2023 Offshore Superboat Championship dates locked in

This year’s series will comprise four rounds as the boats hit the water at Corio Bay, Geelong for round two on March 18–19, Hervey Bay, Queensland on June 24–25, and NSW’s Lake Macquarie on October 14–15.

Four boat classes will go head-to-head across three races in each round.

Heading up the series drawcard will be the Class One V8 Superboats that are capable of crossing the water at speeds of almost 120 knots.

Powering these 40-foot boats are twin carburettor-fed 8.3-litre big block V8s delivering 830hp a side. These boats use surface drives to propel them, with the semi-submerged propellers creating the characteristic large rooster tail behind the boats.

A number of the boats competing in this class use engines built by Coomera, Queensland-based luxury motor yacht maker and 2022 Class One championship winner Maritimo, which competes regularly in both Australian and international powerboat championships.

The technology Maritimo develops from its racing program is in turn adapted for its luxury motor yacht line.

Also competing is the outboard engine-powered 30-foot Supercat class, which runs twin 300hp outboard engines capable of pushing the boats to speeds of around 100 knots. 

Many of the boats in this class run two-stroke outboard engines, although one competitor has indicated that the boat will try four-stroke engines for the first time.

The bigger fleets are formed by the Sports Classics 65 and Sports Classics 85 classes.

These boats are limited by their top speed – 65mph (56 knots) and 85mph (74 knots) – and are based on production boats that anyone can go out and buy, including Cootacraft from Mallacoota, Edencraft based in Geelong, and Razorcraft in Somerton.

These classes of boats run a regularity-style event where keeping a consistent top speed is important – as soon as a boat exceeds its class speed limit the team is heavily penalised.

For more information on the 2023 Offshore Superboat Championship click here.