TTREMELLEN

There is no steering around my own fault! I looked for clear water and guided them there, it won't happen again! As a rookie radio man I got caught up in the "get to the front syndrome", And my opinion is solely of my own. I think the correct winner got the flag but I strongly disagree with the incorrect winner being chosen before the results are in. I'll alway's be the first to shake the winners hand at any event.

Phantom1

Yeah......... the course this year was much tougher than years past.

Joe Todesca

SS boats were to stay to the outside of the smaller boats ,We dam near got run over by them. Mojo gave us a nice wash down and almost wiped out at our front door. Consideration would be at least toss us a bar of soap.
Jo / T man David Brian/ Ricks Formula P5-80

Cash Bar

MM, you were in Sarasota and didn't even call me. Dik !!

Seriously, We were there Thurs.- Mon. and it would have been cool to "catch-up".

raynman

Checkered flags should NEVER be given out on the water, there are too many variables to consider.
P class boats may break out . Last year at Sarasota all the P5 boats broke out. Any boat that received the flag would have gotten recognition it didn't deserve. I have a little experience with this one.

Spec class boats have to go through a tech inspection and weigh out. At St. Pete In 2000 (?) a supercat (Yahoo?) won its race and weighed out 13 pounds light and was penalized costing it the race and I think world or national championship. That's right 13 pounds. And the race was delayed by sea life and the boat took an extra lap for some reason. I"m not sure of the year or the boat but it did happen.

Then there's always the possibility of protests that have to be reviewed and may be upheld and penalties to assess.It's not all that unusual for an apparent winner to be dq'd. Ask Randy about it.

My point is, checkered flags should be given to the team that deserves it and that is not always the team that crosses the finish line first.

Fever,
I believe that Speed Channel became too expensive when they became oriented to NASCAR. F1 (tunnel boats) is still carried.

The "fans" will always have a hard time figuring out who won as long as there are several classes running together. It's pretty difficult for most people involved in the sport to keep track of who's in what place after several laps and it gets more difficult as the race goes on.

IMHO

Xtremeracing

The order of finish change sometime after the scorers review the final results, just like the SV class in Marathon. That would send out the wrong message so it is better to wait and get the correct order of finish.
Dave I'm sure u remember what happen last year in Sarasota with the final results, what would we of done when.Seems pretty simple to me why it is done the way it is......

KiloKat

Well then Frank, I guess NASCAR or any other sanctioning body shouldn't wave a checker flag or have anyone pull into the winner's circle because there may be a disputable infraction or protest later? I don't agree. I think the fans and spectators deserve more. At a minimum, a checkered flag should be handed out on the water in exchange for them (the spectators) standing out in the sun for hours!

TeamTaboo

Maybe a checker for the overall winner would help the fans, then do the classes the way it's done now. Just a though

CigBoat

When we raced in the GLSCS we had a parade lap and were given a checkered flag when we won it was great for the fans to get to see this. If you want to have the races in an area where fans can see it and want to promote it like they do here in Sarasota I agree with Kiloat that it should be done.

I was one of the first boats anchored off of turn two and had people swimming in the water when some of you came real close on plane! I know the sport and I even thought it was ridiculous!!

raynman

Hard to believe that so many people believe that the checkered flag should be awarded to a boat that may not, for various reasons actually be the winner. The spectators will walk away giving credit to a boat that they may not deserve it while the actual winner isn't even recognized. Sorry guys. Give out the checkereds at the awards ceremony and publish the final results on the SBI/APBA, OSS, etc website and in the local papers and boating magazines.