New APBA stock outboard class

[daveracerdsh]

I am very pleased and proud to announce a brand new stock outboard class for the 2013 racing season in APBA...... "302 Super Stock Hydro" This class is going to be aimed at new racers, and those racers that do not want to spend a ton of money on equipment....I have a very strong and talented committee including Paul Nielander, myself, Kyle Bahl, Tom Johnson, Mike Pavlick, and Jeff Brewster as Ex Officio. You will be able to go on the APBA website in the near future and order a box stock Yamato 302, factory sealed, with a brand new three blade prop that you must use, along with many hull and other options. The hull dimensions and final details are going to be worked out over the next month or so....so keep tuned for more info, and start spreading the word that exciting things are coming to the Stock Catagory!

[JP53-N]

It's about time this happened!!! That sounds awesome! I hope THIS is the future of stock outboard. In my opinion it will be the best way to attract new drivers.

[daveracerdsh]

New class

Thanx...I think it is gonna be a huge hit...something I forgot to mention in post was the fact that the motor cannot have the seals broken...and we are working out "Service centers" where you can get motor redone at a nominal cost. Also...you will be able to take factory gear foot off and put on a C stock foot and race regular C stock or Osy or 20ssh if you wish.....

[26V]

Dave,
If the gear foot is UIM compliant then it could run in OSY without any changes. I believe pro is chaning their OSY400 over to UIM OSY400 in stages over the next 3 or 4 years.
Great Job!

[daveracerdsh]

Foot

Thanx Gene...btw, nice to see you in Chicago....we are still working, like I said, on the final details for class. The gear foot is going to be a huge part of what we do, maybe the second biggest "thing" on the agenda after the props. I honestly do not know that much about 302 gearcases, but I am learning fast. David.

[JP53-N]

Suggestions:

Gear cases can not be removed

Lemans start from beach with position picked from a hat at drivers meeting

Props randomly picked at drivers meeting during roll call

All props lined up morning of the race and one blade sprayed with spray bomb paint of the day. Easily removed at end of day.

Winners props collected at inspection after last heat.

AND the best of all for entertainment value and new recruits, make a mirror class of one-off ROLL UP runabouts. Check out stadium supercross, those kids aren't sitting down and turning a steering wheel, and the stadiums are full of spectators and optimistic rookies. Just sayin'

[Team 12R]

fantastic

hey dave.. i'm hijacking your thread and i'm not sorry.... now that you have helped save the future of stock outboard with the creation of another schedule killer, how about an update on the number one issue (based on your questions to us) we in your region wanted you to address?

we had asked you keep us updated about a possible weight/height change for the tohatsu. i know your not a mod commissioner but any news on the subject of it being a legal 750 motor? i might be going out on a limb here but maybe that item might help a class just screaming to be a player again in our region?

302SSH? really? like OSY400, 20SSH, CSH, CSR, 25SSR, CMH & CMR aren't enough yamato classes? REALLY?

[kampkurz]

Spec Class

Dave got a little help with the 'creation' of this new class. The SORC and the BOD. He tabled the idea to the SORC, and after much discussion, and a show of hands it was decided that it would be introduced to the BOD. Jeff Brewster noted that they were very open to the idea, and allowed us to go forward with figuring out the details for it.
Schedule killer?? Maybe in your region, don't know about mine. If it takes off, and it becomes easier for a newbie to join us at the races in a class that has potential to very competetive, that could be very cool.
I don't know if a heat full of closely matched boats would be a schedule killer or not. I hope to find out.

[Hunter]

new class ??

...what color glasses are you guys looking through ? A new class is not going to have the noble effect envisioned. Most race schedules already become problematic because there are too many classes. The initial cost to get in this new class will be as much ,or more than what it would cost to buy a decent used rig in any number of classes. I have often thought that our club ,and others, should have a J loaner rig for the kids and something a little bigger for others. The cost to let someone try a race,hopefully after a little testing, should be minimalized somehow, or subsidized by APBA. (probaly cheaper than buying a bunch of props ) A race entry fee plus a one day APBA mebership is often enough to discourage trying our sport for the first time.
Hunter III

[fitsracing]

Hunter well said, and full agreement.

[Harmon-51V]

Yea I'm going to agree with hunter on this one.. Not the part about another class being problematic though

[thepiranhabros]

Yeah... you guys are all right.

Let's not bring in a new class designed to bring only new drivers. Let's not have this new class be standardized so it limits the confusion factor. Let's not offer Stock Outboard's most cost-effective, most reliable engine (oh yeah, and brand spankin' new too) to a new person who just getting started. Let's not make the barrier to entry into Stock Outboard virtually non-existent by making this as easy as going to a website and buying brand new equipment off the shelf.

You guys really have the right idea! Instead, let's sit out here on HydroRacer and whine and complain that we have too many classes with too many engine choices, not enough current racers, too many veterans signing off, and not enough new blood coming in. Let's wallow in our own loathing and self-pity that our sport we so dearly love is dying and can't figure out why.

Let's just sit and do nothing but revel in the glory days of the sport; when things were relatively inexpensive and easy; when a person could walk into a Mercury dealer and buy a racing engine and equipment right there on the spot.

Oh wait... This kinda sounds like what this new class is attempting to do.

I'm sure I'm not going to make a bunch of new friends here with this opinion, so I'm just going to say what's on my mind; both barrels; no holding back. You guys are a bunch of wet blankets, and you should be ashamed of yourselves. If you are not supporting every effort to revive this sport, then you are the very contingent that is killing it.

Your turn. Flame away.

[csh12M]

I think this is a good first step.

I disagree with Bill and Hunter,

This is a very positive first step.

First, nothing says you have to run the class "stand alone" combine it with your CSH class to begin with. We now will have a class within the class for newbies or fans of true "Stock" racing. MHRA has done very well bringing in racers with our racing school, but we have struggled to palce them in a class where they can be competitive. Now we have at least one "Stock" class in Stock Outboard. Everyone will be on an equal playing field and when I "sell" it to a new Racer School member I can truthfully be able to tell them they will be able to compete. Buying a "cheap" used starter rig just guarantees that they run at the back of the pack. After two years of frustration they leave the sport. I have watched is happen for 25 years.

This is an important first step to putting some Stock into Stock Outboard. As well as reducing the barriers to being competitive which should increase the amount of value in the sport.

Nice job SORC, now it is up to us (the clubs) to do something with this. Host your Racer Schools and lets get this class going.

Thanks,
Dean
12M

[Team 12R]

cost

dean,
even if i thought this idea was sound AND I DON'T please tell me how buying a very expensive NEW motor and prop is a good way to get new blood? i traded a snap-on toolbox to daren goehring for my first rig. i had to borrow a life jacket and helmet my first race. if you look at the classifieds you will see a proven used motor is a far better deal.

hunter's loaner A/J rig idea is a far better plan. i just saw a kid last week asking us on this site if some old hydro he has would fit in a class and he wanted to race. that's the person (get him.. fast). let him use that loaner boat a few races and he will be hooked. as far as a schedule killer, you would have to walk in our shoes. i'm not trying to start a fight just make you aware. races in our region usually put the loud classes toward the end of the schedule. (750, 850, 250 pro & 350 pro). you have a blow day on saturday and guess who gets the short end of the deal or a 1-heat format. yepp... puts a bad taste in your mouth when you've watched that little 15 hemp boat race j hydro, k-pro, axs hydro, A hydro and the yamato run 20, osy, CSH and CMOD. now we are talking another yamato class with unique props and separate inspection process?

i have a dog in the "D" class fight. i've watched the coolest motor to be introduced to the apba in years be treated like the "red-headed stepchild". i'm actually trying to help out my class and promote a motor that will be better than mine. 750 hyrdo is all but dead in our region. one decision could improve numbers right now. let's fix what we have rather than muddy the water and make things worse. we have great new driver classes. lots of them.

[krazy karl]

Nice Job

I agree. This is a step forward as I see it. In Region 11, we have a try it class in the NorCal 400 program. I have seen all too often where we have a newbie give it a try and then want to move on to a "regular" class and not do it when they see the cost of the whole thing. This will do a lot toward keeping the cost down in a stock class. The current stock classes are that but are they really with some drivers spending big bucks on blue printed motors and big box full of props and everything that it takes to stay out front. This new class may not reduce the entry level costs a whole lot but will keep the costs from escalating by not being too happy with running in the back all the time and having to do a whole lot more or dropping out, which is usually the case.

As for the racing itself, I think you find it to be quite exciting. Over the last few years we have had some of the most exciting finishes in the NorCal races than we do in all the other classes. In fact the NorCal races draw more attention than most of the other classes especially from the experienced racers.

Way to go.
kk