New C stock class proposal

[Ron Hill]

Close, No Cigar...

I think if we're trying to keep costs down and/or give the new guy a shot this is what I would do. Start with a spec prop drawn out of a hat like J. That way a guy can start with a 2500-3000 dollar Yamato, couple thousand (or way less) for boat, safety gear, dolly trailer etc, and go racing. Basically we can get a guy on the water for under 5K. The next thing we do is make a Novice C class, only open to drivers that won less than 2 races last year (this way we cover a guy that might have backed into a win via jumpers and such). You can race this class until you win twice, then you are done, hopefully by then the novice is ready to buy props and go CSH racing. It requires an influx of new drivers to keep the class going, but I think in our region at least we could go a year easy without worrying about the class having a decent field. I can tell you that I would be out of my pit and watching this class EVERY time it was run, I think it would just be awesome.

You mean I buy an old boat and a STOCK 302 and go racing, Saturday and Sunday and I win both races. Next weekend I have to race with THE "REAL" racers??? NOT!!! The propblem with boat racing is we've always wanted new people...to beat!

Let Novice be novice forever....You will be drawing for props, each race. So, sometimes you get a fast prop and sometimes you don't...I only promised equal castings...Three ten lap heats....give them their money's worth!

If a person runs Novice for five years, maybe that person should move out.....But let's see: Stock motor, deeper in the water, so the boat is slower and handles better....I know where a Sorensen Kit C Hydro is right now....cheap...If Nor Cal 400 allowed anyone to race it, I would race it just to put the boat on the water...I'd never race C Hydro...too fast, too expensive...

Nor Cal 400 is a fun class...Novice C should be fun, when it is no longer fun, change the people ands the rules...

[mercguy]

bang for your buck............

instead of concentrating on adding/removing new classes/motors, etc.............the better idea would be to find a way to get more "bang for your buck" (maybe that will happen with reductions in classes). That is what all businesses in the US have done recently to make it through these tough times. People want more for less (they have less to spend?). I would bet less than 1 in 100 new racers would spend $8000 ( afigure brought up recently for a new Sidewinder rig) for all new equipment (boat, motor, prop........NOT including gear) to realize they get to only use it for about 10 minutes each weekend for 10-15 weekends a year (2yrs useage!!)..........

sorry guys but boat racing is different than any other sport..............a big factor is that we race on EVER CHANGING conditions (rough water, wind, currents, etc), so it WILL take a NEW racer quite a while to figure this out and start beating the "veterans"..........if someone is under the assumption that you can start racing as a beginner and win right off the bat, then reality is not being faced.........same as any other sport...........

there needs to be more emphasis on retaining current racers (the faction of losing current members is MUCH higher than gaining new members).........eliminate classes/motors, etc will eliminate racers...........

unless you have a COMPLETE spec class (boat and motor), there is no point. But still, the BEST VETERAN drivers will still win ............there are drivers out there (JMK for instance) than can win in ANY boat they drive..........

also having "sealed" motors in outboard racing is **** tough, since our motors do "take a bath" often and require disassembly to fix/repair the damages, etc. Plus, some people just don't take care of their equipment worth a **** and there are those of us that take meticulous care of their equipment.........

PS: I have had one of my hydros on display at the marina I work for for the last 4yrs.............has not brought in 1 new racer!!! And having our "race outboards" for sale at dealerships ain't gonna help either. The idea also of having any of the BIG outboard manufacturers develop and sell small outboards for our very limited use AIN'T gonna happen, so that theory should be tossed in the ****ter..........they barely make any money on the motors they sell now...........

PS: you wanna go fast.............I still have one of the fastest CMH's on the West Coast for sale and a LOT less than $8000!!!!!!!!

PSS: speaking of bang for your buck, a person could go buy a new 4x4 quad for less than $8000 also and be able to ride it as long as he/she could manage to all during the year .............same could be said for waverunners/snow mobiles/motorcycles, etc...............that's why boat racing is dieing a slow death...........BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!!!!!


PSSS: was also thinking about the combining of 25SSR and CSR.............what do you think would be the result of a 500lb CSR impacting a 415lb 25SSR in an accident?????


...........sorry Dave, don't mean to get off track with your thread, just don't think the idea has all that much merit........back to my CAVE I go............

[propnuts]

Not quite on the same page here..

I have to disagree with a couple of points,

You mean I buy an old boat and a STOCK 302 and go racing, Saturday and Sunday and I win both races. Next weekend I have to race with THE "REAL" racers??? NOT!!! The propblem with boat racing is we've always wanted new people...to beat!

Not going to happen unless this guy is a true prodigy, in which case he probably should move on. How long did it take most folks here to win their first race? For my son it was years, and I think JMK was the same. In other words not an issue.

Let Novice be novice forever....You will be drawing for props, each race. So, sometimes you get a fast prop and sometimes you don't...I only promised equal castings...Three ten lap heats....give them their money's worth!

Like Darren said, let everyone race this and the same guys will keep winning, that's just how it would be. Move the guys that have learned how to race and win on, and give the other guys a chance. Maybe the number of wins should be 5 or some other number, but then you're done.

If a person runs Novice for five years, maybe that person should move out.....But let's see: Stock motor, deeper in the water, so the boat is slower and handles better....I know where a Sorensen Kit C Hydro is right now....cheap...If Nor Cal 400 allowed anyone to race it, I would race it just to put the boat on the water...I'd never race C Hydro...too fast, too expensive...

Nor Cal 400 is a fun class...Novice C should be fun, when it is no longer fun, change the people ands the rules...

[ram95]

Spec class/engs/props/newbies

One word comes to mind: LOGISTICS

1. Another class - new rules need to be written/reviewed/mis-interpreted/clarified, etc.
2. Another engine spec sheet.
3. Enough identical props for each region.
4. Scoring criteria.
5. Referee headaches/decisions/dilemas.
6. Finding the proverbial 'newbie'.

After thorough consideration of how all the above will be accomplished, perhaps we ought to take another look at how the present rules read and only make changes where it can be done simply. Perhaps the KISS approach would be more suited to the current state of things.

Alex

[Ron Hill]

SCOA's Best Members Raced 36 Forever....

DANNY SCHWARZENBACH raced 36 Runabout from 1954 until the Stock Commission KILLED it about 30 years ago.


Danny won the Nationals several times and won most local races. He sometimes let people drive his boat so they could win or get the feel of a good running boat.

Danny was "The Spark Plug" of 36 Runabout. SCOA had maybe 15 36'S at one time. These 36 owners and drivers were also our club's secretary, our clubs patrol boat helpers, finance chairmen, and publicity chairmen, to name a few.


A good 36 Runabout never went 50 MPH....

I won 56 D Runabout races in a row, before I quit D Runabout. I was also the Region Chairman, 5 time club commodore and when I left the stock club to race OPC, our club had $20,000 in T-Bills and $10,000 in the club checking account.

Just because someone wins every race, doesn't mean the class will no stay alive...I can tell you many reasons D Runabout went away, but that is for another thread on another day.

What I'm requesting here, for " Racerdave's new Bomber C Hydro Class" is a change in the current rule to allow drivers to be switched between heats (Yes as long as they do the paper work, check with the inspector...).

My logic here is that maybe, I could run this class and win the first heat....and then have a new driver run the second heat......or I could run last the first heat and for the second heat I could get Tony Lombardo to drive for me...The new driver, if there are any, might have an other driver help him with set up after driving their boat.

Again, I'll say and new class needs new thoughts!

[Ron Hill]

Well What Did APBA Think?

Who needs another class???

Why would you start a class with a $2,200 Yamato, when you could order a $5,500 Sidewinder and wait six months to a year???

[daveracerdsh]

Spec class

Ron....SOA is going to run this class as a special event (hopefully) at our'e first race...april 1-2. Can we get props by then? Dave

[csh12M]

MHRA is trying as well

Hello Dave,

I am working on a plan for MHRA to run a sealed 302 class as well. I think it would be the logical next step for those that have gone through our Racer School, and also those that do not have competitive CSH, and 20SSH rigs in our club. We have a club meeting Sat. and I am going to present it and see if we can work out the details.

I have called a few people and I think we can make it happen. The spec class will race with 20SSH and CSH, so no extra time to the program. It would be a class within a class, but will give the rookies and non-competitive Racer some real competition set to their level of experience and or amount of time they wish to put into testing.

I think this will work, and am pretty fired up to try it. I have to figure our how we will get props. This could be real interesting....I think it may have more broad appeal than we think. I believe it could be attractive to a lot of current Racers.

Thanks for making me think about this Dave! I think it is going to complement our Racer School in a GREAT way!

Thanks,
Dean

[B Walker]

I am supporting this effort and have promised to send off one of my 302's to get sealed and will offer it for sale at cost as a complete package, boat, motor, and prop at the Southeastern Drivers School.

BW
Walker Racing Team

[QUINAULTRACING]

OK, OK, OK, enough all ready

I really like this idea. I don't care if you have a claiming rule, that is be side the point. Here we go. Have not been on the computer for a couple months so bare with me.
The engine that is used in this class shall be stock. There are a few areas that need to be considered, #1 heads can be cc'ed to a certain measurement to be determined. #2 Gear cases can have vent and fill holes filled in, NO 9/16 SHAFT, NO SHAPING, buffing only. #3 Timing has to be set to a certain point plus or minus a couple degrees. #4 Have to run a stock fuel tank. #5 Carburetors can be adjusted BUTT that is it.
If there is a real chance of this happening in r10 I will put one or two boats on the water if my health we let me. Without pain pills I am limited to a couple pounds lifting and if I do that I pay for it later.
Steve August 22-R, 12-R, R-3 QUINAULTRACING stevenaaugust@hotmail.com (360)580-4252

[Racerkyle20]

Mayfield Regatta April 30- May 1

SOA will have a 'novice C' at this revent. However Tony or Dave want to run the class that weekend that is how we will run it. I just finished the sanction and it will be a local class with no APBA points. I made the entry fee $15 flat rate (even if it's a second class, etc).

PS: Dave this class will not be run at the winternationals in Eatonville as far as i've heard. I think we have a full load already that weekend.

PSS: Daren, I think your 415lb CSR may need to stay to the outside, LOL

[QUINAULTRACING]

For sure

I will have one stock boat ready for Mayfield. What rules are we going to use? Mine? Steve

[propnuts]

Novice C at Mayfield

Steve, your rules will be fine for some sort of sealed class at a later date. We are going to keep it dead simple for now. Regular old CSH , possibly with a 20SS restrictor, and with a Yamato 2 blade. We will be doing some testing at Eatonville, but we may set the height at 1" to ensure cooling with the 2 blade. Thanks to Ric Montoya and John Myers we have 6 props so far and expect to have a few more by Mayfield. There will be a blind draw for props. As mentioned in a previous post it will be open to anyone that did not win a race in 2010.