Marseilles

[Ben Mazur]

FRENCH POWERPOLE FOR #60 GFN GIBELLATO

Today


The #60 GFN Gibellato crew brought their impressive speed from the 2008 Powerboat P1 season-opener in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy, to Marseille today, securing their second consecutive PowerPole of the year in today’s final qualifying session for France’s first ever round of the Powerboat P1 series – the Grand Prix de Marseille.

Team owner and pilot Marco Pennesi and throttleman Stefan Bonanno took their Veneta Marina – Metamarine Corse-run, Seatek diesel-powered boat round the 4.62Nm course off the southern Mediterranean coast in 3m26.221s – a full 2.7-seconds faster than the next-fastest boat, the British #69 Honeyparty.com entry of Paul Sinclair and Richard Carr.

Sinclair and Carr did well to narrowly edge out the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team Europe boat of Luca Formilli Fendi and Lino di Biase by just four thousands of a second – possibly the closest margin between two boats that the Powerboat P1 series has ever seen.

Rounding out the top five PowerPole finishers were the reigning champion #99 Fountain 1st4boats entry of James Sheppard and Craig Wilson and the current championship leaders, Shelley Jory and Nigel Hook in the #77 Lucas Oil boat.

In the SuperSport class, the reigning champion #44 Conam Yachts crew also repeated their home-town PowerPole success from the Italian Powerboat P1 season-opener, edging out the #59 Saho boat and the #47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet entry. The championship leading #07 VoomVoom.com boat was forced to pull out of the session with a minor engine problem that the team is hoping to solve before the start of the Endurance race tomorrow [Saturday].

EVOLUTION CLASS POWERPOLE TIMES

Pos
No
Boat
Laptime
1
60
GFN Gibellato
3m26.221s

2
69
Honeyparty.com
3m28.954s

3
10
Fantastic 1
3m28.958s

4
99
Fountain 1st4boats
3m29.529s

5
77
Lucas Oil
3m33.782s

6
88
Kiton Outerlimits
3m36.599s

7
57
Centaurian Yachts
3m41.651s

8
53
Pignolo 53
3m48.362s

9
66
Cranefields Wine
3m55.209s

10
76
Italcraft
DNS

SUPERSPORT CLASS POWERPOLE TIMES

Pos
No
Boat
Laptime
1
44
Conam Yachts
4m00.16s

2
59
Saho
4m04.51s

3
47
Silverline Buzzi Bullet
4m08.50s

4
38
Baia High Performance
4m13.15s

5
8
Phoenix 8
4m13.99s

6
11
Sunseeker
4m22.52s

7
46
The Spirit Of Portomaso
4m30.78s

8
22
Big Sergio
4m30.96

9
7
VoomVoom.com
DNS

[ciao]

I was suprised to see P1 in the South of France on the weekend of the Monaco F1 GP.

I have often wondered over the years if it would be possible to have an offshore series ie. now P1 as a part of the races during the GP weekend? (Of course the boats would be based outside of Monte Carlo, and then race in full view of the principality)

[shifter]

Interesting things this weekend. Merc is reprogramming ecu's (because of failures) and none of the motors have been dynoed in this configuration. So Skater, Cig, and Outerlimits are out this weekend? Politics, politics, politics........

Pole day should have points allocated towards the overall win so that people do not sandbag. It will help the show.

The locals liked what they saw today. :D
pat W

[jim o'toole]

Interesting things this weekend. Merc is reprogramming ecu's (because of failures) and none of the motors have been dynoed in this configuration. So Skater, Cig, and Outerlimits are out this weekend? Politics, politics, politics........

Pole day should have points allocated towards the overall win so that people do not sandbag. It will help the show.

The locals liked what they saw today. :D
pat W

actually they are racing and everyone in Evolution knows exactly what's going on if you're on site you'd have read the bulletin..

no politics actually, just clear communication all around.....

thanks for your suggestions

Jim

[Ben Mazur]

#99 Fountain crew win again in France
Today


The #99 Fountain team scored another victory in the French Sprint raceThe #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com crew of James Sheppard and Craig Wilson took a dominant win in today’s Evolution class Sprint race of the Grand Prix de Marseille, heading home the #88 Kiton Outerlimits OSG Racing boat and the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team in a dramatic event that had thrills and spills aplenty.

The race got off to a controversial start before the boats even reached the first turn as the #99 Fountain boat and the #69 Honeyparty.com had a close shave that left the #69 Honeyparty.com boat limping back to harbour with severe hull damage. In the ensuing confusion, the majority of boats managed to miss the first buoy, allowing the #99 Fountain boat to make a clean escape before building a 20-second lead.

The #88 Kiton Outerlimits boat emerged at the end of the start lap in second place, gradually easing away from a close battle between the #77 Lucas Oil team – the current championship leaders – and the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette boat. That battle turned in the Cigarette team’s favour when the #77 Lucas Oil boat seemed to turn round the first turn buoy too tightly, with pilot Shelley Jory having to make a quick course correction that allowed the #10 Fantastic 1 boat to slip ahead.

A tough day turned even tougher for the #77 Lucas Oil crew as they slowly dropped back into the clutches of the #57 Centaurian Yachts team and then retired with a technical problem just two laps from the end of the race. Although there’s still the Endurance event to go this weekend, that’s a big blow to their hopes of leaving France still in the championship lead.

Those fortunes contrast starkly with those of the #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team, who have now scored their third victory on the trot (if you discount their current disqualification from the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race). The reigning champions are looking as unbeatable as ever.

[shifter]

It is good to see that I was misinformed.

Congratulations to Conam Yachts for their pole yesterday and win today!:D

pat W

[Ben Mazur]

Have you been able to get any pics. Pat?

[Chris Witty]

Good to see the FWW team delivering the goods in emphatic style once again in Marseilles. Even more pleasing is to see an Evo class boat which has the least amount of horsepower - 650 HP per motor and therefore less weight to carry - running rings around the Mercury opposition who obviously believe that supercharged brute force is the way to win the championship. When the Fountain/Ilmor/Arneson package was put together last year, it was done with the P1 rules very much in mind. Power-to-weight. Nothing has changed. The team is technically very efficient and the combination of starting every race weighing something like 800 kilos lighter than their main opposition obviously has some benefits! Can't see anyone beating them for the P1 Evo championship this year ... unless another Ilmor-powered Fountain arrives on the scene!

[shifter]

Ben,

I will post them when I get them. The shots were from the jetty so they should be pretty good. I am not there so I do not know when I will see the pics maybe monday or tuesday, small town no fast internet just dial up.

Chris, how far is your boat away from being finished?

pat W

[Boatless]

WOW, Niges blew a #6... Hmmmm... I thought those were unbreakable espically with 711 hp. Did he remove one verertical shaft?

FWW wins again.. Will they be protested again? What happened, did they hit or did HP hit them?

Unfortunately, sounds like the two arneson boats were battling for the lead. Poor Carr.... He just can't buy any luck

[Chris Witty]

Ben,

I will post them when I get them. The shots were from the jetty so they should be pretty good. I am not there so I do not know when I will see the pics maybe monday or tuesday, small town no fast internet just dial up.

Chris, how far is your boat away from being finished?

pat W

Should be ready for testing on the Pamlico River this coming week. Want the FPB guys to get it dialled in and then we'll ship it over to the UK. That takes about three weeks so I'd hope to see it here towards the end of June. Won't make Malta but there's no immediate panic. FWW should have it covered and although we would ride shot gun to help them win the title, I think they're pretty much capable of doing it alone. That then let's us go for the glory!

;)

[Ben Mazur]

EVOLUTION CLASS SPRINT RESULTS
POS. BOAT NAME TIME LAPS PTS.
1 Fountain Worldwide 48m32.25s 12 100
2 Kiton Outerlimits 49m20.55s 12 80
3 The Fantastic 1 49m21.93s 12 60
4 Centaurian Yachts 58m41.67s 12 50
5 Pignolo 53 48m39.26s 11 40
6 GFN Gibellato 50m23.49s 11 30
7 Cranefields Wine 51m31.11s 11 20
8 Lucas Oil 53m31.51s 11 10
9 honeyparty.com RET 3 0
10 Italcraft DNS 0 0

SUPERSPORT CLASS SPRINT RESULTS
POS. BOAT NAME TIME LAPS PTS.
1 #44 Conam Yachts 49m59.64s 11 100
2 #59 Saho 52m45.37s 11 80
3 #08 Phoenix 8 52m45.37s 11 60
4 #38 Baia 54m14.55s 11 50
5 #46 The Spirit of Portomaso 51m14.70s 10 40
6 #22 The Big Sergio 50m47.16s 9 30
7 #47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet RET 5 0
8 #07 VoomVoom.com RET 5 0

[Ben Mazur]

This boat really is starting to look unbeatable.

Can anyone stop the #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team? In another great display in incredibly rough conditions, the reigning champion crew of James Sheppard and Craig Wilson won today’s second Sprint race of the Grand Prix de Marseille in France, securing the overall Grand Prix of the Sea victory with a maximum 200-point score.

This wasn’t the Fountain team’s easiest win, though, as they first had to come from behind and then defend their lead from a variety of rival challenges. After a typically chaotic first lap, the #69 Honeyparty.com boat took the early lead from the #53 Pignolo 53 entry, with the #77 Lucas Oil crew, the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team Europe entry and the #99 Fountain 1st4boats.com duo rounding out the top five.

The Fountain crew were very quickly on the move, though, passing the Cigarette boat for fourth by the end of the first full flying lap. On lap four, they moved past the #77 Lucas Oil boat into third, which quickly became second as technical gremlins once again blighted the British-based #69 Honeyparty.com boat, forcing Paul Sinclair and Richard Carr to a halt, ending another another frustratingly pointless weekend.

#53 Pignolo 53 pilot Francesco Redaelli and throttleman Max Ferrari did well to hold off the challenge from the #99 Fountain boat for the lead, but Sheppard and Wilson lurked perfectly on the #53 boat's wake and moved ahead on lap five before quickly pulling clear.

The race came to a thrilling climax as first the #10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette boat ground to a halt from third place with what looked suspiciously like engine problems. That allowed the #60 GFN Gibellato diesel-powered boat to show its rough-weather form by moving into third, before powering past the #53 Pignolo 53 boat to take second on the final lap. The #88 Kiton Outerlimits OSG Racing crew of Joe Sgro and Giancarlo Cangiano rounded out the full race finishers in fourth place.

There was more heartbreak for the pre-weekend championship leading #77 Lucas Oil team as they slowed from third place in the mid-stages of the race and limped home with only one working engine. They’ve lost their championship lead, while reigning Evolution title winners Fountain Worldwide move into a clear lead that could get even bigger if they recover the 100 points they lost in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race in appeal.

Two teams with even bigger post-weekend headaches are the German #66 Cranefields Wine Searex Racing team and the Belgian #57 Centaurian Yachts entry, both of whom ended up limping back to the harbour midway through the race with battle damage from the first lap chaos. The #57 Centaurian Yachts entry was particularly badly damaged, with a huge hole in the right-hand side of the boat.

With plenty of battle-scarred boats to repair after a bruisingly rough Grand Prix de Marseille weekend, and a lot of catching up to do if anyone wants to overhaul the #99 Fountain team, it looks like a busy couple of weeks for the Evolution teams in the gap before the Malta Grand Prix of the Sea. But, for Powerboat P1 fans, if the racing is anything like this weekend, then we can't wait...!

[Ben Mazur]

Results of Evolution Endurance race.

[Ben Mazur]

Must have been a very close race with less than 4minutes separating 1st - 7th places and the race for 1st appears to have been a dead heat!

[Ben Mazur]

...

[shifter]

Good Job Conam Yachts for the pole and two wins this weekend. Nice to see that my old Weismann dry-sumps are still running and winnning!!!!:D

[Dragon]

So, having attended P1 for the first time since last year, it was a very interesting weekend.

On the race track, navigation and accidents seem to be the order of the day!

Sunseeker turning over and sinking during practice. Thankfully both pilots were ok if a little bruised. Boat was still under water last I heard, but hopefully recovered now.

Honey Party and FWW collided, with both teams blaming each other for the accident. Having watched that one from the shore, I am sure the video footage will make clear who ran into who! FWW were the ONLY boat heading for the correct turn marker off the start.

On day two, Gibaletto drove into Cranefield wines who then careered into Centaurian Yachts effectively T-Boning them and creating a massive hole in the side of Centaurian Yachts! Cranefiled came back to the pits with a huge part of the side of Centaurian still stuck in the front of his hull (sorry, no pictures :mad: ). Hard to deny who hit who tho!

Mercury were in the pits re-mapping ECUs for the mercury boats, and despite the brave words from Jim, did cause a bit of a stir as all of these boats do now need to be re-dyno'd!

The No. 6 drive of Nigel Hook's had effectively "popped" a nose cone. Looked like either a faulty build or a faulty "o" ring ... not sure which, but I am sure Mercury will we "asked" to take a look.

Voom Voom had a problem with a fly wheel that needed to be replaced. Sadly for them the fly wheel was locked in a brand new van with a faulty locking mechanism which meant they could not get in the van to retrieve it. In the end, they resorted to cutting the rear door off the van :eek:

Sadly, my weekend with Ben was not the greatest success. Losing props in Italy means the boat is not yet fast enough to keep up with the others. Hopefully will be sorted for Malta. I managed to kick my kill switch off during the race which lost us time, and then a faulty bilge pump meant we had large amounts of water in the engine bay which caused one of the engines to cut out 3 or 4 times :(

On the Sunday, both engine and tab trim pumps failed (probably as a result of the water on Saturday), and so we were unable to trim, limiting our speed somewhat

Panatta turned up with his Brand new Italcraft ... which is huge! Looks even bigger than Gibaletto, but sadly never got further than the pits.

In Evo, it is now clear that Honey Party and possibly Pignolo and Cigarette have the speed to catch and beat FWW, but Craig and James put on a spectacular show of how to drive and corner a boat and simply out drove the other boats! If Honey Party had not broken down tho, I think there may have been a different result on Sunday. We'll see in future races how this pans out.

In Supersport, it seems sadly that Conam Yachts has no competition! If he is reliable and does not jump the start boat :rolleyes: he looks likely to run away with it this year! Two more wins for him this weekend. Again problems for some boats finding the first turn marker, which on Sunday meant that Saho were so close to the wrong marker when they realised, that they turned and faced directly towards the rest of the fleet!! Luckily they managed to get off the course, or there could have been a very nasty accident.

Martin Lai had a good weekend in Phoenix 8 with two third places. His new drives will hopefully ensure a more reliable season for him.

The other boats to do well, not surprisingly were the two Donzi boats (which were both in Evo last year ... "way of Happiness" and "OSG Donzi") now called Saho and Baia ... both Donzi race boats with partial canopies ... hard to see how they qualify in Supersport this year :eek:

Off the race track .... politics, politics, politics! :D

[Ben Mazur]

Off the race track .... politics, politics, politics! :D

Thanks for the report Mike, hopefully, better luck in Malta. Pleased to see that you are back in a boat again.

Speaking of politics, have you seen how nasty the P1 threads on OSO have become?

[Dragon]

Thanks for the report Mike, hopefully, better luck in Malta. Pleased to see that you are back in a boat again.

Speaking of politics, have you seen how nasty the P1 threads on OSO have become?

I am not doing Malta ... I am only doing one other GP this year.

OSO turns into a p****** contest about who prefers which boat ... usually Fountain or Outerlimits bigots ... generally don't bother to read it :D
Is it still the same old stuff??

[Ben Mazur]

It's worse. Incredible name-calling and vitriol - from P1 competitors and seemingly, officials.

[Pepe]

Howdy guys,

Just back from Marseille -by car- with my buddy Luc@s.

It was a hell of a weekend starting with the Sun(k)seeker and the collision between Searex and Centaurian.

So sad, so sad.

Pics!!

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8961/dscf6174as1.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/7315/dscf6178fb9.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4691/marseillezon068kq5.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/6828/dscf6175ll6.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1662/dscf6180gw1.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4596/marseillezon072ws1.jpg

[Pepe]

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/2560/marseillezon073rw9.jpg

[Ben Mazur]

That all looks a bit serious.

Cranefields (Searex) looks repairable. What's your opinion on Centaurian Yachts? Dragon says that Honeyparty.Com and FWW also had a little run-in.

Hate to say it but pics 1 and 3 remind me of one of the final scenes in Jaws when you can still see parts of Quint in the sharks mouth.

[Luc@s]

Hate to say it but pics 1 and 3 remind me of one of the final scenes in Jaws when you can still see parts of Quint in the sharks mouth.

hehe, I think almost everyone shared the same thoughts :)

shark-tales and happy that no one was injured ....

btw, still struggling with the pics, as soon mine are ready, I will post :)

regards
L.

[Ben Mazur]

Any problems with the pics Luc@s and you can e-mail them to me. I'd be happy to post them for you.

[ForTwo]

Searex eats outer-limits boat ! Shame it happend ... let's be happy we are all ok, just got a little stiff neck.

[Pepe]

ForTwo;2997]let's be happy we are all ok

That for sure Gino!!!!

[Rupert Munro]

eww, looks nasty, glad everyone was ok :) .

Lucas, you can upload your pics to www.photobucket.com and then just put the IMG code it gives you in the reply box here and it will show the pic. It's best to use the 640 x something size it offers as then they stay within the width of the page.

[shifter]

Here are the pics I promissed.
pat W

[shifter]

more

[shifter]

more 1

[shifter]

still more

[Ben Mazur]

Thanks for posting them Pat.

[shifter]

Thats it. I need to thank my mother Michele for representing us at the race and taking the pics. She spent three days there talking with old friends and some new ones.

She said that she was happy to see a boat race (after 10 years) in her home town.

pat W

[Ben Mazur]

here

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qG2SOxZ-6zg

[Pepe]

Hey guys,

Check out our gallery from Marseille.

About +100 pics made by Luc@s & me.

http://www.rib-rally.be/S08P1R2/

Njoy!!

[Luc@s]

Hey guys,

Check out our gallery from Marseille.

About +100 pics made by Luc@s & me.

http://www.rib-rally.be/S08P1R2/

Njoy!!

hehe Pepe, fast faster fastest ..... ( I wasn't completly ready yet)

something about this picture tells me I should go into p1 racing ....

http://www.rib-rally.be/S08P1R2/images/08_marseille_p1__46__800x455.jpg


hope you enjoy our pictures :)

[SHARKEYMARINE]

Pepe / Luc@s,

Thanks for sharing your photos !

They look great ! :cool:

[Luc@s]

no problem Sharkeymarine.

just found a picture of the Sunseeker on the net.
credits go to Peter Cox

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s37/powerboat_rescue/Team-Sunseeker_1.jpg


regards
L.

[Dragon]

Rumour has it that a number of the Supersports boats have been docked championship points (following a protest), due to the correct number of sensors not being fitted to the boats!

Boats affected are:

08 – Phoenix 8, 22 – Big Sergio, 44 – Conam Yachts, 46 – Spirit of Portomaso, 59 – Saho

Should show up on the "standings" listing.

My report should have said nagination, accidents and protests :eek:

[Boatless]

no problem Sharkeymarine.

just found a picture of the Sunseeker on the net.
credits go to Peter Cox

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s37/powerboat_rescue/Team-Sunseeker_1.jpg


regards
L.

WOW....

[Chris Witty]

[QUOTE=Dragon;3036]Rumour has it that a number of the Supersports boats have been docked championship points (following a protest), due to the correct number of sensors not being fitted to the boats!

Boats affected are:

08 – Phoenix 8, 22 – Big Sergio, 44 – Conam Yachts, 46 – Spirit of Portomaso, 59 – Saho

It ain't no rumour! It's all about sensor ship ....

[Dragon]

It ain't no rumour! It's all about sensor ship ....

Very good :-)
It seems it has all kicked of as usual

-the teams think they we told this was ok by the TCC .. and got dispensation
-then a team protests them
-then the TCC denys all knowledge and defers to the protest committee
-then the boats get disqualified!

Sound familiar? Same story with the FWW engine ...

[Chris Witty]

Very good :-)
It seems it has all kicked of as usual

-the teams think they we told this was ok by the TCC .. and got dispensation
-then a team protests them
-then the TCC denys all knowledge and defers to the protest committee
-then the boats get disqualified!

Sound familiar? Same story with the FWW engine ...

From what I read, the boats in question haven't been DSQ. The results of the event stay the same except that the boats found in breach have had points deducted from their score. It looks like 20 pts per sensor missing. As most of the Supersport boats appear more Evo-like and ever less production based this year, it doesn't do any harm to clip a few wings!

[Ben Mazur]

Thats it. I need to thank my mother Michele for representing us at the race and taking the pics. She spent three days there talking with old friends and some new ones.

She said that she was happy to see a boat race (after 10 years) in her home town.

pat W

Our gratitude to Shifter's Mom!

[Ben Mazur]

Hey guys,

Check out our gallery from Marseille.

About +100 pics made by Luc@s & me.

http://www.rib-rally.be/S08P1R2/

Njoy!!

Thanks very much Pepe and Luc@s for some great pix!

[SHARKEYMARINE]

Very good :-)
It seems it has all kicked of as usual

-the teams think they we told this was ok by the TCC .. and got dispensation
-then a team protests them
-then the TCC denys all knowledge and defers to the protest committee
-then the boats get disqualified!

Sound familiar? Same story with the FWW engine ...

Dragon,

The way I understood it, FWW was given a pass for Saturday's race I guess because they convinced P1 that they could not install 1 dynoed engine which was sitting on their truck within 6 hours of the race.

There was 22 hours between Sat & Sunday's race and they still chose not to install the engine.

FWW came to the race unprepared as did a few others.

In my opinion, the organization should not have catered to the teams. Now that they have done so, this is where all the protests and infighting begins...

Hopefully in the future, the rule book will be enforced by the book. No exceptions for anyone.

You had other teams that went through many obstacles to get their boats to the event race ready and even in parts, only to finish them over seas just prior to the event. FWW obviously did not leave themselves enough time and with the agreement of the teams and P1 they got a pass for Saturday's race...

Whatever their agreement was prior to the race, hopefully someone had it all in writing and everyone understood it completely. If not, I do not see FWW getting their 100 points back...

[Boatless]

For the love of man. Go somewhere else with this attack.

There were more than FWW that had this issue but your personal agenda is getting in the way and just creating drama. If FWW had been an outer limit hull you would not be angry.

[obrien]

Lots of great photos, and a couple of nice vids!

[Ben Mazur]

We certainly seem to have some good contributors.

Welcome to Proprider.

[SHARKEYMARINE]

For the love of man. Go somewhere else with this attack.

There were more than FWW that had this issue but your personal agenda is getting in the way and just creating drama. If FWW had been an outer limit hull you would not be angry.

No kidding ! :rolleyes:

That is why I used the word "TEAMS"

This has nothing to do with Outerlimits or any other manufacturer. It all has to do with a rule book that is supposed to be followed.

Clearly I stated : "No exceptions for anyone." That means whether they are in an Outlerlimts, a Skater, A Cig or whatever... No exceptions.



Start asking for bending of the rules and that is where your "DRAMA" starts !!! :rolleyes:

Race legal, be prepared to race on time without asking for special accomodations, and everything should be just fine... :)

[Boatless]

Start racing and you will carry more clout, else you are just spreading the drama from second or third hand which are not always clean to start with.

[Dragon]

Dragon,

The way I understood it, FWW was given a pass for Saturday's race I guess because they convinced P1 that they could not install 1 dynoed engine which was sitting on their truck within 6 hours of the race.

There was 22 hours between Sat & Sunday's race and they still chose not to install the engine.

FWW came to the race unprepared as did a few others.

In my opinion, the organization should not have catered to the teams. Now that they have done so, this is where all the protests and infighting begins...

Hopefully in the future, the rule book will be enforced by the book. No exceptions for anyone.

You had other teams that went through many obstacles to get their boats to the event race ready and even in parts, only to finish them over seas just prior to the event. FWW obviously did not leave themselves enough time and with the agreement of the teams and P1 they got a pass for Saturday's race...

Whatever their agreement was prior to the race, hopefully someone had it all in writing and everyone understood it completely. If not, I do not see FWW getting their 100 points back...

Sharky, you are completely right!
The problem is that despite the rules (or lack of them) P1 continues to give "side exceptions" to teams ... very often in writing by the way, and then renages on these agreements after the fact if there is a protest!

They should not enter into ANY side agreements, and then this problem would not happen. If they enforced the rules and told that to the teams, they would all know where they stand and do the right thing!

FWW would have installed their engine for example.

For the supersports teams in Marseilles, it was the same issue except that P1 did not have the sensors available to fit to the boats! Despite this and side agreements, the boats still got points deducted.

Seems to me P1-Man speaks with fork tongue!!

[SHARKEYMARINE]

[QUOTE=Boatless;3070]Start racing and you will carry more clout, [QUOTE]

I have already raced... Been there done that... :rolleyes:

Politics was a huge problem even then when I raced.

I am hoping for a different result with P1.

[SHARKEYMARINE]

Sharky, you are completely right!



Thanks Dragon.

If the side agreements continue then it will be the same old story all over again.

Let's hope the get it right real soon...

[Ben Mazur]

For the supersports teams in Marseilles, it was the same issue except that P1 did not have the sensors available to fit to the boats! Despite this and side agreements, the boats still got points deducted.

Seems to me P1-Man speaks with fork tongue!!

Interesting how an organiser can put a totally different spin on a subject. Here's how P1 presented the issue. (Bold highlights are mine.)


SuperSport teams handed sensor penalty
Wednesday 28 May 2008

Five of the teams competing in this year’s Powerboat P1 SuperSport class have been docked a number of points for not correctly fitting engine sensors, as required in the championship’s regulations. Each team has been penalised 20 points for every race in which they competed without correctly fitted engine sensors.

The penalty does not affect the results of individual races or a Grand Prix of the Sea event, but does affect the overall championship standings for the SuperSport class.

The penalties are as follows:

#08 Phoenix TV – 40 points (two sensors)
#22 Big Sergio – 60 points (three sensors)
#44 Conam Yachts – 60 points (three sensors)
#46 Spirit of Portomaso – 60 points (three sensors)
#59 Saho – 60 points (three sensors)

This moves the #38 OSG Baia High Performance team up to third place in the standings, above the #59 Saho boat, while the #11 Sunseeker Challenger outfit move to seventh in the standings. The reigning champion #44 Conam Yachts crew lose their 100-point lead over the #07 VoomVoom.com team, and now take just a 40-point lead to their home event in Malta next weekend.

[Chris Witty]

We've got the basis of a really good race series emerging now with Powerboat P1. We have factory supported boats in both classes and while everything isn't perfect, and perhaps it never will be, we owe it to ourselves, as racers, team owners and enthusiasts to support the cause in the best way we can. It is easy to be critical of others. Over the years it is the teams themselves who have done more harm to the sport than we realise. Yet without them, we'd have no race series, nothing to watch of any substance, and then nothing to debate about! The Powerboat P1 series started off in 2003 with the intention of changing the face of boat racing. We witnessed a series of events in strange places with a motly group of competitors. Many of the competing boats were a throw back to the early days of Cowes-Torquay events. It was like watching the annual London-to-Brighton veteran car run! Could the series survive? Would it review the situation and restructure itself to bring itself more in line with what the purists hate but what we know as circuit racing? It did. It made mistakes, big ones more often than not, but it's battled against the tide to try and create a playing field that will, hopefully, make it the best form of monohull racing in the world. It's the only true show in town. The USA, which only three years ago boasted a SuperVee fleet in excess of 16 boats, now has two racing against each other. Less than 17 boats are turning up on average for SBI races and they are spread over nine classes. We're absolutely right when, as competitors, we ask, almost demand, a comprehensive set of rules that are fair and easy to police. But what we also want is a team of officials who we respect, know their job and are above board. Finding those people isn't easy. The sport, the class, has to be bigger than the teams because there are those who will do their utmost to take advantage of the situation. There is a lot of good in the Powerboat P1 series, although we have to be careful that it doesn't run before it can walk. In the past five seasons, the racing and the show has improved greatly. To now have Fountain, Outerlimits, Cigarette and Skater, four of America's top manufacturers along with Ilmor taking on Mercury, all going head to head in the Evolution class here in Europe is something quite unique. This is something we need to sit back and take on board. We all owe it to Powerboat P1 to help feed the goose that laid the golden egg. We just need to smooth off the rough edges. Powerboat P1 is a work in progress. Nuff said!

[Cookee]

Chris - wise words indeed!

Just for the record I have spoken to P1 today and the Supersport teams had a free pass in Italy, but they all had time to sort themselves out before France and that is why they were penalised. P1 made no mention of a lack of sensors available - this is direct from the racing and event director, I wanted to speak to Jim O'Toole, but he was in Tunisia - I think I want his job but without the grief!

As Chris says although there have been mistakes and we all make them - P1 is going from strength to strength and long may it continue!

Also Steve Lydon has not been well again and I for one wish him a speedy recovery.

[Boatless]

[QUOTE=Boatless;3070]Start racing and you will carry more clout, [QUOTE]

I have already raced... Been there done that... :rolleyes:

Politics was a huge problem even then when I raced.

I am hoping for a different result with P1.

It appears more so that there lyes a problem with the admininstation rather than the racer. Seems the forked tongue needs your heat not the racers.

So Your penal erections to FWW is nothing but drama. This thread is about France where there were no such issue.

A general observation would have included the other teams in the same situation rather than a single team that might have done what the forked tongue said to do.

[shifter]

Here are a couple more pics. My mother tends to focus on our products.

She was able to meet Azif and talk to him a little bit about the future of the sport. I hope that some of the things that were discussed will change and open up the rules a little more to some new products that we are working on.

Thanks Nigel for introducing her. Oh and Nigel take note that our drives are beating the Hustler with the Arnesons. That is what we did back in 1993.

pat W

[jim o'toole]

Sharky, you are completely right!
The problem is that despite the rules (or lack of them) P1 continues to give "side exceptions" to teams ... very often in writing by the way, and then renages on these agreements after the fact if there is a protest!

They should not enter into ANY side agreements, and then this problem would not happen. If they enforced the rules and told that to the teams, they would all know where they stand and do the right thing!

FWW would have installed their engine for example.

For the supersports teams in Marseilles, it was the same issue except that P1 did not have the sensors available to fit to the boats! Despite this and side agreements, the boats still got points deducted.

Seems to me P1-Man speaks with fork tongue!!





total BS.....

Errrrrr?...how come all the other SS teams had them fitted????, that big dhl deliverY box marked....SENSORS..... we signed for must have been a figment of my imagination.....

Starting to question every other "fact" posted here....keep'em coming, tho it's actually getting entertaining now

JOT.

[ForTwo]

Where was "Whisky is the jar" recorded and what year? :-) arhhh ya drunk - ya drunk you silly old fool !!

Indead, the sensors where there... if only everybody done some research about how to install them, or look at the diagrams!

[Dragon]

we signed for must have been a figment of my imagination.....


I think you'll find you did not have the parts to fit sensors to a Mercury 500! ... so perhaps you did :D

[Cookee]

Oh and Nigel take note that our drives are beating the Hustler with the Arnesons. That is what we did back in 1993.

pat W

And what drives are they?

[Baja Racer]

Just new here on this forum.
Interesting how "rumors" can live their own live and turn into certainties.
But at least it stays decent, unlike on OSO
Hope that from now on , I can clarify some rules issues and other things here.

[Cookee]

Just new here on this forum.
Interesting how "rumors" can live their own live and turn into certainties.
But at least it stays decent, unlike on OSO
Hope that from now on , I can clarify some rules issues and other things here.

In an entirely unofficial way - welcome! It does get a bit heated over there with some not so reasoned arguments it seems! (I post under the same name everywhere) We may have met I have attended several events and competed in Cowes and I was in Portugal with the Thundercats as well - would it be out of order to ask who you are?

(Oh yes and I write the racing page for Sports Boat and Rib magazine as well!)

Thanks,

[Baja Racer]

In an entirely unofficial way - welcome! It does get a bit heated over there with some not so reasoned arguments it seems! (I post under the same name everywhere) We may have met I have attended several events and competed in Cowes and I was in Portugal with the Thundercats as well - would it be out of order to ask who you are?

(Oh yes and I write the racing page for Sports Boat and Rib magazine as well!)

Thanks,

We have met certainly in Egypt during the Red Sea Rib Rallies. I was there assistant race director.
And during the last two years I was race director form the Belgian offshore challenge.
and also during several earlier P1 venues.
Francis is the name

[ForTwo]

Francis..stop following me !! :D ....meet Cookee, I wooped his ass in Malta during the first non-official Chaudron race, but the first race on Saturday ... damn, you had a fast boat Cookee :rolleyes:

[Baja Racer]

Francis..stop following me !! :D ....meet Cookee, I wooped his ass in Malta during the first non-official Chaudron race, but the first race on Saturday ... damn, you had a fast boat Cookee :rolleyes:

As we wooped his ass in the first Red Sea Rib ralley with the Rico2 with 2X250 Mercs.:p

[ForTwo]

Damn, he's getting whooped allover:D

[Ben Mazur]

Welcome to Proprider Baja Racer. Looking forward to your future posts.

[Jon fuller]

And what drives are they?

Come on Cookster, keep up! he's refering to Weissman surface drives, which he produces. He's Pat Weissman.

[Baja Racer]

Damn, he's getting whooped allover:D


Wait untill yours get whooped... in Malta:eek: :)

[jim o'toole]

We've got the basis of a really good race series emerging now with Powerboat P1. We have factory supported boats in both classes and while everything isn't perfect, and perhaps it never will be, we owe it to ourselves, as racers, team owners and enthusiasts to support the cause in the best way we can. It is easy to be critical of others. Over the years it is the teams themselves who have done more harm to the sport than we realise. Yet without them, we'd have no race series, nothing to watch of any substance, and then nothing to debate about! The Powerboat P1 series started off in 2003 with the intention of changing the face of boat racing. We witnessed a series of events in strange places with a motly group of competitors. Many of the competing boats were a throw back to the early days of Cowes-Torquay events. It was like watching the annual London-to-Brighton veteran car run! Could the series survive? Would it review the situation and restructure itself to bring itself more in line with what the purists hate but what we know as circuit racing? It did. It made mistakes, big ones more often than not, but it's battled against the tide to try and create a playing field that will, hopefully, make it the best form of monohull racing in the world. It's the only true show in town. The USA, which only three years ago boasted a SuperVee fleet in excess of 16 boats, now has two racing against each other. Less than 17 boats are turning up on average for SBI races and they are spread over nine classes. We're absolutely right when, as competitors, we ask, almost demand, a comprehensive set of rules that are fair and easy to police. But what we also want is a team of officials who we respect, know their job and are above board. Finding those people isn't easy. The sport, the class, has to be bigger than the teams because there are those who will do their utmost to take advantage of the situation. There is a lot of good in the Powerboat P1 series, although we have to be careful that it doesn't run before it can walk. In the past five seasons, the racing and the show has improved greatly. To now have Fountain, Outerlimits, Cigarette and Skater, four of America's top manufacturers along with Ilmor taking on Mercury, all going head to head in the Evolution class here in Europe is something quite unique. This is something we need to sit back and take on board. We all owe it to Powerboat P1 to help feed the goose that laid the golden egg. We just need to smooth off the rough edges. Powerboat P1 is a work in progress. Nuff said!



well said sir, nice to see a bit of perspective:)


JOT

[Cookee]

Damn, he's getting whooped allover:D

In Malta in someone else's boat we were leading both races when we stopped with mechanical problems and in Egypt there were other issues like waving a chequered flag right beside 6 inches of water, but well done to you guys you were there at the finish - I hope to get the chance to whoop your asses some time (did that sound right :confused: :eek: ) By the way the boat is going faster now - 1 X 2.5 offshore = 91mph

[Baja Racer]

In Malta in someone else's boat we were leading both races when we stopped with mechanical problems and in Egypt there were other issues like waving a chequered flag right beside 6 inches of water, but well done to you guys you were there at the finish - I hope to get the chance to whoop your asses some time (did that sound right :confused: :eek: ) By the way the boat is going faster now - 1 X 2.5 offshore = 91mph

are you coming over to Belgium for the next RIB offshore challenge. 20 th of september?

[Cookee]

are you coming over to Belgium for the next RIB offshore challenge. 20 th of september?

That is the weekend of the RYA National finals unfortunately.