With the Offshore Super Series!
by Marilyn DeMartini
Engines roar, hearts pound, wakes fly and fans cheer—welcome to the world of offshore powerboat racing! Speed, action, flashing color and excitement—the whole spectacle unfolds and flows—literally—across the water when offshore powerboat races come to town. In waterfront venues across the country, all ideal vacation spots, powerboat racing creates an enthusiastic following of boaters, wish-they-were boaters, families, speed-freaks, beach-goers, racing and power enthusiasts—and even sun worshippers who get caught up in the adrenaline and horsepower.
As the massive boats arrive in a caravan of semis, trucks, trailers, duallies and a wide assortment of motor vehicles, a carnival-like atmosphere fills the staging areas where fans can get an up-close and personal view of the equipment, and the chance to meet the racers. Unlike other professional sports events where the athletes are distant, boat racing is fan-friendly and accessible. Eager to share stories and talk about their boats and the sport, powerboat racers are outgoing and are a rare breed--they are not in it for the money. Generally, teams spend more on equipment, travel, gas and maintenance than they earn in prize money, but boat racers are in it for the love of the sport—and of speed.
This year, a group of team owners and racers from across the country created a not-for-profit organization, the Offshore Super Series (OSS) Powerboat Racing Association with a mission is to develop and grow offshore powerboat racing as a racer and fan-friendly sport. This racing community has become a family who travels and races together from Spring through Fall. Though competitive to the core on the race course, they thrive together as friends and colleagues before and after the races, providing a hand, a spare part, or an ear to chew. It's a brotherhood—with a growing number of "sisters" in the crew.
In fact, the OSS board of directors placed a woman in charge of the organization—a forward move for a male-dominated sport. Elaine Motl, an event management professional and veteran of powerboat racing production from Corpus Christi, Texas, was named Chief Executive Officer of OSS. Her responsibility is to promote the organization and to work with cities to stage races throughout the country. "It's a wonderful opportunity," Motl says, "2004 is about the future, building relationships and a strong foundation for OSS and powerboat racing."
"Offshore powerboat racing has evolved," says Paul Whittier, President of OSS, and owner of the Ettore Squeegee-sponsored boat, "Powerboat racing used to be about long hours of endurance runs from one distant point to another, testing the strength of racers and their equipment. Now, we're in the 'extreme sports' generation and can provide fans with non-stop, high-energy excitement, with several races in one awesome afternoon."
The Offshore Super Series is comprised of the biggest and best boats on the market—and the most powerful. Currently, four classes of boats, categorized by length, hull construction and power, compete in the same event with a winner in each class as follows:
OSS Cat - 38-40' catamaran hulls with two 750 HP engines, speeds up to 140 mph;
OSS Cat Lite - 36-38' catamarans with two 525 HP engines, speeds up to 125 mph.
OSS Vee - 34-40' Vee hull with two 525 HP engines, speeds up to 110 mph;
OSS Vee Lite - 26-32' Vee hull with one 525 HP engine, speeds up to 100 mph.
Teams will race in six events throughout the season with a United World Championship race held in Key West, November 14-21.
Race events start on Friday when the racers and boats come to town to stage for the weekend. A "Race Village" is set up in an open area where the boats are on display and crews ready the machines for racing. Qualifying for pole position takes place on Saturday, and Sunday is Race Day, with several races, divided by class, taking place over the course of the afternoon. Boats are loaded into the water at a marina or dock, the "Wet Pits" where the spectacle of seeing a 10,000 pound, 40' boat, suspended by strong nylon straps, and lowered to the water from a crane is memorable. The effort is like a well-choreographed acrobatic act and all the actors and support crew play a crucial role.
The boats "mill" in a starting area until the race is about to start, then pace boats lead the fleet around the course for a "parade" lap. A pace boat lights a flair 3 minutes before the race begins and "orange smoke" is the signal that the race is about to start. When the boats are lined up, a pace boat drops the yellow flag and waves a green flag, and "they're off!" The boats run approximately 100 miles—continuous laps of a five to six-mile loop so that fans on shore and in the nearby fleet of spectator boats can view most of the course and race. The rumble of engines, sheets of water spray, blurred streaks of color and vein-pumping energy is captivating, leaving fans' eyes darting, peering through binoculars, taking in all the action and cheering their favorite boat and team on to victory.
Though speed on the straight-aways is important, maneuvering around turns and managing the traffic of the other boats is the challenge. Since each class runs similar boats and power, it is truly a test of racing talent as well as preparation. Fine- tuning the engine, choosing the right propeller size and making all the proper mechanical adjustments are the crew's responsibilities, so the driver can manage and navigate the course and the throttleman can handle the speed and attitude of the boat. "It's not how fast you go, but how long you go fast," is a racing adage. "Racing is a matter of millimeters and fractions of a second," says Whittier, "Everything can go right for a win, or go totally wrong for a crushing loss. It's often the small and inexpensive parts that can break and ruin a day of racing—that's why the crew is so important to the success of a team."
All the boats are fast—up to 140 mph, depending on the engine size, with certain carburetor and engine restrictions for safety. Catamarans tend to fly across the water, while V-hulls cut through the waves. "Boats running at high speeds are easy to spin-out or flip," explains Whittier, "We are out there to have fun and entertain fans—not get hurt, or worse. Safety is our main concern and we all want to make it through the season—not just across the finish line!"
To ensure the safety of the racers, OSS has a safety rescue team, two helicopters, appropriately called "angel ships" that hover over the boats during the entire race, carrying medically trained safety divers. The divers can deploy into the water within seconds of an accident to get a racer safely to shore. Many racers employ their own helicopters and divers, (just) to ensure they have an "angel" flying over their own shoulders.
OSS prize money comes from corporate sponsorships by Ettore Squeegees, Reliable Carriers and local race producers. Teams sometimes procure individual sponsors, but many are self-supported. As the sport grows, more companies see the value of having a big, beautiful billboard traveling across the country by trailer and flying across the water in front of potential customers. TV coverage by Fox Sports from Biloxi, the first race site, and from other regional TV networks throughout the season, also helps promote the sport and its sponsors. OSS will this year be featured on HD TV's new lifestyles program, Wealth TV.
A not-for-profit organization, OSS is committed to racing, but also to its host communities. Charitable causes are often part of each event, and while racers may have their own favorite beneficiaries, at most race sites, the producer involves a charity. In St. Petersburg, Florida, the second race of the season, June 25-27, promoter Todd Werner, a racer, "Pro-Line" OSS team owner and successful businessman, selected beneficiaries that focus on children. Those charities include The Friendship Trail, the Pinellas County Chapter of the Police Athletic League, Everyone's Youth United and the Pinellas Education Foundation's "Doorways" program, one that assists under-privileged grade school children, providing incentives for a college education. "We are fortunate and are pleased to help give kids a better future," says Werner.
Support of educational causes is primary for the organization—especially for one of the founding directors, Tom Abrams, a OSS Cat racer and "Reliable Carriers" team owner, named for his company, one of the largest vehicle transport companies in the country. The company's slogan, "Delivered with Pride" also extends to Abrams' generous compassion for disadvantaged children. His 13-year-old daughter, Katie is cognitively and physically disabled and has received outstanding care at the Northville, Michigan, Old Village School, where the entire student body is disabled. Like many racers who donate race prize money to favorite charities, Abrams adds his winnings to his on-going support to the Old Village School, to supply wheelchairs, walkers and accessibility equipment and to ensure that the school, despite a reduction in public funding, can continue to provide special services and programs to its disabled students. "It's not always about winning and losing, it's about doing the best we can, learning from it and improving on that. Katie reminds us of that every single day, that's why it's so important that we keep our prospective," Abrams states.
Sidebar:
Planning to Attend The St. Petersburg OSS Race June 25-27, 2004?
Fly into Tampa/St. Petersburg International Airport via Spirit Airways.
The Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club at 501 Fifth Avenue NE (727-894-1000) in scenic downtown St. Petersburg is situated on the Vinoy Basin, adjacent to Vinoy Park, the heart of the powerboat racing village and near the St. Petersburg Pier, with ideal viewing of the bayfront race course.
The hotel was exquisitely restored in the Mediterranean Revival style, with grand furnishings, elegant architectural detail, a private marina, tennis courts, health club and 18-hole golf course. The wrap-around front porch and lobby bar become party-headquarters for the race, as well as the neighboring restaurants and clubs on 5th Avenue NE and the nearby BayWalk. Museums, shops and beaches are all close to the Vinoy, a perfect place to enjoy race weekend in St. Petersburg.
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