Making a splash
Racing action doesn’t just exist on land or racetrack; powerboat racing brings action out onto the water as well. Powerboat racing – an aquatic form of motorboat racing using super fast boats – has its origins dating all the way back to 1903 when the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Marine Motor Association organised a race of auto-boats from Great Britain’s coast to Calais in France; official recognition came the next year and followed quickly by races being organised across America.
Sailing was once an increasingly popular sport before World Wars I and II disrupted it, yet soon resumed during the 1950s and 1960s with landmark races like the Bahamas 500 mile race involving navigators playing an essential role in finding checkpoints across hundreds of miles of open water.
In the 1980s, catamarans and superboats began competing in competitions as well. Restrictions for boats over 45 feet long had been relaxed to allow superboats sporting fighter plane type canopies with three or four engines to start racing with no restrictions whatsoever. If you’ve ever wanted to get out onto the open sea, consider a Day Skipper Course from https://www.solentboattraining.co.uk/rya-sailing-courses/rya-day-skipper-practical-sailing
Today’s boat races offer better viewing for spectators and now include many more categories than originally. One of the most impressive past events was 1969’s Round Britain Powerboat Race which covered 1459 miles over 10 racing stages and one slow cruise. Encountering both sunny spells and dense fog, 42 different vessels from 100-1 000 horsepower participated – Timo Makinen won after 39 hours of hard racing!
Offshore powerboat racing is one of the premier extreme watersports, providing a truly competitive and challenging watersports experience. There are multiple levels of competition to accommodate both newcomers and veteran competitors; each level offers something different to test both experienced competitors as well as newcomers alike.
