HERING TO BECOME EXCLUSIVE PROPELLER SUPPLIER FOR CLASS 1

Class 1 Promotion (C1P), a H2O Racing company, the UIM promoter of the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, has announced that the teams have entered into an agreement with Hering Performance Propellers for the Marysville, Wash., based company to become the racing organisation’s exclusive supplier of propellers beginning with the 2014 season.

In response to requests made by its current teams to offer a less expensive propeller solution than the current forged props, Class 1 management teamed-up with Hering - a leading high-performance propeller manufacturer for more than 40 years - and is requiring all teams to purchase only Hering 5-blade cast-version propellers. “We feel our agreement with Hering Propellers will give a more affordable option to have multiple sets of propellers for different race conditions, and also keep the playing field level,” said Gianfranco Venturelli, technical director of H2O Racing and Class 1.

Current race teams are optimistic about the three-year deal, which extends through the 2016 season, because it will allow them to carry and register a maximum three sets and adjust to various course conditions. With the forged versions, many of the teams could not afford more than one or two sets. “We’re very excited about the opportunity to work closely with Class 1 and provide the teams with the best propellers in the business,” said Jim Hering, president of Hering Performance Propellers. “Teams will be able to request different specs from pitch to diameter to rake to get the best set up for their boat - and there will be a standard (minimum) thickness that will be applied to each of these specs. We’ll be offering a discount on the current racer price and we’ll also be backing the propellers with 12 hours racing warranty. In addition, each team will be supplied with one set of Hering propeller covers for pit safety at no charge.”

Hering said by going from the previous forged versions to the cast versions, there will be a slight increase in propeller blade thicknesses, which will be maintained for every set sent to the Class 1 teams. Each prop will be measured, weighed and documented at Hering’s facility prior to shipment. The UIM technical commissioners will log the race time for each propeller and all of the propellers will have a designated Class 1 serial number.