A Sport To Save: 2011-14

[Ron Hill]

I heard that APBA had a board meeting in Detroit a week or so ago.....of course I've heard nothing about it, but I have contacted two board members with questions but got no real answers. APBA is dow 2,000 members in the last ten years. Interesting isn't it??

On Hydroracer.net someone asked what have YOU do to promote boat racing? I wrote the following: Interesting question.

1. I have complained about **** near everything in APBA.
2. I have written articles for the Propeller for 4-5 years.
3. I run and own a web site dedicated to Boat Racing History.
4. This season I bought and sold 20 Yamato motors.
5. I make affordable propellers.
6. I along with Ted Kolby, Ross Wallach, Rod Zapf (Bill Boyes, too!) Promoted the Blue Water Casino and Resort 300 Endruo. Five years now, six races. Averages 60 new APBA one day members yearly.
7. Working with Rod Zapf, we have established COR Racing. We currently have 13 COR 2.0 boats racing in Region 12. I sponsor the #9 Baker Stoker with Pat Bowman driving. I sponsor Mickey Schwarzebach owner of Apple Valley Marine, with my #28 Stoker and 2.0 Mercury. Last week I bought a Mirage for this class ad also own a Laser and LTV for this class. Steve Rains and sons ran my Stoker at Parker. They had a co-driver who had never raced before... New people get started by old people helping...
8. We have four COR 100 boats. I sponsor Amber Marine's boat with props and entry fees!

9. I got Rich Job to loan his Dawe A Hydro to Amanda Rich and loaned Amanda an Evinrude for quite awhile.
10. I ordered and sold two Dawe A Hydros, to new drivers Mike Wright ad KT Schwab.
11. Sold Chris Chamberlain my black 45 Revolution, now number 55.
12. Sold John Lane a turnkey 45 for his brother in law.
13. Helped build one patrol boat with a boom.
14. Helped form SBRA but getting them the water at Puddingstone for the last two years. We had not raced at Puddingstone in 20 years....or close to it. Got a pontoon boat for $1,500 that would have sold for $5,000. I along with SCOA under wrote the first races expenses.
15. Bought and sold five OMC 15A's. Sold several on payments to get boats on the water.
16. Co sponsoring the 2011 Min Boat Three Hour Enduro with Ben Marrone and SCOA.
17. Given two mini boats to get them running the Mini Boat Enduro to Dave Whittington who has made molds from the.
18. Sold 3 60-J Mercs for Kenny Knudson so his two daughters would have money for an A-J motor, their first race will be Parker, this weekend, 2010. Loaned them cut suits.
19. Sold Tito Smith a Hill Runabout so he can build a 36 Runabout. Tito s Chief of the Havasu Landing Indians who sponsor our February race every year.
20 Ordered a new Sport C from Ernie Dawe, just to have a boat in Region 12 for Sale
21. Sold tow of my 302 Yamatoes to Region 7 for race promotions, at a CHEAP PRICE.
22. Sold Region 11 a Yamato for their Nor Cal 400 class for $600.
23. Still complain about APBA.

When I remember a few other things I've done to promote boat racing I'll post them!

[Ron Hill]

Hey Ron!

Here is what we did... it worked well for the 5 years I ran the MOW race series. Then life got too busy for me and I had to drop the series or pass it on. No takers for the series so it vanished.

- Our series averaged 10 races (5 events, sat and sun).
- Base points are the same as APBA... 400 first, 300 second... etc.
- Each boat received 10 bonus points for every boat in the class. 11 boats registered in class, each driver got 110 bonus points, even if they jumped the gun or didn’t finish or even make the start. I’ve always felt if you went to a race you should leave with some points regardless of outcome, just for being there. Also someone who wins a class with 10 boats should get more points than someone who wins a class with 4 boats.
- Series points counted your best 8 of 10 days of racing. So you could miss a race if needed and not be harmed too much.
- If a driver was at every day of racing, they received 400 bonus points.
- This series and points system also let classes compete against one another through points to determine the overall champion... they received $500 in cash and prizes (Bulova watch engraved).
- The bonus points evened out things nicely... someone who dominated a 4 boat class was very close in points to someone who dominated a 10 boat class... the person in a big class usually won less because of poor start, or other tough competitors or jumped once in a while because more pressure to nail the start.

This formula worked great for us. Every year the winner was not determined until the last day of racing. For the last weekend, there was usually about 5-6 people who could win it. It proved to entice people to attend more races and having the points posted at every race kept people excited about it.

That’s what we did!

Andrew

[Ron Hill]

We used to say there were workers and racers....and we had lots of both. 2011, seems we are short on both.


NBRA saying is this, "The race last three lap, friendships last forever."

The late James Findley Hauenstein, we all called him Jimmy or The Arcadian Star was killed May 1, 1997. It seems like yesterday, as Jim and I had been friend for 53 years.

Over the years Jim drove Champ boats, Formula One PROP Tour and Unlimited hydros, but he always talked about C Service Runabout, which he was a past APBA National Champion as being a gentleman's class.

A C Service Runabout used to run about 53 MPH in 1960 and today they run about 53 MPH. In the '60's I scoffed at Jim's claim that it was gentleman's class, as I never raced the class. I raced "REAL" race boats. Faster more dangerous, cool looking things, tunnel boats with twin motors.

But looking back, every C Service boat was clean, nice trailers, clean uniforms, and GENTLEMEN drivers.

John Kennedy said it, and I never liked Kennedy, but he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." Or something like that....

Start thinking what you can do for boat racing.

Crowds were down at the 2011 Spring Classic at Parker, but there were bright spots. 10-12 Comp Jets. 7-9 GN's, 6 A Hydros. Nostalgia was big....COR had 5....and a bunch of 45's.

I don't want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the cure....Thanks to Blue Water Resort and Casino for the support.


Ross, the COR guys I've talked to want to run LONG BEACH this August. Are we on the schedule???

[David Mason]

Ron,

I think we both know there is a lot a bunch of us do for the sport that goes un-mentioned.

But this is a good thread. It kind of brings to light the scrambling that goes on to simply keep what is there now. I couldn't begin to mention all the things I have seen in the recent past that people do to help out.

What does make it hard to continue doing so is the complete hard to read and go on rulebooks, duplicate classes, long days, etc. We all know the core issues facing the ABPA today. And a multitude of us have expressed ourselves. Well, not nuch more a man can do other than walk away.

[Ron Hill]

APBA is in serious trouble.
Needs to communicate better.
They don't offer much value for the buck.
They have venue problems.
Environmental issues
Inadequate race presentation standards.
Aging Management, and
Falling behind most other racing activities.

The above points were made by Lee Sutter, excellent points, I may add.

Need to communicate better........

6,000 views about APBA and Jeff Conant is the ONLY elected APBA person to post on BRF. Want to bet that every BOD member of APBA has read all the posts. My dad had lots of saying, one I always like was, "Never tell the truth when a lie will fit better." Think about that one....His other saying he used often for people standing around on a job...He'd, "Do something, even if it is wrong."

From Crown Partners...APBA-Racing.com yearly change, down 52.3 per cent unique visitors 2,649 (2010)

Hydroracer.net down 26.7 per cent, 3,826 unique views

boatracing facts.com up 42% and 5,237 unique views.

Not sure what it all means, except to say, APBA is down 53% in web traffic and BRF is up 42%. Would anyone in APBA venture a guess why BRF viewership is up???

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

FIRST THEY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE!!

Then we can talk about the "better".

[AZOutlaw]

6,000 views about APBA and Jeff Conant is the old elected APBA person to post on BRF. Want to bet that every BOD member of APBA has read all the posts. My dad had lots of saying, one I always like was, "Never tell the truth when a lie will fit better." Think about that one....His other saying he used often for people standing around on a job...He'd, "Do something, even if it is wrong."

From Crown Partners...APBA-Racing.com yearly change, down 52.3 per cent unique visitors 2,649 (2010)

Hydroracer.net down 26.7 per cent, 3,826 unique views

boatracing facts.com up 42% and 5,237 unique views.

Not sure what it all means, except to say, APBA is down 53% in web traffic and BRF is up 42%. Would anyone in APBA venture a guess why BRF viewership is up???

ARTICLE X - APBA COUNCIL
Section 10.1. There shall be a Council of the APBA which shall meet at the Annual Meeting of the Association and shall be advisory to the Board of Directors.

Section 10.2. The members of Council shall consist of the President, the immediate Past President, all Region Chairmen, all Category Chairmen and 12 Members-at-Large.

Section 10.3. The term of office for the 12 Council Members-at-Large shall be four (4) years. Every two (2) years at the Annual election, the Council Members-at-Large shall be elected by the members on a staggered basis, alternately, by first electing six (6) members and then six (6) members, respectively, for a term of four (4) years.

Section 10.4. Members of the APBA Council shall not be considered members of the Board of Directors. However, members of Council have the right to be present for any meeting of the Board of Directors and have the right to be heard during the Board’s discussion of any item of business. Due consideration shall be given by the Board of Directors for any resolution of position by the APBA Council.

I post on BRF to gain info, communicate, and inform when possible. Isn't that why I asked for your vote? Just doing my duty.....

I Don't like being called old..
I'm into my second year (of a 4 year term) as an elected Council Member that expires in 2013. I wanted the position because I wanted to learn how things are run by "APBA as an Member run Organization" Quite the learning experience!

Jeff Conant

[Ron Hill]

I meant to write ONLY, not OLD, Jeff. For that I am seriously sorry. What I meant to say, you post on Face Book, Hydroracer and BRF....and You say what you mean and mean what you said...

I am "OLD" you are still a "KID" And I think you are a real asset to boat racing and Trafficade!

Thanks for posting the By-Laws, what I wanted to do with this thread is "KICK AROUND" ideas for saving the SPORT and not aim at anyone or group while doing it.

ADD:


To get boat Racing moving we need to figure out about insurance. How do Ski Racers get by with a $350 insurance policy???? They race to Catalina and back with 100 boats. This would be a risk I would not want if I were in the insurance business....and they PULL SKIERS...

[AZOutlaw]

I meant to write ONLY, not OLD, Jeff. For that I am seriously sorry. What I meant to say, you post on Face Book, Hydroracer and BRF....and You say what you mean and mean what you said...

I am "OLD" you are still a "KID" And I think you are a real asset to boat racing and Trafficade!

Thanks for posting the By-Laws, what I wanted to do with this thread is "KICK AROUND" ideas for saving the SPORT and not aim at anyone or group while doing it.

ADD:


To get boat Racing moving we need to figure out about insurance. How do Ski Racers get by with a $350 insurance policy???? They race to Catalina and back with 100 boats. This would be a risk I would not want if I were in the insurance business....and they PULL SKIERS...

No Problem Ron, as I was giving you a hard time and laughing while thinking....I have been involved in boat racing since my early grade school years, so I guess that does make me old.

[FlatRacer]

Ron, you're 100% correct. This year I returned to inboard racing after an 11 year hiatus, and I was in for a bit of culture shock. Aside from racing gas going from $4.50 to $12.80 per gallon, I'm dismayed at the poor state of communication.
In trying to find out which regattas my class is running in I've had to turn into an amateur detective. There are multiple official websites that often contain conflicting information. The design of these sites is far from intuitive. I had to be tutored in how to find the one that had the calendar with the links to the official sanctions (I still can't find it without help). Some of the sanctions that come to my e-mail arrive less than a month before the regatta, which makes it hard to plan my summer around the races.
There was no printed rulebook in my mailbox when I sent in my membership fee. I've had no communication from APBA inboard telling me who my class rep is (I've had to find out from other sources).
The Propeller magazine is (understandably considering the state of flux the printed publishing industry is in these days) a shadow of its former self. And the info in it is hopelessly out of date.
Now, I'm hearing that a regatta I was planning to attend is NOT hosting any flatbottom classes despite that sanction that says "all inboard" classes. What happens if I and three other flats show up ready to run?
I get more information in the form of back channel rumors and gossip than in official form. And they're spending our money on Crown Partners for what, exactly?

Eric