question for the general public

[Chris Wood]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.

Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

 

[Richard Dahlheimer]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.
Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

I think i qualify,,,,,,,,,, 60 yrs old, and have ran nitro boats since the 80s. In one word i would have to say exposure. Maybe the IMPBA and or NAMBA should come out with a published 4 time a year magazine that could be purchased at the magazine racks. Look at all the information that could be exposed. Many companies do not just use the net for advertising. When i first got into the hobby, Boat Modeler was a good magazine, where one could find usefull information. Now maybe its time for the organizations to step up to the plate. Richard D

 

[moparbarn]

i think exposure & accessability are 2 big reasons. it seems to be a lot easier to find somewhere to fly or run a car/truck than it is to find a pond. and, somehow, i think people see boats as more environmentaly damaging/upsetting to wildlife.

 

[Ray Sametz]

Only way to get the mainstream kids interested today, is to hook it up to a TV and they can be able to sit on a couch!!!!! <_< <_< <_<

 

[Sean Bowf]

Anyone can buy a car and run it in their back yard...or go buy a plane and run it in the school yard after hours. You can't do that with a boat. I think that is the biggest factor that caused me to mothball all my stuff some 25 years ago. IE you have to have a pond to run in and a way to retreive the boats when they die.

I think it would help if there was a hobby shop (even a virtual one on line) that catered to just boats. I know some are out there, but I mean that covered all the bases...engines (more than one brand), hardware (more than one brand), fuel, etc, etc. One stop shopping if you will.

Some of you will hate to hear this, but I think RTRs are the thing that helps the hobby the most right now. Plug and play boating... All you have to do it take it out of the box and put fuel in it. For the msot part, I don't think the latest generation has the will or aptitude to "build" things. Most of that industry has gone offshore... I mean, look how hard it is to get a prop off the shelf. You can't just walk into a hobby shop and pick up a balanced and sharpened prop off the wall and buy it. They want plug and play... They don't want to have to assemble, adjust, tinker, fix, sharpen, balance, etc...

I have seen hobby shops that have on site tracks for cars. Shoot, one in arlington has indoor off and on road tracks. They also allow small electric planes to fly in there. I have seen hobby shops that drive a van full of common use spare parts to the flying field. Has anyone seen anything like this for boats??

Sean

 

[Don Ferrette]

Only way to get the mainstream kids interested today, is to hook it up to a TV and they can be able to sit on a couch!!!!! <_< <_< <_<

...... with a box of Twinkies and a bottle of Coke or Pepsi within easy reach.

 

[mprfrk440]

Only way to get the mainstream kids interested today, is to hook it up to a TV and they can be able to sit on a couch!!!!! <_< <_< <_<

Ray, this is true, I have one myself.

I got him racing this year and the hand eye coordination is amazing from these kids, so watch out for those couch potatoes, they have an edge.

As for our hobby, this is one reason why we started Me Time, to promote the hobby. I have personally talked to 20 or so people that call for our dvds that either used to be a rc boater and getting back into it, or new to this all together.

We also will be traveling to craft and hobby shows on the east coast to do just that, promote the hobby. The first one we went to last month was at VA Tech, I personally talked to over 150 people about rc boating. A majority of them said they did not know this hobby existed.

I think that more hobby stores need to carry boats, Robin has a good point that land and air are easier to get than a pond, but still, compared to all rc vehicles, you don't see hobby stores carrying boats. I think they do not have the tools to sell the boats like they do the cars and planes.

The guys at Hobbico do a great job, they produce a product that is great for the seasoned boater and a whole slue of products for the begginers.

This Fall we will be working on a dvd to send to the hobby stores for them to play in the store giving info on rc boat racing, free marketiing tool so why not carry boats in their stores.

RC Boat Modeler Magazine is a great product. IMO is does a great job promoting this hobby, it reaches a lot of folks that do not have internet.

All in all I believe we just need to promote to new boaters somehow someway. The more people in the hobby means more poeple for suppliers to sell to in turn companies are more apt to offer more products, we just need to promote more.

Doug

 

[Chris Wood]

o.k guys.. so we have established getting main streamed.. HOW DO WE DO IT ??

i understand cars are more or less plug and play. How can we get the people interested.

As for mfg. is it simply a supply in demand issue and we are always going to be on the bottom of the list. unless you are a company that solely caters to boats.

I would love to be able to pull something from this to help us move up to the next level of mfg support and membership growth.

chris

 

[piper_chuck]

o.k guys.. so we have established getting main streamed.. HOW DO WE DO IT ??
i understand cars are more or less plug and play. How can we get the people interested.

As for mfg. is it simply a supply in demand issue and we are always going to be on the bottom of the list. unless you are a company that solely caters to boats.

I would love to be able to pull something from this to help us move up to the next level of mfg support and membership growth.

chris

More support for "plug and play" boats and more interaction with local hobby shops. Hobby shops are one of the first places a newbie is going to look. If the hobby shop doesn't think there's a nearby place to run boats, and people who are going to buy boat stuff, they're not going to stock anything and they'll probably steer the person toward cars or planes. Since we buy so much of our stuff from small manufacturers and/or long distance shops who specialize in boat stuff, hobby shops never know we're around.

 

[Wesleys Custom RC]

Let's back up a minute! When I was a kid there was only Dumas with their support products as well as Prather. If they didn't have it you made it yourself. In the 80s there was lots of manufactures of boats but still few support products. When I came back to the sport 3 years ago I found a world wide network of people making, buying and selling all kinds of stuff...all over the Internet. I'll bet I can find anything I want within 15 minutes. Grim and pro boat are selling rtr's like crazy. The only problem I see is exposure.

 

[lohring]

When I started racing boats the beginner's setup was a K&B outboard with a Dumas hull. This cost around $300. Today in the Pacific Northwest the beginner's setup is a Miss Vegas for nitro or a Super V 27 for electric. Either still cost around $300, considerably cheaper in real dollars. These boats are easier to run and more reliable than the old K&B outboard powered boats. Both classes are by far the most popular racing classes in this area.

Serious model boat racing has always had a limited appeal. Few will stay with the hobby for more than several years. We have lost a large group of racers to full size boat racing. We are gaining new members through the RTR classes. Only the most dedicated will stay on and run the harder classes. I see a major transition from the nitro boats that were popular in the past to RC car engine based nitro boats; electric boats with low cost speed controls, brushless motors, and lithium polymer batteries; and gas boats for the hard core racers. The conversion from nitro to gas by the Northern California racers happened fairly suddenly last year. It is happening all over the country as large nitro motors as well as the fuel for them get scarce.

Electrics are in their infancy but I expect them to continue to take over the small end of model boats. I see huge possibilities for 14.8 volt systems with low cost motors and speed controls. Currently these systems are good replacements for 3.5 cc nitro motors. The 14.8 volt unlimited systems produce similar power to the 7.5 cc nitro motors, but still cost more. The small nitro motors still have longer run time at race speeds, but for a one mile race, the electrics finally have impressive performance.

There has never been a better selection of boats for everyone from beginner to expert. The beginner's boats are less expensive and more reliable. The expert's boats have higher performance and better reliability than in the past. I suspect that one of the reasons clubs die is failure to mentor new boaters. Sure, only one out of 20 will stay around for years, but that is the only way the hobby can survive. Failure to welcome the guy who beings out his RTR boat guarantees the loss of a future racer.

Lohring Miller

 

[2ridgebacks]

I think developing a gas class and only allowing the canister muffler is one way to help. On a class specific level. You may buy the tunnel for 300, but then the starter, glow charger, expensive fuel and glow plugs along with a 12 volt battery and charger can add up. You also have the constant needle fiddling. From what I can see, gas is you, the boat and a radio along with a gallon of buy anywhere gasoline and a quart of oil. After run procedures are negligible and you aren't always fiddling with the needle. Aside from that, everything is big enough that you can work on it without it being fiddly. A fiberglass hull with a 3 channel fm radio and a stock zen would be less than $600 I believe. That also reminds me. You don't have to have the expensive basecoat/clearcoat paint.

I may be way off base. I am still a fairly new boater and have a lot of those "oooohhhhh, I see" moments. IMO, anything that takes hassle out of the hobby is progress. A stock gas class would fit that bill as far as I can tell. Plus, it's relatively quiet.

 

[Ron Zaker Jr]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.
Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

Maybe we should listen ALOT more to the AMA.

Ron Jr

 

[Roxyflash]

I think theres plenty of boat parts but online only.Have to mail order most of the stuff.The real problem in my opinion is the new person getting into the hobby.The hobby shops around here have nothing most are closing.So theres no real on hand boats to look at.Second if they come to your pond they cant run because there not impba or namba or a club member.So your turning them away nice isnt it.Almost happened to me.The other problem in the midwest is you can only run for a half of a year.Some other problems here in dist 4 is mostly nitro.So your races turn more people away because theres not enough classes for the new guy that runs gas.Look at the internats small turn out.Looks like the gas internats are catching up with attendance.I dont have any problems with getting parts other than paying for them!LOL But im buying mostly gas stuff.I think the engine manufactures need to support what they sold period.Kinda a bad deal they keep upgrading with no support for a engine they sold like 5 years ago!Chris sounds like you and your dad should get a true boat hobby shop going.Have your own line of hardware boat kits and engine products.Just make sure you guys buy enough plugs and fuel to go around.Your half way there i hope Steve didnt loose his job at Champion.

 

[Chris Wood]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.
Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

Maybe we should listen ALOT more to the AMA.

Ron Jr

lol i know exactly where you are at with that z.. but i will let others discuss that issue.

I guess what i wanted to find out by this thread is what do we need to do to get more hobby shops, dealers ect out there to get our sport the main stream attention.

I totally understand hobby shops won't push it if there isn't a place for them to send customers to run them. That i get. I seams to me the company's making products are limited.. At least on the PERFOMANCE end of it.. maybe i am wrong.

I see the rtr boom happening.. that is good. After people decide they want to move up and on then what. How do we get people to the next step. I have people ask all the time where do you get this.. or that.. I explain to them this person makes this. this person makes that.. but to go to a hobby shop or a major co to purchase these things are vertially impossible.

I hope from this thread we as a group can find a way to get our sport more main stream.

I think the magazines and newsletter is good. I would like to see some sort of news letter / mag sent to hobby shops so customers there can see a veriety of different boats and classes with info on them.. maybe it would help maybe not.

Hope i am on the right track with this.

chris

 

[Ron Zaker Jr]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.
Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

Maybe we should listen ALOT more to the AMA.

Ron Jr

lol i know exactly where you are at with that z.. but i will let others discuss that issue.

I guess what i wanted to find out by this thread is what do we need to do to get more hobby shops, dealers ect out there to get our sport the main stream attention.

I totally understand hobby shops won't push it if there isn't a place for them to send customers to run them. That i get. I seams to me the company's making products are limited.. At least on the PERFOMANCE end of it.. maybe i am wrong.

I see the rtr boom happening.. that is good. After people decide they want to move up and on then what. How do we get people to the next step. I have people ask all the time where do you get this.. or that.. I explain to them this person makes this. this person makes that.. but to go to a hobby shop or a major co to purchase these things are vertially impossible.

I hope from this thread we as a group can find a way to get our sport more main stream.

I think the magazines and newsletter is good. I would like to see some sort of news letter / mag sent to hobby shops so customers there can see a veriety of different boats and classes with info on them.. maybe it would help maybe not.

Hope i am on the right track with this.

chris

We need an organization with more resources, marketing,newsletters/magazines,etc and financial backing to help spread the word.

 

[Akiuk]

Let's back up a minute! When I was a kid there was only Dumas with their support products as well as Prather. If they didn't have it you made it yourself. In the 80s there was lots of manufactures of boats but still few support products. When I came back to the sport 3 years ago I found a world wide network of people making, buying and selling all kinds of stuff...all over the Internet. I'll bet I can find anything I want within 15 minutes. Grim and pro boat are selling rtr's like crazy. The only problem I see is exposure.

Please pass on info as how to locate parts in 15 min:

I would like ;6) OPS 60 nitro pipe, 6)Irwin 20S hydro pipe,4)Parabolic 60 pipes, Blackhead Picco parts and or motors, Mac pistons/sleeves, a 40 and 60 size crapshooter, etc.......

It appears that I am not "in-tune" with the world, or I want totally different parts than you. :lol:

 

[LarryConrad]

I think the biggest thing holding back our segment of the hobby at least in my area is lack of suitable water to run on. And Minnesota is the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Problem is poeple live on most all of them, so the land is private. Weeds are another problem.

Larry

 

[steve wood]

Let's back up a minute! When I was a kid there was only Dumas with their support products as well as Prather. If they didn't have it you made it yourself. In the 80s there was lots of manufactures of boats but still few support products. When I came back to the sport 3 years ago I found a world wide network of people making, buying and selling all kinds of stuff...all over the Internet. I'll bet I can find anything I want within 15 minutes. Grim and pro boat are selling rtr's like crazy. The only problem I see is exposure.

Please pass on info as how to locate parts in 15 min:

I would like ;6) OPS 60 nitro pipe, 6)Irwin 20S hydro pipe,4)Parabolic 60 pipes, Blackhead Picco parts and or motors, Mac pistons/sleeves, a 40 and 60 size crapshooter, etc.......

It appears that I am not "in-tune" with the world, or I want totally different parts than you. :lol:

everything here ,but the crapshooters, are out of production or no longer available in the usa

 

[SayMikey]

I had a talk with a customer tonight. After a good long discussion we both said the same statement.
Less and Less mfg make things anymore and more and more people have to make things on there own.

SO I was curious.. Especially to hear from the LONG TIME BOATERS.

WHY IS THAT.

I know the usual. Less mfg.. less demand. yada yada yada.

What do we need to do to get our sport more main streamed. I found it interesting that he has been out of the hobby for a little while. He started up again about 4-5 months ago and was amazed at how limited parts and suppliers where or are.

I know for me i have come acustom to making my own stuff or having my father make it.. but what about the guys that don't have that option.

What can we do to get our sport in the SPOT LIGHT so to speak.. I know cars is the main focus with company's. Is there a way to get to that level. Or is our hobby so much more demanding that we will never be able to have the level of mfg support that cars and airplane guys have come ucustom to.

I no grim and hobbico are working on it. but one company can't do it all.. what else do we need to do to get the attention of company's so there are willing to produce products that we can use?

Just brain storming a bit here.

chris

Maybe we should listen ALOT more to the AMA.

Ron Jr

lol i know exactly where you are at with that z.. but i will let others discuss that issue.

I guess what i wanted to find out by this thread is what do we need to do to get more hobby shops, dealers ect out there to get our sport the main stream attention.

I totally understand hobby shops won't push it if there isn't a place for them to send customers to run them. That i get. I seams to me the company's making products are limited.. At least on the PERFOMANCE end of it.. maybe i am wrong.

I see the rtr boom happening.. that is good. After people decide they want to move up and on then what. How do we get people to the next step. I have people ask all the time where do you get this.. or that.. I explain to them this person makes this. this person makes that.. but to go to a hobby shop or a major co to purchase these things are vertially impossible.

I hope from this thread we as a group can find a way to get our sport more main stream.

I think the magazines and newsletter is good. I would like to see some sort of news letter / mag sent to hobby shops so customers there can see a veriety of different boats and classes with info on them.. maybe it would help maybe not.

Hope i am on the right track with this.

chris

We need an organization with more resources, marketing,newsletters/magazines,etc and financial backing to help spread the word.

AMA could help,but its hard for the new guy to find boats,kits and support. How many guys operate in there garage at home. I make glass parts and boats. I could never meet the demand needed to be a lagit company as i dont make enough to do it full time. Many more do it the same way. We are our own worst enemy but this forum helps a ton getting the word out even if only to model boaters. You can only find a full service hobby shop online or by word of mouth that hurts as well. We as model boaters are 10 times better off now than 5 years ago its coming but too slowly thanks to the internet.......