1 Offshore Race Boat

• By Charles Plueddeman
• November 16, 2023

In this age of 70 mph pontoons , 90 mph center-consoles and 150 mph sport cats, it’s pretty easy to experience eye-popping velocity on the water. So, there you are, the wind flapping your cheeks as you hold that throttle to the stop, one watering eye on the speedo as you bump the trim hoping to squeeze out the last bit of speed it will take to be the first boat to the poker-run card pickup. Maybe you even imagine that’s Reggie Fountain , Steve Curtis or Shaun Torrente at the helm of the boat you are pursuing, and instead of a king of hearts, there’s a big trophy waiting at the finish line. Well, dream on, Speed Racer. You’re going fast, but you are not racing, and your production-built motorboat is no race boat.

Steve Curtis throttles a real race boat. The Victory catamaran Huski Chocolate carried Curtis and drivers Travis Pastrana and Brit Lilly to the 2022 UIM Class 1 championship in the Powerboat P1 Offshore series. Last summer, we met Curtis and this boat, now rechristened Huski Ice Spritz, at the Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the fourth event on the five-race 2023 P1 schedule. The boat is owned by SVEA Racing Inc., based in Stuart, Florida, regarded as the benchmark in professionalism and experience in Class 1 and led by technical director Gary Stray, director of operations Scott Colton and crew chief Patrick Cleaveland.

Curtis, a 59-year-old Englishman and the son of Cougar Powerboats founder and racing catamaran innovator Clive Curtis, claimed his first Class 1 world championship in 1985 in Key West when he was 21 years old. In his career, Curtis has throttled more than 20 world champions. Who would be better to show us under the cowl of a Class 1 race boat than the acknowledged master of throttling racing cats?

Class 1 is the premier category of international offshore powerboat racing. A P1 Offshore event can include a number of classes, but only the Class 1 Championship is sanctioned by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), the world governing body for all ­powerboating activities. Basic rules for Class 1 dictate a minimum boat length overall of 12 meters (about 39 feet) and a minimum weight of 5,400 kilograms (just over 11,900 pounds). There have been seven boats in the Class 1 field in 2023, ranging in length from the 43-foot Skater Monster Energy/MCON to the 51-foot Mystic dfYoung. The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA Victory is 47 feet length overall, with a running surface of 41.5 feet, according to Curtis, and a 12-foot beam. Curtis explains that the bigger boats often have an advantage in rough conditions, but the smaller boats can be nimbler in a current on flatter water in a tight, multiturn closed course—the 5-mile course at Sheboygan had 10 turns.

“Courses have become smaller to make the event more spectator-­friendly,” Curtis says. “We used to run 40-mile laps and 200-mile races.”

The age of the Class 1 fleet is also surprising. Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA was built in 2007 by the Victory team in Dubai to a ­Michael Peters design.

“The boat has been rebuilt and repowered a number of times,” Curtis says. “I believe it was originally powered by Lamborghini V-12 engines. The boat has been crashed and repaired. The entire deck has been replaced, and the running surface adjusted as the engine package has changed.”

Carbon, Of Course

The overall theme of a race boat is that every element is functional, and this is the key difference between Huski Ice Spritz and your go-fast rig. Speed and safety are all that matter. The hull and deck are laid up with a combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite, with foam coring of various density. Bulkheads are carbon fiber, molded in a combination of triangulation and U-channel shape, and bonded within the hull. Each sponson has a pair of steps that are about 1.5 inches deep and a single strake. The tunnel between the sponsons is designed to trap and compress air, which lifts the boat at speed. The tunnel is about 33 inches deep at the bow but only 22 inches deep at the transom.

A V-hull boat could run in Class 1, but the catamaran offers a significant advantage, according to Randy Scism, who helped establish the Victory team as a force in offshore racing before returning to the United States in 1998 to start performance boatbuilder Marine Technologies Inc.

“A comparable V-hull boat will be 20 to 30 mph slower at top speed,” says Scism, who designed the 48-foot MTI Class 1 cat ­XInsurance/Good Boy ­Vodka. “In some conditions, it might corner better, but it could never make up the difference in total lap time. The air cushion under a cat can carry 30 to 35 percent of the boat’s weight, so the bottom is not even touching small waves and chop.”

Builders seek to produce a boat that is significantly below the class minimum-weight specification. This allows each team to make weight using lead ballast—water ballast is not allowed—that can be positioned right on the stringers to keep the center of gravity as low as possible to enhance handling and help trim the boat. Weight, either lead bars or bags of lead shot, can be placed aft to lift the bow in calm conditions or forward to hold the bow down in rough water. Fuel tanks are located directly on the boat’s center of balance so that balance does not change as fuel is consumed. At race venues, a crane fitted with a scale lifts the Class 1 boats from the trailer to the water; this way, each boat is weighed every time it goes in and comes out of the water to prevent cheating.

At Class 1 speeds, aerodynamics becomes critical. The boats literally fly over the water, and the deck is flush with the top of each sponson. The enclosed cockpit is a teardrop blister, hatch latches and cleats are carefully recessed and faired, and air intake is accomplished with low-drag NACA ducts. When conditions are ideal, these huge boats appear to levitate with a grace that belies the brutal thrust required to reach speeds that can exceed 160 mph on the open ocean.

Prescribed Power

There are no surprises below the engine hatches of a Class 1 boat. Since P1 led a revival of the class in 2019, the Mercury Racing 1100 Competition engine has been standard power, a spec engine for the class. The 9.0-liter V-8 engine features Mercury Racing QC4 quad-valve cylinder heads and is boosted by twin turbochargers. Power output is 1,100 hp and 1,100 lb.-ft. of torque per engine on 93-octane pump gasoline. Each big V-8 turns 6,000 to 6,500 rpm. The transmission is the stout model designed for the Mercury Racing 1750 engine with a stronger input shaft and ­internal components.

“Before the switch to the Merc 1100, we were running engines making 1,850 to 2,000 hp at 7,500 rpm,” Curtis says, “and top speeds pushed 190 mph. Those engines needed a rebuild after each race.”

The point of a specified engine for the class is to reduce cost and ensure power parity among teams with unequal resources. With that in mind, the engines are tightly controlled. Teams are not allowed to make any adjustments or modifications to the engines. With the exception of the valve covers, the engines are sealed with special fasteners. At the beginning of each race weekend, the Mercury Racing support team delivers propulsion control modules (PCM) to each team. The PCM units are painted bright ­yellow so they are easy to identify. ­Mercury ­Racing also installs a data logger on each engine.

“After every practice and ­every race, we download the data to make sure it makes sense and that nobody has tweaked on the engines and turned the power up,” says Steve Wynveen, Mercury Racing manager of development engineering. “The idea of Class 1 now is that winning is dependent on driving and boat setup, not on who has the most money to throw at an engine.”

The expectation is that if teams don’t abuse these engines by constantly banging into the rev limiter, each can last the season with just basic maintenance. Teams will put between two and three hours of run time on the engines at each race weekend. Teams are free to install their own PCM for testing between races.

The Huski Ice Spritz/SVEA team engineered a number of quick-disconnect fittings that allow it to remove an engine in about 20 minutes, according to Curtis. This team pulls its engines after each race for maintenance and inspects the bilge and engine mounts below the engines. Typical maintenance includes an oil and filter change, checking the valve lash and adjusting with shims, a compression and leak-down test, checking the turbocharger ­waste-gate adjustment, and ­torquing all fasteners and clamps.

Six of the boats in this Class 1 fleet use surface drives based on a BPM model to put power to the water. The Italian drive only articulates in the vertical plane, which provides a limited range of trim, generally less than 15 degrees or, according to Curtis, about 1.5 inches at the propeller. The prop is located about 58 inches abaft the transom. A drop box located on the exterior of the transom allows teams to quickly change gear ratios to best match engine torque to the prevailing conditions. Curtis explains that on today’s short courses, ­acceleration out of turns is often more important than top speed. Teams using a surface drive are limited to three prop sets but have unlimited gear ratios. Steering is accomplished by a center-mounted rudder—a knife-sharp polished stainless Italian Flexitab model on Huski Ice Spritz—and teams can change rudders based on water conditions.

A sterndrive is also permitted in Class 1, but if the sterndrive can steer, the boat is not allowed to use a rudder. The MTI XInsurance/Good Boy Vodka boat is rigged with modified Mercury Racing M6 sterndrives. Trim is retained, but the skegs are cut off and steering is locked. The boat is equipped with a rudder. Teams running sterndrives are allowed an unlimited number of propellers.

“The problem with trying to steer these boats with the sterndrives is that when you turn the drive, one prop is pushed into water and the other into the air coming through the tunnel,” Scism says. “The prop in the air loses thrust. You want to keep both props centered behind the sponsons. I prefer to use the M6 drives for the added trim authority. That drive is plenty rugged for these engines.”

Read Next: How to Boat Safely at Any Speed

Curtis throttles with his right hand gripping a pair of Mercury Zero Effort controls topped with red plastic knobs molded to the shape of his hand. To his left is a fixed, molded grip with radio/intercom control buttons, trim control, and a button to change the screen display. Curtis can communicate with his team using VHF and UHF radios, and a cellular connection. Below is a pair of Mercury ignition keys, which we were surprised to see.

“When we went to the standard Merc 1100 engines, we wanted to retain the entire stock wiring harness to prevent any sort of tampering,” Curtis says. “So, there are the keys, just like on your fishing boat. It was the ­easiest solution.”

Facing Curtis are a pair of Livorsi turbocharger boost gauges, a Livorsi trim indicator, and a multifunction display usually showing tachometers. In the center of the dash is a Garmin MFD split between navigation and a rearview camera. The driver sits before a quick-release steering wheel with a lap counter on top of the dash, which will also display a yellow-and-red flag signal from race control.

I wish I could describe the ­sensation of driving Huski Ice Spritz at speed while looking through the slit of a windscreen. But as it turns out, there is not enough liability coverage or legal cover to ever make that happen. Scism says MTI will build you a new 48 Race model to Class 1 specs, with a price tag of $2.2 million to $2.4 million with power. A $500,000 budget will cover a bare-bones Class 1 team for a season, Curtis says, with a well-financed team spending more than $1.5 million. SVEA Racing Inc. brings a crew of 10 to each race with a 70-foot race trailer, a tilting boat trailer and its Kenworth hauler, and a world-champion throttleman. They are not going to a poker run.

Safety First

When Steve Curtis won his first Class 1 championship, he was standing in an open cockpit. “There was very little concern for safety in those boats,” Curtis says. “If you stuffed the boat, it was very likely you’d be killed.”

Today the driver and throttle work in an enclosed cockpit that is all business. This is not your pleasure boat—there is no Alcantara upholstery, no bass-pumping audio system, and no LED-illuminated drink holders. Cockpit entry is through a hatch secured with four sliding bolts like a bank vault. In Huski Ice Spritz, Curtis throttles from the port seat, and the driver is at the wheel to starboard. Deep bucket seats have 2 inches of suspension travel, and the crew is strapped securely in place. “During a race, it can actually get rather violent in here,” Curtis says. “It’s not very noisy, but there is a lot of vibration, even in smooth water, because the boat is so rigid. We can feel pretty beat up after a race.”

A cage of carbon channels surrounds the cockpit, which Curtis says is backed by a very thick bulkhead. Crush zones around the cockpit are designed to absorb energy on impact. The interior is raw and black, with no thought of cosmetics. The forward portion of the cockpit structure is formed by a ¾-inch-thick polycarbonate shield modeled after a fighter-jet canopy. The clear portion is minimized for further crew protection. There’s an emergency escape hatch in the floor for egress if the boat flips. The driver and throttle have a 10-minute emergency air supply.

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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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Making Waves Around the World

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• Into a Third Decade of Racing
• 19 Countries on 4 Continents
• Over 700 Races

Our race events combine high-speed, free-to-watch sport and family entertainment, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators and millions of television viewers around the world, also playing a valuable role as an effective destination marketing tool. By creating high caliber events, we generate a significant level of inward economic investment at host venues, together with the commercial platform created for sponsors, partners and the wider marine industry.

Media and broadcast relationships play a key role in enhancing our international presence, delivering exposure for venues and commercial partners, and building the foundations for a commercially viable, credible and global marine motorsport platform.

P1 Offshore

This increasingly important brand within the P1 family encompasses the APBA offshore national championship series, with P1 having been granted by the APBA exclusive worldwide rights to film and distribute its offshore events for the next five years. At all race events, P1 will produce a one-hour television highlights show, featuring Class 1 racing and other APBA classes.

P1 Jetcross

Attracting a younger demographic, P1 Jetcross is considered by many to be the equivalent of motocross on water, with custom designed race hulls and highly tuned engines to power themselves around close-to-shore technical courses.

P1 Superstock

When competitors are racing with the same boat, same engine, and same performance the only difference between winning and losing is the crew. P1 SuperStock lets the pilots battle it out on the water through every turn and every wave jump. It’s an acid test of a team’s ability to command the boat in challenging conditions.

Class One racing is the highest class of powerboat racing in the world where boats can reach speeds in excess of 160mph, attracting teams from the United States, Dubai and Australia. Powerboat P1 promotes the APBA Offshore Championship, a six-venue, multiclass race series.

P1 AquaX is the fastest growing watercraft race series in the world. It prides itself on attracting the best riders and the fastest off-the-shelf watercraft with speeds in excess of 80mph. Its rapid growth is owed to a simple, accessible yet challenging race format that appeals to today’s personal watercraft users.

In September 2010, P1 launched a registered charity which has as its principal objective the promotion of the conservation, protection and improvement of the marine and coastal environment. The Foundation focuses on conservation by supporting research, raising awareness of serious threats to the oceans and creating selected partnerships.

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Powerboat Racing Classes: Inshore, Offshore, and Jet Ski Racing Explained

“The adrenaline rush that you get on the road is twice as that you get on the water” saying let us get into the world of powerboat racing.

Powerboat racing is an exciting sport taking place on open waters. There are many varieties of powerboat racing, each of which has different rules. The different kinds of powerboat racing are inshore, offshore, and jet ski racing.

Inshore racing takes place on closed waters or protected boundaries such as on lakes and rivers. Unlike inshore, offshore racing takes place in open waters like oceans. Jet ski racing takes place independently as it is more of personal watercraft racing. It is very popular in today’s times.

This article will focus on the different types of powerboat racing, the types of boats used, the waters raced on, and the issues to overcome by competitors in each type.

History Of Offshore Powerboat Racing

Offshore powerboat racing can be traced back to the early 20 th century. It was conventionally used by the elites for recreational racing purposes. The first officially announced powerboat racing was held in the 1930s in the United States and the first official world championship took place in the early 1960s.

Boat racing was often a curtain raiser event held at various boat shows and waterfront festivals to gain the attraction of the crowd. And the boat often used were modified versions of production models .

Offshore powerboat racing has now evolved to much more sophisticated levels with the boats being more powerful and faster due to technological advancements and plentiful resources. It is a highly competitive sport in today’s times and teams from all over the world compete amongst one another on beautiful waterways the world.

Offshore Powerboat Racing

Offshore powerboat racing involves highspeed motorboat racing in open waters, mostly specific to oceans. These offshore racing powerboats are specially manufactured for racing and can be branded as large, high-powered boats.

These powerboats are powered by engines that can yield up to 3000 horsepower . The length of these boats is usually between 30-50ft.

These boats are able enough to be agile in movement and easily maneuverable. Yet they can withstand the rough conditions of open waters. They are able enough to reach speeds up to and over 100 miles per hour as they are high-performance and high-powered vessels.

The races held last anywhere between a few minutes to several hours. Offshore powerboat racing is a very popular sport in the world and several events take place all across the globe throughout the year, especially in Asia, Europe, and the United States of America.

Inshore Powerboat Racing

Inshore powerboat racing takes place on protected waters such as lakes and rivers, unlike offshore racing. The boats used for inshore racing, are smaller and less powerful compared to offshore racing. The engines supply only up to 100-300 horsepower.

Inshore races are generally shorter than offshore races. Inshore races are usually marked with buoys. The winner is usually determined by calculating the total points availed during the entirety of the race.

The kinds of boats used for inshore powerboat racing usually include monohulls, V-bottoms, and catamarans . The most widely used type is a monohull and depending on the conditions of the racing zones, V-bottoms, and catamarans are chosen specifically.

Inshore powerboat racing is administered and authorized by national and international organizations such as the Union Internationale Motonatique (UIM) . They control by laying down rules and regulations that oversee the sport.

Not anyone who owns a powerboat can compete in an inshore race. Competitors must satisfy specific levels of skills and experience as well as have appropriate safety equipment. Some even need to ensure optimal physical fitness levels and qualify for a medical examination before competing.

Jet Ski Racing

Jet Ski racing unlike inshore and offshore powerboat racing personal watercraft racing (PWC) . It can be held in both freshwater and saltwater bodies. The PWCs (personal watercraft) hold high speed and are small motorized watercraft that are ridden standing up. It is a very thrilling and exciting form of powerboat racing.

These jet skis are specifically designed and manufactured for speed and maneuverability. The engines provide anywhere between 150-300 horsepower and can go as fast as 70 miles per hour . The jet skis are also equipped with safety features such as kill switches and lanyards, which are made to automatically switch off the engine in instances of the rider falling off.

There are several courses at which jet ski racing takes place such as slalom courses, closed-course circuits, and endurance races. Among these, the closed-circuit course is the most famous type of jet ski racing and this comprises multiple laps around a course marked with buoys.

Similar to a closed-circuit course is a slalom course with just an addition of slalom gates that the riders must navigate through. A race for endurance includes multiple laps and the duration of these endurance races last longer, up to several hours even.

Jet ski racing is usually administered by the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) which lays down the rules and regulations that govern the sport. Competitors for jet ski racing must hold a specific level of skill and experience as well as have appropriate safety equipment. Some even need to ensure optimal physical fitness levels and qualify for a medical examination before competing.

Types Of Boats Used In Offshore Powerboat Racing

The types of powerboats used in racing are specific and take place on open waters. The boats are generally large and powerful with engines that can produce up to 2500 horsepower . Each boat has its specialty and characteristics.

The first one is a monohull . Monohulls have a single hull and it can be anywhere between 30-50ft in length. They specialize in speed and maneuverability and are made of lightweight materials like carbon fiber. Monohulls are the most commonly used boats for offshore racing and are seen as the sport’s standard.

Catamarans are yet another type of boat used in offshore powerboat racing. They have two parallel hulls and are generally between 30-50ft in length. They specialize in stability and speed and can be faster than monohulls in specific conditions. It is considered comfortable for both the crew and passengers.

V-Bottoms are also widely used in offshore powerboat racing. They are characterized to have a deep V-shaped hull and are also generally between 30-50ft in length. They also specialize in speed and maneuverability and is made of lightweight carbon fiber and can be faster than monohulls under certain conditions

In short, offshore and inshore powerboat racing as well as jet ski racing are all different forms of motorsports that use high-speed boats and personal watercraft. They are governed by several authoritarian bodies and it follows a set of rules and regulations.

Offshore racing takes place on open waters, while inshore racing takes place on protected waters such as lakes and rivers. Jet ski racing involves racing in closed courses with tight turns and shorter races.

Offshore racing typically makes use of four types of boats such as monohulls, V-bottoms, catamarans, and trimarans . Whereas, inshore and jet ski powerboat races use monohulls, v-bottoms, and catamarans . Each type of boat has its characteristics and specialties but they are all commonly 30-50ft in length. 

Boats used in offshore racing are generally the largest and the most powerful, as well as their engines, are designed to be able to produce up to 3000 horsepower whereas inshore and jet ski boat engines produce only 100-300 horsepower.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the different types of powerboat racing.

There are three different types of powerboat racing: inshore, offshore, and jet ski racing. Inshore racing takes place on closed waters or protected boundaries such as on lakes and rivers, while offshore racing takes place in open waters like oceans. Jet ski racing takes place independently as it is more of personal watercraft racing.

What is offshore powerboat racing?

Offshore powerboat racing involves high-speed motorboat racing in open waters, mostly specific to oceans. These offshore racing powerboats are specially manufactured for racing and can be branded as large, high-powered boats. These powerboats are powered by engines that can yield up to 3000 horsepower. The length of these boats is usually between 30-50ft. These boats are able enough to be agile in movement and easily maneuverable, yet they can withstand the rough conditions of open waters. They are able enough to reach speeds up to and over 100 miles per hour as they are high-performance and high-powered vessels.

What is inshore powerboat racing?

Inshore powerboat racing takes place on protected waters such as lakes and rivers, unlike offshore racing. The boats used for inshore racing are smaller and less powerful compared to offshore racing. The engines supply only up to 100-300 horsepower. Inshore races are generally shorter than offshore races and are usually marked with buoys. The winner is usually determined by calculating the total points availed during the entirety of the race.

What is jet ski racing?

Jet ski racing is a personal watercraft racing (PWC) that can be held in both freshwater and saltwater bodies. The PWCs hold high speed and are small motorized watercraft that are ridden standing up. The jet skis are specifically designed and manufactured for speed and maneuverability. The engines provide anywhere between 150-300 horsepower and can go as fast as 70 miles per hour. There are several courses at which jet ski racing takes place such as slalom courses, closed-course circuits, and endurance races.

What are the safety features of jet skis?

Jet skis are equipped with safety features such as kill switches and lanyards, which are made to automatically switch off the engine in instances of the rider falling off. These features ensure the safety of the riders while participating in jet ski racing.

About the author

I worked as an officer in the deck department on various types of vessels, including oil and chemical tankers, LPG carriers, and even reefer and TSHD in the early years. Currently employed as Marine Surveyor carrying cargo, draft, bunker, and warranty survey.

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Maine House, protecting sand dunes, rejects plan to build offshore wind terminal on Sears Island

It is unclear how severely the decision will delay the buildout of a wind port in Maine, which would create hundreds of high-paying jobs and advance the state's climate goals.

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Sears Island, on right, was one of several sites considered for a port to support the offshore industry in the future. Press Herald photo by David A. Rodgers

The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to protect sand dunes on Sears Island where the Mills administration has proposed to build an offshore wind terminal.

In an 80-65 vote, the House rejected legislation that would have authorized the Department of Environmental Protection to grant a permit to build the terminal on an area of Sears Island that includes a coastal sand dune system.

If the legislation fails, it is unclear how severely the decision would delay the buildout of a wind port in Maine, where turbines and other components would be assembled and then shipped to the Gulf of Maine. The project involves lengthy state and federal permitting processes after a site is selected.

The legislation, which is narrowly crafted to reference the sand dunes, would allow the DEP to act only after all laws and agency rules also permit construction.

Mills administration taking next steps to advance Sears Island offshore wind project

The sand dune area is about four-tenths of an acre, according to the bill, which now heads to the Senate.

Gov. Janet Mills announced in February her selection of Sears Island for Maine’s foray into wind power. She said it was not an easy decision, and it was opposed by environmentalists who favored nearby Mack Point. Advertisement

Criticism quickly focused on the potential threat that construction would pose to the sand dunes. Maine Audubon says sand dunes and coastal beaches protect buildings and infrastructure from waves and flooding and provide habitat for migratory shore birds, and endangered and threatened species.

Ben Goodman, a spokesman for Mills, said the legislation affects a “small, manmade – not naturally occurring – sand dune system” on state Department of Transportation land on Sears Island that was created by the placement of a jetty.

Without the legislation or “commensurate language elsewhere,” Maine would lose a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to create hundreds of well-paid jobs, generate clean energy and protect the environment against climate change and the health of Mainers, he said.

DUELING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Several lawmakers said during the House debate that they were conflicted between voting to allow construction that could undermine the island’s environment and advancing Maine’s wind energy industry, which is essential to helping cut carbon-based energy.

Environmentalists say wind from the Gulf of Maine is among the strongest and most consistent available, and offshore wind is expected to generate about half the renewable energy needed by Maine by the end of the next decade. Advertisement

Jack Shapiro, climate and clean energy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said taking Sears Island out of the running for Maine’s wind port would be unfortunate and short-sighted. The necessary permits require the applicant to demonstrate that they have evaluated all of the alternatives.

“We think the stakes are too high for offshore wind and too high for the climate to do that without all the evidence in hand,” he said. 

He could not speak directly to the timeline, but said if the bill fails it will likely cause “significant delays” in what already is expected to be a multiyear process.

Critics call plan for Searsport offshore wind site ‘dangerous precedent,’ point to coastal impacts

He’s hopeful that it won’t get to that point. 

“We’re hopeful that we can move forward with both sites under consideration because we want to pick the best site for Maine that gives us the best chance to develop this resource and meet our climate goals in a timely manner,” Shapiro said, referring to Mack Point as the other site. 

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Rep. Valli Geiger, D-Rockland, who described herself as an environmentalist, said she finds it difficult to “roll back our sand dune regulations because it’s in the way of development.”

Yet Geiger said the wind port is a rare opportunity to contribute to the fight against climate change and create well-paid manufacturing jobs.

“Ultimately, for me it’s the larger overarching issue of climate change that has led me to ‘yes,’ ” she said.

State selects Sears Island as preferred site for Maine’s new offshore wind port

Rep. Mike Soboleski, R-Phillips, said “it’s hard to reconcile destroying part of the environment to save the environment” and questioned whether wind power will accomplish what advocates claim.

“I think we should hold off on this, see if they’re actually viable, if they do work, if they do make a difference, if they can help our environment, if they can save on electrical bills, which so far we haven’t seen that at all,” he said.

The 100-acre site on Sears Island was one of several considered in a more than two-year review by Maine officials. Portland, Eastport and Mack Point – which is also in Searsport – also were considered. State environmental officials said the Sears Island site would not require dredging, unlike at Mack Point.

The Sears Island site is on one-third of the island that the state Department of Transportation has reserved for development. The other two-thirds are in a permanent conservation easement held by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

The legislation establishes within DEP a $1 million Coastal Sand Dune Restoration and Protection Fund that the agency can use to pay up to 50% of eligible costs incurred in a project to restore, protect, conserve or “revegetate” a coastal sand dune system and up to 100% of eligible costs for projects relating to coastal sand dune systems.

Staff Writer Hannah LaClaire contributed to this report. 

Related Headlines

State selects Sears Island as preferred site for Maine’s new offshore wind port

Critics call plan for Searsport offshore wind site ‘dangerous precedent,’ point to coastal impacts

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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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Drone Shot of the pit Area by the Van Wezel, Sarasota

Tue jan 09 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

We love all forms of racing at Monster Energy and entering the UIM Class 1 World Championship and APBA National Championship, as well as the P1 AquaX National Championship, in 2023 genuinely thrilled us with the sport’s amazing and vibrant mix of racing, competition and amazing fan attention, interaction and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled to title sponsor the final round of the national championship. Dave Gowland Monster Energy

Powerboat P1 has today announced its P1 Offshore race calendar for the 2024 season, which sees the series heading to Wisconsin again and returning to favorite venues in Florida. The Sarasota and St. Petersburg grand prix events on Florida’s Gulf Coast move away from their traditional dates around the Independence Day and Labor Day vacations respectively and will provide an exhilarating climax to the season in September and October.

Cocoa Beach on the Space Coast will again host the season opener in mid-May with a weekend of ‘fast boats and cold drinks.’ Thunder On Cocoa Beach will be celebrating its 15th anniversary of staging this event and its Executive Director, Kerry Bartlett will be unveiling special plans to mark this milestone.

In August, racing will return to Sheboygan on the western shore of Lake Michigan for a second year. Sheboygan Area Tourism Zone reported that last season’s inaugural Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge delivered an economic impact of $4.7 million with more than 40,000 attending the three-day festival, and this year’s event in August will be open to all offshore classes. Mayor Ryan Sorenson said: “I am thrilled to welcome back this exhilarating event to the Malibu of the Midwest. It not only showcases our City’s stunning waterfront but also brings together the community in celebration of speed, skill and the thrill of competition. This sense of excitement and unity contributes to the vibrancy of Sheboygan.” City Administrator Casey Bradley added: “This event not only brings a surge of energy to our City but also underscores our commitment to hosting world class events. We appreciate the partnership with Powerboat P1 and Mercury Racing, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact the race event will have on our local economy and community spirit.”

Another event milestone will be celebrated in September with the 40th anniversary of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix, making it the second longest-running powerboat festival in the United States. For decades the racing has been a unique, prestigious event that brings significant value to the county. Local media reports that it generates millions of dollars in economic impact every year with up to 16,000 room nights, and P1’s national and international television deals showcase the city’s many attractions to an audience of more than 200 million homes. Pete Harvey, Director of Sports at Visit Sarasota County commented: “The Grand Prix draws enthusiastic crowds, capturing the attention of visitors and residents alike. It attracts a diverse range of attendees which generates a sizeable surge in tourism and spending.”

Our goal is to have a fleet of 12 Class 1 boats by 2025. We want to grow the world championship commercially and promote the series both in the United States and internationally to deliver enhanced value for race teams, host venues, sponsors and partners. Azam Rangoonwala Powerboat P1, CEO

The season finale will see the race teams head along the Gulf Coast to St. Petersburg for the Monster Energy St. Pete Grand Prix. Now in its fourth year, the event has quickly become a favorite venue will the racers and it will see the APBA national champions crowned in October. “We’re excited to see one of America’s best waterfront locations selected to host the Powerboat P1 grand prix event,” commented Visit St. Pete/Clearwater President/CEO Brian Lowack. “We love the opportunity to show off the spectacular downtown St. Pete waterfront and award-winning St. Pete Pier as spectators come from near and far to our beautiful destination or tune in on TV around the globe to see some of the most exciting action on water.”

Dave Gowland of Monster Energy said: “We love all forms of racing at Monster Energy and entering the UIM Class 1 World Championship and APBA National Championship, as well as the P1 AquaX National Championship, in 2023 genuinely thrilled us with the sport’s amazing and vibrant mix of racing, competition and amazing fan attention, interaction and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled to title sponsor the final round of the national championship.”

Seven teams are expected to compete in this season’s UIM Class 1 World Championship and races will be staged at the P1 Offshore events. Powerboat P1’s aim is to attract more teams and build the worldwide television audience to return Class 1 to the summit of the sport. “Our goal is to have a fleet of 12 boats by 2025” said P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala. “We want to grow the world championship commercially and promote the series both in the United States and internationally to deliver enhanced value for race teams, host venues, sponsors and partners.”

“The 2023 offshore season was one of great change and growth” explains Rangoonwala. “This season we will seek further growth by focusing on attracting more competitors, particularly young racers, improving the fan experience, continuing to build our social media audience and broadening the international reach of our TV broadcast deals. Having celebrated our 20th anniversary last year, Powerboat P1 is embarking on its third decade as a promoter and we will continue to design our race events to encourage tourism and enhance the profile of the host venues. Partnerships are at the heart of our business and over the coming months we will be announcing new agreements as well as the renewal of existing sponsorships.”

For more information on this release:

Roy Mantle Powerboat P1 Management Ltd t: +44 (0)207 935 4977 e: [email protected]

Photo credits:

MCON Monster Energy race boat at Cocoa Beach, credit: David Lando DF Young team in race action at Sheboygan, credit: Ronny Mac Racing off the iconic St. Pete Pier, credit: Ronny Mac Class 1 Boats racing at the Sarsota Grand Prix off Lido Beach Pete Boden Drone Shot of the pit Area by the Van Wezel, Sarasota: credit: David Lando

P1 Offshore in brief

This increasingly important brand within the P1 family encompasses the APBA offshore national championship series, with P1 having been granted by the APBA exclusive rights to film and distribute its offshore events. P1 produces a one-hour television highlights show, featuring Class 1 racing and other APBA classes, broadcast in the United States and internationally. P1 coverage includes live streaming on its Facebook page.

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Class 1 in brief

Class 1 is the premier class of offshore powerboat racing in the world and is considered to be one of the most spectacular marine motorsports. A Class 1 race boat has twin inboard 1100HP engines and can reach speed in excess of 160mph. All boats are limited by a minimum weight of 4,950kg.

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