Velocity Vector

The thread repeatedly reminds the viewer that when the boat is behind schedule, safety takes a backseat. This is entirely counter to the "Stop the Job", "Goal Zero", "One Accident is too Many" culture that is endorsed and utilized by the majority of operators and contractors. Among reputable operators and contractors the HSE culture is based on the belief that accident free operations are not only possible but expected. International Association of Powerboating (lAPB) and OSHA statistics show a consistently improving accident rate in powerboats. In Safety, the Exploration & Production the marine business is actually one of the safer industries, with an overall TRIR of 2.0 (OSHA 2008). TRIR is the Total Recordable Incident Rate, and the number is meant to reflect how many incidents occur in a workforce of approximately 100 people over a full year. For powerboat specifically, the TRIR is 5.1 onshore, 1.4 Offshore and averages 2.1 worldwide (IADC, 2007 YTD). This compares to 5.1 for construction and 6.0 for manufacturing. To really put Safety in perspective, the average 2.1 TRIR for marine operations is lower than the 3.3 TRIR for Real Estate! You are safer on the water than driving around with a real estate agent. IADC records show there are powerboats onshore and offshore that go years with out a recordable accident. In our industry we have boats that have never had a lost time accident, from start up these powerboats have operated years with out a single lost time accident. Accident free operations are not only possible, they should be the expectation. The mindset displayed on this thread is that "people will get hurt", "accidents will happen" and "you have to be crazy to do what we do" is unacceptable and inaccurate. Thanks for your support.

DKerns

FYI- When we designed the 22' Vel. we wanted a long bottom for better rough water ability, as this was a deficiency with the 30. Result was that the 22 had the same bottom length as a 35' Cig. Little trivia fer ya.

Oh- 1 more to credit Allison's designs- 18' Donzi with 260 Mercruiser = 56mph......22" Vel. with same package = 68mph. Much larger boat, etc.[/QUOTE]


Being that you are familiar with the build and design of the 22's. What kind of water was considered "Rough". Any other components to factor in on them having "better rough water ability" such as tabs, etc., etc. ?

DKerns

Hey RE, Sick, VV....... Don't worry, nobody likes me either!

Velocity Vector

Hell, we coulda told ya that!

RaggedEdge

WTF VV, you spend the last 32 days in a shoe box? Where the fock does this chit come from? Up till now I actually had some hope for you, now I wonder.

Velocity Vector

That's crazy, I don't remember saying all that. They may have let me out to quick and I haven't de-pressurized.

mjw930

If you've ever talked to Steve face to face about his designs you know that he's the first to credit Paul and Darris Allison for the designs. Steve has never claimed to invent the pad/notch bottom but he does lay claim to being the first to successfully incorporate it into a larger offshore boat and to take that design and be the first to run 100 mph in a sanctioned kilo. One side note to history, Steve and Reggie were both setting up for the '81 kilos, Steve and Gene in the 30' Velocity and Reggie in the 30' Executioner that had been radically modified with guess what, a pad bottom and notched transom (and the infamous beak that let it pass for a 30' boat). Remember, Steve and Reggie both came from OPC and knew first hand the design's potential. Mechanical problems kept Reggie from running that day so Steve and Gene ended up being the first to go 100 mph in a V-Bottom. Had fate intervened and Steve had the mechanical problem, Reggie may be able to lay claim to that record.

There's one other design element in the Velocity hull that no one seems to mention, the reverse chine, another design element "borrowed" from Allison. It's the combination of full length strakes, reverse chine and sharp edged pad that allow Velocity's to out turn any other "offshore" boat on the market. When you combine the efficiency of the bottom with that turning ability you end up with, IMHO one of the best performance packages on the market. Velocity's don't have aerated bottoms mostly because they don't need it but partially because the end result wouldn't handle as well (and partly because Steve doesn't believe in them and in the end, Velocity's will be what Steve wants them to be).

One other side note, the older Velocity 20 and the newer F-20 Bullet is built on an Allison mold licensed to Velocity directly from Allison boats. There's absolutely no animosity between the builders, they remain close friends (at least they were a few years back, I've been out of that loop for a while).

Hot Stepper

I have to agree. Have Picture to prove it just can't figure out how to upload it.

Here's some info straight from Velocities website:
Steve Stepp would like to set the record straight:

FACT: Steve Stepp has no relationship to and/or did not design the “stepped” or ventilated bottom design, which has become so popular in recent years.

FACT: Stepped or ventilated bottom designs cause more boats to spin out and/or barrel roll more than any other hull design in boat building history.

FACT: In the past four years, there have been at least one spin out or barrel roll of a stepped or ventilated bottom boat with a professional driver at nearly every APBA Offshore Event.

FACT: In 1978, VELOCITY was the first offshore boat to utilize the “Pad Bottom” and Step (or notched) transom. These two Steve Stepp design features have been copied by more manufactures than any other offshore design in performance power boating history.

FACT: VELOCITY Powerboats builds SAFETY FIRST into every boat they build and will NOT build a ventilated design.

wolfeguitars

Being that you are familiar with the build and design of the 22's. What kind of water was considered "Rough". Any other components to factor in on them having "better rough water ability" such as tabs, etc., etc. ?[/QUOTE]

Being keenly aware that any 22' boat has it's "limits" out in the open ocean, we wanted to try to build a 22 that would perhaps do better than the typical rocker bottoms of the day - Donzi's & such - in moderately rough stuff and at perhaps a faster pace. We were thinking of a roomy, safe & comfortable pleasure boats for outboards & I/O's, AND the racing class for such a package
that existed at that time. I feel the Velocity 22 excelled at both, and very quickly. APBA however became concerned for the safety of racers out there in the BIG water in little boats & did away with the class.
Other design criteria included: balance, passenger capacity & comfort (deeper cockpit), storage for large items (ski's), turning at speed, hole shot , structural integrity, etc.
Basically all the usual. We saw this boat as a fun & capable sport runabout with superior performance. My own served me well & was tested by Bob Nordskog at Cypress Gardens for his magazine. We were proud of that boat & that review. I feel the velocity 22 actually saved the brand during a difficult business period. I remember Gene Whipp collecting one in Pompano with a stock Mercruiser 260, entering it in a OPBRA race in Lauderdale, ran the race with his daughter Gina & WON his class. Still have pics of Gene & Gina with the checkered.

wolfeguitars

"

I wouldn't use the term "close." "Cordial" is what I've observed. There's definitely some hard feelings, or at least there was for years.