Decrease in entries...

[Joe Wiebelhaus]

34 years ago I started racing rc boats, my interest were Scale Unlimited hydroplanes, I was so excited I could build and race and rc unlimited hydroplane.

There were only Nitro hydros classes and nitro mono classes in my area back in 1980, sport 40 was still an egg, and tunnels were around only at some races.

So I built a bunch of scale hydros, then to occupy my time at a race, a B,D,or E nitro hydro, remember that’s all that was available, and when I had a chance to upgrade a rigger, I bought it, learned, and moved on. These other classes like nitro hydro took allot of figuring out, you just couldn’t buy “parts” like you can today.

In today’s world, rc racing consist of at least 30 classes, Nitro,Gas,FE, so the choices are far greater than I had 34 years ago, that is called progress or evolution. For the most part, this is good, and as long as most of us old farts can get to a race and play hard for the weekend, we feel the rush of excitement from the past. 10 years ago gas boats were a laugh, now they are mainstream, 10 years from now (mark it on your calendar) , it will be all different again, as the prime time players today get older, the young guns will steal your glory with something newer and faster, it will happen.

I just like going to a race and have fun nowadays, I’m not even interested in the points, I do like to win, but it doesn’t mean everything like it did in the past. I guess I’m older…………..

 

[bzubee]

FE is really making some head way and getting more reliable ( not as much smoke escaping) and the performance is unreal, once the initial cost comes down a bit it will be the next growth spurt in model boating.

 

[Tom Foley]

34 years ago I started racing rc boats, my interest were Scale Unlimited hydroplanes, I was so excited I could build and race and rc unlimited hydroplane.

There were only Nitro hydros classes and nitro mono classes in my area back in 1980, sport 40 was still an egg, and tunnels were around only at some races.

So I built a bunch of scale hydros, then to occupy my time at a race, a B,D,or E nitro hydro, remember that’s all that was available, and when I had a chance to upgrade a rigger, I bought it, learned, and moved on. These other classes like nitro hydro took allot of figuring out, you just couldn’t buy “parts” like you can today.

In today’s world, rc racing consist of at least 30 classes, Nitro,Gas,FE, so the choices are far greater than I had 34 years ago, that is called progress or evolution. For the most part, this is good, and as long as most of us old farts can get to a race and play hard for the weekend, we feel the rush of excitement from the past. 10 years ago gas boats were a laugh, now they are mainstream, 10 years from now (mark it on your calendar) , it will be all different again, as the prime time players today get older, the young guns will steal your glory with something newer and faster, it will happen.

I just like going to a race and have fun nowadays, I’m not even interested in the points, I do like to win, but it doesn’t mean everything like it did in the past. I guess I’m older…………..

Perspectives change for sure . I like going to a few races and that's it , not every weekend . I usually get fired up a few months in advance of a race , then thrash toward that end and hope I do well .I really want to race some of my gas boats but get mired down in the "support of the class " in the nitro world . Can't do everything I guess so I will be running 5 nitro classes and 1 gas class at the Fall Nats . Wouldn't want to be caught relaxing too much .

 

[thomaselkins]

Ron days have changed since you were Director here in Florida we average 180 boats a race days were we averaged over 200 economy is bad

WOW he said director????? D3 needs help

 

[Brad Christy]

Guys,

Something to chew on:

Why is the Hobart, IN race just about the biggest race of the year?

If you're looking at the economy as reasoning for the slump in race attendance, why are there guys coming from LITERALLY every corner of the country, and several other countries (including some from Australia).

If you're thinking it's about gas squeezing out nitro, consider that there are only about three gas classes and just about every nitro class offered at this race.

I've seen our Dayton OH race decline in attendance over the years since I joined the club in 2000. I've also seen the Celina, OH race drop off, as well.

Why are some races declining in attendance while others are adding days to the event to pack everything in?

Put your finger on that and you'll have the answer to the issue of this thread.

Thanks. Brad.

Titan Racing Components

BlackJack Hydros

Model Machine and Precision LLC

 

[Chris Wood]

thats easy brad

2 things. level of competition..

backing by the city

when you have a city with both arms welcoming you.. a very nice facility.. and promoted that is what you get.

 

[Danny King]

thats easy brad

2 things. level of competition..

backing by the city

when you have a city with both arms welcoming you.. a very nice facility.. and promoted that is what you get.

Plus it is in a general enough location. It is a really great experience. But I won't be back this year, because of money. Spending $1500 for a week just to race is not something I wish to do every year. Especially living right outside the Florida keys.

But the way they do the classes in Hobart helps particularly well. In Florida it will eventually be 90% gas soon. Which is fine it is just the transition that is tough.

Two things I see as a reason for less new people is the lack of a entry level class. Back in the day you could be in the water with a stock outboard for $600. Now anything you build is $1600 or more. A true entry class with average drivers and realistic speeds. It's just not there. And the other reason is society wants it now, RTR And ready to win. They don't want to earn it or make it their own. That we can't change.

 

[Grimracer]

[SIZE=medium]Just for grins I did a check of current street price to get an all new Tunnel boat. I am using Tower as my source because EVERYBODY has access to these products (on line, at a store, and very easy to get for all)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]VS1 139.98[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]OS OB 399.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3PRKA 69.98[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3305 Servo 30.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3102 Servo 36.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Total 677.93[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Just for the fun of it I am going to try to dig down deep in to the past (my years at Hobby Master) and see If I can remember what a tunnel cost (around 1994, let’s call it 20 years ago). (OK.. we have every tower catalog ever made here.. I will use that..lol)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Hot Shot Sprint 65.99 (hum.. we sold Aerotech hulls back then)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Glue and paint 50.00 (guess)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]K+B 21 OB 124.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba PBKA W/148s 82.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba S9302 Servo 63.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Total 387.96[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The price to get into a tunnel has not doubled but just about over the last 20 years.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Average income in 1994 was 23,753.53[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Average income in 2012 was 44,321.67[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Hum….[/SIZE]

 

[John Knight]

Danny,

Talk with Jeremy about the Fall Nats in Charleston. The entries open up tonight at 7. It is heavily promoted and it sold out last year in 2 hours and I expect the same tonight. Jerry is planning on coming along with Jeremy.

This race has always been 2/3rds nitro classes and the entries follow suit. We end up with about 270+ nitro boats and about 70 gas boats for a 3 day race. Exceptional level of competition, the most nitro classes and boats on the entire east and southeast coasts. If you want the highest level of competition yu can stay much closer to home. Take a look at the race setup on rcracingevents.

John

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

[SIZE=medium]Just for grins I did a check of current street price to get an all new Tunnel boat. I am using Tower as my source because EVERYBODY has access to these products (on line, at a store, and very easy to get for all)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]VS1 139.98[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]OS OB 399.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3PRKA 69.98[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3305 Servo 30.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba 3102 Servo 36.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Total 677.93[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Just for the fun of it I am going to try to dig down deep in to the past (my years at Hobby Master) and see If I can remember what a tunnel cost (around 1994, let’s call it 20 years ago). (OK.. we have every tower catalog ever made here.. I will use that..lol)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Hot Shot Sprint 65.99 (hum.. we sold Aerotech hulls back then)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Glue and paint 50.00 (guess)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]K+B 21 OB 124.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba PBKA W/148s 82.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Futaba S9302 Servo 63.99[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Total 387.96[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The price to get into a tunnel has not doubled but just about over the last 20 years.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Average income in 1994 was 23,753.53[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Average income in 2012 was 44,321.67[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Hum….[/SIZE]

Toss in the cost of an electric starter, 12v battery for starter, a gallon of fuel, basic tools/support equipment and you are close to $750 to purchase a new entry level nitro boat. And as much as I love tunnel boats, I'm not sure 20 Stock Tunnel is the best entry class. 20 Monos are much more forgiving to drive than a 20 tunnel.

In NAMBA District 8, the growth in model boating has been in the FE scale classes. At age 72, this "Old dog just cannot get excited about learning new tricks." I'll just keep replaying Merle Haggard's song, "Are the good times really over for good?" Just really glad I was there for the "good times."

JD

 

[Danny King]

Just for grins I did a check of current street price to get an all new Tunnel boat. I am using Tower as my source because EVERYBODY has access to these products (on line, at a store, and very easy to get for all)

VS1 139.98

OS OB 399.99

Futaba 3PRKA 69.98

Futaba 3305 Servo 30.99

Futaba 3102 Servo 36.99

Total 677.93

Just for the fun of it I am going to try to dig down deep in to the past (my years at Hobby Master) and see If I can remember what a tunnel cost (around 1994, let’s call it 20 years ago). (OK.. we have every tower catalog ever made here.. I will use that..lol)

Hot Shot Sprint 65.99 (hum.. we sold Aerotech hulls back then)

Glue and paint 50.00 (guess)

K+B 21 OB 124.99

Futaba PBKA W/148s 82.99

Futaba S9302 Servo 63.99

Total 387.96

The price to get into a tunnel has not doubled but just about over the last 20 years.

Average income in 1994 was 23,753.53

Average income in 2012 was 44,321.67

Hum….

Just for grins I did a check of current street price to get an all new Tunnel boat. I am using Tower as my source because EVERYBODY has access to these products (on line, at a store, and very easy to get for all)

VS1 139.98

OS OB 399.99

Futaba 3PRKA 69.98

Futaba 3305 Servo 30.99

Futaba 3102 Servo 36.99

Total 677.93

Just for the fun of it I am going to try to dig down deep in to the past (my years at Hobby Master) and see If I can remember what a tunnel cost (around 1994, let’s call it 20 years ago). (OK.. we have every tower catalog ever made here.. I will use that..lol)

Hot Shot Sprint 65.99 (hum.. we sold Aerotech hulls back then)

Glue and paint 50.00 (guess)

K+B 21 OB 124.99

Futaba PBKA W/148s 82.99

Futaba S9302 Servo 63.99

Total 387.96

The price to get into a tunnel has not doubled but just about over the last 20 years.

Average income in 1994 was 23,753.53

Average income in 2012 was 44,321.67

Hum….

I'm glad you took he time to do the post. But you might want to add a few hundred $$ more for starter, fuel, pump, ignitor, fuel line, linkage, fuel tank, glow plugs, prop ect.
And down here no one is showing up with tunnels so there is nowhere to race one here. I wasn't saying a new tunnel was $1600 but the cheapest boat that has a class is $1600. And even at that, trying to tell someone to shell out $600 for something they know nothing about through the mail doesn't work so well.

That leads us to another issue. Tower hobbies and others blew the market out and killed the local hobby store. People still like to know they have help and can hold something before buying it. And that is gone from here.

 

[Danny King]

Danny,

Talk with Jeremy about the Fall Nats in Charleston. The entries open up tonight at 7. It is heavily promoted and it sold out last year in 2 hours and I expect the same tonight. Jerry is planning on coming along with Jeremy.

This race has always been 2/3rds nitro classes and the entries follow suit. We end up with about 270+ nitro boats and about 70 gas boats for a 3 day race. Exceptional level of competition, the most nitro classes and boats on the entire east and southeast coasts. If you want the highest level of competition yu can stay much closer to home. Take a look at the race setup on rcracingevents.

John

Thanks john. I have traveled with Jerry and Jeremy the last year and a half. I won't be going to your race with them. But I believe they are. And yes you have a good turn out.

 

[Grimracer]

I was JUST comparing BOATs.. not goods to make it go..

Grim

 

[Andy Greene]

And down here no one is showing up with tunnels so there is nowhere to race one here. I wasn't saying a new tunnel was $1600 but the cheapest boat that has a class is $1600. And even at that, trying to tell someone to shell out $600 for something they know nothing about through the mail doesn't work so well.

That leads us to another issue. Tower hobbies and others blew the market out and killed the local hobby store. People still like to know they have help and can hold something before buying it. And that is gone from here.

Well there is a large reason for that and hotel cost and lodging for me are the main ones, whats the average cost of a motel room down there ?

- look about 200 miles North of you- just a couple guys that run tunnels there

- just saying, and I for one - NEVER saw anything other than RTR garbage at a local hobby shop in WCF since I have been breathing air here. And while your on the subject,whens the last time the Scale crew made the ride north ? See how it works.

 

[JeremyEdge]

Andy I think some guys at are last district race paid $69 or $72 a night.

 

[Danny King]

And down here no one is showing up with tunnels so there is nowhere to race one here. I wasn't saying a new tunnel was $1600 but the cheapest boat that has a class is $1600. And even at that, trying to tell someone to shell out $600 for something they know nothing about through the mail doesn't work so well.

That leads us to another issue. Tower hobbies and others blew the market out and killed the local hobby store. People still like to know they have help and can hold something before buying it. And that is gone from here.

Well there is a large reason for that and hotel cost and lodging for me are the main ones, whats the average cost of a motel room down there ?

- look about 200 miles North of you- just a couple guys that run tunnels there

- just saying, and I for one - NEVER saw anything other than RTR garbage at a local hobby shop in WCF since I have been breathing air here. And while your on the subject,whens the last time the Scale crew made the ride north ? See how it works.

Not interested Andy.

 

[Grimracer]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Just how it works for me.. (Nothing more than chat fodder)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]The average weekend race for me costs about 400 dollars in entry’s, travel fees, motel and what not.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]The average race for me is less than 200 miles from my location[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]We have NO local racing.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I attend about 7 races a year.. this year it’s only 4..(one of those years).. to much family stuff going on, weddings and reunions, the heli nats....[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Grim[/SIZE]

 

[JimZaremski]

One thing that comes to mind is that I'm not even 40, yet in the district 2 events I go to I can think of maybe three or four racers who are younger than me. and of those, only two attend more than one or two events.

 

[Grimracer]

Good point Jim.. how do we get the gamers to come over and play boat?

Grim

 

[Rob Betke]

I think it's to expensive for young people to get into. I know I wouldn't be able to do it if it wasn't for my dad. It helps we build our own boats but it's still very expensive.