What it was like to be on a Destroyer in WWII

[daveracerdsh]

Race sites

I also don't want to get into a big discussion on 2nd amendment either...but we do need to open a dialog on race sites. Why do we loose most of them? I have my theories......

[Sonny]

I also don't want to get into a big discussion on 2nd amendment either...but we do need to open a dialog on race sites. Why do we loose most of them? I have my theories......

I agree but it is a slippery slope. In my experience the boat racing community is an above average group of people, and often times when I don't understand something or am looking for a more enlightened perspective on something I will look to compare notes with a fellow boat racer. Maybe the fear is that once we go down that road we may never be able to get rid of it...or maybe it places serious limitations on potential site or event sponsorship? either way I would love to hear and share my opinions but don't want to upset anyone.

[Sonny]

I also don't want to get into a big discussion on 2nd amendment either...but we do need to open a dialog on race sites. Why do we loose most of them? I have my theories......

I'm sorry.. I may have misunderstood. we loose race sites because a lot of people don't have the time or ambition to host them. It is a lot of work that not everyone is willing to help with.

[Ron Hill]

Long Beach Marine Stadium

With all due respect, "I am a Vet" and Political Party is irrellevent, we have lost race sites of all types of racing because people with money and power don't want us on their lakes and neighborhoods, I mean come on, we lose sites due to people that buy property and then want to change things that have been going on for decades!

Bixby Family said, "Look at the 'deed of gift', seems boat racing is mentioned there. IF there are no boat races, the property goes back to the 'original owners'." Well, we have been able to race in Long Beach after that.

But, I can't begin to count the places in SoCal that we used to race, that we CAN'T race now. And Puddingstone is charging us $6,500 for the March 2014 race (Three days).

[PROPDOC]

I'm sorry.. I may have misunderstood. we loose race sites because a lot of people don't have the time or ambition to host them. It is a lot of work that not everyone is willing to help with.

Sonny, that is probably the most honest and accurate answer from the racer point of view.
From the general public point of view (and from 25+ years of living on a lake), you have "weekenders" come up to their lake property expecting a quiet weekend. And they "feel" that since they pay taxes they have a right to deny anyone else some fun as well, as it is "their lake". And all it takes is one disgruntled neighbor to ruin it for the rest of us. Point is we need to be politicians more than anything in order to keep our race sites.

[SeaBat]

My grandson GSM3 Tony Martino USN got underway for the Med on the USS Truxton (DDG103) today following in the footsteps of all those proud Tin Can Sailors. May he have "Fair Winds & Following Seas".
Bill Thomas

[Sonny]

My grandson GMS3 Tony Martino USN got underway for the Med on the USS Truxton (DDG103) today following in the footsteps of all those proud Tin Can Sailors. May he have "Fair Winds & Following Seas".
Bill Thomas

Very cool. I bet ya that he enjoys that experience. There are some good programs out there for servicemen active and retired special low interest loans and mortgages worth looking at.

[daveracerdsh]

Races

Sort of off topic, but we have in Seattle Outboard Association a "wounded warriers" program, for vets that want to try out a race boat. As to loosing race sites.....Sonny hit the nail on the head.....in some respects. We do not as a group bring younger racers into the fold of race management, we continue to let the older racers/workers do all of the paperwork required to make a race happen...and when they decide not to do it anymore nobody is interested in taking over the event....we have lost several venues here in region 10 because of that. I understand how region 12 has to pay soooooo much money to rent a facility...that sucks and must be a huge detriment to the sport....look at Lake Ming...if was BUILT for racing, and yet people move into the area around the lake and complain load enough about events and they get thier way in the end. Keep the voters happy! One of our oldest race sites, Silver Lake Eatonville, is also one of the best places to race in region ten...while the launch facilities are not all that great, the lake itself is fantastic for racing. Yet, there are a few people that live around the lake that throw a fit over ONE weekend a year of racing. (3 days actually) Some of the people that cry the most are people that have moved there knowing full well that we have an event there. I used to be the race director at the event, and my last year there one of the homeowners (an older guy) came to the pits and went up one side of me and down the other Friday before the race about how much we were pissing him off etc.....he was going to call the sheriff, his lawyer, blah blah blah and get the event shut down. I finally had enough, and said ok. I will cancel the event. But YOU are going to tell all the kids that race, all of the families, all of the other racers, that this thing is off. You are going to stand up at drivers meeting Saturday morning and tell everybody what is going on. I am not going to do it. He looked at me like I was kidding, yet I was dead serious. I told him to be back at the pits at 930 Saturday morning so he could tell the 200 people in attendence that the race was off. He swore at me and I never heard from this jerk again. Maybe we need t be pro-active in keeping race sites....let the community know how much of a financial impact we have on the area. Just a few random thoughts. Dave

[raceright]

sites

Hartford Connecticut a incredible place to race and was in a very friendly political atmosphere the first time the USTS raced there, It was estimated that over 20,000 spectators were in attendance over the two day weekend.

There support was unmatched in boat racing, Mayor loved this event and although they made money with all there sponsors and vendors what they made was kept from us.
The next year they gave the USTS $5,000.00 and the event was even larger
over 30,000 spectators and they charged the spectators to get in to the pits.

Then came a new mayor she did not want to invest in the race again even though she was told that the event more than pays for itself, so the USTS offered to help with the expenses.
We asked how much would they need there response was $30,000.00 well its safe to say that the politics of Hartford are now unfriendly and maybe when there is a more friendly political party in office we might get to race there again but not now.

It is too bad that things are this way as we provide a type of entertainment that many in the Northeast like ,and Hartford has a long history of boat racing.

Hartford's Riverfront recapture group is made up of some very talented and special people it is a shame that the mayor does not see this and has her head stuck in devisive politics.

[daveracerdsh]

Hartford

Very interesting....I wonder if the new mayor has any idea of the financial impact an event like that has in a positive way to the community? How many hotel rooms, food, gas, and so on down the line even a small event like some of our races are bring in? I thought at one time APBA did a study of that....I will do some digging. Just curious, how long ago did the Hartford race happen? Was it strictly a Title series event? Dave

[Tim Weber]

To Bring the thread back to the video,

The Destroyer Laffey is on display in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor along with CV-10 Yorktown. They almost lost her recently because of rust. From what I understand, destroyers of that era did not have all that thick of a hull. The thought was to go fast, fast so keep the weight down. The boat began leaking and required pumps 24-7. It has been repaired and hopefully will be there for generations to come.

The BSA ( Boy Scouts of America ) have a great program where kids camp on the Yorktown. I spent two nights on it with my son when he was a cub scout.
We slept in the bunk rooms toward the bow of the boat with 400 plus other campers. It was really neat but miserable sleeping. You can't believe the smell from 400 sweaty kids and 800 pairs of old socks. You really got an idea of what those seaman went through.

After the camp ended, my son who was eight at the time had a wise comment. If I ever go into the service, I'll be an officer! I like boats so I'd be in the Navy.

Tim

[raceright]

Very interesting....I wonder if the new mayor has any idea of the financial impact an event like that has in a positive way to the community? How many hotel rooms, food, gas, and so on down the line even a small event like some of our races are bring in? I thought at one time APBA did a study of that....I will do some digging. Just curious, how long ago did the Hartford race happen? Was it strictly a Title series event? Dave

Hartford 2 and 4years ago strictly a United States Title Series with there limited class format.

[raceright]

To Bring the thread back to the video,

The Destroyer Laffey is on display in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor along with CV-10 Yorktown. They almost lost her recently because of rust. From what I understand, destroyers of that era did not have all that thick of a hull. The thought was to go fast, fast so keep the weight down. The boat began leaking and required pumps 24-7. It has been repaired and hopefully will be there for generations to come.

The BSA ( Boy Scouts of America ) have a great program where kids camp on the Yorktown. I spent two nights on it with my son when he was a cub scout.
We slept in the bunk rooms toward the bow of the boat with 400 plus other campers. It was really neat but miserable sleeping. You can't believe the smell from 400 sweaty kids and 800 pairs of old socks. You really got an idea of what those seaman went through.

After the camp ended, my son who was eight at the time had a wise comment. If I ever go into the service, I'll be an officer! I like boats so I'd be in the Navy.

Tim

Wow that's cool but smell imagine if you will 2,000 G.I.s from Oakland to Cam Ron Bay Vietnam--talk about smell. Thats how my company 203 recon
1st Aviation Brigade got to Vietnam with the 173rd build up.
Army soldiers hitching a ride on the USS William Wiegal.
Thirty Days at sea in 1967 Ride was some times fun and some times horrible.

[daveracerdsh]

Vietnam

I have several degrees....and one of them Is cartography, which is a part of the geography thing. Part of what I studied is the geography of Vietnam, and the history of the war there from 1954 till 1975, when Siagon fell to the North Vietnamese. I simply cannot imagine the horrors that the U.S. troops went thru there......I am to young. But I do salute those that were sent there....you guys did what you were asked to do....I can not imagine what you all went thru. Thank you for your service.

[raceright]

I have several degrees....and one of them Is cartography, which is a part of the geography thing. Part of what I studied is the geography of Vietnam, and the history of the war there from 1954 till 1975, when Siagon fell to the North Vietnamese. I simply cannot imagine the horrors that the U.S. troops went thru there......I am to young. But I do salute those that were sent there....you guys did what you were asked to do....I can not imagine what you all went thru. Thank you for your service.

My War stories are limited in conversation--as far as boat racers go the only one I have talked to about 67-68 Vietnam was Jim McKean--who had plenty of his own demons to carry. We were in country at the same time as he flew for the Air Force and I was in the Army. That's enough. Most would not even say this much.