Dunker Test Training Opportunities In South Florida This Month

Well-known throughout the offshore powerboat racing world, Dark Side Offshore Racing Rescue is offering dunker training April 23-25, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at NOVA Southwest University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.. Dark Side founder David Harshfield and members of his rescue team will lead the training sessions, which are essential—and mandatory—for all racers who run canopied raceboats.

Dunker training is essential and mandatory for offshore racers in canopied catamarans and V-bottoms. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

In advance of the upcoming six-race APBA Offshore Championship races being produced of the Offshore Powerboat Association and Powerboat P1, Azam Rangoonwala, the chief executive officer of Powerboat P1, recently took the dunker training course.

“The dunker is an important aspect of offshore powerboat racing, and given the new APBA Offshore Championship—as well the canopied boats we now have in the P1 SuperStock series—I wanted to get a closer look,” said Rangoonwala, who also competes on the P1 Aqua-X personal watercraft series. “I put my full trust in Dark Side Rescue to keep our racers safe, but I wanted to fully understand the process and experience it myself.

“From my perspective it is the best possible way of simulating being upside down in a canopy boat and understanding the process—and best method—of getting yourself out in any situation,” he continued. “I also had a chance to watch some simulations that Dark Side put into place for training purposes. I was very impressed.”

Offshore racers interested in the dunker training course must be current members of the American Power Boat Association. Cost is $150 and includes the APBA Swim Challenge. (For racers who only want or need to participate in the Swim Challenge, the cost is $30.)

Said Harshfield, “The actual training is more realistic than anything previously offered.”

‘It’s a great learning experience,” Harshfield said. “Everyone who has been in this machine has been very satisfied with the training. We control the flooding and give in-depth preparation to each individual and teams alike.

“There are a couple of videos on Instagram,” he continued. “The videos show us working with different rescue scenarios including entanglement and resistance from occupants. The actual training is more realistic than anything previously offered.”

For additional information, visit the Dark Side website or contact David Harshfield, (954) 605-9599.

Dunker Test Training Opportunities In South Florida This Month

Address

Quick Links