2005 IMPBA INTERNATS

[Ron Olson]

I gotta agree, yes, it's a TON of work. Living 135 miles from the 2003 Internats site, I joined the club to help put it on. I don't know what all the others members did before the race to put it on but that was a lot for them to do when they stepped up to the plate on relatively short notice. Spending 12 or more hours a day at the pond takes a toll on your mind and body. I was there to do what I could, Pit boss, retrieve boat driver, handing out T-shirts plus working on my sons boat and being a pit person from him and Craig. I needed a week off just to recuperate. Would I do it again? In a second! The things that you learn and the people you meet were worth it to me.

Anybody that puts on an event of this magnitude deserves the thanks of the racers. Until you've put one on you really don't realize what it takes.

 

[bzubee]

Ron I agree with you it is an awfull lot of work I was assistant CD for the STL 1993 Internats, help the Nashville club here in Huntsville for the 1998 Internats and worked with John Equi and the rest of District Five members setting up the site and running the retreive boats and pit bossing for the 1999 Internats. But it really some thing to be proud of when a club does pull off a good race. The STL race we were the ones that got the "board to alow open water after the INTERNATS had started prior to that Internats after the event started there was NO open water allowed. Plus a club can make a good amount of money from holding this event if they do it correctly for the 1998 and 1999 Internats about $4,000 to $5,000 was made clear and free. John Equi has a manual that I had digitalized with lots of facts for holding and hosting an Internats if any club at all is interested please feel free to contact me and I can e-mail it you.

Bill Zuber District Five Director

[email protected]

 

[Tim Kish]

Perhaps its to much for one club to host the Internats so why not the whole District?

In 1997 when Elmira hosted most of the help came from racers in District 1 , it was a district effort and not a club trying to do it alone and it came off very well.

Smaller clubs may be more inclined to hold this event if they new they would get the suport and help needed from there district.

Tim K

 

[Brian_Nelsen]

Tim

Exactly what I am trying to say, two clubs is good a whole district is even better. Again anyone interested please feel free to contact me and I will help you get the ball rolling. I will do every thing I can to help you with the event.

John Equi's manual is a great way to get started. Tons of good informations. Maybe we should get it put up on the IMPBA web site. Bill thanks for getting it digitized, please send me a copy.

Brian Nelsen

IMPBA Vice President

 

[EatMyShortsRacing]

Craig,
I thought you guys just ran record trials over there?! 

Nitrocrazed racing: Zero records and counting.

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Hmmm well I almost stuck my nose into the Nationals relocation here since it has been a while since the last Nationals in Victoria... maybe next year...

Hey we can also stage it as a NAMBA - IMPBA Winternats!!!! LOL

 

[bsmtboy2]

Tim K you have the right idea, let's make the Nats a district wide thing. All clubs within the host disrtict will participate ins some way and share in the benefits. If we are going to make this a proactive approach to the event the take a page out of the NFL and plan it out say 2-3 years ahead or let's just alternate it numerically by districts from year to year this way we all know who is gonna host the next one and let the host district choose which site will hold the event and announce it before 1-31. This give racers plenty of time to plan the trip,get discount plane tickets 6 months in advance,and get other accommodations in line. Just some ideas for the incoming president to ponder B)

 

[bzubee]

Brain and anyone else here is the INTERNATS manual it still needs to be updated to catch up with todays formats.

 

[bzubee]

Brain and anyone else here is the INTERNATS manual it still needs to be updated to catch up with todays formats.

 

[Don Ferrette]

Fresh can of worms just opened!
In reality our current site does not have the pit and park areas sufficient for this event. Our Invitational of 100 boats had the lake site full of tents and trailers. we were close to maximum then. I do know of a lake very close that would be an excellent location. The city had approached me before about getting some usage out of it.

Now for the worms...................I (did I say I?) get stuck (did I say stuck?) with about 98-100% of all responsibilities concerning our 10 club races, the 2 day Invitational, ordering bouys, ordering 2 sets of trophies, hosting 2 record trials, getting port-a-potties, scheduling our awards banquet, keeping our equipment in working condition and maintaining our site/course. Ummm, Internats? No thanks. I can point you in the direction of the lake and I would certainly help. Ah, "help" would be another one to put in the "misconceptions" thread.

I thought of some more worms, forking out all the money to front these events, trying to remeber who didn't pay (remembered that last night), lugging 75+ lbs of timing equipment first thing in the morning and lastly at night and then back to be shipped, staying up to all hours to enter scores, and one of the best is having to listen to people gripe over something they won't do themselves, listening to people asking "did you do ............?", no, "why didn't you?", "did you look to see?"

Ok, no more soap box.

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Preston-

You've got every right to be on the "box". I lived the same scenario up in D.C running that club for years. The ODMBA club has a ten race club series, the Invitational, 2 record trials & the banquet & Preston typically gets stuck with most of it. I try to do what I can when I can (I currently have the timing equipment & am charging the timing batteries, will be making the buoys this winter & some upgrades on the P.A. ) but being 2 hours away limits things. There are a number of "local" racers who tend to show & only do just that. Unfortunately this seems to be common in most clubs, a couple people bustin' their a$$es for the enjoyment of the many.... <_<

 

[Brian Blazer]

It seems like every year, IMPBA has trouble finding the location for the Nitro Nats. Everyone has the same thought....too much work, too long, not enough man power.

I agree with everything that was said about having the districts host the event instead of one club.

I think IMPBA should get rid of the timing equiptment required at the Nats. This takes up one day, and is pretty boring. It is a pain from what I can see to set up, and one less thing for the host club to worry about. I know the old timers will not agree with this though.

I was the CD at the 2004 Gas Nats. We had 250 boats and went 4 rounds. Thursday was open water

Heat racing was from 8:00 to 7:30 Friday and Saturday

Heat racing ended at 12:00 on Sunday.

I know our club was spent after Sunday, I couldn't imagine doing it for a solid week!

So, I think if we can shrink the Nitro Nats to 4 rounds, get rid of the timing equiptment, we could save at least 2, maybe 3 days. I believe if you make it simpler and shorter, more clubs would host the event.

My 2cents

Brian Blazer

Cincinnati Model Boat Club Pres.

www.cincymbc.com

 

[Don Ferrette]

  I think IMPBA should get rid of the timing equiptment required at the Nats. This takes up one day, and is pretty boring. It is a pain from what I can see to set up, and one less thing for the host club to worry about. I know the old timers will not agree with this though.  Brian Blazer

Cincinnati Model Boat Club Pres.

www.cincymbc.com

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Talk about a can of worms gettin' opened! Yup, there would be a number of folks who would have a total hissy fit over that. But you know what, it wouldn't bother me one bit. It typically takes more that a day even just doing top 10% of heat race finishers. There have been Nitro Nats recently where it took almost 3 DAYS to complete time trials. Why?? Because there where those who bitched about not getting the chance to run T/T's because they couldn't make the 10% cut in heat racing. So they tried having all run T/T's, what a disaster, glad I wasn't there for that! If you're not in the top 10% of heat racing points, you're basically out of it for US-1 anyway. Our own rulebook places the emphasis on HEAT RACING when you score points @ the Internats (heat race points are doubled) because that's what we do all season. Unfortunately you'd have to re-write the Internats rules (geez, a rule change, now THERE is an even BIGGER can of worms) but I'd bet everyone would have a better time in the long run. Go out & heat race for 5 (or even 6) rounds & crown a winner, sounds pretty simple to me. Plus I'd bet it would open up things to sites that can hold a good heat racing layout but say not well suited for SAW T/T's (there's a couple places I've been to that come to mind). If I want to see how fast I can go in a straight line or for 2 laps I go to time trials. It's fun but can be boring just the same (like watching the wind blow for 10-12 hours). Heat racing is the adrenalin charge for me, nothing like having 6 laps of hull to hull racin'!!

Guess I better go get my flak jacket now ...........

 

[Tim Kish]

Wow

I think you guy's are on to something here.

Lets face it if TT are so important to IMPBA then why do so few show up at TT events.

Unless you have done testing for time trials or have been to a TT event then you really don't have a clue how to set up your boat for them anyway unless you run the same setup as you did in heat racing so whats the point.

Tim Kish

 

[Ron Olson]

Don, I'm right behind you on this one (as long as you have the jacket on ). Time Trials are a waste of time. There are other things that could be done in that time instead of those. It takes a lot of time just to set up the equipment then run one boat at a time. Save this for the record trials, not the Internats. If a class is recognized by the IMPBA, it should be run at the Internats. I'll just say Nitro, otherwise it could take 2 weeks to run it.

 

[Joe_Knesek]

How about running 4 rounds for everyone in every class. Then take the top 10% and run 3 more rounds. Sort of like they are doing with Nextel Cup this year.

 

[Don Ferrette]

How about running 4 rounds for everyone in every class. Then take the top 10% and run 3 more rounds. Sort of like they are doing with Nextel Cup this year.

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Only problem with that is some classes (like the o/b tunnels) 10% won't get you 6 boats. I personally would like to see everyone have a chance right up to the end. With only 4 "qualifying" rounds one bad round & you're out of it. With say 6 rounds you could still possibly make that up & it would be favorable to more racers I would think. The Internats is 5 rounds now so with the 2 days you'd save dumpin' T/T's you could run 6 rounds & still be done in less time. Not to mention the "specialty" classes always get the shaft when the T/T's run over time like they typically do. :blink:

 

[user 115]

This is starting to sound like the way NAMBA has run and currently runs there nats..

 

[Don Ferrette]

Here's something else. Just got off the phone with John Finch (my race partner) & he said something quite profound when I told him about this thread. He totally agreed with dumping the T/T's, he said heat race for 5 or 6 rounds & crown the winners NATIONAL CHAMPION & be done with it. He went on to say unless you are actively involved with IMPBA you don't have a clue what US-1 means (a title he has held many times). But you go to a record trials & set a world record, everyone knows what WORLD RECORD HOLDER means. Just like anyone would know what NATIONAL CHAMPION means, boater or not. John's been racing for many years & probably has forgotten more than most of us know. He says it's time for BIG changes in the IMPBA & this should be one of them. Who can go out & burn 10 days off to even go to the Internats anymore, let alone run the event? I couldn't agree with him more. B)

 

[user 115]

I think an added bonus to dumping the TT is that after your particular class is over for the day, pack the boat up and go on to your next class. Don't have to worry about getting that boat ready again..

This format could also lead to a combined NAMBA/IMPBA championship as they would then be running the same format and you could crown true National Champions..

Charley

Here's something else. Just got off the phone with John Finch (my race partner) & he said something quite profound when I told him about this thread. He totally agreed with dumping the T/T's, he said heat race for 5 or 6 rounds & crown the winners NATIONAL CHAMPION & be done with it. He went on to say unless you are actively involved with IMPBA you don't have a clue what US-1 means (a title he has held many times). But you go to a record trials & set a world record, everyone knows what WORLD RECORD HOLDER means. Just like anyone would know what NATIONAL CHAMPION means, boater or not. John's been racing for many years & probably has forgotten more than most of us know. He says it's time for BIG changes in the IMPBA & this should be one of them. Who can go out & burn 10 days off to even go to the Internats anymore, let alone run the event? I couldn't agree with him more.  B)

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[Ron Jefferson]

I'm all for sharing the work. Either over one district, or all of them sharing in the load. I'm even for the changes that Don's talking about with loosing the time trials. What I wouldn't agree with is a district "sharing the benefits". What would be the incentive for a club to host, if each club got the same share of the take?

I figured that if the host club reaped full benefit it would eventually pay off for all of us. If the club that hosted actually made money it would ultimately be spent on the site/equipment and we'd all have better, more safer places to race.

If we are having a problem getting someone to host the 2005 event. As a group (Intlwaters members) why don't we suggest to the board that we try something different for next year. Lets suggest we put on a more compact version hosted by a/all districts at a neutral site and see how it goes over. I bet if someone talked to Pete Forcier he'd be glad to have it in Elmira. I think their reluctance this year had something to do with support. No sence in scrambling around at the last minute trying to pull off the "best Internats ever" when we could possibly have a better time just getting together and racing. Besides, doesn't the host club have the final say on the format? Or, do they only have two choices? Just a suggestion...

Ron

 

[Don Ferrette]

.... I bet if someone talked to Pete Forcier he'd be glad to have it in Elmira.  I think their reluctance this year had something to do with support.....Ron

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Pete is one of the guys who HATES the T/T part of it. If I recall he offered to hold it a couple years ago if there was no T/T's.