NBRA is Paying $10,000 Tow Money: APBA Offers $200 Memberships

[Ron Hill]

The Volvo Distributor (Western Engine) was paying our insurance bills and giving us money for trophies. The Mini Boats were racing with the "BIG BOYS".

Jimmy Johnson, Rick Hoffman, with the help of Ed Land had the 30 Yamaha' doing about 90 MPH.

Because the way I wrote the rules the 31 cubic inch, 40 Tohatsu was fastest in O-Nod.

Charlie Strang, OMC President, hated the Japanese and called them, "Japs". Charlie tried to make a deal with Ernie Dawe, then Stock Outboard VP a deal. He'd make a new "A" motor and anew "E" motor if Ernie would kick the Japs to OPC where he and Mercury controlled the rules. Ernie made a smart move and said, "Get me the motors and I will get these "Sit down Classes" moved to OPC.

Charlie built the "A" and the "45 SS". Trouble was the 45 SS was so fast, OMC broke the test driver's leg testing the motor. So, Ernie kicked C-Nod, O-Nod and U-Nod to OPC.

OPC being controlled by OMC and Mercury changed the rules for these classes.

The 45 had promise on a tunnel but would not beat the Yamaha. So, OMC hired Fred Miller to start a 45 Series. Paying pretty good money for various races. U-Nod became Mod C, and "Dropped" for lack of members. (All members has Yamaha motors)

The 45 was nightmare on a tunnel. Everyone that owned one blew them over. Breaking arms. legs, shoulders. The small prop and high speed wasn't safe like a big gearcase.

So, once OMC had the 45 class being dominate, they pulled their money out of the series.

A new series of classes could easily be started with the new four strokes.

Someone, like a RON HILL, NEEDS TO WRTE SOME RULES.

The Canadian Hydro League would be a perfect place to start a new "GRASS ROOT" group of classes.

Keep in mind anything FREE from big business, probably has a catch to it. In Canada's Hydro Plane League, RACING is their business. I could see real growth here!

John Rinker in an Evinrude power O-Nod Parker 5 Hour. #9 Chad Hill one of if not the last Mini Enduro with 45's in it. Chad finished Second to s Stock Formula 50 Tohatsu. Formula 50 was a great classes, killed by APBA. Capsuled tunnel with 50 Tohatsu... Trouble was the motor wasn't Merican.

[dandrews75]

Flashback, I attended my first boat race in 1981, I was 11 years old, Detroit Unlimited Hydroplane race, my dad took me. I’ve been involved ever since. In those early years we would go over to Belle Isle and watch R/C races on the saturday and watch the big boats on Sunday. APBA did nothing back then to promote the other classes in boat racing. I knew about offshore because earlier in the week they would race from the Detroit River out across Lake St Clair and back. GP’s raced with the unlimiteds and the other inboard classes like JSS, 5L, Inflatables, followed the program in the 1990’s. I didn’t know about stock and mod outboard racing and all the other classes until I picked up a Propeller magazine at the Detroit race in 1986. You would have thought with the Merc Challenge Series starting up that someone would have set up a display at the Detroit race show casing hydroplanes and utilities with the 25 and 44xs on the back and nearby races and other promotional materials, especially with the spectator attendance back then. Very few people have ever had a wholistic approach to boat racing. It wasn’t until 2015 when Steve David (David Hale was also involved) was interim manager for H1 that stock outboard racing was brought in as a promotional partner with the Unlimiteds. I have never understood why all the divisions of boat racing haven’t cross promoted? It’s the safety in numbers argument. Look at the Unlimited drivers that have race stock outboard. I messaged Dylan Runne pre-covid about creating a series using the 15 and 20 ci Sidewinder engines and using sponsorship dollars from the Unlimited division and using the Sidewinder engines and racing series as a promotional vehicle to get new people involved in racing and be able to fully fund the production of engines. I still waiting for a reply on that one and at this point that ship has sailed into the abyss. Now touching on Bob Abbott’s situation with getting J racing off the ground at Valleyfield. Again people not looking at the big picture, I’m pointing the finger at people involved with the Toronto Outboard Racing Club in Ontario since they are the main outboard game in Canada. People to busy worrying about APBA and their attachment to that wagon. Well, there is a “Golden Rule” who has the gold rules, end of story. Follow the money as they say, where does it lead? HRL that’s where. The attendance at Valleyfield is approximately 125000 people for the week, brings in about 5M in revenue to the area. What race in North America these days is going to bring that kind of exposure to your division/class of boat racing these days? Those same TORC people have short memories, they forgot that the SW 20 rules in BSH actually happened at the club level first at TORC and APBA adopted them for the next racing season. To be continued…………

[DeanFHobart]

All of the above….Right On…. Especially APBA needs to start promoting Boat Racing. APBA has never promoted Boat Racing and they need to do that. How about an APBA booth at all the Boat Shows around the country. That would seen very easy to pull off. Whadya think?

And they could have a booth at all the racing venues…cars, motorcycles, etc. Whatdya think?

[Ron Hill]

I was to say that from about 1967 till 1977, SCOA had a Boat Show with equipment for sale at the Unlimited Hydro races in San Diego. The race was in the last week of September, and for about ten years we recruited about ten new racers a year at San Diego.

Frank Pruess was our Race Chairman and a hard working SOB, and his wife Ernie worked just as hard. After the 1977 Bakersfield Nationals I drifted on to MOD VP racing, my two children took a ton of my time. Frank moved to Colorado. Ernie Dawe was teaching, like me and raising three kids.

But alass, in '82 or so, it was Ernie Dawe and Ron Hill that started the Mini Boat Revolution.....

OMC and Mercury were so dishonest with the Japanese Outboard companies. Both were glad to see Yamaha and Tohatsu disappear from racing.

I saw my first Unlimited Hydro, in Detroit, 1956. I was 12, on our way home from Cambridge, Maryland where we'd raced the Stock Nationals.

[Ron Hill]

Let's see: You have a boat show in SoCal. Races are 500 up north or 500 miles east...two or three races are within 300 miles. No Sidewinders to sell, no Yamato's to sell. Those that have Yamatoes don't want to sell them. You need a $1,200 cut suit but no one makes them. Let's see what can we sell at the "SHOW" T-Shirts? Oh, I've got a motor for sale! 1960 650 Merc on a speedmaster...no class for it but I have a motor.

[dandrews75]

Hmmmm? I have racer school at SoCal…………….i get the picture. When I got involved with this program my friend and mentor the late Larry Solski told me when he came onto the scene all the good B equipment was taken and all that was left over for him was used up junk. Along came the Yamato Y80, purchased one, promptly blew the doors off the popper and never looked back. Funny how we’ve come full circle.

[tlpyamato]

Along came the Yamato Y80, purchased one, promptly blew the doors off the popper and never looked back.

Same here. I bought a Y80 when they first came out and got rid of my popper. I still have my Y80 and "shovel nose" hydro, but now only show them at a local yearly antique boat show so the kids can see what early (70's) boat racing looked like. Sadly, the kids have no interest in getting into boat racing..........and I live in an area surrounded by lakes.

[Ketzer]

Well, having raced in the late 60s through late 70s and not since, I don't know much about all this, but, if you want kids interested, develop an E (electric) outboard that goes fast, as kids neither understand nor appreciate combustion engines and the smell of fossil fuel burning offends them, and alcohol offends them worse.

[Ron Hill]

Over the years, I've seen lots of people come and go. Many reasons people don't get into (OUTBOARD) boat racing now days.

1. People really don't want to get hurt.
2. Not one new motor available.
3. Racing format isn't very good, out dated.
4. Too much traveling for the average person.
5. Who helps people that are racing?
6. What do you get when you win?

Addressing each point:1-6

1. I look at O'Conner boat repair on Face Book. He does a beautiful job repairing boats that are busted up pretty well.
If the boat his busted and the driver was in the boat what happed to the driver? Grass Root Boat Drags from 40 HP to 500 HP has a lots of participants. Why? You don't get run over in the corners, there are no corners. You boat doesn't require duct tape after a heat. Your expansive paint job is good for the season or more.

No small outboard Boat Builder talks about Safety! But I do. A capsule in a "C" Hydro is cheaper to make than a cut suit.

2. 1976, Tom Ige brought us the Yamato 80. Great motor, some as still running today 3/31/2023 or 47 years later. Oh APBA has the 300 Class. A you run against guys that have raced for 40 years and you get to race two five lap heats a day.....Sit on the beach and watch 5 other Yamatoes race, with four oats in each class? That sure sounds like fun.

There isn't a current class with a current motor. Talk for a 4 stroke 20 for almost two years, 4 Strokes have been out and LAW since 2006....or 2008. Or around 15 years.

3. Clock starts and two 3-5 lap heats. How about One 12 lap heat, with shore start with a Yellow caution coming out at lap six, let them line up, a flag start them on SINGLE BOUY turns. Single bouy turns are required in Tri Hulls. Single pin turns are safer the three pin turns. Run three heats instead of buying a second boat. Race more laps so you get your money's worth.

How aout a Team race, where you count points by teams?

4. Change boat designs so you don't have to find a "PISS PUDDLE" to race in. Most current Outboards cancel races when there is a 2" chop on the water.

5. No one helps new people. New people are supposed to buy everyone's junk, so the old timers have someone to beat.

6. Charge higher entry fees, but give away NICE TROPHIES or watches or silver plates...My daughter was 4 when on Monday she asked me what we won at the races. I showed here four certificates. She never got interested in racing.

1941 Rus Hill rides again C Racing Runabout.....82 years ago, oat look the same, kneel down, hand throttle...

It ain't the kids faults they don't want to drive a Model T.

[tlpyamato]

Same here. I bought a Y80 when they first came out and got rid of my popper. I still have my Y80 and "shovel nose" hydro, but now only show them at a local yearly antique boat show so the kids can see what early (70's) boat racing looked like. Sadly, the kids have no interest in getting into boat racing..........and I live in an area surrounded by lakes.

I forgot to post a picture of my "old" (shovel nose / pumpkin seed) race boat now delegated to an antique boat show.