Safety First

Power boat competition is potentially dangerous, and the APBA has mandated a level of safety gear to be used with all race boats.

Some of this equipment is fairly rudimentary and most forms of motorsport require. A helmet being the most universally used item in any motor sport. Another item that one expects in a boat if a life jacket. Racing life jackets are especially designed for the job. Those used in reinforced cockpits having places to grab the driver and pull him from the boat in an accident

One item that may not seem to carry over into other motorsports is the reinforced cockpit. Not true, this is a very simmilar idea to that used in purpose built race cars and designed to protect the driver. Made from hi tech materials, those used in boats have flotation built in and are built to the highest standards.

The 2 pickleforks and the nose of the boat are designed to deform or collapse if they come into contact with another boat, making a blunt surface that is unlikely to puncture the cockpit of another boat.

This only touches on the safety equipment used, and every part of the boat and its construction is designed first to be safe, and secondly to make the boat go fast.