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  • #61
    Originally posted by ram95 View Post
    Good to read your post here George - I too clearly remember the inner-tube and upturned basket turn-buoys used by Westbrook Outboard Assn (Maine). You didn't want to smack one of them cause it would 'stave-in' the ceconite deck of your round-nose hydro.

    I realize, that the comments here on HR are not known by the majority of racers and crews who are out there, because they never go on this site.... nor will they probably use the APBA social site either. Their ideas and opinions are no less important though. And.. their ideas and opinions need to be consulted before rules are written - that is my thinking. Rarely are there times when something comes up which is so important that the show must be stopped. This stupid helmet issue is an example. It's good that we are sharing ideas and opinions.

    But, it's going to be interesting to see how the members of the Safety Committee and the BOD respond.... if they even acknowledge anything. In defense of both the Chairperson of the BOD and the Safety Comm.... both were presented with what they had to consider were 'the cold facts' .. truthful positions.... by 'knowledged' persons. Being the "Chair", each had to decide if they clearly knew more than what was being presented, or to accept what they were being told. In eithere case, the Chair must take the heat. However, my point here is to point out the fact that the "Chair' was influenced to take the direction they took. And, in my way of thinking, the "Chair" should have said.... we need to look at this AND, we need membership feedback along with APBA experience/statistical supporting data. Then, the "Chair" should have tabled the sucker.

    Thanks for reading.



    Alex:
    You are quite correct, based on my past experience, in your comment about
    never getting many, if any, explanations about what transpires in the making of these type decisions.

    Perhaps that fact has something to do with the very poor voting record membership wise that APBA has when elections are held for National officers, Category officers, and other elected officials. Lots of folks just probably look as past experience and say why vote?, they never explain or tell us anything anyway. That is very discouraging, especially if a new member joins with better expectations. It is also the reason for a lot of the grumbling you see from long time members who aren't anymore.

    Some of the few posts so far on the new APBA site are a perfect example of what I am talking about, and I am sure you know what I mean!

    Comment


    • #62
      Hhmmm, this newly approved color sound interesting. Florescent yellow (looks green) sounds like it would match my boat nicely!
      My legal Arai helmet is getting kinda beat up looking. Maybe it's time to get a new helmet. Let the shopping begin!

      Me to wife: "Oh sorry honey, they MADE me buy a new helmet with that darn rule change! *sniffle*"



      Comment


      • #63
        Snell rating lookup

        Here's a neat tool I found! This is the Snell foundation website. If you're shopping for a new helmet or want to check on your current helmet, you can use this tool to check on the Snell rating:

        http://www.smf.org/cert


        Comment


        • #64
          Originally posted by Danny Pigott View Post
          Ricochet 112 , you need to research who some of the people on here are and all they have seen happen though the years they have been in boat racing before you make a statement about them. And yes orange is the right color for helmets and cut suits
          Wow. I ask a serious question and get a response like this?! How else better to do some research on someone then ask then a direct question.
          1-how long has it been since Bill has raced
          2-do other helmet colors than orange seem wrong to you too
          3-adding a little humor to the thread to lighten the mood

          Comment


          • #65
            Originally posted by bill van steenwyk View Post
            Yes, I did race when colors other than orange were legal, and I know from personal experience how it feels to run over someone who has been thrown from their boat in a corner when they were just becoming visible as the top of their helmet came up to the top of the water and I saw a little spot of orange about the size of a coffee cup saucer.

            Seeing that little spot of orange gave me enough time and warning to jerk the wheel and the impact with his head was on my sponson, not the lower unit or prop, so yes I have some experience with what I am talking about, DO YOU????
            Yes I do, my APBA rookie year in 1986 (first year was wildcat in 1985) SOA was racing on Capitol Lake in Olympia WA, I was running a 30H in CSH against a lot of the new Yamato's in which we had elims. In the second turn another rookie dumps in front of me, I see his orange helmet pop up in front of his boat, I had just enough to grab a handful of left hand wheel and stop sideways less than 2 feet in front of him, swamping my boat in the process. He was so grateful of my evasive procedure that he helped me dry out my motor and ignoring his own until my was running. I don't remember his name, he only raced 2 years ( I think) but he was an EMT.

            I have painted 2 helmets in my 28 years and have seen no damage to them, I have always used orange for all my helmets and cut suits.

            add-My most recent crash avoiding situation was at Sliver Lake Eatonville WA, in 2008 (?) when Brian Morgan, rest his soul, crashed in the rough turn 2 about 3 boat lengths in front of me. His boat went left, so left was out, and Brain comes up just to my right of his boat. All I could do to avoid spearing him with my pickle was a hard right, but I knew that would swing my left chine and or motor directly into him. So as soon as my sponson passed his orange helmet I cranked it hard left and missed him by a foot, his words. He came to my pits after the rescue cleared him and thanked me profusely for missing him, he said he thought he was going to get hit for sure.
            Last edited by ricochet112; 03-04-2012, 10:17 AM. Reason: add

            Comment


            • #66
              Millville Accident

              Originally posted by Blackhawkguy View Post
              I started racing in 1978, at that time hippity hops where the turn bouys of choice, they where red and pretty tough, also pretty cheep. As the years whent on hippity hops got expnesive and I believe they quit making them.

              The reason Hippity Hops were banned was due to the death of our good friend Broom (aka John Kavoshian)...............his boat hooked one of those hippity hops and flipped and was then run over in the early 80's. Also the reason attached kill switches were mandated was cause of a racing accident.

              Guess it is just human nature to be re-active in lieu of pro-active........

              No one would argue that 'bag' style buoys are much safer in Stock Outboard Racing.........but unfortunately it took a horrific incident to make a change for the better.

              Two more weeks till spring!!!!!.............



              Comment


              • #67
                Hum............

                Originally posted by G Stillwill View Post
                When I started racing the most common bouy was a inter tube with a peace basket on it and sometimes with a flag on the peace basket.
                Wow are you guys old!!!!!....................



                Comment


                • #68
                  Originally posted by Matt Dagostino View Post
                  Wow are you guys old!!!!!....................
                  My dad told me about the days (1960's) when they used 55 gal drums for buoys! That is INSANE!

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Originally posted by G Stillwill View Post
                    When I started racing the most common bouy was a inter tube with a peace basket on it and sometimes with a flag on the peace basket.
                    I remember those buoys from when I started racing (1959). Once, I rolled up my runabout so close that my face hit the peach basket and ripped off my face shield. Fortunately the shield took the hit and I did not get hurt.

                    Bill Rosado

                    Comment


                    • #70
                      I also had the experience of avoiding running over a driver because of the orange helmet. I think it was Newtown CT 1966. Coming to first turn in BSR, Clark Maloof was just ahead of me to my outside with me closing. As I was taking the inside on him, he flipped trying to stay ahead of me. The natural instinct would have been to go around his flip in progress, but I saw the orange helmet flying into the line I was taking and I went inside instead, hitting and sinking his boat and going on to win the heat. 46 years later and I can remember it all as clearly as yesterday. It was like slow motion, but I actually avoided hitting him while he was flying through the air and all on instinct to avoid the orange helmet.

                      Bill Rosado

                      Comment


                      • #71
                        Hi Bill.... nice to hear from you. It looks like we are too old to know anything about boat racing. It seems that it is easier to re-invent the wheel.... (even if they get it wrong for a while) that it is to listen to anyone who has raced in the past.
                        But I agree with your take on history and safety rules. I don't know how we men dared to risk our lives in such daredevil antics. We had little or no safety devices. I don't know how we didn't die during that time. A time went there were more classes at every race -with more boats in those classes and many more races to compete in. Imagine that!

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          Hi Peter, Yes, they have improved racing so much that they can't race without a space suit on and can't even field enough boats for a heat unless they plan ahead. They call what they do racing and it is so much fun that most of us old-timers that took a second time around, realized what a joke it has become and didn't stay around. Only thing I haven't been able to figure out is if it's so good now, where are all those new guys that should have replaced us and kept the boat counts high?????

                          Bill Rosado

                          As for that bumping, nudging, rubbing, racing quote, you never saw me and Clark Maloof run a straight in our 20H runabouts with the chines glued together, that was racing.
                          Last edited by modracer7b; 03-05-2012, 09:14 AM.

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                          • #73
                            Bill talking about Clark and rubbing at Febbys pond Clark and Christy beat and banged in DSH till Clark ran Chrisy up on the beach just so happened that Clarks BR was sitting on horses and Christy ran right through it.Then to top it off both was put in the ambulance and they had to get them out as they started fighting. Lots of storys from back in the day
                            Destiny is a matter of chance,it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.

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                            • #74
                              George, I was at a race in Wilmington in 65 or 66 that had some bad feelings going between Clark and Christy and me and Christy, but I don't think that was the onto the beach year, but I did win AU and BU and got either 1st or 2nd in ASH. I also had a few go arounds with some of the Jersey guys of the 60's. Back then a beef could really get you put on the beach or into a wall. One year at Lowell, Bill Giles ran over my deck in BSH going into a turn and I took him to the wall and he had to shut off his engine to stay on the water.

                              Bill Rosado
                              Last edited by modracer7b; 03-05-2012, 10:33 PM.

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