2018 Stories Of The Year, Part II: More Memorable News
For positive news stories with even greater implications for the future, 2018 was an epic year. That made choosing the top 10 stories of the year—you probably read offshoreonly.com’s columnist Jason Johnson’s excellent piece on detailing the first five yesterday—more challenging than usual.
From a new V-8 outboard engine platform to a breathtaking Outerlimits V-bottom there was plenty of good news to come out of 2018. Photo courtesy/copyright Halsey Fulton.
But then, that’s a great problem to have. Johnson handled his part of this annual two-part series. Now, it’s my turn.
Mercury Unveils V-8 Outboard Platform
While there is endless speculation on the offshoreonly.com message boards and beyond, no one outside of Mercury Racing really knows exactly what’s next for the company with Mercury Marine’s V-8 outboard engine platform. At present, Mercury Racing has one naturally aspirated outboard offering—the 300R—based on the 4.6-liter powerhead. Precisely what the Fond du Lac, Wis., high-performance marine engine company will release and when it will release it remains a mystery. Expect the unexpected and you probably won’t be disappointed.
OPA And Powerboat P1 Partnering On Six-Race Series
Let’s be brutally honest: Much of the 2018 offshore powerboat racing season was a hot mess that finished with a whopping 30 boats at the Super Boat International World Championships in Key West, Fla., after a three-race regular season. So the news of the Offshore Powerboat Association partnering with Powerboat P1 on a six-race series next season is welcome and positive. Will Race World Offshore, the new Key West-based race-production launched in late 2017 fade out of the picture? The answer is no according to key RWO figures Larry Bleil and Rodrick Cox. Either way, with four of its five venues secure for 2019 at this year, the OPA/Powerboat P1 series looks promising.
A six-race OPA/Powerboat P1 series could deliver the kind of unity so desperately needed in offshore racing. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Read more: 2018 Stories Of The Year, Part II: More Memorable News
Related Story: 2018 Stories Of The Year, Part I: Another Memorable Year
Related stories
Mercury Marine Introduces V-8s Across Outboard Engine Lines
Powerboat P1 And OPA Partnering On Six-Race Series For 2019
Inside SOTW: Donzi 41 GT Profile—Instant Classic
Meet The Crypto Outerlimits SV 43
Meet The Crypto Outerlimits SV 43
and then