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Miami Herald February 3, 1985
SUPER PAYOFF FOR THE SUPERBOATS WINNER OF MIAMI-TO-NEW YORK RUN IN JUNE COULD EARN $1 MILLION
This is the stuff of which Burt Reynolds movies are made. It has everything the American public loves -- big, fast machines, an element of danger, brave men. And a purse that will make the winner instantly rich, or richer. |
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Ever since the unlimited class of offshore boats was authorized by the American Power Boat Association a couple of years ago, the big question has been what to do with them.
A 45- to 50-foot deep vee or catamaran that runs 120 miles per hour or faster on the open ocean is an impressive machine. But there were only four of them, and because they weren't eligible to compete for international titles, they mainly served as spoilers to steal the glory from the smaller Class I boats that did run for the world championship.
Now a group of offshore racers has come up with an event that undoubtedly will be the toughest, most exciting powerboat event in history: A 1,257-mile, winner-take-all affair from Miami to New York City, with the winner earning between $500,000 and $1 million. "We're calling it a monster-boat race," said Bob Saccenti, a partner in Apache Boats of Hollywood and North Miami Beach and the winner of the U.S. Class I offshore championship last year with partner Ben Kramer in an Apache 41 called Warpath. "It should be interesting. There are huddles going on all over town with people trying to build boats and engines for this race." The rules are pretty simple. The race will begin June 27, or the first day afterward that weather allows. The boats will cross a starting line at the Miami Sea Buoy and head for a finish line under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York Harbor. There is a time limit of 48 hours. "How you get there is up to you, as long as it's by water," Saccenti said. "You can refuel when and where you like. We chose that week because it's just after the longest day of the year. The first guy under the bridge walks away with whatever is in the kitty. I'd love to see $1 million." This event should bring offshore racing into the public eye in a big way. Television should eat it up, with its wacky combination of speed and endurance and a prize that represents at least 20 years of income for the average American family. The entry fee is $105,000, with $100,000 going toward the purse and $5,000 toward race expenses. Saccenti said he and Kramer decided during the last offshore powerboat season to make a Miami-New York run this summer. They mentioned it to a few people, and Al Copeland of New Orleans, the owner-driver of a 50-foot catamaran called Popeyes (named after his fried-chicken restaurants), said, "Why not make a race of it?" As of now, the solid and nearly solid entries are big deep vees. They include Saccenti and Kramer in a 47-foot Apache Superchief powered by three 650-horsepower Lamborghini gasoline engines from Italy. Emilio Navarro, president of Lamborghini, will ride as the third man. Miami eye surgeon Bob Magoon, a five-time national offshore champion who holds the Miami-New York record of 22 hours and 41 minutes, plans to make the run. He is talking to boat and engine manufacturers about coming up with a package. Copeland and throttleman Bill Sirois of North Miami Beach, who have campaigned Popeyes for two years, are building a 46-foot Cougar deep vee similar to the boat in which George Morales won the 1984 superboat national championship. But Copeland's three-engine inboard monster will be built of Kevlar instead of aluminum, which should make it lighter and faster. Scarab raceboats will have two 46-footers entered, both driven by Californians. One will be campaigned by presidential son Michael Reagan, who ran out of fuel at the 400-mile point in a Miami-New York effort two years ago. The other will be driven by Scarab designer Larry Smith and hotelier Bill Marriott. Both are expected to be outboard-powered. Billy Martin, another name from the powerboat championship ranks of a few years ago, is negotiating with Cigarette Boats of Miami to build a 42-footer, with the power option yet to be determined. |