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• AMERICAN POWER BOAT ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES RESULTS FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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February 1, 2023

Powerboat P1 has announced the UIM Class 1 World Championship race calendar for the 2023 season, which sees the series heading to Wisconsin for the first time and returning to favorite locations in Florida and Indiana. A fleet of eight Class 1 boats is expected to compete in the six-venue championship from May through to September.

In October 2020, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) assigned to Powerboat P1 the international rights to Class 1 racing in an exclusive ten-year agreement that includes organizational and promotion rights to the world championship. However, with the pandemic seriously impacting the 2021 season by preventing overseas teams from traveling to the United States, it wasn’t until this year that P1 was able to action its plans to attract more race teams and grow the series through social media and building the worldwide television audience.

Racing will kick off at Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Atlantic Coast in late May, before moving to the Gulf Coast at the end of June when the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix will celebrate its 38th anniversary. In August the series will head north to Indiana for the Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix, and a new event in the Wisconsin city of Sheboygan on the western shore of Lake Michigan will host the Mercury Racing MidWest Challenge. Featuring the top categories of U.S. powerboat racing including Class 1, the three-day festival is expected to attract more than thirty teams to race along the Sheboygan waterfront. In early September the Class 1 fleet will be back on the Gulf Coast in St. Petersburg, and P1 CEO Azam Rangoonwala is in advanced discussions to stage a season finale in Miami. “We raced in this iconic city in 2018 and returning this year with the Class 1 boats would create an outstanding climax to the 2023 championship,” Rangoonwala said.                

“As we look ahead to the 2023 season, I can confirm that both the M CON Racing Team and Sudrheim Offshore Racing will be joining the series to give us an international field of eight boats with teams representing Australia, Sweden, Norway and, of course, the United States,” said Rangoonwala. “The M CON team will compete in a fully branded Monster Energy boat. This new canopied Skater 438 catamaran is the first purpose-built Class 1 boat for more than a decade. With Sudrheim Racing flying the flag for Norway next year, we can look forward to another Scandinavian team battling for the world title.”

This season’s championship will build towards an international race calendar in 2024 with host venues in Scandinavia and the Middle East being added to the schedule. In five years’ time, the key goal in P1’s development plan is to have twelve Class 1 teams racing at ten international venues. “Our live streaming this season will be significantly enhanced by the introduction of a new timing system which will show boat positions, distances between boats, speeds and lap times as live graphics,” explained Rangoonwala. “We’re on an exciting journey and our mantra is to take UIM Class 1 back to the pinnacle of offshore racing."

UIM Class 1 World Championship – 2023 Race Calendar

Thunder on Cocoa Beach : May 18-21 Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix : June 30 – July 2 Michigan City Great Lakes Grand Prix : Aug. 4-6* Sheboygan - Mercury Racing MidWest Challenge : Aug. 11-13 St. Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix : Sept. 1-3 Miami Powerboat Grand Prix*

*To be confirmed

Latest News

Defalco moves to victory boat in class 1 series, acclaimed throttleman grant bruggemann to join willy cabeza in gc racing, fountain debuts 43 scx center console at miami int'l boat show, 222 offshore receive uim class 1 trophy in monaco.

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Propeller Magazine is the official publication of the American Power Boat Association, the United States governing body for power boat racing. The APBA has been active since 1903 and Propeller Magazine has been published every month since 1935. The American Power Boat Association sanctions and insures races throughout the U.S. The APBA encourages fast, fair racing in a number of categories from small kneeldown runabouts and hydroplanes to giant Unlimited hydroplanes and Offshore boats.

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The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was a center console lover’s dream.

W hen it comes to checking out the latest center console boats, the 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was the perfect place to start.

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February 6, 2024

  Calgary, AB – Outdoor enthusiasts can get excited as the annual Calgary Boat and Outdoors Show is opening its doors this Friday at noon! The region’s largest showcase for recreational hobbies is taking place at the BMO Centre, February 9-11 . Hundreds of exhibitors will be on site to display the latest in powersports, hunting & fishing gear, outfitters, paddle sports, boats, boating equipment, accessories and more.

Tickets are available online now on the official show website . Online and at the door, admission is $15.00 for adults, $12 juniors, $12 for seniors, $45 for a family pass and children 12 and under get in free! Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the current promo – use code “SHOWTIME24” during checkout to save $2!

WildTV is also the official sponsor of the show popular seminar stage feature. A full schedule of presentations can be found on the show website:

The show will also be full of family-friendly features including : EBike demos from STACYC, Reptile displays from Reptile Parties, K9 Retriever Trials from Trailrunners, a kid’s fishing pond and more!

Visitors are also encouraged to scan the QR code at the door and enter to win one of the many door prizes. Enter for a chance to win the grand prize of a guided sturgeon fishing trip on the Fraser River courtesy of BC Sportfishing Group! Plus, the chance to win other amazing prizes from Canadian Board Company, Napier, Cutco, Twin Anchors with more contests found across the show floor.

To stay up to date, visit the show’s website at www.calgaryboatandoutdoorshow.ca and connect with the show on Facebook or Instagram.

SHOW INFORMATION

Friday, February 9 – 12pm – 9pm

Saturday, February 10 – 10am – 7pm

Sunday, February 11 – 10am – 5pm

BMO Stampede Park

20 Roundup Way SE

Calgary, AB

New Canadian Boat Club Opens with Capria Crane

Eastern canada.

Boat Show season is upon us! We couldn’t be more excited for the return of boat and outdoors shows across the country. Here is a list of the events happening from sea-to-sea in Canada for 2024.

Also check out some of the U.S. Boat Shows happening in early 2024!

British Columbia:

Vancouver International Boat Show

BC Place and Granville Island

Vancouver, British Columbia

January 31 – February 3, 2024

www.vancouverboatshow.ca

Victoria Fishing and Boat Show

Pearkes Recreational Centre

Victoria, British Columbia

March 8-10, 2024

www.victoriaboatshow.com

BC Boat and Sportsmen’s Show

Abbotsford, British Columbia

March 1-3, 2024

BCSportmenShow.ca

Calgary Boat and Outdoors Show

Calgary, Alberta

February 9-11, 2024

https://calgaryboatandsportshow.ca

Edmonton Boat and Sportsmen’s Show

Edmonton Expo Centre

Edmonton, Alberta

March 14-17, 2024

https://edmontonboatandsportshow.ca

Saskatchewan:

Saskatoon Sports and Leisure Show

Prairieland Park

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

March 6-8, 2024

www.sportsandleisureshow.com

The Boat Show

The International Centre

Mississauga, Ontario

January 11-14, 2024

theboatshowic.ca

Toronto International Boat Show

Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place

January 19-28, 2024

torontoboatshow.com

Ottawa Boat and Outdoors Show

Ottawa, Ontario

February 22-25, 2024

www.ottawabos.ca

London Boat Fishing and Outdoor Show

Western Fair Agriplex

London, Ontario

February 23-25, 2024

www.ontarioboatshows.com

The Quinte Sportsman Boat and RV Show

Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

Belleville, Ontario

www.quintesportsmanshow.com

Toronto Sportsmen’s Show

Toronto, Ontario

www.torontosportshow.ca

Montreal’s International Boat Show

Montréal, Québec

Palais des Congrès de Montréal

February 8-11, 2024

www.nautismequebec.com

The Outdoor Adventure Show

Palais des Congrès, Montreal, QC

March 23-24, 2024

Outdooradventureshow.ca

Halifax International Boat Show

Halifax Exhibition Centre

Halifax, Nova Scotia

February 1-4, 2024

www.halifaxboatshow.com

Moncton Boat and Sportsmen Show

Moncton Coliseum Complex

Saint John, New Brunswick

March 22-24, 2024

www.monctonbss.ca

North Atlantic Fish and Workboat Show

Mile One Centre

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

2025 Dates Coming Soon…

https://nafish.ca/

NB Sportsmen’s Show

http://www.nbsportsmenshow.ca

The 1000 Islands Gananoque Poker Run – 2023

Seachoice Products Featured as Prizes in 1000 Islands Gananoque Poker Run

Birch Point Marina Sponsors the 1000 Islands Gananoque Poker Run

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Bob Nordskog: Honoring a Legend

For us at Powerboat, there were two sides to Bob, the publisher/boat tester and the racer. The story of our Performance Trials is chronicled annually. After launching the magazine in 1968, Bob, who also owned a marine dealership in the San Fernando Valley area of California, developed his own rigorous test program to help improve the quality of the products being sold to the public. During the next 22 years, he evaluated 1,196 pleasureboats, everything from tournament inboard ski boats to runabouts to performance tunnels to monster 47′ offshore wave mashers.

When I came out from the East Coast to interview with Bob and our current publisher, his son, Jerry, in early 1991, Bob the boat racer won me over. He had just given me the tour of his famed Competition Center, where he kept all his raceboats in Van Nuys, Calif., and told glorious stories with charm and intensity. It was like a walk through powerboat racing history, a selection of endurance tunnels, flatbottoms and Cigarette, Scarab and Fountain offshore boats covering the immaculate floor. T-shirts from all the events the Nordskog Racing Team competed in were folded and framed on the wall when you first walked in, and there was a trophy and photo room that was mind-boggling. I consider it an honor that I was the last editor Bob personally hired. He did it with a handshake and a smile, saying, “Welcome aboard.” It was clear that counter offers wouldn’t be entertained. Bob’s offer was his offer, and you either took it or you didn’t.

By the time I started at Powerboat, Bob spoke in a soft voice thanks to vocal cord damage sustained bv shouting over open exhaust all those years. People still listened to the charismatic, Seattle-born Californian with the slicked-back hair and blue eyes. When you put a camera or microphone in front of Bob, he knew how to make the best of the opportunity, promoting his racing teams, his magazine or his various campaigns in the name of safety on the water.

At my first Performance Trials in 1991, all the other members of the Test Team hazed me, telling me Bob hated it when people get seasick or messed up in the test program. “Don’t screw up,” said Bob Teague, now our lead tester. “He hates to have to do things twice.”

The other rule at The Trials was never be late. When you were late at the Trials, Bob said you weren’t just holding up the Test Team, you were holding up the hundreds of employees back at Nordskog Industries, because you were keeping Bob away from the office longer than he had to be.

After a sleepless night, I climbed into my first boat with Bob at The Trials. I had five pens, a tape recorder, backup tapes, batteries for the recorder and every other accessory I could possibly need. As for the seasickness, I had never suffered from it, but I was concerned that looking down at gauges and trying to write down data while a boat is being whipped through turns could be a nasty catalyst.

Turned out we made a pretty good team. Bob cracked jokes and had fun, loving every minute of being in the boats. In those days, we did our speed runs by driving close by an anchored boat and having a team member on that boat shoot us with a radar gun. One time, we came a little too close and clipped the anchor line with the drive. No one was hurt, but the guys on the anchored boat were rattled. Bob looked over at me and giggled, “Guess we came a little too close.”

Another time, a boat started chine-walking. Having never experienced this, I thought that for sure we were going to get wet. Bob reached over, tapped a button and, voila, no more chine-walk. He had an uncanny way of making boats work.

Another time we were in the middle of a particularly stormy week at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Fla. Within seconds, the rain turned into torrential downpour. Bob looked over at me and told me to figure out how to get back to the docks. While he drove, I stood up, pelted in the face with pouring rain at 50 mph, and proceeded to get us lost even worse. Eventually we lucked into finding the docks.

Bob felt his Performance Trials and Awards For Product Excellence Program were the most important in the marine industry, and he let the manufacturers know they should promote the honors they received. Almost of them did and still do, recognizing that to this day we still conduct the. Trials in the tradition Bob intended, putting the boats up to the harshest scrutiny in the business. The United States Coast Guard recognized Bob’s contribution to the marine industry, presenting him with a citation for his dedication to advancing safety.

Those who spent time with Bob Nordskog have plenty of colorful memories. We asked former Nordskog Racing crew members and competitors to recall special moments.

We were running in the Long Beach to Ensenada race in the early 1970s. We had never made the Mexican waters, and Bob was so upset about all his inboards breaking in previous races he fired everyone except Norm Teague. So Bob bought this outboard-powered Magnum and decided we were going to race it in the Ensenada race. I made the charts and had them all laid out. It’s not too complicated. Keep the Americas to your left. I made this big chart and screwed it down on the deck. We’re going along just a-hitting and a-getting, and this deck is just wobbling back and forth like Jello. Just as we crossed the border, the chart started lifting. All of a sudden the thing just took off. Here I am in Mexican waters knowing I have to keep the land to my left, but I had to clear the Toda Santos Islands that I had to keep to port. Right alongside were the Witt brothers. I hadn’t seen what I thought was the Toda Santos, the Witts are heading in and Bob’s going crazy. It was all I could do to keep him going. Finally we saw our rocks and then we turned in. We were the only ones to get to Ensenada. We won. -Noel Younger , navigator, 1964-1981, and vice president of human resources, Nordskog Industries.

I’d have to say the best was when we crossed the finish line for the San Francisco to L.A. run, setting the record at 5 hours and 57 minutes. It was the best record we ever did. -Norm Teague , crew chief, 1968-1992.

I can’t believe how we thrashed in the Parker Enduro days, racing three KT boats at once. The teamwork, everyone working together. Then there was the time we went down to Salton Sea for a week to set diesel speed records, working in the dirt and sand and changing motors at a truck stop. -Bob Teague , crew member and navigator, 1971-1991

The race that comes to mind was the one at Marina del Rey, which was Bob’s last race (victorious). It was smooth water. Both of us ran hard, and we were side-by-side. Racing against him is what made it fun because he had raced for so long. –  Carson Brummett , Super V-class competitor, 1990-1991.

Nordskog By The Numbers:

• Number of Pleasureboats tested: 1,196
• Fastest Boat Tested: Douglas Skater, 102 MPH, 1992
• Age Started Powerboat Racing: 36 in 1949
• Age in First Offshore Race: 49
• Age in Last Offshore Race: 79

– Article by Powerboat Editor Eric Colby, published in Powerboat Magazine August 1997

Also see The Lure of Powerboating from The Saturday Evening Post (Nov/Dec 1991)

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Performance Racing Industry

265 days until PRI 2024

New Podcast 'Powerboat Talk' Geared Toward Performance Boaters

Joe Rode, a seasoned professional in the performance boating industry and a contributor to  Speedboat Magazine , has launched "Powerboat Talk," a podcast devoted to discussing high-performance boats. With a focus on interviewing influential people in the world of fast boats, the show aims to become the go-to destination for performance boating enthusiasts.

With more than three decades of experience in the marine and automotive aftermarket, Rode has wide-ranging knowledge about the individuals and parts that help boats go fast. 

"I feel incredibly fortunate to have had a career in such an exciting industry. I've met so many fascinating people along the way, and I want to learn more about them, listen to their stories, and share them with other fast boat enthusiasts like myself," Rode said.

"Powerboat Talk" can be found on  YouTube , popular podcast apps and  powerboattalk.com .

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Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Day One: Super Stock And Bracket Class Winners

The oldest saying in offshore powerboat racing is “to finish first, first you have to finish,” and that couldn’t have proven truer as the favorites in Super Stock and Bracket 500 succumbed well before the checkered flag waved on the first day of action at the 39th annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix in Sarasota, Fla. Produced by Powerboat P1 , the Grand Prix is the third race of the  American Power Boat Association  Offshore National Championship Series and the second race of the  Union Internationale Motonautique  Class 1 World Championship Series.

The Super Stock fleet at the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix included 11 catamarans. Photos by Pete Boden/ Shoot 2 Thrill Pix

In Saturday’s final race, the 11 boats in the Super Stock class took to the Gulf of Mexico. Winds were picking up and there were white caps, but conditions were fast and racy. As they did in the first two races of the season, the 32-foot Victory catamaran, Jackhammer , with owner/driver Reese Langheim and throttleman Julian Maldonado bolted to the lead. Giving chase was a pack of boats including the 32-foot MTI cat, CMR, with driver/owner Sean Conner and John Tomlinson subbing for Shaun Torrente on throttles. Throttleman Rusty Williams and driver Myrick Coil in the 32-foot Doug Wright, Performance Boat Center /FASS Diesel Fuel Systems, were in the mix as were owner/driver Daren Kittredge and throttleman Grant Bruggemann in the 32-foot Doug Wright, Northwing Offshore.

A total of 64 teams descended on the city on the west coast of Florida that has become one of the favorite sites in offshore powerboat racing. A checkered flag from Sarasota is rivaled only by one from the world championships in Key West, Fla., in November. The weekend kicked off with a party on Friday evening where fans could meet the teams at the 10th Street ramp party followed by racing in the bracket 500, 600 and 700 classes and Super Stock boats, plus Class 1 pole position qualifying on Saturday.

The day started with calm conditions, but winds slowly built through the day and temperatures in the mid-90s added to the challenge.

It didn’t take long for the teams in the ultra-competitive Super Stock class to push the limits. The 32-foot Doug Wright, LPC, with owner/throttleman Loren Peters and driver Anthony Smith, started moving up through the fleet when it rolled on the outboard leg of the 6-mile course that had the racers navigating in a clockwise direction. Competition was halted after less than a lap. Peters and Smith were OK and the boat was hauled back to the pits.

The CMR team of Sean Conner and John Tomlinson ran a consistent race to earn the Super Stock-class checkered flag.

The carnage took its toll quickly. In that first lap, the 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Allen Lawn Care and Landscaping, appeared to have something torn off the stern and didn’t make the restart. Neither did the 32-foot Doug Wright, Team Bermuda.

After many Super Stock competitors voiced concerns about quick green flags in Cocoa Beach at the previous P1 Offshore race, the starters made sure the boats were grouped more fairly in Sarasota. When the green flag flew on the restart, Jackhammer jumped to the lead, with CMR, Performance Boat Center and the 32-foot Victory, Big East Construction, which is owned and driven by Cole Leibel and throttled by veteran Gary Ballough, giving chase in a tight pack.

It didn’t take long for attrition to rear its ugly head. Jackhammer had an engine go into guardian mode, which shuts down the 300-hp outboard to prevent more significant damage. “Nothing like stopping and going every 30 seconds,” Maldonado said. “We had a 14-second lead at the start and guardian started and never stopped.”

The team kept the boat on the same lap as the leaders and appeared to just be running for points.

CMR and Performance Boat Center battled for the lead, with each boat enjoying an advantage on different parts of the course.

“In head seas, they’d catch me, and in following seas, I’d catch them, and it went like that for a few laps,” said Tomlinson, who had raced with Coil in the Super Cat class previously and knew that he could enter a turn with his competitor/friend and not worry about any incidents or collisions.

Check out the slideshow above for more images from the Super Stock race.

Unfortunately, the battle to the finish didn’t materialize when Performance Boat Center pulled off with mechanical issues. Big East Construction moved into second and appeared to be in position for a much-needed podium finish until broken motor mounts forced Ballough to shut down one engine and limp around the course attempting to gain as many points as possible.

With CMR in the lead, Torrente, who qualified for the pole position at an F1H2O tunnel boat race on Saturday afternoon in France, watched on his cell phone while eating dinner with his family. Tomlinson and Conner took the checkered flag followed by Pete and A.J. Bogino in the 32-foot Doug Wright, CoCo’s Monkey, and Jackhammer, which kept running because the race isn’t over until the checkered flag waves.

“I’m pacing the streets of France as we walk back from dinner,” Torrente said in a message to speedonthewater.com from overseas. “It was an amazing race. Sean was turning the boat incredibly and Johnny was getting used to the boat and kept getting quicker and quicker. I’m so thankful for him sitting in for me.”

But as we always report on speedonthewater.com, all results are unofficial pending official inspections and video reviews. According to the APBA Offshore Commission chairman Rich Luhrs, four combined lane infractions at the start and post-accident restart that resulted in four yellow cards (Luhrs declined to name the penalized teams.) That, in turn, changed the official finishing order. Though CMR retained the checkered flag, Jackhammer moved into second place, followed by Big East Construction in thrid.

Almost serving as a harbinger of what was to come, the Class 1 boats took to the 6-mile course to see who would claim the coveted inside lane on Sunday afternoon. The boats ran a “get-comfortable-with-the-course” lap and then followed that with two timed laps. The fastest time would give a team the pole position on Sunday. First up was the team of throttleman Steve Curtis and driver Brit Lilly in the 47-foot Victory cat, Huski Ice Spritz.

In the end, owner/driver Darren Nicholson and throttleman Giovanni Carpitella in their own 47-foot Victory, 222 Offshore Australia , posted the fast number of the day—3:05:85. Tomlinson, who is pulling triple-duty this weekend, joined driver Travis Pastrana and clocked the third fastest time of the day in their 50-foot Victory, Pothole Heroes. The other three Class 1 entries had mechanical issues and didn’t complete a lap.

In the Bracket 500 class, throttleman Elijah Kingery and driver Eric Ullom ran a great race in their 29-foot Warlock, Bulletproof/Team Farnsworth.

Whetting Fans’ Appetites The offshore racing action kicked off at 1 p.m. when the Bracket 500, 600 and 700 classes took to the course. Bracket racing takes a different approach because each class has a set speed limit. If a team exceeds the speed limit, it “breaks out” and is penalized for doing so.

The Bracket 500 fleet had nine teams including two 30-foot Phantoms that racing fans would consider to be favorites. Owner/driver J.J. Turk and throttleman Micheal Stancombe were the defending national champions in TFR/XINSURANCE and when the race started, they had a strong challenge from throttleman Elijah Kingery and driver Eric Ullom in the 29-foot Warlock, Bulletproof/Team Farnsworth, and the father-son team of Rob and Vincent Winoski in their 30-foot Phantom, Bronx Phantom.

Bracket racing is about more than just making sure you don’t exceed your class’ listed speed. It’s about letting your competitors drive away from you when they are going faster in the heat of competition and run the risk of doing just that. That story didn’t pan out because TFR/XINSURANCE pulled off the course with a mechanical problem first, followed by Bronx Phantom.

“We kind of knew that Bronx Phantom broke out because we were at 74.9 mph and they pulled away from us so we backed down a bit to make sure we didn’t break,” Kingery said. “We let them go and then when we saw J.J. break, half a lap later, we could hear Bronx Phantom’s motor starting to break up.”

Enjoy more pictures from the Bracket-class competition in the slideshow above.

This may have resulted in a historical finish with two 29-foot Warlocks finishing first and second in an offshore powerboat race. Hammerheads/Fly SRQ with driver Dennis Austin and throttleman Don Jackson took second followed by YabbaDabbaDo with driver Larry James and throttleman J.D. Ivines in third.

The second start of the day featured a deck-to-deck battle in Bracket 600 between a couple of 26-foot Joker V-bottoms for all five laps on the 6-mile course. George Ivey drove his new boat while Damon Marotta throttled Ivey Racing against a pair of 22-year-olds who have a big future in the sport, throttleman Ryan Stahlman and driver Reef Delanos in Freebird.

The two boats appeared to have a rope connecting their admiships cleats at the start. One took the lead and then the other but in the end Freebird continued its momentum after winning in Cocoa Beach.

“I’m definitely hooked,” said Stahlman, who started navigating in his father’s 41-foot Apache, Predator , last year. When asked what he learned from his race in Sarasota, the youngster said, “How to take corners when you have someone with you like that. You have to hold your lane.”

Finally, in the Bracket 700 class, Brian Guy, owner of the 21-foot Superboat, Jackhammer , gave a performance boat enthusiast the opportunity to check an item off his bucket list.

Instead of racing with his usual throttleman, Julian Maldonado, Guy ran with throttleman Francisco Duran, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who is close with the Maldonado family.

Jackhammer owner and driver Brian Guy won the Bracket 700-class race with Puerto Rican Francisco Duran, who was racing in the United States for the first time, on the throttle.

“He never raced a boat in the states and he always wanted to do this,” Guy said.

Guy added that he broke a couple blades off his prop on the first lap but could still run about 56 to 57 mph in the class bracketed at a top speed of 60. The battle was behind him as a pair of 22-foot Velocitys powered by single Mercury Racing 300Rs fought for position. In the end, Dees Nuts/Meara Classic Cars took second followed by Statement Marine .

As if letting Duran check an item off his bucket list wasn’t enough, Guy’s five-year-old daughter, Kora, also was on hand to see dad win.

“She helps out and is a big supporter of mine,” Guy said.

That’s something attrition can never take away.

Spectators lined the beach in Sarasota to catch the racing action.

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Powerboat & RIB January - February 2023

Powerboat & RIB Magazine - If you are looking for an adventure boating magazine with the finest features on boat tests, gear reviews, fabulous cruises, great destinations, professional instruction, the most engaging lifestyle and boating stories, along with news and products, then you've just found it! Our writing team includes many of the finest and most experienced boating journalists working today. Besides carrying the depth of content to satisfy the most experienced seafarer, Powerboat & RIB is also passionate about new people joining the pastime. So, if you are new to boating, you will find great features to help you learn and get the very best from your boating adventures.

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Welcome to issue 180 - jan/feb 2023.

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CREWSAVER LIFE JACKET REDUCES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Life jacket specialists Crewsaver, a Survitec brand, are making a fundamental shift in how they design and produce their survival technology by embracing a circular product life cycle. The company has adopted a three-pronged approach to decreasing its environmental impact, commencing with the release of its new high-performance life jackets. Arriving in 2023, Crewsaver’s new EXO life jackets include the ability to extend the product life span. If the cover gets damaged or an alternative colourway is preferred, the cover can be changed easily through a new, modular design. The company is reinventing the packaging experience by eliminating plastic, offering a robust and fully biodegradable alternative to plastic bags. Using a science-based approach, a no-trace packaging alternative for Crewsaver’s new life jackets causes no harm to marine ecosystems while still…

DOMETIC UNVEIL INBOARD ELECTRIC STEERING TECHNOLOGY

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VISICOVER EARN DOUBLE RECOGNITION

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RAYMARINE WIN DAME AWARD

Raymarine’s YachtSense Link marine router has won the 2022 DAME Award in the ‘Marine electronics and marine related software’ category. This new device is a multi-purpose marine mobile router equipped with RayNet Ethernet ports, mobile broadband connectivity and on-board Wi-Fi. Announced during the international METSTRADE exhibition, the award was judged by a mix of experts seeking to recognise outstanding products, assessed on overall design, build quality, functionality and use of materials. Grégoire Outters, General Manager at Raymarine, said: ‘We are constantly aiming to deliver high-performance systems that make boating more stress free, in which on-board connectivity is crucial. YachtSense Link is an integral part of the new YachtSense Ecosystem, which enables complete on-board and off-board integration for a smart home on the water.’ YachtSense Link allows crew and family to…

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Shreveport-Bossier to Host Formula 1 Powerboat Racing in 2024

The may 24–26 event will feature 50 high-speed powerboats along the red river.

The Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission has announced the return of Formula 1 Powerboat Racing to Lousiana with the Red River Rumble F1 Powerboat Showdown, scheduled to take place from May 24–26, 2024.

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“We are looking forward to bringing Powerboats back to the Red River and Shreveport-Bossier in 2024-2026,” said Sara Nelms , director of sports for the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission . “We are excited to host this event in conjunction with Mudbug Madness and showcase the world class Formula 1 drivers.”

This event will feature approximately 50 high-speed powerboats along the Red River. The Formula 1 Powerboat Championship is an 8-race series contested across North America. US Powerboat racing has a 120-year heritage that began with the formation of the American Powerboat Association.

“On behalf of the Formula 1 Powerboat Championship, we are very excited to bring Formula 1 powerboat racing back to Shreveport-Bossier for the first time since 2018,” said Tim Seebold , managing director of the Formula 1 Powerboat Championship. “Shreveport holds a special place in my heart as it was the site of my last National Championship before retiring from driving.”

In addition to the races, the event will feature an open pit area that allows fans to meet the drivers and get a closer look at the boats. The event will happen the same weekend as Mudbug Madness 2024 in Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport. General admission viewing is free and there will also be a VIP area at the Shreveport Aquarium.

“On behalf of the Mudbug Madness Festival, we are excited that Formula 1 Powerboat Racing will be taking place the same weekend as our festival on the Shreveport Riverfront,” said Terri Matthews , event coordinator for Mudbug Madness. “Our mission is to support and promote projects and events to enhance downtown and the synergy this will bring will do just that.”

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Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events. Producers of the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

.@RealWorldBoxing will seek recognition from the IOC in a bid to secure boxing’s spot in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after the IOC pointedly reminded the boxing world that its spot is not secure going forward in the Games.

The EsportsTravel Summit Opening Celebration will be a feast for the senses as we close down part of downtown Raleigh for a barbecue, gaming and chocolate experience you’ll never forget. Find out more about the event and register at https://www.esportstravelsummit.com/

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Chesapeake Bay Magazine

The Best of the Bay

Bay Remembers Offshore Powerboat Racing Legend Art Lilly

Brit Lilly, left, and his father, Art Lilly, rep the Lilly Sport Boats (LSB) racing team in a photo Brit shared as part of a tribute to Art.

The Chesapeake Bay powerboat racing community is remembering one of the most influential racers on the Bay, Art Lilly, who recently passed away at the age of 77.

Lilly, who founded Lilly Sport Boats, is also one of the “founding fathers” of the Chesapeake Bay Power Boat Association (CBPBA). The Association says it all began around 1987, when a group of powerboaters would meet on Stoney Creek in Pasadena, Maryland, racing each other from the Stoney Creek Bridge to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and back.

Eventually, the Stony Creek race tradition prompted Lilly and the others to officially form CBPBA , hosting offshore race events, poker runs and other boat club events in Maryland. By the mid-1990s, Lilly was a well-known winner on the Chesapeake Bay racing circuit and beyond.

This video, posted on YouTube from the 1992 World Championship Race Series in Key West, shows Art Lilly and his Heartbeat Racing Team in an all-out battle with the Buckshot Racing Team:

Lilly raced several boats built by Reggie Fountain and they became friends. Lilly “was very smart about boats, especially the engineering and design,” recalls longtime CBPBA volunteer Keith Kelley.

Racing team legend Fountain, now 83, says of his friend, “Art Lilly was a winner at everything he did in life. Not only was he among the most accomplished boat racers in TEAM FOUNTAIN history, but he was a masterful businessman, a setup genius and, most importantly, a lifelong friend. From the day we met all the way up to his checkered flag finish, Art truly lived life at Wide Open Throttle.”

Lilly opened his own shop, Lilly Sport Boats, fine-tuning performance boats to get the most potential out of them. Kelley says, “Art was almost always driving one of the fastest boats and winning races. With all of Art’s racing experience and contacts in the industry, it would not surprise me if his knowledge and experience have been a contributor to some of the technology and engineering we see in many pleasure boats today.”

Performance powerboat owners came to Lilly Sport Boats from all over the region. Today, his son Brit runs the shop in Arnold. CBPBA’s Kelley notes, “We have a short boating season here in Maryland. If something was ever wrong with my boat, he and Brit would make it right and they’d go the extra mile to get me back in the water as soon as possible.”

Lilly was recognized with several others as one of the founding fathers of CBPBA in 2012. CBPBA Vice President and Race Director Ted Ginnity tells us, “No one ever got to ride in a boat with Art that didn’t learn something, he was the ultimate teacher, without really trying.”

Even as Lilly’s Parkinson’s disease took hold in recent years, his son Brit has continued to carry on the passion and experience that Art Lilly had brought to the sport. Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported on Brit’s victory at the 2021 Race World Offshore World Championships. In all, he has eight World Championship titles and four National Championship wins. Just this month, he announced he’ll be joining XINSURANCE  Class 1 raceboat team as throttleman.

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