A little help please...

[jeff55v]

Jeff: you gonna race that thing or what? We're dying to see that Tohatsu run. Ed.

I haven't been able to do any racing this year. My wife forced me to work on improving our personal situation instead. Paying off some bills, Bought a motorhome, and I'm about to close on a larger house. The new house is probably the most needed thing for our growing family. This 2 bedroom ranch ain't gonna do it any more. I'm buying a 3 bedroom split foyer. It'll be great, Tons of room! By next year, I should have myself in a better position to get some playtime. By then, I should have been able to take away all of my wife's excuses for keeping me away from my boat racing.
Hopefully, I'll see you next year.

[jeff55v]

Your input here...

O.k. folks here's what I need: My wife's tyraids about boat racing run the full spectrum, everything from: "it's too expensive!" to "it's too dangerous!"
Is there anything you nice folks can say to help sway her to my side of the pits? Hopefully, something that can show the positive family and friend experiences that can arise from boat racing.
Thanks.

[Lights]

The Wife!!!!!

Jeff, notice wife is a four letter word. JK. I hope you get some good answers. I could use some help to. I can't even get the wife to go to a local race.

Lights

[ian]

15 year old kids actually doing something with their parents willingly...

[Lights]

15 year old kids actually doing something with their parents willingly...

That might work in a few years. my oldist is only eight.

[brian]

Add up all of the hair, nail, shoe, make-up, clothing, wedding gifts you did not want to give, and say these things make you feel like a women. I love you because of who you are... and some of who you are is because of the things you do. When I race I feel like a man. When I take my family to the races I feel like a family man. I like these feelings. I hope you love me too for these reasons as well. Then here is the hard part... knock out a couple of tears and say I want to love you forever. Hug, kiss etc This should work for a year or two. (Don't this when confronted with any bills from racing like paint or prop bills you will not win the $ for $ battle)

Oh, and don't crash the next weekend, as you will have to do the whole thing again.

[Brian10s]

Better yet

For the dangerous part, there is no answer. She has you there.

On the expensive part, try adding up the expenses if you decided to play golf instead. Look at it this way, 18 hole of golf on the weekend, with cart is going to be at least $40 per week, plus a new (good) set of clubs, bag etc is a couple grand, then you have to get into a league, that is maybe some dues plus green fees, then all those 19th hole beers when finished. Then throw in a weekend golf get away with the boy at either Vegas or Myrtle ($500 easy) Then add up all the hours away from her per week (18 hole take about 4 hrs) so that is at least 10hr per week, every week.

Racing, once the equipment is bought, is relatively cheap.

Just an idea

[kws]

I cant help but feel it is still safer than riding a motorcycle( and i grew up riding!)its probably safer than walking down a city street after dark(unless you are 7'2'' and bulletproof) the people are just unbelievable(in a very good way!) we started racing APBA just to justify the money we spent for our local race. now we race all the races we can. this is mainly due to the friends we have made in region 7. now after attending the NATS i understand that its more a stock-mod thing (the people that are drawn to it in the first place)
My wife attended wakefield with us She was enjoying herself more at the end of the week than at the beginning. WHY? because of the people! she cares about as much for the actual boatracing as I care about another type of hibiscus. But i can assure you she enjoys going to the races more than i enjoy another trip to the greenhouse (and 2 of my friends work at the greenhouse )

BTW at some races the coffee is on me

give me a little time I know there are more reasons

[kws]

Besides We All Want To See That 2hotsue Run!!!!

[BURKHARDT]

The Wife

What each of you need to do is get your wife more involved in racing. My first wife wanted nothing to do with racing, I would cross the finsh line and look over to where she was sitting, She would be reading a book. Sooooooooo, My new wife, I made it clear, this what I do Are you laughing yet!!!!!!!!!!. Suze came to me at a race and said is there somthing she could do on the judges stand, they welcomed her with open arm's. She's now a cheif scorer. Keep in mind most acting clubs pay for there hotel room. I know a lot of you saying, what about the kids????????. Bring a sitter, she will bring her boy friend. Here is your new CSH driver. Don't forget his buddies, they could be a new ASH driver. We all need more Referee, Inspectors,Scorers etc. THE WIFE........... Can change things for all of us.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Brian Burkhardt
SST45
CSH,OSY400 13 YEARS

[jeff55v]

Jeff, notice wife is a four letter word. JK

I don't think I'll use that info on my wife. It's not gonna get me anywhere but the doghouse.

As for the rest of the info listed so far, GOOD stuff! Keep it coming!
Thanks.

[Lights]

Wife

Jeff, I'm just kidding about the four letter word thing. I know we all love are wife's. Some of us here (me included) Have the same wishes that you do.

If I could just get my wife to a race. I think she would have a lot of fun. I have even offered my wife a $200.00 a night B&B stay with jacuzzi and all, near Burlington WI. this last year during the races and she turned me down. What women doesn't like a nice B&B at night with a chocolate fest during the day.

Mark

[acr924]

As for your your kid, he'll be old enough to race next year. Get him into it. If he's going to race, he should be around it before he's nine. Keep in mind that not all little boys do want to race, but if you think he'd get into it, go ahead and bring him along.

If he does start, your wife is going to want to watch him race. She'll be there.
Or if none of that works, get her to come somehow and show her the part of the sport that she'll enjoy. Introduce her to some ladies, not the guys, all they do is talk about motors and that days' heats. That won't get her interested. Get her a beer, Pat Augustine's Hurricanes, Harry danforth's Ciaprenia's (sp?), wine..whichever she perfers. If she has a good time at night, she'll have someone to talk to during the day, feel like part of the group, you know.

Hopefully she'll like it and come again.

Don't know if that'll work, but I tried.

Allie Runne

[Kristi Ellison]

You are much safer on a race course than in your car. You are wearing safety equipment, there are safety personnel seconds away, there is a limited number of boats on the water at one time in a much more controlled enviornment.

It is family oriented 200%...I have teenage boys begging to come hang with us on the weekends and volunteering to work so they can come racing! It is great bribery for parents! The people are the friendliest of all motor sports.

It is great excuse for the family to get away and do something together for the weekend....plenty of time in the car to just talk.

My kids and I race and my husband comes along because this is what we like to do....he has made many new friends and gets to spend quality family time with our kids. The kids have friends all over the united states and they are exposed to grown ups who not only like kids but teach them all kinds of quality stuff.

Your wife does not have to like the racing part but she will like the new friends and the family time having fun!

Kristi Ellison

[Billie Burklund]

Jeff
Did your wife meet you when you raced? If the answer is no, that could be some of your problem. You need to go to some races and have her meet people. I have been around racing since I was 6 years old, and got my husband interested in the sport by having him pit for teams. Our son actually started racing before Brad did just because it was less expensive. Not the case now. Brad couldn't wait to start himself, so he got his masters in education so we could afford for him to race. I wouldn't/couldn't make him stop racing now. It is a dangerous sport, but so is walking across John Deere road ( your from the Q.C. so you know what I'm saying). Your name is written in the book of life, when it's your time to go God doesn't ask your wife if you can afford it, it's just ment to be.
It is very family focused, we morn as a family with the loss of a member, and we rejoice as a family with a win, a birth, ect. I guess it comes down to does your wife want to add to her extended family and always hear you talking about boatracing, and have very little money to play with? I enjoy racing and my extended family.
-Billie Sue