Future of RC's

[Mario Johnston]

^THAT.

 

[Rich Jones]

Richard.. HOW can this NOT BE your avatar?.. LOL

Grim

That’s funny Grim except I’m afraid no one under say the age of say 40 would get it like us old dudes do!

 

[Grimracer]

Then to hell with them.. LOL... just kidding.. and just think.. most of us boaters ARE over 40..LOL..
Still.. I can not see your name with out thinking of my HERO.. ROBOCOP!

Grim

 

[Rich Jones]

Then to hell with them.. LOL... just kidding.. and just think.. most of us boaters ARE over 40..LOL..
Still.. I can not see your name with out thinking of my HERO.. ROBOCOP!

Grim

Done! **** Jones is now my Avatar, LOL!

 

[Grimracer]

LOL. I just spit out my COFFEE... LOL.. thanks.. the planet is now ALIGNED!

O ****.. I am geeking out....LOL

Grim

 

[Hydro Junkie]

So, Mike, are you the one that gets to shoot him? You know "Murphy" blows him away at the end, followed by a spin of his pistol on his mechanical finger

 

[Grimracer]

This is me... LOL

 

[Mike Cathey]

So if a stock class was what people really wanted why hasn't the Thunderboat become more popular? Relatively cheap kits or layups with a motor that's cheap, burning gas that costs $3 a gallon. They are a lot of fun to drive as long as it has a stock engine. The one I drove got real squirrely with a modified motor.

 

[Grimracer]

Or.. why did Super Sport Mono change.. (what a fantastic opportunity lost)

Grim

 

[Ray Sametz]

So if a stock class was what people really wanted why hasn't the Thunderboat become more popular? Relatively cheap kits or layups with a motor that's cheap, burning gas that costs $3 a gallon. They are a lot of fun to drive as long as it has a stock engine. The one I drove got real squirrely with a modified motor.

Thunderboats at 2019 Nats, I'd call that popular. Just saying....

 

[Hydro Junkie]

In the North West, I don't know of anyone that competitively runs a T-boat. Pretty much everyone I know that runs gassers runs gas scales instead. I wonder if it has anything to do with the boats being limited to round nose boats or the three Smirnoff/Atlas/Madison hulls from the late 1960s into the early 1970s?

 

[sbowden21]

I've put this thread in for the last 3-4 years and still think it's the way to go. Just think about it.
As I observe the direction that RC boating has progressed over the last few years I feel compelled to voice my opinion.
I am all in favor to go faster within the current written rules, but not to make changes to the rules to go faster. My question is, are we going too fast? I think that we do need classes that go super fast but how many of the drivers have the necessary skill set to go that fast? I have heard this comment numerous times, “I have an 80mph boat and a 60mph brain”.
Also, consider the cost. When we all are out running our boats and some spectators come up the first thing they ask is “How fast does that thing go?” The second question is “How much does it cost?” The RC Sport is in competition, like it or not, with all other sports and hobbies. We don’t want to price ourselves out of the market for a newbe.
An example of this would be the twin riggers. Everyone stops what they are doing to watch them run at a race. They are exciting! So why aren’t there more of them as compared to the stock classes? There are not many drivers with the skill set to drive a twin rigger and the cost is extremely high.
I am going to rely on my experience with the real hydros. They priced themselves out of the market, along with a lot of other motor sports. I would hope that this does not happen to our RC’s.
Now I am going to talk out of both sides of my mouth. I think we have too many classses due to engine size, hull configuration or whatever. On the other hand a stock gas sport class would be great. It would lower the speeds and make the available engines more economical. I would also like to promote a minimum weight limit on most classes. This would keep the people with deep pockets from building boats with costly composites and level the playing field. Pure speed is one thing but a close neck to neck race is what it is all about. Two or three guys coming down for the finish is exciting.
Also, consider eliminating the tuned pipes on certain stock classes. For example, the Cracker. Have a maximum diameter on the straight exhaust pipe. This would cut about $100 off the cost of the boat.
I’m not trying to ruffle any feathers or stir the pot. I’m just trying to make the RC boats more enticing to the average Joe. I am posting this because I want RC boating to remain a great sport. My intention is not to reinvent the wheel but to keep the sport healthy and strong.

Making roostertails longer for years. Bob Blazer

Boating isn't cheap, racing or sport boating... This is 3rd or 4th post in past couple months on this topic of costs/future if our hobby. The only thing that can help the hobby at this point is using the technology available in today's world, on the water and off the water. As far as mentioned above about "hydros being to expensive and not many people racing/running them" I totally disagree with this statement, just look at the race entries right now.... ATL spring nats sold out in 3-4 days with all nitro hydro classes filled and people on waiting lists. Look at the 2021 Namba winter nitro championship race being held in huntsville, AL entry has been open for 7 days and already 150 nitro boats are signed up .21 and .45 hydro classes have over 20 entries already and will probably end up over 35 in each... Maybe im missing something but this hobby seems to be doing well and on a good rebound in the past 5 years or so. All I can say is go see for yourself...

 

[bzubee]

That class changed because it started with having to use canister mufflers which are very hard to keep on the engine the bolts were always coming loose or the casting where the canister bolted too would break. Locktite won't help since the exhaust is very hot right there, I finally managed to keep mine on by buying higher grade bolts and drilling them out in order to use safety wire and some specialty locking washers.

Or.. why did Super Sport Mono change.. (what a fantastic opportunity lost)

Grim

 

[Danny King]

If the difference in someone getting in the hobby comes down to a canister muffler vs
A $100 tune pipe then This hobby isn’t for them. They will never pay the travel expenses if they won’t pay the price difference between a muffler and pipe.
I have said I t before and I’ll keep saying it. Until we stop running boats like we have for 50 yrs it will be extremely hard. I do it all the time. Approach a spectator at a race and ask if they have any questions?
The number one response is it looks crazy. It’s more survival then racing. That’s from their own mouth. Just ask.
And if you watch the drone footage being done lately the driving is horrible and worse yet is the lack of calls. Many races looks like a pot luck of guys throwing in multi-thousand dollar boats hoping not to get hit. With very little to zero calls.
Our race system or lack of one is as bad as this country’s voting system.
Guys have no problem buying the latest $150 prop or $180 pipe or a $700 engine but we still have no electronic scoring or a accurate and consistent start system.

I was on the phone a few days ago with a guy I raced against in 1990 and I said the biggest issueI I see Is we still do things the exact same way at races as we did then. And even before.
Oh except a digital clock. Lmao

There are lots of things that need addressed.
And listening to younger guys expressing their opinions would be wise. They are a lot more familiar with younger folks then the dinosaurs.

But the biggest issue I see with bringing in new boaters. The lack of local clubs. Asking a boater to have to travel just to run a boat 4 times in a 3 day period is the total opposite of what people want to do these days. Bang for the buck is low in this hobby. If you race!!

 

[Terry Keeley]

T Boats and Stock mono were the most popular classes at our 2019 Can-Am!

 

[LohringMiller]

Our very small club revived the thunderboat class in 2019. However, you all know what happened in 2020. Over the years we have tried several out of the box classes. We even made the box stock SV27 mono a draw a prop out of a hat class. The problem was that people who love this hobby can't resist tinkering at least some. The P limited and 1/10 scale electric classes have become the closest to equal power plant classes we run. There, props make all the difference.

Lohring Miller

 

[Rich Jones]

LOL. I just spit out my COFFEE... LOL.. thanks.. the planet is now ALIGNED!

O ****.. I am geeking out....LOL

Grim

Lol sorry bout that. Hope you didn’t short out your laptop or anything!

 

[Wesleys Custom RC]

In the end lets heat race then DRINK A BEER and be friends who race.

Does that mean u r buying? If so I'm in!

 

[Steve White]

Regional & national level racing is great and serves as the apex of the fun of this hobby for many of us - probably the majority of online members.

My exposure to RC boating was from a next door neighbor. I was 14 and he was 40 with a wife. He also flew RC aircraft. So, I get into boating ~1968. 5 years or so into it, I began running in monthly local club races at the local pond. Not sure when I hit the first NAMBA race and traveled - probably 1976 - I remember labor day weekend going to Legg Lake for a regional NAMBA sanctioned race and that wasn't the first.

But, running boats 90% of the time was at a local drainage basin or pond, small lake - not at a sanctioned racing event. Run for fun for a few years, became run for testing to prepare for the monthly local club race at the local pond. Fewer than 1/2 of the club membership of the Fresno Model Boat Club traveled to sanctioned NAMBA races.

Getting back into it now, most of the boating will be done at a local city approved pond - not a sanctioned regional/national racing events. I will participate of course at some level - but, most RC boating will be done locally with the club guys and now and then solo.

Get them into the local clubs - attraction from the grass roots. The newer boaters for the most part aren't ready for regional/national level competition.

I remember a buddy of mine and I were in the Fresno Radio Modelers before the boat guys split off and started the Fresno Model Boat Club. For our monthly meeting we always had a speaker. Brian Emke talked about what kind of shop you needed for aircraft and boats as he ran both if memory serves me correctly. My pal and I were 15 years old, in a room full of mostly grown men with thousands upon thousands of dollars in equipment. One of the guys worked in a dental lab and cast his own props for him and a pal. They ran the official club class of Veco .19 powered Northwind mono's and totally dominated it.

Today, I have a fairly well equipped shop. Along the way, it was find someone further along that would help me. Turn heads, and such. Fortunately, they were out there - much thanks to Jim Whitlatch, Art Hammond & others.

My point is the expert class guys are light years beyond the entry level in terms of both resources and experience. I think the best recruitment lies within the local clubs and not regional races full of expert class participants, based upon personal experience. Yeah, the twins are the most exciting. John Force burnouts are also the schitt at an NHRA event - the nitro cars are the only ones that "clear the pits" when they run. But new racers don't start out in nitro funny cars. They start out at the local parts store and JEG's/Summit racing online and at the 1/8 mile local track or out on the street somewhere out in the boondocks.

There's a nice fellowship in this hobby/motorsport and that is what will keep it alive.

 

[Carl Van Houten]

I'll keep my response short. I agree with Brandon (not that others don't have some good points) but in order to appeal to young people you have to get your products into their world and present them in a way that catches their interest. If you want young new modelers into this sport you have to do exactly what Brandon is saying or the hobby will continue to dwindle.