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  • Big Don
    commented on 's reply
    I think their reasoning was, it's not a national class, to be as close as I can to their comment it was... there are only 11 people that have run the class and the season is 3/4 over. It's mainly run in one state and that only 4 people ran it more than 6 times last year.

  • Matt Dagostino
    commented on 's reply
    Dean...........not sure my 20ssh driver (Val) would enjoy adding another 45 pounds of lead to race against me in CSH. 20ssh drivers are in many ways different than CSH drivers, especially in weight for many of them. 20ssh and CSH are the two biggest classes in APBA, maybe it is better to pick on the weaker classes to combine and increase boat count..)

  • Graham 18ce
    replied
    Alight...so what is the speed of 300SSH - about 61-62...
    300SSR would be in the area of 59. I'm guessing based on motor weight and torque, this would be bigger than an A/B Racecraft, but probably smaller than the old CSR Racecraft.
    What weight of driver could roll this up? And is Racecraft going to build one!
    Can we make a no side fin rule!

    Leave a comment:


  • mercguy
    replied
    Originally posted by Big Don View Post
    The problem with any class restructure is... most probably agree that something should be done, but no one wants them to touch their class or classes.

    I sent this one to Jeff Brewster a month ago. This is a combination of conversations I have had via emails, in person or phone with other racers. Not everyone is willing to post their feelings or thoughts as you can get blasted rather quickly on here. So being a commissioner I feel it is my responsibility to share others thoughts. Plus I don’t care if I get blasted.

    I do think some of these have some merit and should be thought through. As I told Jeff, I do support the 25H one as it was mine as well as others.

    Comments from others: (I do agree with some of them)
    Our current class structure is broke. To many classes with very little participation.
    Most classes are small at the local races and the day last way to long running 3 & 4 boat races.
    It is boring and not a way to attract sponsors running 4 boats in a heat, nor new drivers or new race sites. How or why would anyone watching 3 boats run around want to get into this sport?
    They are tired of having to be at the pits by 7AM and racing until after 6PM on most weekends. Then drive home until 1AM or later.
    In some areas of the country they only push certain classes and with that, some classes will continue to struggle unless we do something. (I like the fact that this is what they do as it does not cause a watered down field of boats)
    They hate having to be at the Nationals all week to watch weak/small classes. If we are going to be there all week make it exciting with good racing with larger fields with less classes.
    We need to shrink our class structure. Get rid or combine any class that does not have at least 20 drivers with at least 3 races. This would help stop the throwing my buddy in my rig one day or one weekend to increase numbers.

    Some actual suggestions I have heard this summer alone of those that I can remember.
    Get rid of 25H
    Get rid of 25R
    Combine 25R & CSR by allowing 25R to run in CSR at the current 25R weights with the C’s.
    Get rid of 20H
    Allow 20H to race in CSH at their current 20H weights with the CSH.
    Get rid of 45 in Stock Outboard
    Either grow BSR or get rid of it. 20 boats in the Midwest does not make it a national class.
    Allow Yamato 80’s to run in BSH to try and grow the class. If in 3 years we are not seeing growth get rid of class.
    Make DSR a Marathon class only
    Get rid of DSH
    Make a 300 Runabout class. The sealed class has a lot of merit and we can see the Hydro class is continuing to grow. Let’s try it in runabout. Worse case it does not go like the hydro class, at least we can say we tried something to grow the sport.
    Don’t get rid of anything and just make National classes versus local classes. There is no reason to have week-long nationals for classes with less than 20 boats nationally.
    If we eliminate classes we could we potential do 3 over 2 every weekend for boat time or go to 3 heat racing.
    (not sure on this statement, in BSOA we don’t run most of the classes being suggested to eliminate so our schedule would not get a lot shorter, our issues is we run some MOD/PRO classes also. It would eliminate 20H for sure & 25R sometimes)

    With all that is said above, whatever we do we need to realize that in most areas of the country we need every entry. Let’s just say we did combine 20H & CSH. We now stand to lose entry fees based on the fact that many run both classes. Yes the 80’s could still run with the B’s but those with 300 series are now down to one class. I personally think anyone running both is doing it to race more and it now becomes less attractive to race. So as I see it we have to tread very carefully with any class elimination or combination. If a local club has 10 less entries can the race even stay afloat financially? What would that do to Region 10? I bet it would cost them 20 entries over the weekend.

    Yes I do support getting rid of some classes but we need to be real careful. I personally (when I was younger) didn’t care if I was racing all day long and getting done after 8PM some nights. Had no problem getting home at 2AM and going to work in 3 or 4 hours. BUT, I have also come to realize that my type of personality when it comes to racing, is different than a lot of others. I know that we are the exception like many of you are, but this could be part of our demise if we don't change. We have to change with times and I don’t think our type of personality or mentality is the norm anymore. Plus as I get older (and fatter) it does take a toll on me.
    ​why get rid of DSH? Its the best ride in stock outboard! Plus, it is growing in Reg10 again (2 more joining for next year)...........
    Last edited by mercguy; 09-20-2017, 03:15 PM.

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  • ryan_4z
    replied
    If you really want to shorten the day, eliminate closed course runabout racing and run a grand prix instead.

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  • reed28n
    commented on 's reply
    A - SW, OMC 15
    B - SW, Hot Rod, 25 Merc (parity)
    20SSH - y-80, 302 @ 3/4
    C - 102, 302
    Elimnate 25 SSR and 25 SSH and DSH and DSR (marathon only) lower the weight in CSR

    The gearcases and rides are more comparable - yamato gearcases make a mess and 25 runs a more B like boat
    Last edited by reed28n; 09-20-2017, 07:57 AM.

  • ryanbrew57s
    commented on 's reply
    25 Merc in C? They would be blown away, the only way they can compete with the yamato is when they are restricted....... also would not be safe to have a 25 boat out there with all C runabouts due to the size of the boat. Classes will either die off or they will come back to life. Its just a cycle in the boat racing world, in my opinion it is up to the drivers of a struggling class to put people in their boats to show them why they like their class so much and why they won't just let it die. For example at the fall Grass Lake race there was a person who was put in a B hydro and they loved it and later I heard that they wanted to get into the class.... we need to promote the sport to new people most Importantly but we cant forget to promote our classes to current racers!

  • Tunnelman801
    commented on 's reply
    Ryan, Did you leave out 300 class? That makes 9 classes.----William

  • csh-2z
    commented on 's reply
    George, if you needed a cissy fin, it would have been on your boat. It's a runabout thing.

  • deeougee
    commented on 's reply
    Two thumbs up!

  • ryan_4z
    commented on 's reply
    A,B,C,D runabout and hydro. J is in their own universe.

  • Tunnelman801
    commented on 's reply
    Ryan, J and what other two classes to make the eight total classes? ---William

  • squirrelboydeluxe
    replied

    Many thanks to deeougee for the volume he sent me in a pm- TONS of advice on everything from the finer points of Y80 rebuilding to getting the boat through the corner...it must've taken an hour to type all that! Thank you again Sir- I'd like to shake your hand one fine day.
    Might I also add that IMHO getting rid of the Y80 would be a shame- it is to SO what the small block chevy is to sprint car racing...just my $0.02
    522-P
    PS what is a sissy fin? It sounds like something I could use
    Last edited by squirrelboydeluxe; 09-19-2017, 05:01 PM.

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  • ryan_4z
    commented on 's reply
    They do. But not as bad as sissy fins.

  • Matt Dagostino
    commented on 's reply
    I thought the Yamato 80 made big holes the Sidewinders hate on the water!! Kinda like the 25ssr class with the Merc 25 and Yamato 302? Maybe i am behind the times on that one.....
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