Powerboat Racing Joins Douro’s Tourism Pitch at Lisbon Travel Market
The president of the Federação Portuguesa de Motonáutica (FPM) joined municipal leaders from the Douro region at Portugal’s largest tourism trade fair on Thursday, promoting UIM F2 World Championship racing as part of the Douro Valley’s tourism offer. Paulo Ferreira appeared at the CIM Douro stand at BTL (Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market) 2026 alongside … Read more
Al Copeland: The Fried Chicken King Who Ruled Offshore Racing
The Popeyes founder spent millions transforming American offshore powerboat racing into a corporate spectacle, won six national championships, and died chasing one final speed record. The Morning After in California Al Copeland woke up in California in 1980 with the worst hangover of his life. The night before his first offshore race, he and navigator … Read more
Race World Offshore Returns to Michigan City as SSR Reaffirms Safety Partnership
Race World Offshore has confirmed its return to Michigan City, Indiana, for July 31 to August 2, 2026, marking year two of a planned five-year commitment to the venue. In a separate development, SSR Safety and Rescue Services has issued a statement reaffirming its partnership with RWO and revealing that the SFI Foundation has confirmed … Read more
F4 Season Opener at Mons Cancelled
The opening round of the 2026 UIM F4 World Championship at Mons, Belgium, has been cancelled due to ongoing construction work at the Grand Large race circuit. The event was scheduled for May 16-17 as the first of three World Championship rounds. The F4 Powerboat Series confirmed the cancellation, stating that local organisers MonsNauteam took … Read more
Peter Bonham Christie Takes Custodianship of Apache 555
Peter Bonham Christie has announced he has taken over as custodian of Apache 555, the Don Shead-designed offshore racing boat that won the 1972 London to Monte Carlo race and the 1979 World Class II Championship in Venice. The boat, one of the most decorated hulls in British offshore racing history, changes hands after 14 … Read more
Wellcraft Scarab 38KV Miami Vice Edition Review
With filming set to begin in June 2026 for the Miami Vice reboot, Miami’s waterways are about to get their close-up again. Joseph Kosinski’s production, starring Austin Butler and Michael B Jordan, returns to 1985 for what the director calls a “full on” period aesthetic. That means authentic hardware from the era that defined Miami … Read more
Falcon’s Story Heads to Screen, With Offshore Racing at Its Heart
Gustavo Falcon, younger brother of 1980s offshore racing champion and cocaine kingpin Willy Falcon, has broken his public silence. Offshore powerboat racing is a thread running through everything he is now saying. Gustavo started posting on Facebook in February 2025, initially, he says, as a private record for family and close friends. By the end … Read more
SWSC Launches British Masters Championship for 2026
Stewartby-based circuit powerboat club SWSC has launched its own three-element British Masters Championship, with four rounds confirmed between April and October. The move follows the CPA’s advice to scrap the national and sprint championship rounds that SWSC had committed to hosting following the drivers forum. The club says it has been experiencing a 50 per … Read more
Andrew Tate Takes First F1 Victory at Bradenton Opener
Andrew Tate won the inaugural round of the 2026 IHRA F1 Powerboat Series at the Bradenton Area River Regatta, completing a commanding weekend on the Manatee River that gave him his first F1 win in the series and also produced victories for Mason Rinker in Tri-Hull and Shelby Love in Formula Lights. The event marked … Read more
Bradenton Regatta 2026: Full IHRA Powerboat Entry List
Forty-two competitors are entered across three classes for tomorrow’s racing on the Manatee River, with Formula 1, Formula Lights, and Tri-Hulls all competing at the 11th Annual Bradenton Area River Regatta. The Formula 1 class draws 16 boats, Formula Lights 15, and Tri-Hulls 11, as the International Hot Rod Association runs its first ever sanctioned … Read more
Your Boat Flares Are Expiring? Here Is the Alternative
The U.S. Coast Guard is retiring pyrotechnic flares from its vessels in favour of electronic alternatives this year, setting an international precedent that could reshape maritime safety requirements worldwide. ACR Electronics, a leading manufacturer of maritime safety equipment, used the Miami International Boat Show last week to advocate for broader regulatory acceptance and push for … Read more
2026 UIM-ABP European Aquabike Championship
Aquabike Promotion has confirmed a three-round calendar for the 2026 UIM-ABP European Continental Aquabike Championship, with Grand Prix in Portugal, Hungary and France running from July through to September. 3 Grand Prix July 3 Season Opens Sept 6 Season Closes Portugal Opens the Season The championship begins at Barrinha da Praia in the town of … Read more
Bradenton Regatta 2026: IHRA F1 Powerboat Race Guide
The International Hot Rod Association brings its Formula 1 Powerboat Series to the Manatee River this weekend for the first sanctioned event in the organisation’s powerboat racing history. Here is everything you need to know about the 11th Annual Bradenton Area River Regatta. This weekend: The IHRA F1 Powerboat Series races on the Manatee River … Read more
Don Johnson’s 1988 World Championship Scarab at Auction
The 46-foot Wellcraft Scarab that carried Don Johnson to the 1988 APBA Superboat Class World Championship is heading to the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction in April, selling with No Reserve. The boat, known as the Gentry Turbo Eagle and racing under number 99, was originally commissioned by Hawaiian developer and offshore racing champion Tom Gentry … Read more
Malcolm Campbell’s Blue Bird K3 Confirmed for Coniston Festival
Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 1937 world water speed record hydroplane Blue Bird K3 will run on Coniston Water for the first time in May alongside Donald Campbell’s restored Bluebird K7. The Ruskin Museum confirmed K3’s attendance at Bluebird K7 – The Festival, creating the first occasion both Campbell craft will appear together on Coniston Water. Dave … Read more
Miami Boat Show Opened With Collins Avenue Return
The Miami International Boat Show opened its 85th edition on Thursday with a reimagined layout that returns luxury yacht displays to Collins Avenue for the first time since 2018, alongside world debuts in AI-driven marine technology and hybrid propulsion systems. Return to Collins Avenue Waterfront The show introduced the Miami Beach Yacht Collection along Indian … Read more
Testing Seakeeper’s Dual Stabilisation in Miami
Seakeeper has built its reputation on eliminating boat roll at anchor. The company’s gyroscopic stabilisers have become standard equipment on vessels from 23 feet to 100-plus feet, reducing port-to-starboard roll by up to 95 percent. But the Fort Myers-based manufacturer’s newer Seakeeper Ride system addresses a different challenge: underway stability. During a demonstration outside of … Read more
IHRA Publishes 2026 Offshore Rulebook
The International Hot Rod Association has published its 2026 General Rules for Offshore Racing, a 62-page document dated today that establishes the regulatory framework for its seven-round National Championship season beginning March 27 in St Petersburg, Florida. The rulebook covers everything from class definitions and points systems to safety staffing, protest procedures and member conduct. … Read more
Lithuanian Motorboat Academy Delivers First International Formula Future Training Camp in UAE
Matas Kvizikevičius, head of the Lithuanian motorboat academy, has successfully delivered the first international Formula Future training camp with a week-long programme at Fujairah International Marine Club in the United Arab Emirates. The inaugural camp brought together 13 young drivers and their families for intensive training combined with a taste of Emirati culture. In total, … Read more
Riabko Swaps His OptiMax for a Padel
Take two sports that shouldn’t meet, add 12 hours of non-stop action, throw in an East European powerboat racer with a sense of humour, and you’ve got Lithuania’s most unlikely tournament format of the winter. UIM F2 racer Edgaras Riabko is bringing his motorsport mindset to the padel court, participating in Lithuania’s first 12-hour endurance … Read more
IHRA Seeks Rescue Divers Seven Weeks Before Season Opener
IHRA has posted job listings for rescue divers with its first offshore event 49 days away, as talks with the sport’s established rescue provider collapse and competitors demand answers on safety. Powerboat News has followed the International Hot Rod Association’s expansion into offshore powerboat racing since its acquisition of Powerboat P1 USA in October 2025, … Read more
Falcon Tenders Unveils 11m with Tim Heywood Design
Falcon Tenders has unveiled an 11-metre custom superyacht tender created in collaboration with Tim Heywood Design, bringing together two names synonymous with quality in the superyacht world. The project marks a meeting of Falcon Tenders’ expertise in precision-built, high-performance tenders with Tim Heywood’s unmistakable design signature, known for shaping some of the most iconic yachts … Read more
UIM Adds Three Events to 2026 World Championship Calendar
The Powerboat News 2026 World Championship Calendar has been updated with the latest dates from UIM Calendar News, adding three new events and correcting venue details for aquabike and circuit racing championships. Latest UIM Calendar Updates The UIM published its first calendar update of 2026 in February, confirming three additional events across circuit and aquabike … Read more
Maverick Racing Retains Drivers, Deguisne Switches to 4-stroke
Maverick Racing has become the second F1H2O team to confirm its 2026 driver line-up, retaining both Cédric Deguisne and Alexandre Bourgeot alongside reserve driver Beranger Robart for the French operation. Driver Line-up Confirmed The French pairing competed in every Grand Prix of the 2025 season, with both drivers recording their best finishes at the closing … Read more
Four Years Organising the Cowes Torquay Cowes Taught Me Why Racers Demand Key West
Four years organising Cowes-Torquay-Cowes taught me why IHRA’s numerous Facebook responses all said the same thing: Key West. Some venues are sacred ground. When the IHRA asked its Facebook followers where they wanted the 2026 Offshore World Championship held, numerous responses flooded in. Most said the same thing: Key West. The organisation appears surprised. They … Read more
APBA Claims Official Status as Division Deepens
The American Power Boat Association used its annual meeting in New Orleans to assert its position as offshore racing’s sole authorised national voice, issuing a formal statement distinguishing itself from “other Pages using the APBA Offshore name or similar branding” during a week when sanctioning competition reached new intensity. Official Status Emphasised APBA published a … Read more
Mercury’s 808hp V12 Concept Signals Power Evolution
Mercury Marine used CES 2026 in Las Vegas to unveil an 808 horsepower outboard concept, signalling the next phase in its campaign to dominate the high-performance marine market. The concept, displayed last month, suggests the next evolution of the company’s V12 Verado platform that has reshaped the outboard landscape since its February 2021 launch. The … Read more
IHRA Appoints Teague and Stray to Lead Offshore Operations
The International Hot Rod Association has named Bob Teague as Chief Referee and Gary Stray as Technical Director for its offshore powerboat operations, adding veteran leadership to race control and technical oversight. The appointments, bring more than 90 years of combined offshore racing experience to IHRA’s expanding powerboat program. Veteran Leadership in Race Control Bob … Read more
Mercury Outboard Revenue Up 26% in Q4 Despite Trump Tariffs
Brunswick Corporation posted revenue growth of $160 million in 2025, the company’s first top-line increase in three years, whilst absorbing $75 million in net tariff costs and generating $442 million free cash flow. The recovery follows 2024’s $1.16 billion revenue collapse that triggered 2,000 layoffs at Mercury Marine and a 69 per cent earnings decline. … Read more
Has IHRA Lost Key West World Championship?
The International Hot Rod Association publicly asked competitors tonight where they want the 2026 Offshore World Championship held, suggesting negotiations with Race World Offshore over Key West are far from concluded. A post on the IHRA Offshore Powerboating Series Facebook page asked teams: “Sooo… Where do you guys want to hold IHRA Offshore World’s?” The … Read more
Pål Virik Nilsen Retires After 33-Year Racing Career
Pål Virik Nilsen has retired from powerboat racing after a career spanning more than 300 races across 33 years. The Norwegian driver told Powerboat Racing World that motivation and the absence of competitive opportunities shaped his decision. It has been a difficult decision. I could probably have performed at a high level for another five … Read more
