NASCAR on Water

Forget the America's Cup debacle. Forget ISAF deciding to choose the most boring boats for the Olympics. Somebody out there is trying to make sailing more exciting to the spectators. How does this sound?

The racers will compete on short, closed course race tracks. Sailing an almost absurd reaching angle with one tack and one gybe per lap, oval track racing. We need the camera shots and some close boat to boat competition on camera, some drama. Epic racing if you would, and we need to film it up close.

And they sail in teams of 3-4 competitors, on extended distance courses, pit stops, driver changes, drama, an engaged audience of fans, cheering.

The boats in this story, race in fleets of 8 - 10, on about 1.something minutes/lap course, a continuous track, you gybe at one end, and tack at the other.

And visually, we need some color.

The course is defined by break away colored sail shaped flags, with graphics.

The sails will be colored, and have graphics, even sponsor graphics.

Of course, sponsorship money changes everything.

The boats will be really trick, pimped out. Sweet custom paint jobs.

There's going to be some on-the-water set dressing, race announcers, music, cheerleaders?

The boats are all set up with GPS and on board cameras on a stern mount.

Radio communication is encouraged.

The drama is on the course, the racing is real, there will be winners, and losers, and in the pits as the 3 guys there work on getting the boat totally dialed in, making small adjustments to rig tune, over a 100 lap (about 90 minute) race.

We'll have one camera crew working on the on-course shooting, covering full lap continuous coverage when the boats are close. Another covering the in-the-pits action, 3 smart capable guys trying to figure out what to do to this boat to get another 1/4 knot out of it. Making pit stop changes, and measuring the improvement, or decrease in performance.

That's how the story is shaping up. OK it's part NASCAR on Water, part World Of Outlaws Dirt Track Racing, a little part reality TV.

We're making a party of it. Inviting all our friends, we need a cast of hundreds.

Too good to be true? Well, yes it is. I'm messing with you. The above quote (slightly modified by me to mislead you) is actually describing some ideas floating around about how to make iceboat racing more attractive.

But hey, couldn't something along these lines work for Moth or small cat racing too?

Thanks to Fred for the heads-up on this one.