HPBCANADA.COM

That being said though... I think TORC has to be careful to not get over loaded on classes... there has to be enough room to run the classes they select once they grow or TORC has let people know getting into new classes that once numbers are high in other ones, they will be left on the beach.

The problem with running a faster class with the T-750's is having to run back in their wash, which makes winning T-750 more difficult. The faster boats are getting in the way of the slower boats, effecting the outcome of a race.

Thom, usually your logic is sound, so I'm just being argumentative, take this lightly:.....per laws of fyzics, how can a faster vehicle(T750cat) obstruct a slower one(T750, A) if implicitly it's pulling away from you? You would only be temporarily boxed in if other T750 B were faster, coming up on outside/inside, you didn't see it coming; if other T750 B were slower, you would outrun it anyway. Which T750 gets to the station first, A or B?

My guess is that Thom has his comment reversed and that he meant the faster boats get boxed out by the slower ones.

With the current setup, its not just a class compression with similar boats. T750s and TCats are not the same boats. They have completely differently handling characteristics and they run through the course differently. Also, the TCats throw a double wash, which makes judging how you come out of the corners in a Tboat more difficult if you are running behind them.

I know from watching (very closely) the heats on the weekend that more than one T750 boat got caught behind a Tcat or 2 in the corners which cost them position in relation to the other T750 racers. I know for the 49 boat, this happened in one heat in turn 4 while running for the start, where two TCats had slowed down and lined up in the corner to race each other to the start while the 49 boat came into the turn trying to go for a full speed run to the clock. Its that difference in driving/racing characteristics for each class that makes it hard to run together. Not whether or not the boats are running approximately the same speeds full out.

Now - I am certain that the TCat racers could easily argue exactly the opposite of what I have noticed - and say that the T750 boats are getting in their way in the corners because they can corner more quickly - and I wouldn't disagree.

My point again is that unlike the hydros, or even running T750 with T850 - the current setup does not have apples racing apples....its apples racing bananas (lol....funny reference to the shape of the TCats) - which is what makes it more frustrating to the drivers when it is those differences that cost them positions. You are asking the racers in those classes to not only race each other but to race an entirely different class altogether.

Just my observations....not being in the driver seat, I just know what I see from the shoreline.

They [APBA] normally never runs a tunnel hull in the same heat as a runabout. I was really surprised that the TCATS and T750's had no problems at Gravenhurst. There were problems at Dunnville in both T750 and in T850. Why were they OK at Gravenhurst? I am sure it is the water conditions. Dunnville gets much more wave build up because of the shoreline. The waves come back off the shore, especially the near side and that increases the problem. T750 will have enough boats to run in their own heat next year. If not, then it will depend on the race location.

Dunnville was different because there was more boats in total too maybe?...you cannot corner a v bottom in there waves very well i think..you have to be outside or inside.. or ahead of everyone is BEST! i think in Gravenhurst they cornered wider we cornered to the inside..maybe course layout how wide the bends are make a difference