State of Affairs for RC Boat Racing

[j whiddon]

I'm not complaining but just want to bring to light what clubs do that could discourage people from participating in races/club events.

 

[Notter Dean]

Observation

The novice class 7 years ago was growing in D2, much like my son Austin. He is the last youth racer in the Saginaw Club, now 16.

Racing takes Time & Money - Neither of which my son has available.

Between school, sports and family obligations, time is precious

This hobby is not cheap, nitro or gas the price tag is compariable.

The saginaw Club just recently added 4 new racers, All are veterans to RC boats, It takes a long time to be compettive.

Dean

 

[DPeterson]

Reading this makes me very proud to be part of the IMPBA D4.

Once we emphasized "racing for fun" versus racing for fame or to satisfy a sponsor we started to grow in numbers. Young guys too.

Too many Classes? Yep. Forget about it. Focus on growing the popular ones. The others will die off.

Doug

 

[Grimracer]

Good points Doug,

I personally don't know any club that gets sponsorship for an event that does not want to satisfy their needs. This includes land owners and town business that help support the pond/event.

But I suspect you are talking individuals here.. not sure. Because I have never heard of a club looking for fame... well. maybe that's not true.. The clubs have to come off with a good race to help promote the event year after year.

Building on Dougs point.. A timely event, good weather and well run.. and its hard NOT to have a good time.. I like going to hang out with friends and a boat race breaks out.. Good times!

Grim

 

[RC 90 Boat]

I think the key is to get club membership up to at least 20 or more members and invest in some loaner boats for newbies to try to get them hooked. it is human nature for people to focus on the negative, gloom and doom . we should try to talk about how much fun we had running our rc boats. rc 90 boat

 

[dwilfong]

You know I don't do much with the club any more. But I have bin helping others build and set up boats. Also going to the pond on the off days and helping them with set up and teaching what I have learned.

I don't get involved in the club because of the politics that is involved.

I store one of the retrieve boats and maintain it for the club. that is about all I do any more.

I don't go to meetings or help at the race any more. I don't even run my own boat any more but 1 time a year or so.

Don't go to races any more either.

BUT I do go out of my way to help promote RC nitro boating by helping people understand there boats even when I do not have the time.

It takes commitment to help others get involved.

To tell you the truth I have more fun building and setting up others boats and see the look on there face when thy pull the trigger.

That makes it all worth it to me................................

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

*sigh*

1) "too many classes" is a mis-diagnosis; the root cause is "too few boaters, and with disparate interests."

2) this hobby grew out of full-size powerboat racing, and that sport has been struggling for a long time as well

3) Politics. Politics kills friendships, relationships, clubs, and even family ties.

4) hyper-over-competitiveness. The IMPBA rule book clearly states the CD's calls are final. Every driver's meeting includes the statement that "we can't see everything, please don't argue calls." yet what happens after damn near every heat? People bitching and walking up to the CD stand asking "why didn't you call that?" or "there's no way I was over!" We're supposed to be doing this for fun, but I'm usually walking on eggshells because I don't want to make a mistake which will tag me as "that guy" who gets talked about behind my back as being a s**tty driver who you need to stay away from. I

the racing out on the course is exciting. the ugliness after heats needs to stop. and it needs to stop now.

Oh Jim you're pointin at the membership, please be careful.

Hope I get the opportunity to shake your hand one day.

Fellas, I'm headed out to a little bitty 143 boat district race in the middle of a cotton field.

The racing will be fierce & everyone will be treated like family. As it should be.

Have a great weekend!

AMEN to that my brother!!!

 

[Andy Greene]

Marty from what I understand several of us were suspended from the club because we didn't attend the clean up day before the race. When there isn't any communication between the club members it makes it harder on everyone. So with that being said we are going to shelve the molds, lock the shop door and take some time away from boats. I will not be a NAMBA member next year as I will be running mostly IMPBA races. Take care my friend.

Are you talking about the Tampa Club (which I belong to) or the Brandon Club (which I don't officially belong to)? As for the Tampa Club, there has not been anything like that. I am not sure where you got this but it is not correct at all.... About the only reason that people are dropped from our club is for lack of paying dues or some real problem with access, equipment, etc.

It pertains to Brandon- there was an email circulated that stated Jeffs words- NOW THATS how you grow the sport.

I don't know anything about that.... Shouldn't this be in a private conversation rather than an open forum? Contact the officers of the Brandon Club and work it out with them rather than complain about it to the whole world.

Oh, I quit complaining about it about a year ago- the same time I quit running local. I simply stated the FACTS !

You asked the question on an open forum and it was replied too- dont like that - DONT ask on an open forum . You Marty opened the door - I just stated the TRUTH - and IMHO the people that run my area cant deal with the TRUTH or FACTS- PERIOD- and its obvious.

Hence the reason I sit here and call you guys out on BS - and dont show up at your races. You had my 150perc effort to show up and help- and I will be dammed if you can question that,

YOU CANT . , ask yourself why that changed ??? If you dont get that, the topic for your thread is meaningless.

 

[JamesShields]

Looking at this from someone that has just re-entered the hobby and has invested quite an amount of time and money to do so. I may have a solution to start. Have a class cutoff date and an entry cutoff date. So classes get trimmed at the first and that gives racers a chance to move into another class before the entry cutoff. It would get racers to enter earlier and strengthen the classes that do make.

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

Looking at this from someone that has just re-entered the hobby and has invested quite an amount of time and money to do so. I may have a solution to start. Have a class cutoff date and an entry cutoff date. So classes get trimmed at the first and that gives racers a chance to move into another class before the entry cutoff. It would get racers to enter earlier and strengthen the classes that do make.

They usually do. Then they start filling in open spots and make a little extra room for people to come. That's the 1 thing I like about Evansville. Those guys aren't scared of nothing. They had a crazy number of boats at the last race at Eagle Creak Lake and banged it out in two days.

 

[bsmtboy2]

If we as a hobby put as much effort into membership recruiting/ retention, as we do griping with CD's about a call or missed call this thread never exists. Can the BOD make up a membership committee and come together and hammer out a recruitment process that ALL clubs must offer at least 1 time a year...i.e. a display day or fun run for sport boaters and prospects. If we are to survive this has to happen. The fraternities,Mason's,Shriners,Elks,Moose,and Odd fellows do it why can't we......both racing organizations need to look into doing it as a mandate for clubs to stay in good standing by hosting a "newbie" day.

 

[bsmtboy2]

We also need a sub committee to reach out to those that have left to try and get them to return back into the membership. Tons of racing knowledge and wisdom is sitting on the sideline that could help a newbie get started and just maybe the returning member gets the juices to race or be active again in other ways. We gotta help ourselves !!!

 

[dwilfong]

Well you know it all ways starts and comes back to RACING!!!!!!!!!!!

So is this all the hobby is about?????????????????

May be there is the problem??????????

 

[Duke Mordja]

Friendships are one of the great reasons to enjoy RC Boats. Actually at the end of the day, the most important. There are very few hobbies that help nurture friendships. RC boats is one of them.

As long as people focus on building friendships, RC Boating will be alive and well.

Local one day races will help bring in new boaters that will shy away from the bigger events. I was one of them. Both small and large events are always fun-if you let them.

 

[Robert Pickard]

The biggest problem i have seen in south florida is the politics within the clubs that have driven many new people away along with the bickering and the clicks within the clubs, Duke is right about having one day races to bring new people in and the cost goes down, it worked up in the Tampa area but trying to get the South Florida clubs to do it its like pulling teeth. This is why i refuse to belong to a club any more i still go race and help out, but to belong to one down here never again., both clubs i belonged to down here i busted butt every weekend and at the races, i dont mind helping at the races it is the only way to keep things going but all the fighting and politics within clubs needs to go away before new people will join

 

[mr_fons]

Some time ago, I came to this realization - our hobby is in a state of decline, think most can agree on that, many spend time and energy thinking about and coming up with potential fixes but most fall short or as this thread proves, it's rare to find any two that might agree on literally anything, forget ever arriving at a solution, the whole message is lost in the discussion. So, I reconciled myself to the fact that decline is inevitable and that one day it will all end. Therefore I resolved myself to simply enjoy it for as long as it lasts, enjoy time spent with racing friends. If I were to be so bold as to offer a suggestion, focus more on making any race, regardless of structure, entries, rules, a positive relational and interactive experience and less upon tearing down your fellow racers, to do so diminishes us all. It's difficult to see threads like this and believe they would elevate our hobby to a better place. It saddens me that we so frequently fall into this trap.

No end of ideas in this thread, leaders and members pay attention to the best of them, never stop striving for improvement and enjoy the experience and be grateful for these days, they will end one day and I for one want to be filled to the brim with warm memories, not a wake of wrecked relationships.

I apologize in advance should these thoughts offend.

We said Greg.....

 

[Don Ferrette]

So now it's 8 pages of "they need to do this", "they need to do that", "it's their fault", "they caused this".....................

....... where's the "what can I do to help?", "how can I make it better?"

< SIGH >

A long time ago I asked myself what can I do to make it better. It started with helping at the races, then becoming a CD, then to running (and at times doing almost everything) a club, then on to the IMPBA board. Now here it is over a decade later of giving so much of my time and effort to the BOD and trying to do the best for the majority of the membership and yet we still have the same BS, when all else fails blame the BOD or whatever else they can come up with. Seems to a certain bunch it's never enough or doesn't fit their self serving agenda. And don't kid yourselves as some of these agendas are so easy to see even when the individual or individuals think they are so slick and cloaked (you're not).......

They bitch and point fingers non stop but never lift one to make it better...........

You want to see where the problem is? Go look in the mirror then get off your butt and actually do something to help make it better. Of course this does not apply to all, but I have no doubt many can think of those it does apply to...........

I'm sure this will wad a few panties but at this point I don't give a crap about that any more and is why at the end of next month I'm going back to being just a boater.

I've bled enough IMPBA blood for a lifetime............

I'll still be out there for the good guys and those who needs help at the pond or the races, that will not change because of my love of the hobby and all the great people I've gotten to know.

< end of rant >

 

[dwilfong]

there you go....................................lets run some boats...................

Just got back from a OCD club meting and drag Julian along...................

Got a new member.........its that easy................

 

[Hydro Junkie]

The biggest problem i have seen in south florida is the politics within the clubs that have driven many new people away along with the bickering and the clicks within the clubs, Duke is right about having one day races to bring new people in and the cost goes down, it worked up in the Tampa area but trying to get the South Florida clubs to do it its like pulling teeth. This is why i refuse to belong to a club any more i still go race and help out, but to belong to one down here never again., both clubs i belonged to down here i busted butt every weekend and at the races, i dont mind helping at the races it is the only way to keep things going but all the fighting and politics within clubs needs to go away before new people will join

I think this applies to a lot of the country. The issue is, however, that those that are the problem may not know they are the problem and keep doing what they have always done, resulting in others getting fed up and saying "screw this!!!" and not coming back. Two years ago, someone not even in my state caused problems in my club that had me seriously considering leaving the hobby. Members, that I had thought were friends, I now look at differently. I can' t help but wonder when I'm going to get, for lack of a better term, attacked again, due to either similar outside influences or actual members that want to control how the club is going to operate and what members are allowed to do what

 

[Bill Gibson]

This is kinda long as I don't know how to make a short version of this but......I put my Model boat stuff to bed about 2-1/2 years ago...not out of bitterness, not in the least. As a matter of fact, I left on a very high note as my last race was the Tampa/Brandon Winter Shoot out Nitro Race, and I had an absolute BLAST...and not because of how I finished in the racing....it was because of ALL the people that showed up that were WAY MORE interested in having a good time than how they did racing....I simply put my stuff away because it was time for a change after 30+ years of playing with model boats. Ive read everyone of these posts and they all cover the reasons that contribute to the state of the hobby, both positive and negative, but one that really got my attention was Joe Wiebelhuases post......PASSION! That would be my reason for having been in the hobby for such a long time. Joe, I completely agree with every word in your post......our culture has changed so much in the last 10 to15 years that I think there is little that can be done to bring new blood into the hobby, because there are simply too many other pursuits that are EASIER to accomplish by the youth QUICKLY! And the saddest part of my statement is these people with the attention span of a gnat will NEVER know the JOY in accomplishing something thru hard work, and NEVER giving up......the hobby is expensive....and I really wasn't aware of how expensive until I started racing r/c cars at a local track about a year and a half ago. And this is where at least one r/c car manufacturer got it right in that hobby by bringing back Spec Classes that were cheap, used NiCad or Nimih batteries and is very competitive, and fun......I can race in 3 to 4 different classes...for the price of one new 3.5 tunnel rigged and ready to race.....Having been playing with model boats for over 30 years I can say that when I showed up to a race in the last few years, it looked more to me like a profession for some than a hobby....and im afraid that scares some people off. I t wasn't like that 20- 25 years ago, but that's just how it is. Behavior? This might strike a nerve but........90 to 95% of the people Ive known in model boating were simply AWESOME....couldn't ask for better. BUT....having been involved in a few different motorsports at the LOWEST levels, which include motorcycle, Go Kart and boat racing along with r/c racing, the worst behavior ive ever seen exhibited by those who couldn't control their behavior or ego(DEAR GOD)were at.....model boat races. Screaming vulgarities, shoving, chest bumping, slamming boats and equipment down dropping F bombs as they do....right in front of spectators which included their kids.....SCREAMING at CDs......those who have done that....try running organizing and running a race, making calls on infractions ALL DAY LONG. Might give you a completey different perspective....there is no excuse for this behavior....no gray area here...none...those that have a problem with their tempers need to fix the problem, or find another hobby. I know a couple of those that had the problem, were man enough to recognize it, and corrected it.....and I have SO MUCH RESPECT for them for doing so. We are living in a different world than the one most of us grew up in.....the thing about the hobbies that I am so fond of like r/c ANYTHING or even model rockets is that while there is still some youth involved in these hobbies that many of us love so dearly....the vast majority of those involved are fully grown....Model Rocketry is a perfect example....that hobby has experienced quite a growth in the last several years because of the people of my generation for some reason went crazy about being able to relive their childhood in the hobby and share it with their kids, and even if the kids lost interest, the adults (like me) were hooked again and having a great time being active in the hobby with other adults. There's even a nickname for us....B.A.R.S. Born Again Rocketeers! I don't have the answers on how the numbers can be increased in Model Boat Racing. I wish I did. But there are always things that can be tried. And I still maintain that much of the success or failure of any hobby is how it is presented to the public, and how much it costs in a less than stellar economy. Those of us who make at least a reasonable living really need to be aware of those who don't, be would still love to be involved hobbies such as this....but just cant afford it. 3.1 million people living in Florida alone at or below poverty level sure cant do much about it, and they are not all worthless trash who abuse the welfare system...though I will concede that many of them are.