My Motive - Digital APBA: Richard Hearn

[sam]

Don & Jordan,

Don't waste your breath. With Dan not being an APBA member I don't see (apart from the first amendment) how he is even entitled to an opinion on what Richard & APBA are doing to improve itself. Democracy? You have no vote and no voice.

Being only 21 I'm well aware that my words will be quickly disregarded. I'll let my family history speak for itself. 4th generation racer, my dad started racing in 1949, joined APBA in 1950.

Jordan, I look forward to those jokes this week.

Exactly the disregard for public perception of APBA that got us into most of this mess. It dooms APBA to being an ever more exclusive, shrinking organization of multi-generation racers.

The opinions and perceptions of those on the outside do count, that is where the new blood must come from ... racers are not reproducing fast enough to make up for those who retire.

[Matt Dagostino]

Not choosing sides but.........

Dan you never cease to amaze me. I must admit, I don’t know you at all other than on this site. But please enlighten me as to what you have done for our sport other than creating this website and your current HRTV site?

Big Don
I can barely operate my TV Remote and cell phone so my comments on this 'thread' would be uninformed............however it seems to me the creation of Hydroracer.net and HDTV may be the most important step forward for APBA and Stock Outboard racing over the last 20 years!! It has brought us 'closer' as a racing family, created awareness of APBA and given us a open forum to sell stuff and communicate with each other. Plus it cost APBA nothing!. Although Dan and others appear to be 'negative' to some, others may consider comments like his 'informative' or maybe voicing the other side of the coin'....... just sayin.

I like Richard Hearn and was present at his presentation to the APBA Board at the National Meeting.............i was having trouble connecting the dots during his presentation since i am not in the 'technology field' but i am sure his heart is in the right place. I guess i am of the mindset that the APBA president and Board of Directors needs to call on there collective years of experience and expertise to decide if Hearn's plan has a good chance to achieve success..... I am not sure if laying out 450K to Digitalize our sport is the answer, but based on the success of Hydroracer.net maybe it is will take us in the right direction!

Have fun at Wakefield.........

[les]

The opinions and perceptions of those on the outside do count, that is where the new blood must come from ... racers are not reproducing fast enough to make up for those who retire.

My vote for best post on this topic (so far) goes to Sam.

[Skoontz]

Sam you hit it on the head.... The biggest problem with aPBA IS the fact that 3-4-5 generation boat raceras design classes they expect everyone to just grasp and jump in. The reality is, APBA/boat racing is not only a non user friendly sport, it is one that is hard to access. No one, is goingto drive 400 miles to a piss puddle in the middle of BF Egypt to go racing in front of boat racers other than 3-4-5 generation boat racers. Get in front of big places get rid of the boats that wont work on rough water, and let the crowd decide if they want to play. An example of this happened last year in San DiEGO. He never raced before then and races every race now. No need to drop the amount of money on forums and media that are already in use.
3

[reed28n]

Members

Exactly the disregard for public perception of APBA that got us into most of this mess. It dooms APBA to being an ever more exclusive, shrinking organization of multi-generation racers.

The opinions and perceptions of those on the outside do count, that is where the new blood must come from ... racers are not reproducing fast enough to make up for those who retire.

We have a total disregard for public perception. As a member run organization the vision rarely, if ever, goes beyond the bow of our boat. Our Stock Outboard program is completely incomprehensible. 25-30 classes every day of racing that can barely be run. How do we expect to attract new racers? We only think of current members and never consider our potential.

I actually watched the X-Games competition this week. Motor cycles doing high jumps. What? We have a better product. It is called C-Stock Hydro or call it OSY-400. Have we been able to capitalize on it? NO! The only thing we have done is dilute it by keeping the 20SSH class and creating two seperate classes within APBA CSH and OSY.

Keeping old classes and old equipment does NOT attract new racers. Look at the numbers. New motors in exsisting classs and phasing out obsolete equipment will lead to growth.

Same message same guy...

[RyanWarner]

Thank you Richard and Crown. This is exciting news for boat racing.

[ricochet112]

Anyone care to elaborate on the dismissal of Crown?

Who's running the web site? (PS- the social page needs a face lift.)

[Tazman]

bravo . team casual thanks you for your effort.

[STEVE FRENCH]

Richard: If you had any idea what you were doing, you would know that it was REECE BOBBY, not Ricky, who coined the phrase "If you ain't first, yer last." Ricky just made it his life's point.

For those who do not know Reese; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlYbpDylmUs "Ricky just made it his life's point."> http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=...ture=endscreen

And his tough, thick skin'd, 3rd generation racing, grandchildren; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikbT372DaMU

[raceright]

As of this moment I'm still a APBA member and have been a Pro Commissioner for the last 7 Years. I believe I have the credentials to comment on this post.

Richard and his family are one of the royal families of APBA and this should be considered when commenting on anything the Hearns do.

Under the bylaws of APBA Article II PURPOSE Section 2.1 Object The object of this Association is to promote the racing and use of powered water craft and improvement of their design and construction ,to formulate rules, to govern trials of speed, endurance and completion between such boats and to further the interest of its membership constant with the needs and aspirations of the people of the USA.

The only problem we have with APBA is we do not adhere to this BYLAW.
Sure we make em go fast but we never PROMOTE<and never have.

If blame is to be pointed I submit it is the members who are to blame..
The members elected the BOD, Commissioners and all there club commodores.

If crown is making mistakes and I for one have no knowledge of this one way or another--it is the membership who are to blame--elect based on ability and not popularity. Kind of like Presidential elections--had to through that in Dan lololo

[Tony Tello]

I agree with Mr. Reed totally!! Too many classes and too many OLD motors.. You need to accept change..The Pro catogory changes motors and boats and just continues to move on with more people joining there catagory with the inception of 125/175/250 motors and boats ready available. Stop talking and start doing. Nuff said.....

[14-H]

***
Richard and his family are one of the royal families of APBA and this should be considered when commenting on anything the Hearns do.

***

Royalty comes from lineage and inheritance. My family does what we do for boat racing because we love it, we love the people in it and because of a sense of obligation. There are many, many other families and boat racers who make the same kinds of contributions for the same reasons.

[ricochet112]

Anyone care to elaborate on the dismissal of Crown?

Who's running the web site? (PS- the social page needs a face lift.)

No one?

I put it here also-

https://social.apba-racing.com/discu...issal-of-crown

[ricochet112]

Was there a BOD meeting since this one?

http://www.apba.org/sites/all/files/...06-26-2013.pdf