Old race boats are usually retired to storage sheds or stripped of their engines and drives and left as bare hulls and
decks in the corner of boat yards. Today's fans are left with little more than grainy black and white photos or video clips of races held twenty plus years ago.
Until recently, the only things missing were an organization that would recognize their value and venues to display them. We now have both.
The HISTORIC OFFSHORE RACE BOAT ASSOCIATION or HORBA
was formed by Charlie McCarthy, a former offshore racer, owner of banana boat co and now Managing Director of HORBA.
At the very beginning, Charlie turned to his friends and asked them for their help with this idea. The following people, all of whom have been involved in the sport of offshore racing for many years,
agreed to serve on the HORBA Advisory Board:
- Eldest son of Don Aronow, boat builder
Allan Brown - Racer, boat builder
John Crouse - Author of SEARACE, Journalist
Barry Cohen - Racer, boat builder
Bob Saccenti - Racer, boat builder
Richie Powers - Racer, boat builder
Pepe Nunez - Racer, boat builder
Mark McManus - Racer, boat builder
Bill Frenz - Racer, poker run promoter
Steve Berk - Racer
Ed Cozzi - Racer, marine surveyor
Stan Fitts - former APBA Offshore Vice President
What qualifies a boat for "historical" status?
Any boat (deep V's, cats, tri-hulls, outboards, inboards, sterndrives, surface drives) that has ever
raced in the "Offshore Class" of any sanctioning body, at least 15 years ago or longer, qualifies. If the boat has a real race history, it is in!
What venues are we talking about?
The National Powerboat Association, one of the top Poker Run organizations in the country, has extended HORBA an invitation to come and participate. The New York City Poker Run will allow any
historic boat that is a member of HORBA to participate in a special new class that has been created just for these boats.
HORBA
now has our own 2 race per year real open ocean racng series. For more information, locations and classes,
