Combining STOCK, MOD & PRO

[mercguy]

Anyone that has paid attention knows that the 44xs classes have been on the edge of extinction for 10 years or more. Yet, people still buy them and then whine and cry when proposals get made to sunset them.

At least in this proposal the equipment does not become a useless hunk of slag.

The 44xs is still legal so you can get your best friend, neighbor or dude down the street a ride. And everyone knows once they have a ride, they are hooked.

If this is not done then nobody will be racing because no club will be able to get enough 4 boat classes together to cover the cost of an event. You can take all your equipment and go home and never come to another race if you want or you can choose to participate by helping new racers get rides with your duplicate equipment and assist growing the sport.

If you love the sport it is an easy choice.

BW

This is written in response to dil/viller but not to him/her.

It is directed at everyone that has thought or posted "But what about 20+ year old out of production motor I just bought?"

Brad says "Anyone that has paid attention knows that the 44xs classes have been on the edge of extinction for 10 years or more"

...............have you been to the past 3 Nationals Brad? Seems to me that "extinction" is a little far fetched.........there have been in elims in DSH and plenty of 44XS's competed..........with the addition of the Tohatsu D motor, the class is chugging right along.............no need to combine it with DMH (the second largest MOD class). Seems to me that the reason the DSH class does not grow as big as (let's say CSH), is that it costs TWICE as much to get into (of which the economy effects greatly)............but, it is the "elite" class in Stock Outboard..........

PS: combing DSH and DMH would just be a "parade race", as the MODS will definately be out of front........there is a 5mph difference in speeds.......even though the combination of those 2 classes would be a "grasp of straws to fix problems", if it EVER happened (which I guarantee would NOT), you would LOSE more racers than you would ever GAIN..........

CMH and DSH speeds are more closely related..........but don't go thinking they need to be combined either.........

PS: I thought this thread was about combining the Stock/Mod/Pro categories, not class combinations?

[BP125V]

hold on

a bad move for me, and b 4 i get a [selfish] response 2 this, consider the point. if dsh and dmh along with combininig dsr and dmr were 2 become a combined class the result would b 4 this writer 2 seriously consider all the monies spent 2 just enjoy this family gathering. i travel quite a distance round trip 2race,and 2 have 2decide on which motor 2 hang on the transom 2 run 1 class [course it would b a mod] would b cause 2 look at reducing the number of races i would attend. if dave mason's thought along with others would become a class structure [dave must not have a 44xs in the trailer box] the 44 i just picked up would b a huge waste of money. have a lot more 2 say on this subject but it took me way 2 long 2 get this down.

Rod,

I don't see Stock and Mod combining anytime soon so that means the only way D stock and D mod would be combined at a race is if that particular race committee decided to.

[B Walker]

I give up, you win

As you said, you guarantee the combination would never happen and I agree.

I also say that catering to the individual racer instead of the good of the sport has been the primary factor which has led to a decline in membership almost every year scince 1974 which was the peak of Stock Outboard membership.

This "protect my trailerbox at whatever cost" mentality defines everything which is broken about SO.

Also, what makes DSR/DSH the elite class? Because its the most expensive? The fastest by a few MPH? The motor is made in the USA? The biggest boat and motor?

I dont know the answer but I do know its not because of the high level of comeptition if you define competition by number of drivers participating.

BW

One more thing. I am not buying the DSR/DSH is the only fat boy class anymore. 70 lb rigged hydros and runabouts are becoming more common. Sure the composite construction boats are more expensive but the cost is more than offset by the significantly less expensive motors in CSH/CSR.

Just for the record I am for:

1) Combining SO and Mod with no class changes for now. Run them together and score them seperately when it makes sense.

2) Lay out a clear plan to have currently available in production or used reconditioned motors as the primary motor within as few classes as possible in SO, the rest in Mod giving everyone with current equipment a place to race.

3) Implement the plan on a class by class basis as participation levels make sense.

But dont worry, it wont happen because too many people want to protect their trailerbox.

[pops67g]

First off I will admit to not following this thread from the beginning. That being said (at the risk of being redundant here) combining the two would not help anything because myself and most everbody else I race with regularly run both stock and mod in the D class. Obviously no growth for either division here. Also like many of the others I have to drive an average of 800 miles per race weekend so it does take a little of the sting out of it to get 30 to 40 minutes on the water rather than 15 to 20. Is it any wonder that people get a little protective of what they are doing?

[dil/viller]

missed the point

this is in reply 2 the walker, u missed a very simple point and went right to the assumption it was a whining isse which i have seen countless times on this site which makes it so very un appealing. in our region with our clubs dmh ,dsh ,dmr r three classes that not only bring revenue to the 2 clubs that we race under but also seem 2 please the few spectator races we attend. my comments were not to b construed as im goin take my ball and go home but it doesn't surprise me u read it that way.

[tunnels3]

whats happeing with the Formular 40 tunnel boat ??????????? [COLOR="Red"][/COLOR]