HORBA announces the Don Aronow Memorial Cup

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HORBA announces the Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series.

In June 2008, HORBA Ocean Racing LLC, successfully staged a real open ocean race from Miami to Bimini and back, a distance of 106 miles. This was the first open ocean event in more than 20 years and was met with a very enthusiastic response by racers and the public alike.

As a result of that response, HORBA will reintroduce open ocean racing beginning in February of 2010, with a race from Miami to Key West on the weekend following the Miami Boat show. This race will be the first in the new race series called the Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series.

The Aronow family has donated one of Don's original trophies to HORBA. This trophy will have new base and plaque added and the names of the winners for the coming years will be inscribed on this new plaque. A keeper trophy will be given to the high point winner each year.

As a result of many conversations about the good old days and how much easier it was to become a racer back then, HORBA has created two new entry level class of race boats based on the winning Don Aronow 24 degree deep vee designs for 24 feet and 28 feet.

This new HORBA entry level class of boats will be powered with new 250 HP outboard engines from any of the five engine builders, in alphabetical order, Evinrude, Honda, Mercury, Suzuki, Yamaha. The 24 foot boat class will have a single engine and the 28 foot boat class will have twin engines. (Honda only makes a 225 HP engine, but that is eligible for anyone that wants to run Honda engines.)

HORBA is taking the very best lessons from the successful Honda boat racing class of Europe. We also noted how well NASCAR operates with many different manufacturers supporting different teams. This gets the sport back to its roots, with manufacturers and dealers being able to jump in and support teams who want to compete without mega budgets. Simple, dependable boats on open ocean courses.

For the new Don Aronow Memorial Cup race series, all new hulls and decks will be provided by Banana Boat Co and all boats will be race rigged by a new rigging company called MAS. The three initials stand for McCarthy – Aronow – Saccenti and is a joint venture between Charlie McCarthy, Michael Aronow and Bobby Saccenti.

Additional classes, both historic and modern, will be allowed to compete in these new open ocean races, but only the new entry level class racers of 24 and 28 foot boats, will be eligible to win the Don Aronow Memorial Cup

See the new entry level 24 foot class race hull, with a single 250 HP outboard, at the Miami Boat Show in the Banana Boat Co booth, right next to the Miss Geico display and right across the aisle from Skater.

More info coming at………HORBA
www.historicraceboats.com
 
Just wanted to say thanks to all the SeriousOS people that stopped by the booth. We were right in the middle of hot boat territory...next to Geico, across from Skater and backed up by the Aqua Mainia Cats.

We had a tremendous response to the idea of open ocean racing again. Many are excited about the class idea where the racing is equal and many are just excited about being able to bring whatever they have to our Miami to Key West race next February...2010 and really race old style again.

The photo here is a bunch of guys, left to right, Charlie McCarthy, Peter Hledin, next guy is the owner of Aqua Mania, Bobby Saccenti and Bruce Bullock, who told Bobby and me that they really were sorry they missed the "Golden Era" of offshore, as they didn't get started until the 80's. Bobby and I both laughed as we felt that we had missed the "Golden Era" of the 60's.

Well for those who want to experience the open ocean for 185 miles non stop....you have a 1 year warning to get ready. Don't miss it this time, once we old farts are gone they may never have it again.
 

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These 24 footers with the bracket on act like 27 footers in the rough....here is a shot of some late fall testing in Key West.

Thanks to Naples Images for the shot
 

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Ballpark cost on the RTR setup?

RTR setup... ready to go Miami to Key West the day they are delivered.

24 foot with single 250 HP.......$62,000

28 with twin 250 HP...............$93,000

All boats will have enough fuel capacity for 200 miles. Front tanks can be used for ballast on shorter races.

All boats will have a HORBA serial number and plaque embedded in the transom. Just like the Honda series in Europe, this will help the boats retain residual value and they can be sold to a second and third racer in the future.

Series will be two longer events per year....Miami to Key West in Feb 2010 and Around Long Island in Sept 2010......plus 3 or 4 shorter races around the country and Key West in November.

28 footer below....with a bracket and 2 outboards.
 

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