How much $ to run a race boat?

[BobbyB]

Hey Bobby.....I can't believe you just abanded us like that....
So here is what I will do to get you back with us...

For every race we win....I will let you super size your value meal....:willy_nilly:

HAHA remember i am the little bobby not the big bobby. You know i will help you out. I had a blast racing with you that weekend.

 

[stainless]

I'd say about 7k/race minimum for a cat outboard barring anything major blowing up!

 

[phragle]

If there is anything i have learned going to races for the last couple of years, is that you guys really know how to tear chit up....... hehehe

 

[DAREDEVIL]

We usually go over budget

HAHAHAHA,,,PARTY'SSSSSSSSS :cheers2::sifone::seeya:

 

[DAREDEVIL]

I didn't say anything about being competitive!

NOW THATS FUNNY RIGHT THERE !!!!!!!! :sifone:

 

[MANITIE]

Hey Bobby.....I can't believe you just abanded us like that....
So here is what I will do to get you back with us...

For every race we win....I will let you super size your value meal....:willy_nilly:

HAHA remember i am the little bobby not the big bobby. You know i will help you out. I had a blast racing with you that weekend.

I knew you be there for us......and you did a great job on the throttles...but the yellow book we had to put on your seat blead onto it...damm Yellow Pages...

I hope you join our team this year....we would love to have you with us...and you know I will spend more on your beers then I spend on our rooms..

Sorry for the high jack....

If you ran a good engine/drive package with a 24 to 30' vee in OPA (class 5 or 6)...you could run with a budget of $1000 to $1500 a race....

$200 to $300 for towing fuel ( pending on distance from race site 400 to 500 mile round trip)
$150 to $200 on fuel for the race boat ( 50 to 60 gallons with single engine)
$200 for 2 nights in hotel... ( have found hotels within 1 to 8 miles from the dry pits for $35 to $70 a night)
$200 to 400 a race for maintance ( changing engine and drive oil every race )
plus food and drinks....( if your not a drinker...you can get away with $40 a day )

The 7k to 60k per race is for some big teams....not the average single class 5 or 6 team...
So if any guys out there are looking to come out and race...don't get scared away by the big numbers....
you can come out and race for a resonable $ amount + prize money...

 

[DAREDEVIL]

I knew you be there for us......and you did a great job on the throttles...but the yellow book we had to put on your seat bled onto it...damn Yellow Pages...

I hope you join our team this year....we would love to have you with us...and you know I will spend more on your beers then I spend on our rooms..

Sorry for the high jack....

If you ran a good engine/drive package with a 24 to 30' vee in OPA (class 5 or 6)...you could run with a budget of $1000 to $1500 a race....

$200 to $300 for towing fuel ( pending on distance from race site 400 to 500 mile round trip)
$150 to $200 on fuel for the race boat ( 50 to 60 gallons with single engine)
$200 for 2 nights in hotel... ( have found hotels within 1 to 8 miles from the dry pits for $35 to $70 a night)
$200 to 400 a race for maintenance ( changing engine and drive oil every race )
plus food and drinks....( if your not a drinker...you can get away with $40 a day )

The 7k to 60k per race is for some big teams....not the average single class 5 or 6 team...
So if any guys out there are looking to come out and race...don't get scared away by the big numbers....
you can come out and race for a reasonable $ amount + prize money...

I agree somewhat ........i was racing on a budget and still spend ~ 50 K + to do all races of a season.
U need food,,hotel, travel, fuel, little parts, oil's, sometimes big parts,,LOL, and on and on.....so the budget racing in P class ( even in OPA ) would be a big number unless u live where the races are !!!!!!
I raced SBI, and even if i would race OPA the # would not change a hole lot......because more travel and more hotel cost , so either way i say 1 year 50+ is a REAL number and even with price money u can not make up for it ,,,,like some think they can, also DO NOT BELIEVE THE SPONSORS UNLESS IN WRITING and even then ...mhhhhhhhh , i don't know how often i heard YES, and the check is in the mail !!!!!!!!
The stupid person i am i believed them....spend money i did not have just to go racing and hoping the check will arrive......well.....now , broke and still trying to go racing ..LOL

GOOD LUCK to every speed addicted power boater there is !!!!:cheers2:

OH, :seeya: on the race coarse !!!!!!!!! :sifone:

 

[blackwidow]

Old saying is that if you want to end a race season with 1 million dollars start with 2 million.

 

[Wahoo 214]

Also if your team becomes competitive in C5 or 6 you can cover much of your costs with purse $. I bet that the Smith Bros had a reasonable year after adding in thier winnings.

 

[Fast Shafts]

I know that I'm an exception here. I run a small class 6 boat, 606 Lock'd Up and attended all but one OPA race. I did it on a VERY limited budget.
The way I kept cost down was to NOT do alot of things:

1) Realize I'm here to race, NOT PARTY
2) Make reservations early, NOT pay inflated prices at the last minute
3) Arrive the day before a race, stay at an affordable hotel, NOT an expensive Ocean Front Hotel
4) Tow my boat to the races with my old F-150, NOT pay someone to haul it.
5) Leave in the evening after the race, NOT the next day.
6) NOT pay for an entourage of family friends to hang out with.
7) NOT pay for a "crew", the one or two team mates have to contribute with maintenance (I pay for parts)
8) I do NOT buy souveniers/sweatshirts etc.
9) I do NOT spend alot on Pictures/video, I wait untill the offseason and purchase a limited amount
10) Again, I do NOT spend alot on Alcohol, I'm there to Race!:sifone:

 

[MarylandMark]

HAHA remember i am the little bobby not the big bobby.

:icon_bs:

Don't forget I saw you last Friday, chumbs

 

[htrdlncn]

I looked for awhile for a 24 Carrera/Pantera/Excalibur when I thought about running a P6 boat
on a limited schedule, just a few races and probably not competitive , just get my feet wet and break a lot of stuff,then realized there isnt many races within 1000 miles of central Texas. Did find the boat (24 Excalibur) at a steal of a deal but let my friend Doug get it. It will be fast but wont fit any class when he is done .
Around here the only boat races are drag races .

 

[Tom A.]

The cost of the boat = yearly expenses seems to hold true. I remember racing back in the early nineties and that seemed to hold true back then too. I ran in an A-class 29' Mirage with twin small blocks and no matter how we cut it, if it wasn't a drive or a motor it was 'glass work or a steering wheel (broke a few of those ... big water racing then!) it always seemed to be the same end of year total.

 

[MANITIE]

I know that I'm an exception here. I run a small class 6 boat, 606 Lock'd Up and attended all but one OPA race. I did it on a VERY limited budget.
The way I kept cost down was to NOT do alot of things:

1) Realize I'm here to race, NOT PARTY
2) Make reservations early, NOT pay inflated prices at the last minute
3) Arive the day before a race, stay at an affordable hotel, NOT an expensive Ocean Front Hotel
4) Tow my boat to the races with my old F-150, NOT pay someone to haul it.
5) Leave in the evening after the race, NOT the next day.
6) NOT pay for an entourage of family friends to hang out with.
7) NOT pay for a "crew", the one or two team mates have to contribute with maintenance (I pay for parts)
8) I do NOT buy souveniers/sweatshirts etc.
9) I do NOT spend alot on Pictures/video, I wait untill the offseason and purchase a limited amount
10) Again, I do NOT spend alot on Alcohol, I'm there to Race!:sifone:

That is a perfect example of running on a budget and showing it can be done...If we really look at what we spend at a race a lot of average teams spend between $1000 and $1500 for just hotels, drinking and food....which that could be done for under $300....

So you guys that are thinking of giving it a shot...it can be affordible...
and look at the bonus...if you place...even 3rd...that could pay for your weekend and some braggin rights...for a couple of weeks...

Glad to see you guys out there....

 

[Fast Shafts]

Gino,
$1,000. per race would be a "fat" budget for me. I had a few 3rd place finishes ($750.00) which offset some of my expenses. This year I'm probably running the Northeast races, Ocean City, Patchogue, Atlantic City, and Cambridge. If things go well, I'll try and do Orange Beach in October. It can be done on a limited budget.

 

[MANITIE]

Gino,
$1,000. per race would be a "fat" budget for me. I had a few 3rd place finishes ($750.00) which offset some of my expenses. This year I'm probably running the Northeast races, Ocean City, Patchogue, Atlantic City, and Cambridge. If things go well, I'll try and do Orange Beach in October. It can be done on a limited budget.

Its great having guys like you out there...and we need more like you...you don't have to be rich to race....thats great news that you guys will be doing the Northeast races....and I hope you make it to Orange Beach...its a great place to race...

See you soon...

 

[DAREDEVIL]

Come on ,,,,,,,,,if i drive my boat from FL to NJ i already spend 1400 in gas for the truck.

STAY SERIOUS !!!!!!!!!!

NO way u can race for 1000 a race unless u live right there !!!!!!

 

[Fast Shafts]

Daredevil,
From NJ to Harrison Mich. (the farthest race for me) is 700 miles each way. 1400 miles total, my F150 gets 12 miles per gallon=116 gallons of fuel X 3.00 per gallon =350.00 of fuel. We left the boat in Mich for the next race in St. Clair-one week later.

I live in NJ, so Ocean City Md, Cambridge and Patchogue are only 150 miles away. Fuel isn't a big expense here, roughly 75.00 per race. My claiming "1,000 per race is fat" was averaging out all races including both races in Michigan.

I respectfully disagree with your figures. According to Google maps, from Sarasota Florida to Patchogue NY (the farthest northeast race for you) is 1240 miles each way. 2480 miles total. If your truck gets 8 miles per gallon, that would equal 310 gallons of fuel for the round trip. If you figure 3.00 per gallon, your round trip fuel bill would be $930.00 If I'm wrong, please explain where?

I've done more races on a limited budget than most, I work two jobs because I love this crazy sport. I'm sure if you hauled your boat up here, someone would allow you to store your boat for a minimum fee or free. Hope to see you at some of the OPA races.

Bob G. 606 Lock'd Up

 

[DAREDEVIL]

Daredevil,
From NJ to Harrison Mich. (the farthest race for me) is 700 miles each way. 1400 miles total, my F150 gets 12 miles per gallon=116 gallons of fuel X 3.00 per gallon =350.00 of fuel. We left the boat in Mich for the next race in St. Clair-one week later.

I live in NJ, so Ocean City Md, Cambridge and Patchogue are only 150 miles away. Fuel isn't a big expense here, roughly 75.00 per race. My claiming "1,000 per race is fat" was averaging out all races including both races in Michigan.

I respectfully disagree with your figures. According to Google maps, from Sarasota Florida to Patchogue NY (the farthest northeast race for you) is 1240 miles each way. 2480 miles total. If your truck gets 8 miles per gallon, that would equal 310 gallons of fuel for the round trip. If you figure 3.00 per gallon, your round trip fuel bill would be $930.00 If I'm wrong, please explain where?

I've done more races on a limited budget than most, I work two jobs because I love this crazy sport. I'm sure if you hauled your boat up here, someone would allow you to store your boat for a minimum fee or free. Hope to see you at some of the OPA races.

Bob G. 606 Lock'd Up

OK, i guessed...so 930 + say extra 50 in fuel for the truck.
60 gallons for the boat = 180
100 per night hotel, lets say 3 nights = 300
30 food, 4 times = 120
2 days off of work = ~ 200
and all this if nothing absolutley nothing goes wrong.

Now u count in your avarege tear and wear on boat and truck ( oil, miles....aso. )

U tell me ?!

EACH RACE ( for a person that does not live close by ) u have to count min. 2 K if nothing goes wrong, + your maintnance on the boat and trailer and tow vehicle !!!!!!! :seeya:

RACING IS NOT FREE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and who believes u can make money with it is 100000% wrong !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BradH]

How much money does it take to run a race boat for a season? Lets see what the costs are for different classes of boats from P on up. My bro. in law is footing the bill for an S class outboard boat (32 DW)
to run a season of various races on the Eastern half of the coast and beyond. We live on the west coast and have to travel to test and work on the boat. How much do you guys think this will run for 1 season? This is going to be HOT.

For a stock boat, 6-10K per race depending on how often you switch powerheads and lowers. Propellers add up, too. On the upper end if you do it right.