I say again, ya gotta love this race.  I hope to see you, yea YOU out there racing next year.  You will not be disappointed, it is a great time.  By the way, you have 11 months to train for the next LB2CAT, get moving!  Enjoy and be safe. Mark is the founder and writer for PWCOFFSHORE.com     

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My First LB2Cat Race. By Robert Carreon (Amateur Class II National Champion)

After a let down three months before the 2007 Mark Hahn race, I vowed to do the LB2Cat race. It was mid April when I decided for sure that I was going to commit to this race. I knew once I committed, I would need to bust my butt training, and riding.  I started riding weekly with Tom Clark, and Andy Horning. We made a trip to the Island, as well as ripped up and down Long Beach, to Huntington Pier, or Long Beach to Redondo.  When we rode, we all pushed each other, as none of us wanted to be behind the other.  We did this weekly with only missing a few weekends 3 months leading up to the race. 

In addition to riding, I was hitting the gym 3 times a week, just doing cardio (running & Versa Climber), and weight training. I did some general weight training, hitting the different muscle groups.  My focus was on my hand strength, as that’s what tends go get tired while I am riding. Reverse grip curls, and dead lifts then shoulder shrugs helped my grip a lot.  I also wanted to be able to ride for 80 minutes, as that is what my pre-set goal was.  With that in mind, I knew cardio would be very important. I knew if my legs got tired, I can always sit down, but if my arms, and hands got tired, I’d be hosed!  I continued to train, and push my body, while getting in much better shape, physically, and mentally.  I knew mentally I would also need to prepare myself, so I stared to tell myself to stay focused, and when all the big guns disappear in front of me, not to stress out, just to stay focused, and stay on track. 

That brings me to another important aspect of the race, staying on track. I had my GPS guru helping me for a few weeks leading up to the race (Thanks Young). He would give me a lot of tips, and things to practice. I would take his advice, and practice my navigation skills, weather it was around my neighborhood on my mountain bike, or while driving in the car, and of course, when I was on the water.

The race was closing in real fast; I only had about 3 weeks left, when I FINALLY got the opportunity to ride with “The Catalina Crew.”  I had heard of these guys a year ago, but never saw them on the water as I normally ride on Saturdays! I hooked up with Mark, Pat, Johnny, and the rest of the crew.  Super cool guys, they could leave me WAY in the back but allowed me to stay with them. Riding with them pushed me more than I thought and also reminded me of the importance of staying on track when riding; riding fast, but not reckless to endanger myself, or others.  Just trying to stay up with them pushed me to ride harder, and tested my riding skills, and stamina!  I ended up going riding with them one more time, and again, pushed myself during the CHOPPY conditions.  The week leading up to the race, I started to ease back on my training, as I didn’t want to injure myself, but I kept running, and doing the versa climber, and light weight training.  The week of the race, I went thru my list of equipment needed, and picked up anything I didn’t have. I also went over my ski, checked everything, tightened stuff, and made sure everything was in order.

Mentally and physically I felt I was ready.  The day before the race, I set everything out, and in a BIG plastic box so come race day, I could wake up and go.  I changed batteries on the GPS, I double and tripled checked my GPS and I had my brother verify I had the correct Coordinates.

RACE DAY: Knowing it would be a long day, I slept early the day before, and woke up quite early, but I had everything in the truck already, and just needed to grab my Monster, and burrito the wife made me!  We arrived at the launch ramp, where a few fellow So. Cal Watercraft members were there Young, and Pirate33.  They helped tow John Smith, Brittney, and myself out to the starting line. My fellow Club members came through for us. Thanks guys!

So, now, it was race time.  Well, the start was kind of Surreal for me, as I clearly remember everything!  I see the green flag rise, and GUN IT! Yep, the race was on.  I had already laid out my game plan, and what line I had wanted to take.  I hit my line, and kept on it. I looked at my GPS while I was still in the break wall, and noticed it was on the wrong screen! Big no no to say the least.  While riding WOT, I attempted to change the screen, but with gloves, water in my face, and constant bouncing, I realized I wasn’t going to be able to do it until later. Later ended up turning into never! I left the screen as is, and followed the helicopter! I was maybe half way to Catalina, when the chopper started getting smaller, and smaller, and no longer visible.  Now I had two guys within 100 yards of me, so I just continued WOT behind them.  I kept thinking to myself, “man, your in last place”, but I couldn’t go any faster, I was WOT already. I finally saw the race leader on his way back, then another, then another, then a large group. I wondered where the rest of the racers were, then, I see the turn boat. I realized, hey, I wasn’t in last place. I hit the turn boat and started back to LBC.  I then noticed a large group, and one which had a familiar # on the hull, 301. Andy Horning, a fellow racer in my class. He was on my tail! I realized that, and kept on WOT, thinking he could beat me if I got tired. The two guys in front of me kept on as well, and we were moving at a good speed. 3.5 miles from the turn boat, I got an un-easy feeling. I felt as if I was off course. I looked back, and saw #301 south of me, maybe a mile or so. Then I see the white condos over my right shoulder, maybe a half mile south of me. I then knew I was off course! I started to veer back on course, eyeing #301 the entire time. He made up more time on me, as I ventured about 2 miles off course. I then had to rely on my GPS which was on the wrong screen; all I could see is a straight line on the screen, and a small arrow. For now, that had to be good enough, as I kept the arrow as close to the line as possible, at times wondering if I should stop and fix, but realized that it was too close of a race to stop. With about 9 miles from the finish line, my fuel buzzer went off; I ignored it, and didn’t let off the throttle. I had already known from previous rides I could make it there and back without running out of gas, so I kept on WOT. And #301 kept on too, he never faded, I was not able to pull away. I started seeing more boats as I approached LBC, and FINALLY saw the spruce goose dome my good buddy told me to keep an eye out for. Once I saw the dome directly in front of me, the GPS never was looked at again. I approached angels gate and told myself 2 minutes dude, don’t let up! As I approached the finish line, I felt relief, and excitement that I had finished the race.  At that time, I had no clue what place I had finished, I knew quite a bit of people finished in front of me, but unsure if anyone in my class was part of that group. At the award ceremony I then found out that indeed, I was the first guy in my class to cross the line, and my buddy Andy who was on my tail placed second. In all, it was an exciting race, with exceptionally flat conditions.

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Confessions Of A Self-Proclaimed Jet-Ski "Geek"by Kim Bushong

I’m not a Geek; at least I used to not be a Geek.  Hey, up until about 1997 I used to even be kind of cool.  In 1997 I bought my first Jet Ski, a new 1996 Tigershark three-seater.  I know what you’re thinking, this guy calls a runabout a Jet Ski and he bought a Tigershark, he is a Geek!  Oh but do not judge yet, I have much more incriminating evidence. 

I rode the snot out of that willfully disobedient beast, that flat bottomed piece of work beat the heck out of me and itself.  While skipping sideways across wave-tops in the open ocean, I used to marvel at the abilities of other riders to master the waves.  Years later, I found out those same riders wondered how that geek on the Tigershark could even stay on that thing while skipping sideways across the swells.

My next Ski (get used to it, that’s what I call them) was a 1997 Sea Doo SPX, one of the greatest hulls ever.  That Ski started my downhill slide to Geek-dom.  I went from liking the sport, to being in love with the sport, from there, I became obsessed.

I’ve tried to explain to my wife that men are pre-disposed to taking a hobby to excess such as Golf, or watching football, or drinking beer.  I tried to reason with my Jet-ski widow that I don’t smoke, drink, do drugs, watch football to excess or even golf.  But the fact is I am an addict.  I’m addicted to the beauty and serenity of the open ocean, the endless horizon, the Southern California coastline, the sheer freedom.  You can’t beat a crystal clear, eighty degree New Year’s Day.  I also find that riding hard at full throttle, unencumbered by traffic, red lights, or any of the fifteen million people that live and work within ten miles of my spot on the ocean is stress relieving.  The faster I go, the harder and more violent I bounce, the more sore I get, the more satisfaction I feel.  If walking up the dock after a hard ride does not cause my legs to crumble from under me then I’ve not had a good ride.  I tend to go through Jet Skis like a pair of my running shoes.  I’m on my fifth and sixth in as many years. This brings us to why I’m a Geek.

Meet me and you might think that I’m a normal person.  Get to know me you’ll think “GEEK”.  Nobody knows this better than those in the watercraft industry.  I pity the service manager who has in his custody one of my machines.  The first week that my Ski is in the shop I’m almost a normal customer, I might call a time or two.

Week two: I’m calling offering theories on what is the matter with my boat.

Week two and a half: After hours of phone calls and research I’m sure what’s wrong and I call again and again.

Week three: Begging

Week four: Pleading

Week five: Crying. Yes, I’m a sissy Geek.

Week six: begging, pleading, and crying.

A grown man reduced to a needy quivering mass over his lost toy…GEEK…or am I?

A service manager once insulted me tremendously by comparing me with the infamous Marque De Sade.  But knowing the story of the Marque, I realized that this service manager got it, he understood me, and this was actually a great compliment. The Marque De Sade lived in France several hundred years ago.  He wrote about and practiced all types of sick twisted sexual escapades.  Thrown in prison, forbidden to write, he was denied a quill and paper.  This man was so passionate about writing that he wrote over every square inch of his cell in his own blood.  This service manager got how important this sport is, like the air I breathe, to me.  He still didn’t  repair my Ski any faster, but he was a little slower to cuss me out.

In the past I’ve fallen hard for various sports and hobbies.  I’m a former world police and fire games triathlon champion as well as Ironman triathlon top ten finisher.  I’ve mountain and road bike raced, swam competitively and competed in running races.  I’ve burned out on every one of these, some more rapidly then others but all within a few years….except Jet Skiing, I can’t get enough.  What is it about this sport that makes me more passionate than the other sports that I did so well in?

I’ve thought hard about this and need to articulate it, not only to myself but to my family and friends and everyone else who thinks I’m completely insane.  I love Jet skiing for the beauty and escape it provides, which I previously mentioned, but there’s more to it.  This sport for me is like a woman playing hard to get.  I get a taste, then it’s snatched away, increasing my desire to ride.  I never get enough, between breakdowns, my wife and one year old daughter, (who rides but flops around a lot) family obligations, work, or just having no one to ride with.  I ride alone a lot, if I told those stories you would think I’m stupid as well as an insane geek.  Anyway I’m just coming off one of those dark times in my life. No, I’m not talking about divorce, death or even illness, I’m talking about my personal dark time.  You know, one ski is in the shop, for the fourth time for pretty much the same thing, and they are keeping it extra long, just to kill me while my other ski sits on the trailer useless because the bottom fell off of it. During this long six week period right in the middle of summer I have to think, dream and fantasize about my lost love.  Finally, on the verge of insanity, we’re finally reunited, I think I made the whole shop staff ill, but who cares, it was our special time.  My love for this sport grew ever stronger, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. That particular shop staff did not get it, they just thought “Why’s that Geek hugging and kissing his Jet Ski?”

I thought to myself, how can I shed this crushing burden, when in public people are beginning to notice, and they’re not even Jet Skiers.  Is there some aura or neon light shining over my head broadcasting, “here is a no life, one dimensional, selfish, Jet Ski loving Geek.”  I decided I needed an image makeover, who are the coolest dudes in the whole sport?  Racers,  yeah that’s right, I’ll try to race.  So thinking swiftly, I entered the first motorized sporting event of my life.  Staying true to the super intelligent decision making process that has brought me so far in this sport, I entered the Long Beach to Catalina and back grand prix.  Great beginner race, the parking lot was intimidating enough filled with boats that looked like they could suck me down a carb and spit me out the pipe without a knock.  Not being a large man, I stayed well clear of those boats as I made my way over to the pre-race riders meeting.  Trying to put on a brave face, I stood  tall and listened to the instructions.  Damn, my eyes wondered and I saw three time defending champion Billy Womack.  Crap, what was that they just said about the turnaround?  Motzouris, what is he doing here?  What? What about a series of buoys before the finish?  Macclugage?  That can’t be him, but it looks like that guy in the magazine, Uh oh, I guess I don’t need that trip to the bathroom anymore.  Wetting myself I can live with, the laughing and pointing by my fellow competitors, with the exception of the focused three I just mentioned, I can live with.  Taking a golden opportunity and squandering it is a tough pill to swallow.  All kidding aside, I really had no pressure on me, I rode a stock Kawasaki STX DI and did not have to worry about anyone except for the first two seconds it took for the back of their Skis to disappear into the distance.  I had hoped for rough conditions so that my power disadvantage would be minimized and rough they were.  What I had not planned on was the quality of the field.  It did not really matter what I was riding, or from what planet it came from, I was going to get my butt seriously kicked.  One advantage I did have was not having to fuel, though some fueled pretty fast with their high tech, nuclear powered fueling system, or what ever high tech name they call it.  To my shock I crossed the finish in fourth overall.  Notice I said I crossed the line and not finished in fourth. Yes, Geek boy did it again, thirty miles of open ocean each way with just a turn around boat, and I managed to hit that boat earning a three minute penalty and dropping me to seventh overall.  In my over-enthusiastic zeal at the turn around one guy pointed left, one pointed right, I took the middle, BOOM - GEEK.  IJSBA stock class off-shore national champion, Geek…

On one of my first rides ever I was on the launch ramp, massively pumped and excited about my impending ride.  My wife noticing my rather extreme state of arousal said loudly,  “calm down you’re shaking!”  Every person on that launch ramp heard and knew I was a Geek.  The launch ramp, where people make fools of themselves all day, I felt like the biggest fool of them all. 

Now days on the launch ramp I still shake, and if that’s being a Geek, I don’t want to ever change!  Kim Bushong is a six time National Chamption, and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet (Picture of Kim below). 

Safety when Loading and Unloading PWC, By John Belton 7/27/2007
Contrary to popular belief good seamanship does not begin once you are out on the water riding your pwc. Actually, it begins on the loading ramp the moment your craft touches the water. We have all seen articles how to properly load and unload pwc, but I haven't seen many (or any) articles on what to watch for once your pwc is in the water and you are standing right next to it or sitting on it. This article attempts to address these points. . . There are some old sayings on the sea that also apply to pwc; "if you think it is time to do something, it already was" and "always keep on eye on where the weather and waves are coming from". When you are on the loading ramp, it is important to notice other pwc around you and what kind of wakes and waves are headed your way. Are other pwc around you secure? Are other pwc approaching the ramp at an unsafe speed? Are you standing between two pwc's while waiting at the ramp? When wakes and waves come across pwc that are not securely held or idly floating at the ramp, they become movable objects that can injure people. Some of the pwc today are approaching 1,000 lbs . . . some have exceeded that number already. You don't want to have one of these crafts bump into; it can hurt. And as for the owners of pwc, it is your responsibility to make sure your craft is secure and not a floating hazard in the general ramp area. If you are holding a pwc at the ramp, or two of them, or even three, your ability to get out of the way of danger is compromised by the fact that you are holding pwc's (you are probably waiting for the trailer to take them out of the water or the trailer has just put them in and you are waiting for the other skippers). Always keep an eye on approaching waves and wakes that can cause pwc's to abruptly move into you. Think of the surfers in the ocean; what are they watching? what are they looking for? If you answered "the waves" that is correct! In closing, it is a good idea not to hang around the loading ramp area any longer than you have to.

This website is informational only. This site is intended for the review by adults only.  No representation is made or warranty given as to its content. User assumes all risk of use. PWCOffshore.com, its owners and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Warning - although PWC riding is great fun, riding personal watercraft (PWC) in the ocean is not for the beginner and is for adults only.  Offshore PWC riding can be extremely dangerous resulting in serious injury or death.  The information on this site is for adults and strictly the opinion of the writers on this site.  We are only PWC enthusiasts - please do your own research and make your own judgments regarding what products you purchase and how & where you ride your watercraft (PWC).  We are not certified mechanics nor are we certified mariners or certified maritime navigators.  Do not take anything you read on this site as guidance from a "professional."  By reading this site, you agree to take whatever information or input you receive on this site at your own risk.  If you are inexperienced or a beginner we recommend against riding in the open ocean.  We encourage you to take a boating safety course and consult with the Coast Guard regarding PWC, boating, rider safety and maritime navigation before you consider riding PWC offshore, in the ocean.  For more boating safety information, go to the Coast Guard's website at http://www.uscg.mil/  or call the US Coast Guard at (310) 732-2042 for more information.  Have fun and be safe and never ride in the ocean unless you know what you are doing.