F1 Powerboat Racing
Encyclopedia
F1 Powerboat World Championship is a competition of powerboats with rules similar to Formula One
car racing. Each F1 powerboat race lasts approximately 45 minutes following a circuit marked out in a selected stretch of water, usually a lake, river, or sheltered bay.
Qualifying periods decide the formation of the grid, and timing equipment records the performance of competitors to decide the final classification and allocation of championship points. The sport is governed by the Monaco
based Union Internationale Motonautique
(UIM, International Power Boating Association).
catamaran
s 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 aerodynamic lift due to a 'wing' formed by the deck and under surface of the hull. This increases lift and reduces drag, so that at speed only a few inches of the boat 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 350 horsepower
at 10,500 rpm. This engine can propel the boats to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than two seconds and to a maximum speed of over 250 km/h (155 mph).
boats.
The first major development was the hard composite
cockpit capsule designed to break away from the rest of the boat in a crash. This also inaugurated the practice of securing the drivers to their seats with a harness. First developed by designer and racer Chris Hodges, this system was optional for a time due to the opposition of the drivers but, after it saved several drivers in major crashes, the UIM mandated it for all boats. In the early 1990s F1 boat builder Dave Burgess introduced a canopy that fully enclosed the cockpit to protect the driver from the full force of water in a nose-dive. In the late 1990s boat builder DAC introduced an airbag
situated behind the driver that prevents the cockpit from completely submerging if the boat flips.
These specific changes in safety features were also accompanied by a progression of lighter and stronger composite hulls that also reduced the hazards of racing. F1 drivers now also wear a HANS Head and Neck Restraint
device similar to that worn by their Formula One automobile racing counterparts to combat head and neck injuries.
As of the 2007 season, all boats are required to have a protective crash box installed. Potential future safety features include collapsible bows that would deform rather than penetrate another hull.
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. Terry Rinker has dominated the series so far with four championships; 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car racing. Each F1 powerboat race lasts approximately 45 minutes following a circuit marked out in a selected stretch of water, usually a lake, river, or sheltered bay.
Qualifying periods decide the formation of the grid, and timing equipment records the performance of competitors to decide the final classification and allocation of championship points. The sport is governed by the Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
based Union Internationale Motonautique
Union Internationale Motonautique
The Union Internationale Motonautique is the international governing body of powerboating, based in the Principality of Monaco. It was founded in 1922, in Belgium, as the Union Internationale du Yachting Automobile....
(UIM, International Power Boating Association).
Format
Inaugurated in 1981, F1 powerboat racing is a Grand Prix style event, similar to Formula One automobile racing, in which teams compete in 13 venues around the world each season. In the 2006 season, 27 drivers competed for 12 teams, with 24 boats competing in any one race. The races take place along a track of approximately 350 meters with multiple turns, over which the boats can reach 240 kilometers per hour (150 mph). The races are longer than most powerboat races at approximately 45 minutes, but still shorter than most automobile races.Boats
F1 racing uses tunnel hullTunnel hull
A tunnel hull is a type of boat hull that uses two typically planing hulls with a solid center that traps air. This entrapment then creates aerodynamic lift in addition to the planing lift from the hulls. Many times this is attributed to ground effect...
catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
s 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
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
and kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
. The tunnel hull
Tunnel hull
A tunnel hull is a type of boat hull that uses two typically planing hulls with a solid center that traps air. This entrapment then creates aerodynamic lift in addition to the planing lift from the hulls. Many times this is attributed to ground effect...
design creates aerodynamic lift due to a 'wing' formed by the deck and under surface of the hull. This increases lift and reduces drag, so that at speed only a few inches of the boat touch the water, leading to the high speed possible with these hulls..
F1 boats are powered by a Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine, founded in 1939, is a division of Brunswick of Lake Forest, Illinois, in the United States. Mercury provides engines for private, commercial and government sales. Mercury also has its own line of very successful racing engines tailored for power and speed. The company's primary...
V6 two stroke that burns 100LL Avgas
Avgas
Avgas is an aviation fuel used to power piston-engine aircraft. Avgas is distinguished from mogas , which is the everyday gasoline used in cars and some non-commercial light aircraft...
at a rate of 120 liters (32 gallons) per hour, generating 350 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
at 10,500 rpm. This engine can propel the boats to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than two seconds and to a maximum speed of over 250 km/h (155 mph).
Safety
Although F1 boats have not changed much in appearance since the start of the event, the construction and safety has been dramatically improved from the original open-cockpit plywoodPlywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
boats.
The first major development was the hard composite
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
cockpit capsule designed to break away from the rest of the boat in a crash. This also inaugurated the practice of securing the drivers to their seats with a harness. First developed by designer and racer Chris Hodges, this system was optional for a time due to the opposition of the drivers but, after it saved several drivers in major crashes, the UIM mandated it for all boats. In the early 1990s F1 boat builder Dave Burgess introduced a canopy that fully enclosed the cockpit to protect the driver from the full force of water in a nose-dive. In the late 1990s boat builder DAC introduced an airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
situated behind the driver that prevents the cockpit from completely submerging if the boat flips.
These specific changes in safety features were also accompanied by a progression of lighter and stronger composite hulls that also reduced the hazards of racing. F1 drivers now also wear a HANS Head and Neck Restraint
HANS device
The HANS device is a safety item compulsory in many car racing sports...
device similar to that worn by their Formula One automobile racing counterparts to combat head and neck injuries.
As of the 2007 season, all boats are required to have a protective crash box installed. Potential future safety features include collapsible bows that would deform rather than penetrate another hull.
Drivers
Before obtaining a Super License to drive an F1 boat, drivers undergo a stringent medical and also an immersion test. This involves being strapped into a mock F1 cockpit. The cell is flipped over and the driver has to make his escape while being judged by safety officials.Champions
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1981 |  Renato Molinari |
| 1982 |  Roger Jenkins |
| 1983 | Renato Molinari |
| 1984 | Renato Molinari |
| 1985 | Bob Spalding |
| 1986 | Gene Thibodaux |
| 1987 | NOT HELD |
| 1988 | |
| 1989 | |
| 1990 | John Hill |
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Jonathan Jones |
| 1992 | Fabrizio Bocca |
| 1993 | Guido Cappellini |
| 1994 | Guido Cappellini |
| 1995 | Guido Cappellini |
| 1996 | Guido Cappellini |
| 1997 |  Scott Gillman |
| 1998 | Jonathan Jones |
| 1999 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2000 | Scott Gillman |
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2002 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2003 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2004 | Scott Gillman |
| 2005 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2006 | Scott Gillman |
| 2007 |  Sami Seliö |
| 2008 | Jay Price |
| 2009 | Guido Cappellini |
| 2010 | Sami Seliö |
Related series
F1 ChampBoat series is a competition of powerboats that are very similar to those in the F1 PowerBoat series. The series has existed since 2002 and all the competitions are held in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Terry Rinker has dominated the series so far with four championships; 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008.