103 in an svl ?

[MANITIE]

I wounder how this will work out.....
With 1 new SVL Fountain already out and from a few conversation I have had...it looks like at least 3 others that will be running in 2011...with the Fountains...when is a good time to buy a SVL Fountain...
If history repeats itself...Reggies boats will only get faster and faster..becuase of changes...which is a smart thing....but when do you buy the SVL....now...or wait for a year till they have made a number of changes to the boat that takes it to its optimum speed...
And will there ever be a max speed put in to keep parity...and if so will that take away from the spec racing part....
Don't be suprised if Reggie dose not start putting some good deals together to get his SVL's out there...it will be a smart move on his part...
With the SV's running 105-110 with 525's....and the new SVL's running well who knows maybe 100+...you might find teams with twins moving to the single engine class becuase of the cost savings...matainance, fuel, have half the things to go wrong...towing ect...ect...this year is so much differant and easier running a single then running and maintaining a twin engine boat

 

[XtremeRacing]

Gino ,
Thats is a good point and at $170.00 from soup to nuts ready to go racing doesnt get much easier then that. Very simalar to when we ran F1 it was great to run and have almost no cost for repairs. The most important part is that u finish races...I ran the Fountain for five yrs and never once didnt finish a race or ever on the hook.

 

[imco offshore]

that is what makes the SVL class so attractive ,,simple to team ,,cost effective,,,very fun,,and close competition,,,,but Gino you hit the nail on the head ,,in SUPER V ,,,FOUNTAIN KILLED FOUNTAIN and in turn killed the class ,,( history ? )so the big question is... who stands up and puts parity in place ??and the newest guy NEVER wants parity,,,can you see the picture were watching now,,,Doc will have to sell his Fountain to a sucker and build the newest better Fountain,,,and so on and so on...

 

[XtremeRacing]

Thats the plan to sell boats, and the good thing about Reggie is if he does make changes or finds something that needs to change to the new boat he will also take the others back to the factory and make the changes to those boats as well.
He made numerous changes and mods to my 29 when we were running F1. He also made sure when we ran the Kilo that the boat was ready. We were at the plant a wk a head of time and tested everyday. He was hands on to make sure we didnt leave a stone un turned.

 

[imco offshore]

I think he is one of the smartest men in the marine industry today,,I,m also glad to see that Fountain has the lateral to get back involved in offshore racing again,,i,m sure they will sell and do very well. Frank .

 

[XtremeRacing]

I hope like u that we will see a few different builders come out next yr. I'm sure they could use a shot in the arm right about now.

 

[Mike A.]

that is what makes the SVL class so attractive ,,simple to team ,,cost effective,,,very fun,,and close competition,,,,but Gino you hit the nail on the head ,,in SUPER V ,,,FOUNTAIN KILLED FOUNTAIN and in turn killed the class ,,( history ? )so the big question is... who stands up and puts parity in place ??and the newest guy NEVER wants parity,,,can you see the picture were watching now,,,Doc will have to sell his Fountain to a sucker and build the newest better Fountain,,,and so on and so on...

George,

Just make your vintage class for the current older boats and leave the new single engine class to those who want to build boats. KISS.

 

[Steve Miklos]

Racing made Fountain go broke and stiff many investors. If they go racing again the same will happen again. Reggie's racing has always got the better of his business sense.
Steve

 

[imco offshore]

YOUR RIGHT ,,JUST HOPING FOR THE PERFECT WORLD ,,,LOL

 

[mdkeywest]

Fountain SV took over its class . No fountain , no win . ( nothin wrong there )
New technology came in ,Big money was spent .blah blah .
It,s gone !!!

Now The new 30' canopied single engine fountain.will do the same in time .


SOOOOOO Current 30, ft singles owners , continue with youre plan .

You are now two different classes .

I,d love too see ilmores in the existing hull,s

:driving:

 

[Ratickle]

I've gotta say, I totally disagree with two different classes. This is the one thing that over and over again has ruined the growth of the sport.

The SVL class is growing because of one thing.

The owners of the boats for the last two years got together and helped each other become a very competitive group of racers who, put on a very good show and, made a class that exited the outside viewers. That group, with some help from the outside, created a level of excitement within offshore racing that hasn't been seen since the demise of F1, F2, and Supercat (03, 04?).

I cannot believe for a second that those within that group do not have the skill and knowledge to make the class continue to grow, and make the class stay competitive. Heck, with the advent of the torque limiter used in P1 or the two items Smitty brought up using additional weight for the "new" boats and added RPM's allowed for the "Classic, Grandfathered pre 2010 registered" boats, I have to believe you're already almost there. Especially if the combinations of the homo? rule in SBI and the dedicated mold rule in OSS are incorporated and enforced along with those.

One other thing I gathered from Smitty's remark of, "all the computers have been hacked", musical computers may have to be added along with a download of maximum RPM or a foolproof rev limiter. There is currently no way to check a computer for this? So everyone believes everyone else is cheating? I'm assuming this is believed, from Smitty's remarks, in SV, SVL, and SuperCat Light???? I had no idea, and frankly am really shocked. I thought that was the great equalizer.

I've talked with a lot of the racers, and still am hoping to join SVL one of these days. I think it is the class for "po boys" like me to go Spec Racing. If it is allowed to become another "I've got the most money so I will win" offshore class, it will also disappear except for a couple of boats who want flags more than they want competition.

I have one more suggestion. Make an SVL Class Overlord who has no bone in the dogfight. Someone like Steve David, Rich Luhrs, Peter Hledin, etc. and enforce the rules as they are drawn up.

Not trying to pizz anyone off, but the defeatism of some comments on the fastest growing spec class in a long time really bugs me.

 

[Ratickle]

Also, a quick comment, the torques limiter (around $3900 I believe the last I heard), would allow any engine to compete I think.

Anyone???

 

[mdkeywest]

:driving:[

 

[Diver & Driver]

I recently discussed this issue with SBI, and it appears to be c/w OPA recent actions,,,,,,,There is no need for another class of race boats,,
When the older boats ( or the new boats) are not able to keep up with the defined rules of Super Cat Light, Super Vee Lite, or V Limited,,,, they have 3 simple choices
#1 Stop Racing and go to poker runs
#2 Make there boat legal, according to the specs and increase performance
#3 Move to a Production Series ( P-4 or P-400)

Boats appear to being built for the SVL and Supercat Light class,, when they meet all the specs,,rules,, and the older technology cannot adjust,, they have options,,,,

Also,, interesting comments,, about the new SVL boat on the circuit,, and how if he wanted to sell it ,,,, "it would have to be to a sucker". I do not think that is issue,,,
It would be easy to sell a Fountain SVL today,, but impossible to market a vintage phantom,,,,

Oh well progress is change,,,,

 

[XtremeRacing]

SBI has rules in place they havnt changed in yrs and new or old if they fit in the specs lets race. You cant change weight and rpm and on and on. We always want to penalize a boat that is 100% legal and faster then the rest. Race on the course not the rule book. The new SCL wooped Amsoil last wk in MC what do we do now start adding weight because Grant did his homework and tested and tested somemore. Gary has dominated SS for yrs so let penalize him also for being good at what he does. Ryan also runs SS and you dont see him bitching because he is getting beat he goes out and trys hard every race and gives it 100% thats a sportsman. Racing is about winning and about being fast some are just better at it then others.If it talant or money it is what it is and that will never change. Instead of penalizing the faster boats let try and get the boat in the back of the pack up front.

 

[Mike A.]

I've gotta say, I totally disagree with two different classes. This is the one thing that over and over again has ruined the growth of the sport.

The SVL class is growing because of one thing.

The owners of the boats for the last two years got together and helped each other become a very competitive group of racers who, put on a very good show and, made a class that exited the outside viewers. That group, with some help from the outside, created a level of excitement within offshore racing that hasn't been seen since the demise of F1, F2, and Supercat (03, 04?).

I have one more suggestion. Make an SVL Class Overlord who has no bone in the dogfight. Someone like Steve David, Rich Luhrs, Peter Hledin, etc. and enforce the rules as they are drawn up.

Not trying to pizz anyone off, but the defeatism of some comments on the fastest growing spec class in a long time really bugs me.

Fastest growing???? One new boat in 10 years basically.

Look, the guys and ladies with the old boats should do whatever they want. If they decide to have their own class then good for them. It is their money and their investments. If they have 8-10 boats at every event and the racing is good then the fans at the events will enjoy it fine. The racers' boats maintain their value which in turn can help you and others enter the sport at a decent price. Plus, you can still allow new boats in the "Vintage" class as long as they are old mold Phantoms, Activators, Extremes, Lavey Crafts, etc.

And the sport will not be hurt if you allow a new single engine class to start from scratch. In fact, what has always hurt the sport is allowing new technology boats into existing classes without the proper parity rules and enforcement mechanisms in place - like this year. That is how you have gone from 10 boats to one in a class over and over again. If P1 is going to make it on its own then let it make and enforce the rules for the new class.

But there cannot be any so-called independent czars, especially if it is a volunteer position. You have no idea how hard it is to draft and enforce rules. Dealing with racers is tough and thankless if there is money in it - even worse if you do the work for free.

And finally, this is not defeatism at all. Just the opposite. You keep a lot of boats out there racing while you build a new class from a clean sheet of paper and let the market place decide whether the new class is a viable product. If it is then you have more boats and over time the old class fades away. It is a model that works.

 

[XtremeRacing]

Mike A can tell u all about this, everytime someone doesnt like whats going on they want to take their bat and ball and move on. Starting another call isnt the anwser,at this pace we will 20 classes soon. You need to work as a class and make it happen, if you all have to meet and lock yourselves in a room then som be it. SVL is a great class and its only as good as the teams that make up the class. Their is a ton of talant in SVL class use your talant to make it work.

 

[Mike A.]

It would be easy to sell a Fountain SVL today,, but impossible to market a vintage phantom,,,,

Exactly!!! But that was not the case before the season started; hence my point.

 

[Mike A.]

Mike A can tell u all about this, everytime someone doesnt like whats going on they want to take their bat and ball and move on. Starting another call isnt the anwser,at this pace we will 20 classes soon. You need to work as a class and make it happen, if you all have to meet and lock yourselves in a room then som be it. SVL is a great class and its only as good as the teams that make up the class. Their is a ton of talant in SVL class use your talant to make it work.

I can tell you all about the bat and ball thing. I warned everyone at the beginning of the season what would happen if the Fountain was allowed in unchecked.

OK, so now you have a mess. How do you fix it? My opinion is you let the current guys make their own rules for their own class and be done with it. They are business people who have lives away from racing. They are entitled to have fun. Personally, I do not think they should have to spend their valuable time and talent trying to figure out how to make themselves back markers for guys who want to win with their new stuff. That is a joke. If there are people out there who think new boats are the wave of the future then let them make up their own new rules.

You know, it is easy for guys with the new boats to strut around like roosters when they are kicking the crap out of the old boats. It is quite another when its new on new. Let the current SVL's decide what is in their own best interests, whatever that is.

The sport is a shadow of its former self. It is basically a hobby, a club sport. Unless and until someone or some group comes along with the money to develop a true premier class then the more the merrier regardless of the number of classes.

 

[moorehead boater]

I recently discussed this issue with SBI, and it appears to be c/w OPA recent actions,,,,,,,There is no need for another class of race boats,,
When the older boats ( or the new boats) are not able to keep up with the defined rules of Super Cat Light, Super Vee Lite, or V Limited,,,, they have 3 simple choices
#1 Stop Racing and go to poker runs
#2 Make there boat legal, according to the specs and increase performance
#3 Move to a Production Series ( P-4 or P-400)

Boats appear to being built for the SVL and Supercat Light class,, when they meet all the specs,,rules,, and the older technology cannot adjust,, they have options,,,,

Also,, interesting comments,, about the new SVL boat on the circuit,, and how if he wanted to sell it ,,,, "it would have to be to a sucker". I do not think that is issue,,,
It would be easy to sell a Fountain SVL today,( or one of the others being built) , but it could be impossible to market-sell a vintage phantom ,,,,

Oh well progress is change,,,,

You forgot a few items,,,,
Stop Complaining,......... improve the old equiptement....... and improve personal driving talent,,,
Or time to go fishing,,,,,,,,,,,.