When things go terribly wrong

[greenman407]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy2FHqsS5r8&feature=related

[greenman407]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5tXfeC9oFs&feature=related

[greenman407]

Looks like a side by side drag race and the parachute that slows the boats at the end of the run caught the other boat. OOOPPPSS!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJaLt...eature=related

[greenman407]

Nothing more needs to be said.

[Von Hilde]

I use to fly as Race committee chase pilot at all the OPB and Super Boat International series races in Key West for years. Be right in the mix with all the helos, with a fixed wing doing 100 kts about 50 ft above the lead boats. Most of the big teams have their own helo, with rescue diver, but the Officials ride in the Cessna and are in communication with the CG rescue HH65 in case of the need for an urgent responder. Warpaint US1 picture was taken here. I was there that day. Bobby Vespe has stuffed several Warpaint team boats down here. The white 38' Cat and the Yellow US1. With fatalities. Those Jerzyboyz with their fancy toys. Big race down here next weekend, by the way. In Marathon Key, where they race under the 7 mile bridge. It hasent worked so well in the past, Not a whole lot of room between the concrete pilings. There has been serious crashes with just the smaller P boats. The big World Class Superboats with the jets havent done it yet. If they go thru on a running tide from the Gulf side to the Ocean side there could be problems. Especially if its a windy day, and choppy.firewater is headed SE from NW with a stiff breeze, but tide is going the same way, so its not so bad that day. Thats the old RR bridge. The newer bridge at that point is only about 50 yards apart from the old collums bit has a much wider access. Center pic. Race day all 3 classes start at once. SBI in the front then the smaller superboats boats, and then the pack of production racers. First turn is like the number 6. Start paralell with the bridges, then a sweeping left circle and under the bridge and out to sea. The reef is about 5 miles south, where the make a loop back to the channel in the center of the bridges where they started. It the start there is about a mile or so between the classes. By the end of the race, liength, depending on the weather, they are all mixed in together and theres a lot of incidents.

[greenman407]

COOL! I used to tape all the races telivised on ESPN and ESPN2. When Bill Hendricks and **** Crippen were calling the play by plays. I still watch them.

[greenman407]

My Favorites were "Dirty Laundry", "Cobra power" and Tom Gentry in the "Eagle"(before he passed in a boating accident in Key West in a open class boat).

[Von Hilde]

I liked Tom, he was cool. My favorites were Rockey and the Benniehanna boats and Copeland's Popeyes. There was a flashy team when they came with all their toys plus a jet ranger and a Hughs 500. All had superstar ride along guys for navagators and even throttle men. The pedal steele guitar player in my band is Jim Marconi. APBA Champ back in the day. Ambush team were his big boats. He also ran pickleforks and Unlimiteds in his younger years. Held a world speed record for awhile.