Help Me Understand

[Chris Wood]

Roger here is my take, take it for what it is...

3 problems i see.

1. most important.. unless you know who owns, manages, operates what have you a lake ( big enough to test or race on ) you are playing in the bath tub. plain and simple.. location.. just a hunch but the guys in florida have a MUCH easier time then in IOWA... around here it is tough, i generally travel 2 1/2 hrs to test.. most won't even think of that.

2. it has already been said COST...

3. support. where do you get it. most havn't even heard of cmdi gary pruesse wood rc boat products ect.. so they go to a hobby shop ( in my case around here ) can barely tell you what this brand new 4 wheel drive 500 plus dollar hellfire truck can and can't do, let alone anything that is boat related..

my own opinon, to make boat racing a what i would call NATIONAL hobby you must must must get it to the main stream of the public, and selling a rtr boat at the hobby shop is just the bare minimum..

a gal at the hobby shop told me several yrs ago that she loves selling traxxas stuff over trinity, losi, associated ect.. why?? because if they have a issue with a customers product they call them and traxxas handles it none of the other mentioned want to deal with a hobby shop, they just want to go to the HIGH VOLUME DISTRIBUTORS..

generally speaking, most of the stuff we use is a no return bla bla bla policy.. you bought it you used it like it or not.. ( not everything but alot of it )

r.c cars took off due to the availabilty of it.. you can get it about anywhere. and run them anywhere..hobbyshops ebay anywhere online.. boat products is a market that is generally speaking done by someone with a small side business..

I wish i new the fix, i would love to get more people to race around here, but i think do to the above elements and lack of PUBLIC ADVERTISING until we address these issue's we are going to continue to ask this same question.

If you come up with something and i can help.. get ahold of me and i will do everything i can..

chris

 

[SayMikey]

Roger here is my take, take it for what it is...
3 problems i see.

1. most important.. unless you know who owns, manages, operates what have you a lake ( big enough to test or race on ) you are playing in the bath tub. plain and simple.. location.. just a hunch but the guys in florida have a MUCH easier time then in IOWA... around here it is tough, i generally travel 2 1/2 hrs to test.. most won't even think of that.

2. it has already been said COST...

3. support. where do you get it. most havn't even heard of cmdi gary pruesse wood rc boat products ect.. so they go to a hobby shop ( in my case around here ) can barely tell you what this brand new 4 wheel drive 500 plus dollar hellfire truck can and can't do, let alone anything that is boat related..

my own opinon, to make boat racing a what i would call NATIONAL hobby you must must must get it to the main stream of the public, and selling a rtr boat at the hobby shop is just the bare minimum..

a gal at the hobby shop told me several yrs ago that she loves selling traxxas stuff over trinity, losi, associated ect.. why?? because if they have a issue with a customers product they call them and traxxas handles it none of the other mentioned want to deal with a hobby shop, they just want to go to the HIGH VOLUME DISTRIBUTORS..

generally speaking, most of the stuff we use is a no return bla bla bla policy.. you bought it you used it like it or not.. ( not everything but alot of it )

r.c cars took off due to the availabilty of it.. you can get it about anywhere. and run them anywhere..hobbyshops ebay anywhere online.. boat products is a market that is generally speaking done by someone with a small side business..

I wish i new the fix, i would love to get more people to race around here, but i think do to the above elements and lack of PUBLIC ADVERTISING until we address these issue's we are going to continue to ask this same question.

If you come up with something and i can help.. get ahold of me and i will do everything i can..

chris

Every year since i can remember we have had a mall show, people love to look at boats and planes. This year we are working with The Freedom Festival commitee to have the UNLIMITED BUTTON KICKOFF at our May race. We get some PR and they get people excited about the big boat races. Last year our district held its fist race at a winery,people came from areas we had not been to and spent the day. Alot asked questions,a guy and his grandson came up looiking for parts. I gave him half of what he needed and my email address. In the end we need crowds of new people and LHS to help guide them,so many garage operations selling boats and parts that are next to impossible to find......Mikey

 

[Grimracer]

Mass exposure..

Out national originations just dont have the power to tell the masses about RC boat racing..

It needs to go into the hands of the MFGs.. or at least it needs to start there.

With out MFG support you have a cult group of people.

How much MFG support does RC cars get? Or how about RC airplanes?

Cheers

Grimracer

Money stopping it.... such a small percentage.. so small...not but a small blip on the radar screen

 

[gooycheese]

Well you can take this as a positive, like I said before I bought a rtr boat june or july 06 and now am building my own boats. I did see one race and loved it. I run my boats with 4 friends and none of them have ever even seen a rigger (I tell them this will be the fastest boat we have now, my RTR proboat thuncercat 31 was fastest (42mph)) Also like I mentioned before you have to cater to the rtr boats if you want new racers, is there anyway to have proboat or aquacraft or even a towerhobbies like put up a prize for winners(atleast for the rtr classes like a upgrade package). My friends ask what do I get if I win, I say nothing (they say then why do it, I say Bragging rights) I dont want nothing just to win thats all. I got boats to play with, racing will just be another form of playing for me, yes the 2 day races are kinda crazy(I dont know if i can afford to do that kinda stuff) and the rtr boaters I doubt would do that. Also they need to let the people that have boats race them fairly my example is my 31" cat has a .32 engine and they told me I would have to race against riggers.....................lol like thats gonna happen. This year I might actually do that and race against a rigger with it I figure I will have to race against a .21 rigger with a .12 and a .45 rigger with a .32 cat, why becasue the A rigger class is fround upon and there is no .32 cat class. But over all I am new and regardless of what the odds are against me I will race and I will have FUN!!!

Paul

And all i want is for the people around me to have fun too !!!

dont smash into my cat with your riggers please

 

[Jay Stone]

Roger...

In NAMBA District 7 - it's almost the exact same travel time from Legg Lake in Los Angeles from my house as it is to a race at Echo Park in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The demographics of our area is horrendous. Carlsbad is what I would consider my home lake, and it is 190 miles from my house. The next closest race site for me is Tucson and that is in District 19. Next after that would be Lubbock and around 380 miles - followed by Andrews, Texas at about 400 miles - then you have Amarillo at 450 and San Antonio by 600 miles, and Fort Worth by 600 miles.

These are all areas that have had races in the past couple years. We have tried vigorously within the El Paso area to obtain water for use. We only have about 2 options. Ascarate Lake in which we used for a very long time, it has a rock wall around the whole perimeter, but we managed - now the City sells boat rides on the lake daily and also offers small electric radio control boats for rent. The City and people running this do not want us on the water, nor will the even offer to work with us. We have tried over and over again and have no luck.

After that we have Lake El Paso, a very alkaline lake that has no fish because it is so salty. This is the last place we used to do some testing, they wouldn't cooperate with us and allow us to host a race there because they didn't want to keep jetskis from being on the lake. Now the lake is closed down and a old timer drives around in a beat up pickup and a gun on a holster and checks people that even come up to the gate.

This is the desert southwest. We have not a lot of choices. For us in El Paso, Las Cruces and Even Albuquerque it's almost more feasible to run District 19 than it is District 7. That is why in the past you have seen a few of our racers making the Tucson, Scottsdale, Lake Havasu races... I even went and raced at a shootout a few years back at Legg Lake.

It would be great if we could say that the El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque group form an area of race sites and be a different district from the state of Texas - but just as we have a lack of water, we also have a lack of boat racers. Getting new racers is difficult when they see the burdens that we face to just enjoy our hobby..

I hated to step away from the hobby, as I have many dear friends and really treasure the sport - but I have too many things going on in my personal life (mainly being back in College) to keep on going. I hope to return one day soon. I have other hobbies that I enjoy like RC Flying and I do some drag racing and sand drag racing. It's nice to focus on those other things some because I can do them in my back yard and don't have to travel umpteen thousand miles a year just to enjoy them.

 

[gooycheese]

One more thing , geographic location has alot to do with the turn outs in a way. Well the Pond I run/test my boat is 5 min from my house and this pond is a private owned pond that I wrote an email to the company that owns and got permission to use anytime I like ( I even got stickers to put on my boats from them). Here is an example of location, I live in the chicago area for me to drive 60 miles is a really long drive, on the other hand my brother lives by madison WI. and for him to drive 60 miles is like an everyday thing. I am stereo typing a little here but for example I think alot of people down south are into bass boats and nascar, yes there are alot of people here that like that stuff to but not near the same percentage of people (this is just and opinion) somethings for some reason are more like in some places than other. HS football is loved in texas and some other southern states and its just HS football around me. I am trying to get my Brother and father in laws SV27's into some races to but its not that easy to race if there isnt a class to be competetive in. If people spend $50 for impba and what ever for the club and race one time thats sorta crazy dont ya think especially if they cant race against fair competition? Ok i dont seam to be making sence enough for myself , let alone someone reading this ( I just wish everything was easy). I am trying to race myself and getting some others to join me if possible.

Paul

 

[Greg Sheckler]

For me it is a double-edged sword. In IMPBA D2 the lack of gas racing spurred the growth of the North Coast Pond Hoppers Club. I realize that gas is a bad word here, but stay with me for a moment... The Club racing was great, but District races began growing by leaps and bounds. Given a limited amount of "race time" to play with, many (including myself) spend their precious time at district races, at the expense of their club. Now the Clubs are in trouble due to lack of turnout, and in retrospect, I had more fun at the Club races.

Don't make the same mistake I did, support your local Club

Greg

 

[Don Ferrette]

...... I realize that gas is a bad word here, but stay with me for a moment ....

Gas is not a bad word here. B)

 

[Roger Hooks Jr.]

Roger...
In NAMBA District 7 - it's almost the exact same travel time from Legg Lake in Los Angeles from my house as it is to a race at Echo Park in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The demographics of our area is horrendous. Carlsbad is what I would consider my home lake, and it is 190 miles from my house. The next closest race site for me is Tucson and that is in District 19. Next after that would be Lubbock and around 380 miles - followed by Andrews, Texas at about 400 miles - then you have Amarillo at 450 and San Antonio by 600 miles, and Fort Worth by 600 miles.

These are all areas that have had races in the past couple years. We have tried vigorously within the El Paso area to obtain water for use. We only have about 2 options. Ascarate Lake in which we used for a very long time, it has a rock wall around the whole perimeter, but we managed - now the City sells boat rides on the lake daily and also offers small electric radio control boats for rent. The City and people running this do not want us on the water, nor will the even offer to work with us. We have tried over and over again and have no luck.

After that we have Lake El Paso, a very alkaline lake that has no fish because it is so salty. This is the last place we used to do some testing, they wouldn't cooperate with us and allow us to host a race there because they didn't want to keep jetskis from being on the lake. Now the lake is closed down and a old timer drives around in a beat up pickup and a gun on a holster and checks people that even come up to the gate.

This is the desert southwest. We have not a lot of choices. For us in El Paso, Las Cruces and Even Albuquerque it's almost more feasible to run District 19 than it is District 7. That is why in the past you have seen a few of our racers making the Tucson, Scottsdale, Lake Havasu races... I even went and raced at a shootout a few years back at Legg Lake.

It would be great if we could say that the El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque group form an area of race sites and be a different district from the state of Texas - but just as we have a lack of water, we also have a lack of boat racers. Getting new racers is difficult when they see the burdens that we face to just enjoy our hobby..

I hated to step away from the hobby, as I have many dear friends and really treasure the sport - but I have too many things going on in my personal life (mainly being back in College) to keep on going. I hope to return one day soon. I have other hobbies that I enjoy like RC Flying and I do some drag racing and sand drag racing. It's nice to focus on those other things some because I can do them in my back yard and don't have to travel umpteen thousand miles a year just to enjoy them.

Wow Jay...

Yah... I can see that some areas just wouldn't be good areas to race boats. The dessert is more conducive to the Sand Drags your doing... Did you get those T-shirts : )

Yah... for boats you do need water. There is no way around that. : )

But how did District 7 get started. At one time I would think that there was a enough guys and enough water to go around?

 

[Roger Hooks Jr.]

Mass exposure..
Out national originations just dont have the power to tell the masses about RC boat racing..

It needs to go into the hands of the MFGs.. or at least it needs to start there.

With out MFG support you have a cult group of people.

How much MFG support does RC cars get? Or how about RC airplanes?

Cheers

Grimracer

Money stopping it.... such a small percentage.. so small...not but a small blip on the radar screen

So I want to understand your comment better. Are you saying that we will never get manufacturer support becuase the percentage of boaters is too small?

 

[Roger Hooks Jr.]

Roger here is my take, take it for what it is...
3 problems i see.

1. most important.. unless you know who owns, manages, operates what have you a lake ( big enough to test or race on ) you are playing in the bath tub. plain and simple.. location.. just a hunch but the guys in florida have a MUCH easier time then in IOWA... around here it is tough, i generally travel 2 1/2 hrs to test.. most won't even think of that.

2. it has already been said COST...

3. support. where do you get it. most havn't even heard of cmdi gary pruesse wood rc boat products ect.. so they go to a hobby shop ( in my case around here ) can barely tell you what this brand new 4 wheel drive 500 plus dollar hellfire truck can and can't do, let alone anything that is boat related..

my own opinon, to make boat racing a what i would call NATIONAL hobby you must must must get it to the main stream of the public, and selling a rtr boat at the hobby shop is just the bare minimum..

a gal at the hobby shop told me several yrs ago that she loves selling traxxas stuff over trinity, losi, associated ect.. why?? because if they have a issue with a customers product they call them and traxxas handles it none of the other mentioned want to deal with a hobby shop, they just want to go to the HIGH VOLUME DISTRIBUTORS..

generally speaking, most of the stuff we use is a no return bla bla bla policy.. you bought it you used it like it or not.. ( not everything but alot of it )

r.c cars took off due to the availabilty of it.. you can get it about anywhere. and run them anywhere..hobbyshops ebay anywhere online.. boat products is a market that is generally speaking done by someone with a small side business..

I wish i new the fix, i would love to get more people to race around here, but i think do to the above elements and lack of PUBLIC ADVERTISING until we address these issue's we are going to continue to ask this same question.

If you come up with something and i can help.. get ahold of me and i will do everything i can..

chris

Every year since i can remember we have had a mall show, people love to look at boats and planes. This year we are working with The Freedom Festival commitee to have the UNLIMITED BUTTON KICKOFF at our May race. We get some PR and they get people excited about the big boat races. Last year our district held its fist race at a winery,people came from areas we had not been to and spent the day. Alot asked questions,a guy and his grandson came up looiking for parts. I gave him half of what he needed and my email address. In the end we need crowds of new people and LHS to help guide them,so many garage operations selling boats and parts that are next to impossible to find......Mikey

This is the kind of innovative thinking that we are looking for. This is the way you turn things around. If I wasn't already promoting two boat lines and two major boat races this year I would try to get us an exhibition table at the local boat show. Now there's a thought.

 

[Ron Olson]

Greg, gas is not a dirty word in here. When I met you and your dad in Lansing, although I was there only as a spectator, I had a great time with all of the racers there and felt very welcomed.

With all of the water around here you'd think that R/C boats would be more popular than they are. I too have to travel 120 or more miles to race, something that some of are working on taking care of in the near future.

 

[Paul Pachmayer]

Hi Guys,

Just a few ideas.

Find the local scale clubs and try hooking up with them. Same with local FE and sail clubs. Some of the biggest and healthiest clubs I know of have all of these under one roof.

Forget about the nitro, gas or FE differences and try to work together. We're all model boaters and by working together we become strong.

Put "nice" flyers in all RTR boats at the LHS. Accept whoever comes your way and make them feel welcome.

Call your local news papers if your having a race and let them know about it. Best free advertising you could get. Keep trying even if you get no responce the first few times.

Paul.

 

[Grimracer]

Mass exposure..
Out national originations just dont have the power to tell the masses about RC boat racing..

It needs to go into the hands of the MFGs.. or at least it needs to start there.

With out MFG support you have a cult group of people.

How much MFG support does RC cars get? Or how about RC airplanes?

Cheers

Grimracer

Money stopping it.... such a small percentage.. so small...not but a small blip on the radar screen

So I want to understand your comment better. Are you saying that we will never get manufacturer support becuase the percentage of boaters is too small?

Not at all.. what that says is, money stoping people?.. I very much doubt it.. not the masses anyway. There is LOTS of money out there..

Grim

 

[Preston_Hall]

No answer here but,

MFG are somewaht to blame as mentioned. The LHS cannot really support the hobby because we can all mail order cheaper than the LHS can buy. RTRs would be the only thing the LHS can offer.

And most certainly the MFGs show preference to other hobbies. The demand in the boating worls is too low. This is why Picco stopped producing marine engines, right?

Our club has been to numerous exhibits. The largest was the unlimited hydro race a few years back. We were positioned directly at the main entrance and over 100,000 people attended that weekend. We gained zero members. Go figure.???

We have large displays at the LHS and great support from them. Few members gained from them. Maybe because they cannot offer what it takes to race at a reasonable price?

I often hear that we have too many races (10). I also hear the opposite. The score is based on the best 7 so what is the big deal? Who knows?

Competition in nitro classes has been reduced severly. Gas is growing due to the gas-n-go and basically 2 classes, hydro and mono.

We have offered Crackerbox for a while now and it is holding its own. This is a nice governed, inexpesive, introductory class. We also started a stock gas class. This seems very promising as I have seen 4 different hulls race and niether showed a definite advantage.

Overall, our club keeps about 30 paying members and 15 racing members. Some go and some come.

As for traveling, I prefer to spend all that $$$ on something else. It is expensive. One day events might be nice.

Money seems to be an issue and rightfully so. This has gone from a hobby/sport to racing. Racing = $$$ anywhere you go.

 

[330T]

A step in the right direction would be if the Sanctioning bodies contacted manufactures worked out some form of cross promotions. IMPBA develops RTR classes and fully supports them in every sanctioned race Pro Boats, and AquaCraft

Put a link to IMPBA, or information in the product box.

It’s a win, win for both groups.

 

[Jay Stone]

Roger.. No t-shirts yet, still lining up sponsors/advertisers before I get them done. First race is Mid Feb... Thanks for the awesome logo!

When I got into Model Boating in the late 80's early 90's, there was a group of about 35 guys racing alone in the El Paso area. That number is now down to "1" as I have now stepped away. We have had guys move away, and other people move on to other things, etc.. Back in those days we had one day races here locally that had almost as many boats as we now see at a district race in 2 days.

 

[Andy Greene]

For me the one day races we run here in Namba Dist 3 . have made racing obtainable for me as a new racer. That coupled with the very close proximity of 2 clubs within 20 min of my house and the 3rd only bieng 70 miles or so from the house, I can run all of the WCRA (one day) series 6 races and 3/ 2 day races at the same clubs. Cost and time are the biggest factors keeping me from running the full 2 day series, that combined with a 2 1/2 year old daughter makes a 9 race season all I can afford, barely. More one day races and greater exposure are my answers.

 

[[email protected]]

ROGER,

Here are a few things that I thought worked:

1) Remember when Jim Williamson and his wife set up there trailer and sold food for everyone? That was cool for people like myself who takes 4 kids to the pond and doesn't have a luxury trailer like most other boates in our district have. It saved me from packing a ton of food or a BBQ.

2) A good guy donating a lot of chips and soda and water for a couple races.

3) .........God, this is sad......I think that's all I got.

I could copy & paste, or Quote of others complaints. But, why bother it's all relative to why I stopped boating: Clicky, politics, family first, kids sports, loyalty, friend being banned a year, COST, health, etc, etc, etc. PLUS, NITRO DIED in San Francisco and everyone went gas. Gas for some reason didn't float my boat! Guess the last time I ran at Fremont was on 4th of July, enough said. That day killed it for me so all my boats and gear are pretty much sold.

 

[Chris Wood]

I am confused :blink:

I see alot of people talk about liking 1 day races vs 2.. but here.. we can't get the draw any differently from a 1 vs a 2 day race.. yet alot have said they rather would come to our race in d4 if it was a 1 day race.. myself if i have to drive 3 plus hrs to race i would rather go to a 2 day.. but that is just me, as i see both sides..

I think until we get the big cooprate company's to push the more we are stuck.. i know mike and the gang at aquacraft are trying but what about some of the others??

must just be a nitch market that most don't want to mess with.

chris