When does a boat need a roll bar?

[Demon-Xanth]

When it's one of these

 

[ViviTheMage]

haha, that's crazy...boats are horrible at turning, and those little raceways are tinnnny...it's like they are built for the boats to flip/crash, haha.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Those boats actually turn very awesomely, but being jet boats they need to be on the power to turn. They typically have small and big block V8s giving them a serious power to weight ratio. It's like the boating equivalent of rally racing.

edit:
onboard video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nirsOVRXo

 

[JulesMaximus]

Are we talking about an Oldsmoboat or a regular boat?

 

[BW86]

I love sprint boat racing.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Those boats actually turn very awesomely, but being jet boats they need to be on the power to turn. They typically have small and big block V8s giving them a serious power to weight ratio. It's like the boating equivalent of rally racing.

edit:
onboard video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nirsOVRXo

that looks hella fun.
Rally Boats definitely seems like an applicable designation. Which means a kickass style of racing.

 

[yllus]

That looks like a ton of fun! What's the point of the second guy in the boat?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: yllus
That looks like a ton of fun! What's the point of the second guy in the boat?

Navigator, they tell the driver which of those little paths they need to go on.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: yllus
That looks like a ton of fun! What's the point of the second guy in the boat?

Navigator, they tell the driver which of those little paths they need to go on.

Hah, so it really is like rally car racing. I wonder if they have mics in their helmets considering the amount of noise around them.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: yllus
Hah, so it really is like rally car racing. I wonder if they have mics in their helmets considering the amount of noise around them.

From what I've seen on TV, the navigator holds his hand out and moves it side to side to point where to go.

 

[Stifko]

I'd hate to be strapped into one of those things when it capsizes in 4 feet of muddy water.
That is a silly sport imho.

 

[ProfJohn]

I like the end. How would you like to explain to the insurance company how a boat crashed into your pick up.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Those boats actually turn very awesomely, but being jet boats they need to be on the power to turn. They typically have small and big block V8s giving them a serious power to weight ratio. It's like the boating equivalent of rally racing.

edit:
onboard video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nirsOVRXo

Wow... what a ride.

 

[spidey07]

The amount of Gs those things pull when corning has to be insane.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: spidey07
The amount of Gs those things pull when corning has to be insane.

No, insane is what you have to be to pilot one of those.

 

[slayer202]

that course they are running is insane! those dudes are crazy

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Stifko
I'd hate to be strapped into one of those things when it capsizes in 4 feet of muddy water.
That is a silly sport imho.

I'd hate to be the guy that crashed into a wall at 200mph in a car
I'd hate to be the guy that collided with another hydroplane going insane speeds
I'd hate to be the guy that had a head-to-head collision in football and one or both never walked again

All sports can be boiled down to accidents and called a silly sport. The end point of a sport it to prove how you are better at X than your opponent(s). Accidents happen that can result in death in basically all physical sports.

But you're trying to be one of, if not the best at something, and at the same time you are providing entertainment for folks and trying to get their attention. Worth some risks imho.

I'd love to be a driver in Rally. Rally racing is awesome.

The next greatest sport we'll have sometime in the distant future? Racing space 'jets' around a course that wraps around the orbit of Mars.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: spidey07
The amount of Gs those things pull when corning has to be insane.

No, insane is what you have to be to pilot one of those.

Originally posted by: slayer202
that course they are running is insane! those dudes are crazy

hmmm, what are y'all saying? What would you say to me if I said I'd love the idea of training and trying such a thing as sprint boat rally?

 

[halik]

Do you get emergency oxygen supply? If your end up upside down in the water, it's probably not that fun...

 

[GasX]

Is the passenger seat there so that you don't die alone?

 

[Oyeve]

Why is it that only white people do these stupid sports? Same reason you only see white people in horror movies?

 

[mrSHEiK124]

I actually laughed more at the "tame" accidents where the boats just peacefully plopped themselves right-side up on land, no rolls or thrashing, lol.

 

[KLin]

Wow those things really turn on a dime. :Q