Again, lots of good questions, and healthy skepticism. In light of the past history, that’s not only understandable, it should be expected.
There is a reason that classes evolved to the #6 drives, including gear ratio & propeller availability, handling, reliability, safety, and operational cost. Those are all viable reasons; but, the important thing to remember about the Powerboat P1 hp/weight ratio format is that it allows multiple configurations. There is not a limitation on the drive type. That includes: shaft drives, surface drives, stern drives, etc. Mercury, Ilmor, Arneson, Weismann, Buzzi, IMCO, Konrad…pick a drive configuration and go racing. They each have their individual characteristics, and it’s the choice of the team to determine which they want to run.
Consequently, I believe that teams will find that adapting current boats to the Powerboat P1 format will be relatively simple and cost effective.
P1 USA is working on budgets for the 2010 & 2011 seasons. We will be making announcements that address the questions being asked here, and more. We are also working on a large scale meeting where we will be able to fully present the Powerboat P1 World Championship series, including rules, prize purses, and the long term objectives & vision.
In the mean time, let’s look forward to some great racing for 2010. It looks like there is a lot of enthusiasm out there and some cool schedules. That can only be good for the sport in the long run.
Martin