"JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT"change the future nitro outboard RC boating

[Geraghty]

Disclaimer.....THIS IS ABOUT specifically the health R/C "NITRO"boating and NITRO OUTBOARD RACING in North America......Once again don't anybody get your panties in a knot.....I am not trying to start a war.... I am not suggesting getting rid of classes or adding new classes , I am only suggesting possibly a way to promote the RC nitro outboard boating discipline for your "FOOD FOR THOUGHT".....


This post may well be too little to late , I honestly do not know , lets throw it out there and dam the torpedos....full speed ahead..........

FACTS:

[1] Nitro RC boat racing is experiencing a steady decline.....How far it will decline , who knows , but it is definitely not what I would say healthy.....

[2] Another influence is the rapid rising costs of getting involved in the hobby of "nitro" RC boat racing .....it has risen exponentially in the past 30 years.....

[4] Another fact , the basic knowledge required or best said the learning curve required to compete in "nitro" RC boat racing is steep and involved .....

[5] Another influence is the basic industrial arts or building skills required to successfully build and compete in RC "nitro" boating....

[6] I would estimate that nitro "OUTBOARD" RC boat racing in North America" has fallen by at least 70% in the past 15 years.....

[7] A large contingent of current veteran RC nitro racers have migrated to gas and F.E.......did you ever give a thought to why that is ???......



Is there an answer to stop this nitro outboard decline?....I believe there is a chance but it will require the RC "nitro" boating community becoming very pro-active in the future of RC "nitro" boating.....

I am not throwing rocks at Gas & FE......Those are [2] RC boating disciplines that are very easy to join and enjoy........

Take gas as an example....You can buy [2+] Zenoah PUM-260's for the cost of a .21 nitro outboard ..... fuel costs are $2.00 a gallon .....you set the needle
in January and don't worry about setting it again until December....a piston and jug costs $45.00....Now....You take it to the pond , pull on the recoil recoil to start it , you pull the trigger and go....You do a few laps and assuming you don't hit anything it comes back to the beach.....Shazaam....now that's a successful day at the pond.....
You don't have to learn to read a plug or have a box full of $7.00 glo-plugs,have a $50.00 gallon of fuel , have a $250.00 box to flow a needle or even learn how to set a needle valve .....
You don't need a high dollar starter , worry about the head clearance ..you get the idea here???...."Nitro is not easy to run".....It takes perseverance to learn the basic skills to
successfully compete in RC nitro boating...and...why would anyone do that and pay big $$$$ to do it....That is the definition of fiscal insanity.......

If "Nitro" expects to maintain what competitors we now have we need to become pro-active and make nitro easier and cheaper to run.....

Stock OPC outboard classes in NAMBA have lost at least 80% of the outboard OPC stock classes in the past 15/20 years due to big rising costs & loss of competitive motors ready to run.....
IMPBA Sport .21 class is a bit better because the current rules made it a reasonably easy class to run but it is still comparatively expensive....
The IMPBA .21 boat is essentially a Sport class not a "stock" class ....no inspections and easier to run.......

Here is another fact.....Do your own research....the speeds of all Sport or Stock nitro outboard [non-piped] "heat racing boats " are virtually all on top of each other....
Why does RC nitro boat racing require inspections anymore??? Nitro Outboard heat racing no longer requires detailed inspections and the protectionist K&B rules compiled
40+ years ago.....The Sport .21 rules in IMPBA have proven that inspections are not necessary....I would guess the average age of "nitro" RC boat racers is probably somewhere between 50 and 60 years old....That age group grew up when you had to learn the basic skills or we had no where else to go to race RC boats.......

The following suggestions are not a proposal they are nothing more than just "FOOD FOR THOUGHT"......I AM DOING NOTHING MORE THAN SITTING IN MY RECLINER THINKING OF A POSSIBLE WAY TO IMPROVE RC NITRO OUTBOARD BOATING....

This is a possible rules package for "Sport Outboard Tunnel" racing classes....These rules are for "motors" only...IMPBA , NAMBA & APBA existing tunnel "boat" rules remain the same....


[1] Displacement..... Class I up to .28 CI [4.6CC]

Class II .29 CI to 1.00 CI

[2] Minimum boat weights Class I...6 pounds 8 Oz with fuel....

Class II..minimum 9 pounds with fuel.... Note : theses are only suggested weights....do your own research and see what you get....

[3] 15% fuel only - A good reputable easy to acquire fuel could be supplied at the race by the host club and included in the entry fee.......


[4] No custom fuel tanks allowed....clear or opaque tanks I.E Sullivan only....we would want the ability to visually inspect fuel levels......


[5]No tuned pipes....car silencers [pipes] ok......


[6] No 3rd channel needles not allowed....[more boats are left on the course with 3rd channels than return to the beach and it encourages you to learn how to set a needle]


[7] Last but most important rule.....Build it , bring it and race it.....

Advantages: All current boats and engines stay in play and reduces costs substantially......it also levels the playing field considerably......

Disadvantages:You tell me.....none that I can see.......all suggestions are inclusive .....nothing is exclusive.......

This type of rules package is would be very user friendly , reduces costs substantially ,and requires no inspections....If you want to run the high dollar motors be my guest,
but it won't be necessary to be competitive.....There are about 15 different '21/.28 car motors available that that set up properly will run with an O.S. 21 ....priced from $75 to $150....
With minimum weights and 15% fuel , the playing field is virtually leveled....We have physically tested this approach with these results...the earlier mentioned performance figures are what know through our empirical testing .......and...... with the 15% fuel and the minimum boat weights the playing field is leveled very quickly......

We know if RC nitro boat racing is to maintain or possibly flourish.IMO the RC nitro boat racing community has to become pro-active and attempt to determine the future of RC nitro outboard racing ...

After doing this for 45+ years the one thing I have acquired is some hard learned "emperical wisdom"..... I am far from smart..... I am just an average experienced nitro boater that has watched RC nitro boating and how it has evolved over the past 45 years.....That is where this word "emperical wisdom" comes from....
If all of RC nitro outboard boat "racing" was just to only limit fuel to15% a substansial cost savings would be realized....The AMA [pylon racing] and car organizations did this years ago and it has served them well......
Just more food for thought.....No longer would the loss of a manufacturer determine the direction or health of the RC nitro boating hobby.....and costs would be reduced considerably....

The very best of luck to all of you who choose to continue the hobby of RC nitro boat racing..... i am pullin' for ya.......

 

[Chris Wood]

First HI ROD. Miss chatting with ya and hope all is well.

When I stepped away at that point the cost was getting crazy and has continued.. fuel upwards of 50 a gallon for 70%. plugs north of 8.00 each.

I figured at the level of racing I did and wanted to continue to just them 2 items was 3,000 a yr.. then you figure all the other expendables I call them, props, pipes, motor parts etc.. add another 500-1000 for that.. then the big expense.. travel.. hotel bills, and fuel.. with more and more locations not being able to run or losing sights it makes it more and more expensive to race.. i remember going to the nats in ohio from iowa.. 10 days cost me 1000 bucks.. now at the end of it it is your hobby and you spend what you want, but for me the cost vs the actual time i spent running a boat got to be out of hand.. I miss racing like you can't imagine, i miss the people and all the fun i had, but i don't see how to CHEAPEN it up.

Racing in general has and always will be expensive.. the only way i can see it is to limit everything.. boats, motors, fuel etc. at that point people lose interest because they don't get to choose what they want to do.

I know your passion is outboards like mine is hydros, and looking at that market it is even tougher, with nova doing who knows what there is only 1 option for STOCK motors and that could be on a fine thread for all we know, then what? boats have improved, but the basis is still the same, easy of use, accessibly and market share vs other hobbies.. there has been a shift in the world to electronics and not for the good.

hope to chat with ya sometime in the future

Chris

 

[RonShaw]

Chris,
Great points. Those of us that love nitro boat racing will continue for sure. All, more food for thought, no news doesnt mean we have to think a bad outcome is coming. Italy was one of the first to get hit with COVID and they were hit HARD. I am still hopeful after all of this is over that Nova will reopen either with current or new owners. In the meantime I am reaching out to all of my worldwide distributors to keep stock coming in to supply customers. Rod, looking over your post above as this pertains to outboard racing, what you forgot was the cost of the gas lower unit ($350-450) as well as the pipe/header combo ($150-200). Also, unless its a gas stock class, most will purchase highly modified gas engines which run anywhere from $400-800. Add all of these costs together with the gas outboard hull cost of $600-800 for a built hull and you are all of a sudden way above the cost of any other tunnel class. Again, those of us that love nitro tunnel racing will continue with the classes we already have in place and love every opportunity to race!!

 

[Geraghty]

Chris.....
Good to hear your thoughts......Thanks for your input.......
What I posted was worded very carefully....Every remark I made was concerning "RC nitro outboards"......
The suggestions I posted for "food for thought" were all pointed at reducing the cost to go "nitro "outboard boating.....
I never made mention of any other "nitro" racing classes......
We all have to ask ourselves this question....Why do you think so many veteran nitro competitors in North America have migrated to gas ?......
IMO It isn't covid-19......This nitro migration has been going on for years....
Take care......Rod

 

[Kevin Burns]

15% nitro content? Might as well use 100% methanal. 25-40% is usually what people use. Knowing most people come to this hobby from Nitro Buggies and are used to running and paying for 25%-33% fuel.
And,
I thought the IMPBA already had a stock class of outboard.
Although a stock outboard is "not" a unmodified bone stock CMB/Rossi 7 port, bolted to a OS lower unit.
We pretty much know there is only 3 truly stock outboards out there.
K&B (3 port)
OS max (3 port)
Thunder Tiger (3 port)

I also remember a time when if you won a stock class the club could/would disassemble your engine to make sure your engine was stock, "Sleeve work, bearings, con rods and pistons"
Basicly a stock engine has one intake port and two boost ports. (3 port engine)
Problem is the clubs don't check and allow modified pistons/sleeves and tuned pipes.
Also, remember the stock outboard class died because the so called officials allowed CMB/Rossi "stock power heads" into the stock class.

But 15% I think you mean beginner class. (No Joke)

Another problem is when people come to a IMPBA race who are new to the sport, and forced to race against 20 year veterans with impeccable driving skills, the newcomer ends up leaving the hobby altogether.


Now a beginner class for any hull type, not just the outboard class, could be easy to maintain.
Threw IMPBA records we can see how long someone has been a member.
(Example) A beginner could be someone with IMPBA membership for no more than two years.

This would level the playing field considerably.

I remember when I first started running boats, my depth of field was non existent to say the least, so rounding the buoys was terrible vs a seasoned 20 year vet who could round the buoys with one eye closed.

But to take a already established stock class and require 15% fuel, I would never enter with that low of a fuel content.

Just my two cent.

We should be trying to get people into the hobby, not kill the hobby.

 

[Kevin Burns]

You want to change the future of r/c boating.
"Focus on the individual".
It's not just about the boat.
When I raced BMX bikes under the NBL (National Bike League), we had;
It didn't matter how old you were, everyone had to start at the bottom.
Beginner (First two years) but can race in the Open class
Novice (2-5 years) or by points, the first 3 riders with the most points advanced to the next class without waiting.
Expert (5 years) or by points, the first 3 riders with the most points advanced to the next class without waiting.
Pro (5-10 years +)
Pro AA (Sponsored)
Open (Any and all) To hone skills against more experienced riders)

Now of course all of this class breakdown won't work in R/C but the beginner class might draw more people into the sport, and keep them involved. It would take a few years for the word to get out. Wont happen over night.

This was done so one would be racing against a vet. This also kept people involved.

I for one didn't like racing a boat against paid Futaba pilots, or anyone backed by manufactures. Who travel America wide and race/run every day. Might as well ask Budweiser to step in.

But, I guess the individual doesn't matter.

 

[Carl Van Houten]

Thanks for your efforts Rod. I know that you don't want to see outboards die anymore than the rest of us but cost is now paired with availability. The days of cheap RC outboards are gone and apparently nobody has an answer to cost or they would have already slammed that product on the market. People love to whine and cry about cost and you turn around and those same people will buy a $800.00 carbon fiber gas boat have a $300.00 paint job done on it and load it with the best engine and hardware money can buy and pay other people to put it all together for them. I know a gas guy who has over $4,000,00 in ONE BOAT!

Plus this same guy has (and I am not exaggerating) at least $5,000.00 worth of props as well. Competitive RTR gas props are $150 each and some props only certain people can get. Expensive is a different amount for each racer. Yes, you can buy a gas engine for half the cost of the O/S and Yes, you can but a $69.00 wood kit to build and all that sounds really good but by the time you buy everything you need to finish that $69.00 kit (not counting the time spent to finish it) you may have been better off just to buy a RTR boat and then when you put your budget gas boat out there at a site like the VooDoo club you will need to make sure your cowling seals up nice and tight because your budget boat will get drenched in turn one buy the high dollars boys and there you go... The budget boat goes on ebay Monday morning and you are then getting what they have. It's nothing new.

I don't own a gas boat but I enjoy helping Mike with his. They are large and you can run them in a lot of wind and like you said once you get it done gas is cheap. There are some who love nitro outboards and will continue to deal with the endless issues of manufacturing cost and availability of racing outboards. We will still race. We will still complain but at the end of the day we will find a way to race outboards.

Mercury stopped building the Mark 20-H over 70 years ago and they are still being raced today. The hard core racers will find a way to race. If Nova Rossi can not find a way to come back to production there are enough of their engines out there to last many years to come.

I think we can all agree that Nova Rossi is the finest outboard ever built.

-Carl

 

[Kevin Burns]

I also remember a Sport 40 hydro class. Ok I show up with a sport 40 hydro with a ringed 40 side exhaust engine and race against people running .45ci ABC, rear exhaust engines with pipes. IDK sport 40 was designed for ringed side exhaust engines but for some reason the officials allow non sport engines to run a higher displacement of .45ci and rear exhaust engines. (That's not a sport class that a hydro class)

I built a shovel nose "Drag n Fly" with a sport 40 K&B, went to a race and saw K&B 45's, so I bought Sig Rossi .40, it had rear exhaust but at least it was a .40ci engine.

Just to much bending the rules with-in the IMPBA with no recourse.

When I raced BMX and did do illegal jumps (Table Tops) and handlebar battles (To wipe someone out), I was fined. Not in the IMPBA but there is a section on sanctions in the rule book, I have yet to see anyone fined.

Someone joins the IMPBA, reads the rules and builds a boat only to show up with a non competitive boat and ends up leaving the IMPBA.

Yeah lets advance the sport.

Not being rude but let's be real here.

Don't get me started with fuel...Tetra and Hydra. yeah I was introduced to that by a record holder.

People wonder why I left the sport.

 

[Geraghty]

To everybody reading this.......the defensive positions are surfacing.......the wagons are being rapidly circled .......
If anybody believes there is a big posse of $4000.00 gas boats being run by the average RC gas boater....you also believe in the easter bunny..... I only mentioned gas as a cost reference to nitro to getting "involved" in RC boating........
You are right about one thing.....I absolutely agree Nova built a hell of a good motor......Notice I said "built" not "builds"....all recent evidence appears they are gone.....You are also right there are probably are enough out there to run for a long time.....how does a newbie to RC nitro boating get or even know about them????.....

Another subject:
Mercury 20H's were also good....I raced several of them in the 50's and 60's.... Currently about 20-30 of them still demo race in vintage "B" demonstrations at APBA events today....To the best of my knowledge you can still run 20H's in 250 mod but why would you give about 40 pound advantage away to the Champ Hot Rods and Sidewinders being run today????
The 20H's today are now just very expensive collector item....

Currently on on RC universe.....read it .....this RC nitro pandemic is spreading.....

https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/speed-rc-nitro-boats-117/11678136-what-happened-nitro-rc-boats.html
PS: We did come up with an option to a "$500.00 outboard......That is what started this xxxx storm six months ago......
We put a under $100.00 car motor on a $39.00 adapter on current lower end and it ran with the $500.00 O.S. outboard on one of your boats...The Lynx......You have to play with carb linkage and a car silencer a bit but isn't that worth a $360.00 savings.???

 

[Carl Van Houten]

My point was that the guys with the 3 & 4k rigs are still going to buy the high dollar stuff (and there is more than one of these easter bunny boats coming to the VooDoo race this fall) just like the budget racer buying what he thinks is reasonable he is still going to buy the cheapest thing he can find that will push his boat around the track.

I am not posturing I'm just stating facts. Everybody has their own version of what is expensive and that will never change in model racing or full size racing for that matter. There needs to be a fix to this for sure but I think time is better spent trying to build a better mouse trap. Heck mouse traps can be expensive too you know. LOL

Your Dynamite K&B combo may catch on and become a specialty class like the 3.5cc outboard? That would be great. I will support it. Oh and thanks for testing it on my Lynx!

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on the Easter Bunny Boat at VooDoo. It will be a hell of a race I can tell you that! He has almost as much $$$ in his props as you paid for your entire dynamite outboard project. The difference is he doesn't care what it cost to win. But now I can't hang with that and I have to settle with racing tunnel boats. Something a poor man can afford to race.

 

[Geraghty]

My point was that the guys with the 3 & 4k rigs are still going to buy the high dollar stuff (and there is more than one of these easter bunny boats coming to the VooDoo race this fall) just like the budget racer buying what he thinks is reasonable he is still going to buy the cheapest thing he can find that will push his boat around the track.

I am not posturing I'm just stating facts. Everybody has their own version of what is expensive and that will never change in model racing or full size racing for that matter. There needs to be a fix to this for sure but I think time is better spent trying to build a better mouse trap. Heck mouse traps can be expensive too you know. LOL

Your Dynamite K&B combo may catch on and become a specialty class like the 3.5cc outboard? That would be great. I will support it. Oh and thanks for testing it on my Lynx!

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on the Easter Bunny Boat at VooDoo. It will be a hell of a race I can tell you that! He has almost as much $$$ in his props as you paid for your entire dynamite outboard project. The difference is he doesn't care what it cost to win. But now I can't hang with that and I have to settle with racing tunnel boats. Something a poor man can afford to race.

I am done trying to confuse you with your own words "the facts".......
I fail to see or understand what a $4000.00 gas boat has got to do with encouraging a new RC nitro boater to come try our discipline......
Not just the poor man.....just a possible "new" to nitro RC boats competitor.....enuff said on this ......
I am done with all this , I am going to stand down and see where all this posted info/rumor/statements on Novarossi goes....and......I believe the longer there is no response from NOVA the hole on this subject just gets deeper and deeper.......
If all the Nova info turns out to be true.....all that is left is O.S.......I know for a "fact" O.S. has threatened to discontinue the outboard several times ... and...the lower the sales numbers go the higher the prices will go up.....That is just good business practice........Who knows when O.S. will meet their tipping point....
You say you are not posturing??? Does this mean you are no longer in the business of selling tunnel boats????

 

[Geraghty]

But, I guess the individual doesn't matter.

15% is not a "beginner " fuel......It is just another fuel.....Do you think the people flying pylon racers in AMA contests are beginners????
NAMBA had a Div.1 Sport 40 class with 4011 K&B ringed motors........Sounds to me you just made some bad choices.....
Not being rude but let's be real here. .....your words......so lets get real......Stay on point.....everything I have posted is about the"individual" new RC nitro outboard boater...... read " very carefully" what I posted as possible class suggestions......your so called veteran boaters would never participate in the classes I mentioned.......UNLESS....... there was no other place to go.....think about it.....

 

[Brandon Atwell]

Hey Rod! Hope you’re doing well!
Is that mount you guys were working on available to purchase? We have a couple old buggy engines that would be fun to bolt up and run. Have you guys tested a true outboard pipe on one or is it too long when accounting for the stinger?
I’ve wanted to test a picco car engine for a while and that would be an easy way to get it going. The mount would universalize a wide range of engines, albeit not in the orthodox way that most of us run.
If Push comes to shove, that would be an easy way to continue the market until a “true” outboard makes its appearance if Novarossi is done. We do still have OPS, which I think a lot of people forget. They are cheaper than the Nova’s too.
Pair your mount setup with people like Ron (current Lynx and Taboo dealer) or Zipp Kits (when they’re tunnel is released) and you have two one stop shops for outboard tunnels. eBay or Horizon can easily be used to find some cheap engines to get started.
Having Carl actively designing lower ends, and hopefully down the line more outboard conversions, we still have a shot at staying afloat. People like both of you innovating the next steps are where the future is for our hobby. I know of other potential outboard conversions that have been in the works for a little while now, so while it may look bleak at the moment, I see some sight of positivity. While we can’t control all rising costs (fuel, plugs, etc.) we can navigate better “entry level” options that can easily be a simple bolt and go change to raise the competitiveness.

 

[Bruce Jacobs]

The rc boat hobby is still far cheaper than real boats, go karts or motorcycles. Still have the same travel expenses. Plus when they blow over, it dosen't hurt.

 

[Carl Van Houten]

It looks to me like the current situation is a perfect platform for your Dynamite/K&B setup. Don't let the details of all this get you so upset Rod. You may not see it but what I have said is just the truth. There are some guys in outboards that have more money than me, you and all our friends put together and they will spend big money to have the best of everything and then there is the beginner/budget racer that is getting into this sport and looking for a deal.

Both of these guys are racing together. The budget racer is the guy that brings a K&B on an old Tom's Cat that he has had for 40 years and gets his doors blown off. I see your point concerning cost and true enough this stuff has gotten expensive. Some leave because of the cost while others don't. The guy with the big money is not interested in the Tom's Cat and the budget racer is never going to buy the high dollar stuff either. So who is most likely to actually drive to out of town races and be competitive? We know the answer to that. Maybe your engine could bring a cheaper choice for the people who are not going to go for the high end stuff but they will need to race separately to make it fair. I'm all for it and have said it from the start. Mark Poole brought 5 new Mod VP boats to a race years ago and people got interested in the class and they are still running that class today. Build them get them out there. Heck I will run one.

You say that nitro is fading away but race entries come online a 12am at night and are almost full before daylight the next day. Some sites are booming with nitro while others cant seem to pay people to enter... you've seen this too.

We are on the same side (me and you) whether you believe it or not because now we are both trying to give racers an option to even get an outboard (cheaper or not). We are both wanting the same thing so why argue? Build some of your 28 engines and get them out there and I will help you any way I can.

Me on the other hand. I will post what we have in store that may be an answer to this problem of availability (not at a lower cost now) I am not sure that we can get around that but I plan to try to pull something together here. I have the capability of manufacturing cranks and have probably made close to one hundred of them over the years.

What do we have to loose?

-Carl

 

[Geraghty]

The rc boat hobby is still far cheaper than real boats, go karts or motorcycles. Still have the same travel expenses. Plus when they blow over, it dosen't hurt.

been there done that....lolol

 

[Geraghty]

Hey Rod! Hope you’re doing well!
Is that mount you guys were working on available to purchase? We have a couple old buggy engines that would be fun to bolt up and run. Have you guys tested a true outboard pipe on one or is it too long when accounting for the stinger?
I’ve wanted to test a picco car engine for a while and that would be an easy way to get it going. The mount would universalize a wide range of engines, albeit not in the orthodox way that most of us run.
If Push comes to shove, that would be an easy way to continue the market until a “true” outboard makes its appearance if Novarossi is done. We do still have OPS, which I think a lot of people forget. They are cheaper than the Nova’s too.
Pair your mount setup with people like Ron (current Lynx and Taboo dealer) or Zipp Kits (when they’re tunnel is released) and you have two one stop shops for outboard tunnels. eBay or Horizon can easily be used to find some cheap engines to get started.
Having Carl actively designing lower ends, and hopefully down the line more outboard conversions, we still have a shot at staying afloat. People like both of you innovating the next steps are where the future is for our hobby. I know of other potential outboard conversions that have been in the works for a little while now, so while it may look bleak at the moment, I see some sight of positivity. While we can’t control all rising costs (fuel, plugs, etc.) we can navigate better “entry level” options that can easily be a simple bolt and go change to raise the competitiveness.

Fred Howe at R-Mfg [lawless man] has the adapters.....1-607-687-0143 we have not tested a true tuned pipe....

 

[sbowden21]

Nitro is not dead... Come to Johnston City IL oct. 3rd&4th and see for yourselves... 135+ nitro boats with 20+ nitro outboards and counting in the middle of a pandemic... come join the fun and be apart of the majority not minority!!

Im one of the younger boaters out there in the US (27) and yes I was blessed with being born into a family with this hobby. But if we for one second think stock outboards with a new set of rules and regulations will i guess what you call save the class and bring new blood to the hobby i think we would be highly mistaken... maybe im.wrong on that? BUT One thing that will help tremendously with bringing the new generation to this hobby is TECHNOLOGY you will see a small part of what it can do at the Johnston City race, the club has a TV at the drivers stand with real time live scores of each class... Once you walk off the drivers stand you can look and see your score for the heat and where you stand overall in the particular class (instant gratification) what millienals love... Now it needs to be taken to the next step with a timing system for lap times and total heat race time. This will not only help draw interest but keep old boaters in the game also. It will help you be a better driver, know if the adjustment you made really did help or just made the # on the GPS go up.. MPH doesnt always equal quicker laps!!! It will also help people realize you dont have to spend a fortune to go fast, so so many times have i heard people say my boat goes this mph its bad fast and then come race day they are no where to be found sometimes not even on the same lap as the leaders.. Just look at IMBRA (Europe) they have this in place and have many young youthful boaters there, is this the reason maybe not but i truthfully believe it helps a lot! This hobby needs to advace with the times and generation and use technology to its advantage not dis advantage like we see on this site all to often with bickering and fighting and blah blah blah i know more than you do mentality and so on. Just my thoughts on how we can help the hobby and create a better buzz and understanding of what actually happens during and at a race.

 

[Andy Greene]

Nitro is not dead... Come to Johnston City IL oct. 3rd&4th and see for yourselves... 135+ nitro boats with 20+ nitro outboards and counting in the middle of a pandemic... come join the fun and be apart of the majority not minority!!

Im one of the younger boaters out there in the US (27) and yes I was blessed with being born into a family with this hobby. But if we for one second think stock outboards with a new set of rules and regulations will i guess what you call save the class and bring new blood to the hobby i think we would be highly mistaken... maybe im.wrong on that? BUT One thing that will help tremendously with bringing the new generation to this hobby is TECHNOLOGY you will see a small part of what it can do at the Johnston City race, the club has a TV at the drivers stand with real time live scores of each class... Once you walk off the drivers stand you can look and see your score for the heat and where you stand overall in the particular class (instant gratification) what millienals love... Now it needs to be taken to the next step with a timing system for lap times and total heat race time. This will not only help draw interest but keep old boaters in the game also. It will help you be a better driver, know if the adjustment you made really did help or just made the # on the GPS go up.. MPH doesnt always equal quicker laps!!! It will also help people realize you dont have to spend a fortune to go fast, so so many times have i heard people say my boat goes this mph its bad fast and then come race day there no where to be found sometimes not even on the same lap as the leaders.. Just look at IMBRA (eurpoe) they have this in place and have many young youthful boaters there, is this the reason maybe not but i truthfully believe it helps a lot! This hobby needs to advace with the times and generation and use technology to its advantage not dis advantage like we see on this site all to often with bickering and fighting and blah blah blah i know more than you do mentality and so on. Just my thoughts on how we can help the hobby and create a better buzz and understanding of what actually happens during and at a race.

Strong words young man - and truthful words. ALLLLL this talk about Nitro dying and some of you guys still dont GET IT -
It has ZERO - LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN - ZERO - 00000- NADA ZIPPP ZILCH - in what powers the product- its in how we (you) as rc boaters represent it - mold it - grow it !!!
PERIOD .
Want to grow a farm thats here for 100 years - Ask yourself what that takes ??
Can you toss some seeds in the ground and walk away ?
Never water it ??
Never spend any time on the farm ???
Its takes investment , leadership time and commitment , or it never grows.
Nitro will never GO AWAY , it may become a slightly smaller nitch in the pinhole that it is as a whole in rc boating - but look at the car guys - they are not just gonna wrap up and switch to f/e or gas completely . Once your vested in nitro , you always will be , and there is a reason for that, many actually ., but mainly for the love of it.
Bottom line is, ALL power sources are at a risk to die off at one time or another -
Unless We (you) as a whole tends the farm

 

[Joey Jones]

One thing that will help tremendously with bringing the new generation to this hobby is TECHNOLOGY you will see a small part of what it can do at the Johnston City race, the club has a TV at the drivers stand with real time live scores of each class... Once you walk off the drivers stand you can look and see your score for the heat and where you stand overall in the particular class

This is awesome. I have been thinking of something like this, and would love to learn more (thanks for the PMs and descriptions!). I do agree with you that there are many upsides to having a modern racing environment.

Big plus if we can get some new boaters too. I do plan on bolting one of these car engine conversions to a spare hull that I have. A cheap outboard for bashing around (and even racing my buddies) is just what the doctor ordered. At the very least, I need the practice running around the buoys.