f1 offshore powerboat racing

F1 Specifications

F1 racing uses tunnel hull catamarans that are capable of both high speed and exceptional maneuverability. Overall, the boats weigh 860 pounds (390 kilogrammes), including 260 pounds (118 kilogrammes) of engine. They are 20 feet (6 metres) long and seven feet (2 metres) wide, keeping weight low through extensive use of carbon fiber and kevlar. The tunnel hull design creates an air cushion under the hull, so that at speed only a few inches touch the water, leading to the high speed possible with these hulls.

F1 boats are powered by a Mercury Marine V6 two stroke that burns 100LL Avgas at a rate of 120 liters (32 gallons) per hour, generating 425 horsepower at 10,500 rpm. This engine can propel the boats to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than four seconds and to a maximum speed of over 240 km/h (150 mph).

		153
		143
		135
		125
		118
		87
		84
		82
		71
		56

U.I.M. F1H2O Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
Thursday December 8
10:15 - 11:15
15:30 - 16:30	Qualifications
	-     -
Friday December 9
10:15 - 11:15
15:30 - 16:30

-->

UIM F1H2O World Championship
	SAU		Mar 30	C
	POR		May 19	C
	FRA		Jul 7	C
	CHN		Oct 19	C
	CHN		Oct 20	C
	UAE		Dec 21	C
	QAT	Doha	Mar 11	C
date and venue could be changed

		80
		74
		69
		64
		29
		29
		27
		18
		17
		16

Nominees Profile

F1H2O Nations Cup Singapore 2011
Friday Nov 18
11:00 - 13:00
Saturday Nov 19
11:00 - 12:00
12:00 - 13:00
15:30 - 17:30
Sunday Nov 20
11:00 - 12:00
16:00 - 17:00

Grand Prix of China - Xiamen
01	Shaun Torrente
02	Philippe Chiappe	+ 0.91 secs
03	Jonas Andersson	+ 2.75 secs
Fastest Lap
Shaun Torrente		0:56.12
Pole Position
Shaun Torrente		0:50.87

Email
Name
Firstname
Country
Enter the words above: Enter the numbers you hear:

F1H2O.com Webmaster (Philippe Stiernon) H2O 4 ALL - F1H2O sustains This website is optimized for firefox! © U.I.M. F1H2O World Championship, 2024. All rights reserved

• APBA Offshore Championship
• Asia Powerboat Championship
• Australian Offshore
• Bermuda Offshore
• British Offshore Racing
• P1 Offshore
• P1 Superstock
• P1 Superstock US
• Race World Offshore
• Raid Pavia Venezia
• Super Boat International
• UIM Awards Giving Gala
• UIM Class 1
• UIM Marathon
• UIM Pleasure Navigation
• UIM V2 World Powerboat Championship
• UIM XCAT Racing
• UK ThunderCat Racing

• Australian V8 Superboat Championships
• Circuit Powerboat Association
• E1 World Electric Powerboat Series
• F1 Powerboat Championship Series.
• Powerboat GP
• UAE F4 Championship
• UIM OSY400 European Championship
• UIM World Circuit Endurance
• Unlimited Hydroplane Racing
• F1H2O Nations Cup

• P1 AquaX Bahamas World Championship
• UAE Aquabike Championship
• UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship

Powerboat Racing World

Frode Sundsdal

What is prw.

It’s a powerboat racing website that has covered circuit racing, offshore racing and PWC since 2016. Maintained by The Race Factory based in Norway who have specialists in event planning and promotion, social media, graphic design, and photography. We are currently working on our vision and believe that we can and will make a different in powerboating. We will dedicate our time to produce accurate factual stories and to promote the sport to a wider global audience.

It’s not creating the headlines that it once did but the after effects of COVID-19 continue to flow through the world’s health, educational, financial, and commercial institutions, and the motorsports ecosystem is no different.

Powerboat races and series are still being disrupted leaving governing bodies, organisers, teams, drivers, and sponsors trying to navigate the impacts and implications of event cancellations and modifications.

When PRW spoke to Tim Seebold, one of the men who are trying to guide the United States based F1 Powerboat Championship back onto an even keel he had this to say,

The last three years have been exceedingly difficult. Ever since the pandemic came out everything has changed so quickly. One of the main problems was that we were not sure whether the races could even take place. From state to state the environment differed, our only option was to postpone the whole series and bring it out of hibernation later.

Finding a sponsor was another huge task that Seebold and partner John Schubert had to contend with as no one sponsors an event when they are laying off people due to the pandemic. It’s a fine line for any corporation in this unique time and the public’s perception of how they are navigating through it responsibly.

The whole landscape of sponsorship has changed over the last few years, it’s now more about business to business. Long gone are the days when a huge corporation like Anheuser-Busch came along and offered sponsorship money to have your raceboat branded with their product or back your series just for media coverage. They are now more interested in paying to bring fifty to one hundred of their corporate guests to meet up with other corporate guests and exchange contacts details in a VIP environment alongside the race circuit.

This is where the Formula 1 – two-seater boat race ride experience comes into its own. With Seebold offering the attraction of ride experience for dignitaries, invited media, sponsors, and VIPs with dragster like acceleration along with its five plus G’s cornering ability. Plans are now well underway so that the two-seater can be branded in whatever corporate colour scheme is necessary for that weekend’s guests. Videos footage of themselves strapped in alongside Seebold, showing them lapping the course with telemetry displaying speed and G-Force will then be available to download.

It has become a vitally important side of what we are doing as I see the two-seater ride becoming the ‘Crown Jewel’ in the way we promote the series to corporations and sponsors. You can’t lose sight of the fact that we are both an entertainment business/sport business. When guests leave the VIP Marquees, they want to see action on the water. It’s extremely hard to sell an empty space of river, so that’s the beauty of the different classes that run during our weekend minimizing down time.

We can always put something out on the water, it doesn’t have to be tunnel boats that why the Texas Tri-Hull are an integral part of the series. Don’t forget that both Chris Rinker and Jeremiah Mayo started out in the Tri-Hull’s.

With the first round at Port Neches River Fest all wrapped up Seebold was pleased with the outcome.

From a positive point of view having four different heat winners shows the parity of the field and I’m very encouraged by the performance of the Mercury APX 200. The final results didn’t quite tell the whole story after qualifying third RJ jumped the gun in the final and Dustin Terry hit two buoys. It will be the right fit and it won’t make the other engines ‘obsolete.’ We are making every effort to improve race on race. We are always working on the live-stream and social media aspect, it’s a lot of work to undertake and everything you do has a cost.

Another positive the series can take credit for is the race format that differs completely from the one used for decades by the UIM World Championships.

It all used to be marathon races, fifty, sixty laps which we realised lost its attraction after twenty minutes. We have found that the shorter action-packed sprint format holds the audience attention right up to the chequered flag. Utilizing timed races rather than number of laps allows us latitude to race on a variety of course lengths and shapes while not jeopardizing our competitors fuel load capacities. We want to shuffle the deck and run at different venues to vary the lap length.

To underline the popularity of this concept this race format has been successfully adopted by the Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix series.

To assist them they brought me over to Australia to avoid a lot of heartache and growing pains and now it’s proving to be remarkably successful for them. Sprint races with good vantage points works really well.

Amongst the highlights in Port Neches was the outstanding performance put in by Mayo during the F1 Final. Finishing second behind Terry Rinker with not only blades missing from his propeller but also the skeg missing was truly remarkable.

There are still many questions to be answered in this ‘post’ covid situation. Can Seebold simultaneously manage fan expectations, minimise operational costs and disruption, and plan for a future that, in both the short and long term, may not look anything like the past but at the same time keep those involved content?

I genuinely feel that we are finally heading in the right direction and a lot of that is down to having more than a one-year contract with the race venues. Multiyear deals mean that the drivers and teams can then go to their sponsors in July and discuss next season with confidence. Once that confidence is shared then we have the base to build the series up from. Switching to promoting the series is one of the biggest challenges of my life, but it was the right time for me to step out of the cockpit and give something back into the sport that as a family we have been involved with for decades now and will continue to be involved with.

Images supplied by the Formula 1 Powerboat Championship.

Share this:

More related articles

© 2024 Powerboat Racing World.

P1 Offshore;

Powerboat P1 is the fastest growing marine motorsport series in the world and has a long term commitment to growing and developing the sport of power boating at all levels. The Powerboat P1 team works closely with the sport’s governing bodies, the UIM, APBA and the IJSBA. P1 has delivered more than 85 world championship events in over twelve different countries for more than a decade.

Cookie Policy

Contact info.

• Address: 2320 Clark Street, Suite A1 Apopka, FL 32703 United States
• Phone: +1 407 985 1938
• Email: [email protected]

Cocoa Beach

Fri 17 - Sun 19, May

Lake of the Ozarks

Thu 30, May - 01, Jun

Fri 09 - Sun 11, Aug

Fri 23 - Sun 25, Aug

Fri 13 - Sun 15, Sep

St. Petersburg

Fri 18 - Sun 20, Oct

Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Celebrates 40 Years

It’s a family affair, midwest challenge day 2: flexing their muscles, midwest challenge day 1: blown away by victory.

• Fri Sep 13 ~ Sun Sep 15 2024

Latest Videos

• Use Next/Prev Buttons for more

Featured Team

Mean Streak

• Bracket Class 500

Race Results

Race results 2023.

• 2023 Season

Keep In Touch

Get invitations to exclusive Powerboat events, watch races for free! Also get the latest on this high-octane sport!

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

INSIDE F1H2O

• What is F1H2O?
• The Championship
• The Grand Prix
• Rescue&Safety

The UIM F1H2O World Championship is the 'flagship' international series of single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing.

Highly competitive, intensely challenging, risky and entertaining, the F1H2O World Championship is the ultimate adrenalin rush and regarded as one of the most spectacular and exciting sports in the world.

The series attracts up to 20 of the world's leading drivers and is a sport that has to be seen to be believed as these diminutive tunnel-hull catamarans enter hairpin turns at over 90mph and top 140mph on the straights.

Picture the scene; 18 to 20 sleek, powerful and lightweight catamarans lining up on the start pontoon. Inside each cockpit sits a lone individual peering through a tiny windscreen. One hand grasps the steering wheel, the other poised over the start button. The tension inside the cockpit is intense as the drivers wait for the crucial start. Beyond the cockpit, an eerie silence descends over the entire arena, all attention fixed on the start.

No sooner does the wait end when 10,000hp of highly tuned brute power bursts into life sending the fleet screaming towards the first corner leaving nothing but a glorious fountain of white spray in its wake.

However, with the thrilling high-speed action comes the risk of ruin as drivers endure brain-numbing G-Forces - their rigs taking hairpin turns at over 90mph while they dice deck-to-deck in often zero-visibility.

Now in its 36th year the four decades of the World Championship have witnessed considerable change and evolution; the seventies and eighties saw multiple promoters and two giant corporations of the sport OMC and Mercury vying for supremacy to be the pinnacle of the sport.

OMC were touting their 3.5litre V8 package that became known as the OZ class, Mercury pushing their 2.0litre engine and called the ON class, the disparity in power would soon lead to bitter wrangling and infighting amongst competitors.

The split came in 1981, FONDA was formed running the ON class engine with the OMC backed PRO ONE run series running the OZ class engine, both rival championships claiming the right to use the title World Championship, a dispute settled by the sport's governing body the UIM later that year awarding the OZ class the accolade.

1984 saw the beginning of yet another twist as safety became a major concern with engine development and increasing power of the V8s taking its tragic toll and signaled the slow demise of the OZ class internationally, ending in 1986.

The door was now opening for the existing FONDA World Grand Prix series to reinvent itself. From 1987 to 1989 there was no official UIM World Championship, and with no challenger, the UIM reinstated the World Championship status and in 1990 the FONDA World Grand Prix Series became the UIM F1H2O World Championship, Mercury's 2.0litre engine the preferred power-plant of the time, the Mercury 2.5litre engine coming in in 2000 and used today.

In 1993 the UIM appointed Nicolo di San Germano as Promoter; his ongoing 30 year tenure has brought stability, a new direction, improved safety and an ever broadening geographic footprint encompassing Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia and with this expansion a growing commercial value.

Over the last 38 years the sport has played out 295 Grand Prix in 33 countries across five continents, 15 drivers have captured the World title, 48 becoming members of the illustrious Grand Prix winners club.

Of the 15 World Champions 8 are multiple title winners; Italy's Guido Cappellini is the most decorated winning 10, Italy's Alex Carella and American Scott Gillman with four, France's Philippe Chiappe, Italian Renato Molinari and American Shaun Torrente with three each, Finland's Sami Selio and Britain's Jonathan Jones with two apiece.

While today's F1H2O catamarans bear a striking resemblance to those in action throughout the 1980's there is a world of difference in terms of driver protection and general safety.

The early boats were constructed from thin plywood with drivers sitting in an open, exposed cockpit with the risk of injury a high probability in the case of an accident.

With safety at the forefront of boat development, British designer and racer Chris Hodges set about improving the situation and constructed a safety cell that was produced from an immensely strong composite material.

Instead of the cockpit being part of the main structure Hodges' capsule was separate and was fitted to the hulls and centre section.

For the first time drivers were actually strapped into their seats. The idea was that if a boat was involved in an accident, the timber hulls could break up and absorb the impact forces while the driver remained well protected inside his cell.

The new device proved itself on several occasions and the U.I.M. called for it to become compulsory, and in the early 1990's Burgess introduced canopies that made cockpits fully enclosed.

In the late 1990's further developments saw the introduction of an airbag in the cockpit that would inflate in a crash to ensure the capsule wouldn't sink before rescue crews could attend.

Over the years boat construction has been developed and today few if any are built of timber, now replaced by modern composites.

In 2023 ten teams and 20 drivers from 12 countries will compete at Grand Prix in Europe, Middle East and Asia for the coveted World title, the prestigious number 1 plate will be carried by the defending World Champion Shaun Torrente driving for Abu Dhabi team.

The Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) is the world governing body for all Powerboating activities. It is fully recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is a member of the Association of the IOC Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF) and of SportAccord for whom the UIM President serves as President and Board member. The UIM has almost 60 affiliated National Federations. Circuit, Offshore, Pleasure Navigation and Aquabike are among the main disciplines. The UIM has signed a Cooperation Agreement with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to further its range of environmental initiatives and to share expertise.

President: Dr. Raffaele Chiulli General Secretary: Thomas Kurth

Idea Marketing is the sole and exclusive worldwide promoter of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, the UIM-ABP Aquabike World and Continental Championships and the UIM H2O Nations Cup World Series.

The company is the worldwide television and commercial rights holder for all Championships and responsible for all commercial, marketing, television, media and organisational activities.

Founder: Nicolo di San Germano Vice President: Lavinia Cavallero

h2oracing.net f1h2o.com aquabike.net

The F1H2O World Championship is the leading formula in single-seater inshore circuit powerboat racing and was sanctioned by the UIM in 1981.

It is a multiple Grand Prix series of eight events taking place in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Points allocated at each Grand Prix count towards the overall World Championship standings.

In addition to the World Championship, points are also allocated for the BRM Pole Position and Team Championships and the Fast Lap Trophy.

A three-tiered qualifying session is run over 60 minutes, the multiple lap Grand Prix run over a minimum 45 minutes, not to exceed 60 minutes.

In 2023 ten teams, 20 drivers from 12 countries plus technicians and support staff will compete for the coveted World title.

DAY 1 Documentation and registration Technical scrutineering Drivers' briefing (compulsory for all team managers, drivers and radiomen of each boat) Free practice Boats and racing equipment (including racing gear of the driver) must be in the pits 24 hours before starting the technical scrutineering

DAY 2 Drivers' briefing (compulsory for all team managers, drivers and radiomen of each boat) Free practice Official Qualifying Podium presentation

Pole position and starting line-ups are determined by a three-tiered qualifying session, Q1, Q2 and Q3 preceding each Grand Prix race. Stateof-the-art timing equipment records the performances of each boat to decide the final classification and starting positions.

Q1 : A twenty-minute session with all boats entitled to run multiple laps at any time during the session, with the 12 fastest progressing into Q2. The times set by those that didn't qualify for Q2 denote their starting positions.

Q2 : After a seven-minute break, the times will be reset and the remaining 12 boats will then run a fifteen-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the session the six fastest boats will progress into Q3. The times set by those that didn't qualify for Q3 denote their starting positions.

Q3 : The times are reset and the top six boats from Q2 will run all together for 10 minutes and the arrival order at the finish line will decide their start positions.

If a driver is deemed by the officials to have stopped unnecessarily on the circuit or impeded another driver during qualifying, his times may be cancelled

No refuelling allowed during timed trial.

Every race circuit is different in size, but are generally about 2000 meters in distance. Each circuit has at least one long straightaway and several tight turns, mostly left with one or two right turns.

The turns produce a G-force of up to 4.5 on the driver, which means his weight is multiplied 4.5 times as he makes a tight U-turn at over 100 mph.

Water is a constantly changing unstable unpredictable surface and conditions play a major part in the outcome of each Grand Prix.

With water current and wind conditions varying on every lap and spray being continually showered over the tiny console screen, drivers are quite often driving 'blind' at full speed, mere inches away from their rivals.

In the event of a 'barrel-roll' (capsize), a mandatory air bag installed above the pilot's head will inflate upon contact with water. This enables the cockpit to remain above water until rescue arrives.

All drivers have a self-contained air supply fitted inside the capsule as an added safety features.

LIGHT SIGNALS Each entry must have the electronic time-keeping device and lighting equipment. Compliance is required for scrutineering clearance. Lights signals are used in accordance with these rules to designate specific times or to give instructions to pilots.

Lights and their purposes are as follows:

YELLOW : Reduce speed to 3000 rpm maximum - extreme caution on race course - hold current position - no overtaking - follow pace boat

RED : Race stopped, slow down instantly and return to the start dock, identical to actual black flag.

WHITE AND BLUE caution FLAG : Rescue boats must be given the right of way. A complaint from rescue personnel will be penalised.

Boats that have broken down and pulled to the infield or off the racecourse will be towed to the trailer or the start dock only during a "race stop" condition and if pick-up boats are available.

During the time trials and the race, one crewmember should always remain at signalling area and maintain radio contact with his driver during free practice, timed trials and race.

Each team consists of a manager, two drivers, mechanics, radio coordinator, technical coordinator and equipped with infrastructure such as trailer workshop and welcome marquee.

They should have two catamarans fitted with a 2.5 litre engine and compete at 8 to 10 Grand Prix events in a season.

Imagine this: up to 20 lightweight, 17-foot carbon fibre catamarans hurtling around a racing circuit at speeds topping 220km/h (130mph); all boats are powered by highly tuned V6 outboard engines, each pumping out 400HP at close to 10.000 rpm; they boast an awesome power to weight ratio and weigh in at around 500 kilos.

HULL : Twin sponson, tunnel-hull catamaran

MANUFACTURERS : BABA, Blaze, DAC, GTR, Molgaard, Moore, Victory

HULL MATERIALS : Carbon fibre, Kevlar, synthetic fibre, airex & nomex

LENGTH : 5.10 metres (min)

WIDTH : 2.1 metres (min)

WEIGHT : 550 kg (including residual fuel and oil), the driver with personal equipment, but excluding loose water, circa 380 kilos (not including driver or engine)

FUEL TANK : Carbon constuction, built to accomodate circa 120 litres

ENGINE : Mercury or equivalent outboard engine 6 cylinders 2-stroke

ENGINE CAPACITY : 2.5 litre up to maximum 3 litre

STEERING : Cable with electronic power assist, ratio open to driver preference

GEARBOX : Fixed ratio direct drive

PROPELLERS : As gearbox is fixed ratio, various diameter and pitch from 10.5 by 16 inch upwards (dependant on length of circuit). Forged stainless steel alloy CNC machined

HORSE POWER : circa 400 HP @ 10,000 rpm

TOP SPEED : Over 220 km/h (136 mph)

ACCELERATION : 0-100 km/h (60mph) in circa 3 seconds

BOAT CONTROLS : Hydraulic ram systems controlling engine angle and height operated by a series of switches on steering wheel, dash and foot rest. Foot throttle controlling engine power delivery

SAFETY FEATURES : Cockpit built in composite materials, crash boxes built with energy absorbent foam. HANS head and neck support, airbag, polycarbonate nine millimeter screen and deformable frontal areas to stop penetration in event of accident. Life support system, air bottle and demand valve with helmet attachment used if boat capsizes and driver unable to exit cockpit prior to arrival of rescue boat and team. Inside cockpit the driver is strapped into a carbon hybrid moulded seat with 5 point harness and detachable steering wheel for easy entry and exit. Cockpit canpy latched into closed position for maximum protection against water pressure

The Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team provide rescue services for many powerboat racing events and has a fleet of 6 specialist drop front ambulance boats, 2 of these boats are permanently assigned to providing rescue services to the UIM F1H2O World Championship.

Each boat is manned by four fully trained individuals 2 qualified rescue divers in full kit; 1 qualified helmsman; 1 radio/communications operative; Every member of the crew holds a current Basic Life Support Certificate. Every member of the crew wears a wetsuit as maximum flexibility is required.

Carried on board each boat are the following 2 sets of self-contained breathing apparatus; 1 stabilisation frame in the event of a race boat being upside down; 1 Lift bag to prevent a race boat sinking in the event of extensive damage; 1 fire extinguisher; 1 spine board and stabilisation blocks; 1 oxygen set; 1 radio for communications with the shore based medical team and officials; 1 comprehensive medical kit that contains specialist resuscitation and trauma equipment, details below:

To control catastrophic haemorrhage - CAT tourniquet - ‘Quick Clot’ ACS sponge - 6” Haemorrhage control bandage

To control airway with c-spine control - Suction – hand held with spare spout - Nasopharyngeal airways - size 24 (child) & 28 (adult) -Gels size 4 adult (50-90Kg) size 3 (30-60Kg) - gel sachet on each

To control breathing - Non-rebreather oxygen mask x2 - Ambu-bag, connector & Facemask

To control circulation - Cannula x2, tape, IV giving set, IV fluids – Saline 1000, Gelofusin 500 - Protection and General Kit: gloves, field dressing packs x2, tuff-scissors, stethoscope, saline eyewash, foil blanket, triangular bandage, safety pins, light bandages x2

At each event the team brings A training rig to train and test drivers in escaping from an upturned cockpit. An air compressor to fill diving air cylinders and drivers’ emergency air cylinders carried on the race boats. Generators to provide power A Global Positioning System to ensure the course is laid correctly and to specification.

• Formula 1 Powerboat Championship
• F1PC Series Rule Book
• Boat Classes
• Race Videos
• Formula One History
• 2 Seater Experience
• Privacy Policy
• Events Calendar
• Formula Light Drivers
• Tri-Hull Drivers
• J Hydro Drivers
• Driver Info Form
• F1 PC Legends
• Formula One
• Live Timing
• Lake Havasu Classic
• Red River Rumble
• Midwest Nationals
• 2024 Alton Midwest Nationals
• 2023 Season Press Release
• Mercury Racing Sponsorship
• Mercury Racing
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• Sponsor Logos
• JH Performance Boats
• MOTO Marketing Group
• Racing Communications
• Sea-Way Marine
• Seebold Sports
• VP Race Fuels

Next Upcoming Event

Roar of the rockies; september 14-15, windsor, colorado.

GIVE US A FOLLOW