New topic for Annual meeting

[BP125V]

This might be a slight breach in protocal by introducing another topic midweek, but I wanted to get this out as soon as I could.

I think we need to consider the way in which we manage our sport. The current format of Chair and Commission really seems to function best in reaction to issues as opposed to guiding or directing. This is for several reasons and is in no way a complaint against the individuals who are serving in these roles.

Some very difficult decisions need to be made in the near future in order to ensure the long term viability of our sport. Most of these have to do with equipment and class structure with the underlying goal of gaining new members without chasing off current racers.

Would we be better served by having one person or a very small committee whose sole responsibility would be to provide this direction? This would be in addition to a chair and commission. The role for the chair and commission would be everyday management of the sport, appeals, tech changes, safety etc.

If we decide this is the best way to move forward, how do we do it?

Bill Pavlick III

[Xracer]

...<snip>
Some very difficult decisions need to be made in the near future in order to ensure the long term viability of our sport. Most of these have to do with equipment and class structure with the underlying goal of gaining new members without chasing off current racers. ...

Bill Pavlick III

Imagine, if you will, an individual considering outboard racing and trying to make an intelligent decision about participation. Here is what he/she must first wade through:

CLASS SPEED (Kilo)

125CCR 35.33 KProH 57.84
CSR 60.41 125CCH 76.18
CRR 64.68 250CCH 107.52
250CCR 84.87 350CCH 113.41
350CCR 90.88 500CCH 126.08
500CCR 95.13 700CCH 121.92
700CCR 94.19 1100CCH 122.38
1100CCR 105.59 RBHydro 90.80
OSY400 74.58 CSH 59.47
CRH 70.39
FAR 61.15 FAH 64.69
AMR 68.51 AMH 66.81
BMR 73.95 BMH 83.34
CMR 82.56 CMH 83.16
DMR 89.14 DMH 92.03
FER 91.91 25MH 75.59
FEH 104.46
ASR 60.00 ASH 62.16
BSR 69.22 BSH 68.70
CSR 69.79 CSH 73.78
DSR 77.07 DSH 89.84
25SSR 74.49 25SSH 76.74
45SST 85.32 JH 42.75
JR 41.27 AXSH 54.43
AXSR 48.08

You're absolutely right Bill, some difficult decisions need to be made by APBA to ensure the long-term viability of our sport.

[modracer7b]

Bill, An idea whose time is long overdue. I think there are two possible ways to go. One would be a single person with the ability and power to institute the hard changes that the membership cannot seem to be able to agree on. I think the individual should be a retired racer that is no longer directly involved in competition and has a good understanding of both the equipment needs of racing and financial needs of racers. Most importantly. this individual should be someone who is not concerned with upsetting people.

In lieu of a single person, maybe a comittee of three, two retired as described above and one current racer to express the views of someone still competing. Changes would be made with a simple majority at the comittees discretion and they would monitor and amend their changes to make them work. The fewer people involved, the more chance of something getting done.

The current system does not work, because as much as competitors like to think that they are open-minded to changes in the best interest of racing in general, history tells us that this is not really true. Every idea that comes up gets deadlocked in point-counterpoint and never seem to go anywhere.

Bill Rosado

[csh2z]

Maybe we should follow the lead of the founding fathers. They knew that in order to create a successful society, they would need a constitution. Successful businesses in America use a business plan as a foundation for their future. We need a constitution for Stock Outboard.

First we need to define our sport: How many classes should we have? Should we race fishing motors, or motors made for racing? Should we have one design boats? Should we run multiple motors in a class? Should we have class standards? These are some of the questions that must be answered.

We need to set guidelines for this and future commissions to follow in their decision making. These guidelines must include: The phasing in and out of motors in a class. How to best market the sport both on a local level and nationally. How to determine when a class is no longer viable, and what is to be done about it. Once it is determined that a new motor is needed, should the commission be responsible for filling that need, or the membership.

There are many questions still to be asked, but the important thing is finding the right answers and creating our constitution. We need a leader, someone to pick up the ball and run with it. We must assemble a constitutional committee, charged with answering these questions, and drafting the do***ent. These must be our finest visionaries. People with the clarity of thought to make decisions unbiased and in the best interest of our sport. Now is the time for change, lets preserve the sport we love for future generations.

Let me be the first to offer my experience to this committee.

John Runne

[CSR4C]

National Classes

Of the long list of SO, MO, PRO there are only 10-12 of them that I would consider as national classes. Most of them only exist in 1 or 2 regions. Not that there is anything wrong with some of the classes, they just don't run nation wide.

[Xracer]

Of the long list of SO, MO, PRO there are only 10-12 of them that I would consider as national classes. Most of them only exist in 1 or 2 regions. Not that there is anything wrong with some of the classes, they just don't run nation wide.

I believe that the following classes ran at the 2004 Stock, Mod, and Pro Nationals:KPro,OSY400,CSerR,CSerH,CRacR,CRacH,RBH, 125CCR,250CCR,350CCR,500CCR,1100CCR,125CCH,250CCH, 350CCH,500CCH,700CCH,1100CCH,25MH,AMH,BMH,CMH,DMH, FAH,FEH,AMR,BMR,CMR,DMR,FAR,FER,25SSH,ASH,BSH,CSH, DSH,25SSR,45SS,ASR,BSR,CSR,DSR, and one left off of the earlier list 20SSH.

Which of the above do you consider to be "National Classes"?

[CSR4C]

Let's say that your job transfers you to another state (one where there is boat racing) The classes that you can be reasonably sure of racing at your new location:
ASR, ASH, CSR, CSH, 20SSH, DMH, FEH, OSY400, JH
9 national classes.

[csh12M]

Hot Rod help.....

Hello most people already know me, Dean Sutherland.

I have recently accepted a position working for Ron Selewach at HRMC starting in January. On top of working for Ron at HRMC (Ron's business) I will also be working with him, among others, on the American Hot Rod project. Ron and others involved will be attending the APBA annual meeting and plan to present in both the Stock and Modified meetings a manufactures report. I do not want to speak to much about this yet.....however I will say it is our intent to give a five year plan and outlook as seen by American Hot Rod. I will also add that we have a development plan that could provide racing engines for four classes (or within four speed ranges) 37, 55, 64, 70 MPH within 5 years. This plan will include the significant milestones we see from a manufactures standpoint and also from an APBA standpoint. Already significant time and dollars have been spent in making the first few steps (the first are the hardest). Not much has been heard about this because Ron wanted to make sure he had something to show and not just a lot of talk. You will see new and improved parts at the meeting, this will mark the official "kickoff" on the NEW AMERICAN HOT ROD company.

We obviously will be looking to solicit reaction and approval for out plan so we can structure our manufacturing efforts appropriately.

This is just a bit of what is to come.

Thanks,
Dean Sutherland on behalf of the NEW AMERICAN HOT ROD

[Ron Hill]

Other 'THINGS&quot; to consider...

The Winter Natioanls at Bakerfield was the ONLY kneeldown race I attended this year. I attended it with another EX Racer, Dave Bryan (EX C Runabout National Champion and Record holder).

We observed:

1. Boats showed serious signs of wear and tear!!! (Holes, with duct tape or holes patched),

2. Dangerous looking things like big fins sticking out the side... noses and pickle forks that looked like they'd go through you... (Dave was hit in the stomach with a Hill Boat in 1971 and it ruptured his spleen, came close to dying. He noted these new runabout wouldn't have ruptured his spleen, it would have just killed him...

I'm old and have no real trouble admiting,,,

When I was taught to race, we had family rules:
1. Never put yourself in a position that you can't miss the guy ahead of you. (He has the right to spill and not get hit by you).

2. You pass on the outside. If you don't have the speed, you'll lose anyway. If you have speed you'll get around, if you pass on the inside, and he spins in the hole, you hit him...


I suggested the transom height rule in Atlanta, 1976 asnd was laughed out of the Stock Outboard Commission Meeting.....

Two Suggestions:

1. I'm going to suggest a change in the OVERLAP rule... to two boat lengths.

2. Adopt a UIM type rule that you maintain your lanes in the corners...(This would mean that you enter on the inside , you stay on the inside...

Everyone talks about wanting full fields, but what happens when you have 12 boats??? They wreck....

At the Winter Nationals, Dave and compared Cracker Boxes to the Stocks...

No scratchs, clean boats in the Crackerbox pits. Why? They got more money??? NO, they have rule where they don't run into each other...

Ernie Dawe argued with me the other day, he said boats are easier to drive now than ever.....I then said I don't believe it... I think the boats are harder to drive and would like them changed in a way that side fins be outlawed in hydro and runabouts...

With the fin in the middle, if you do have a wreck... first the fin hit, then the motor. Now you have a chjance of being hit with the fin or the motor in an accident...

Suggestion: Don't put 7-B and Me on the Committee, you'd see changes!!!!!

ADD: Dangerous looking boats, duct taped up...ain't what mom's in SUV's want their kids doing!!!!

[kws]

duct tape the only thing its not good for is DUCTS as per a retired heating guy lol.
after going to daytona a few years ago and helping a friend in the pits i was shocked at how the spoilers are held on with duct tape and silicone at nearly 200 mph. while i agree safer is better. but are u saying that u think like nascar, it has to look good at the start of the race or it shouldnt run ? while a piece of tape painted over on the top side of a boat doesnt look very pretty how is it less safe. or are you refering to situations like one boat i saw this last fall with what apeared to be a half a roll of duct tape on and around the fin? and here i thought beat up boats were a tribute to the boat builder (it held together)

[Ron Hill]

I've used miles of duct tape in my life...

I won't say I haven't used duct tape... In fact, at the Divisionals 1966, I duct taped my shoulder together to avoid getting stiches.. I cut it on Carl Meyers, BU... I took the cowling off my CU and put it on the BU, windshield was back too far, I drove with no shirt, and after winning the first heat, we layed two stripes of duct tape on my arm, and I left it there for almost 10 days...took it off with gasoline...

BUT, my boats always had numbers that were professionally painted or looked close to it... Most of my boats, after 1963 had the name "SNAPPER" on it...Before that, the only boat that I ran, was called the "MOTHER PLEASE"... that Bill Boyes ended up with...

BUT our boats didn't have signs of crash and crash and crash...

Pretent you are the mother of a future driver and look at each boat carefully.....mothers do that you know, and they, usually make half the family's money and 99% of the decisions related to money....or at least in my family!

Manny Carnakis, who built Ming Lake, said, "Handsome is, as handsome does"

Everything Manny raced was painted yellow, chromed or polished...

She should look good at the start of the race....by letting junk start, and usually win, who are you catering to??? The winners will come back anyway!!!

[greybeard]

Some thoughts from an retired racer...

What is your product? How do you distinguish your product from karting, motocross, PWCs etc... Are you competing or cooperating with the other kneeldown racing for consumers? Karting is a entry point for aspiring race car drivers. Moto and PWC racing have significant manufacturer support including pro drivers on the payroll... these are forimidable competition for SO.

The long term growth and prosperity of SO racing is connected to, as CSH2Z suggests, a clear definition of what the Stock Outboard product is, who the target consumers are, and followed up with a marketing plan to reach these consumers...

Once you have them interested you have to have equipment available. I see the relative obscurity of equipment suppliers for the sport will be a concern to the general public.

Who visits this site other than current racers or used to be's like myself? Are there new racers that have no prior connection to the sport? What brought them onboard?

Good Luck!!!

[Steve Johnson]

The product is US, the racers, the families,and the good times. Market the local clubs as an organization that you would want to be involved with and you will have growth. Social activites year round. Dances , dinners , parties ,Auctions ect. Look to the success of clubs like DU . Hunting season is short but they have huge numbers year round. maybe shameless self promotion is the ultimate goal. the racing and classes motors could stay put for awhile until there is enough demand to warrent major changes.
Lets get the dudes.
Steve

[Ron Hill]

Greybeard...

Seems my beard has quit growing...
Anyway, we had some new guys in Arkansas who were racing 15 HP Stock Motors...Have not heard from them in a while...

As my brother says, "Things go along like this for awhile and then they get worse."...

Other than me, ahs anyone studied the Go Kart Rules??? tow quic one come to mind...the sell an AIR BOX...only so much air goes through this box...an equalizer...leverls the palying field, puts SPORT IN TO IT...

Standardizes track owned exhaust pipes... don't need to be abrain surgeon, they loan you a pipe...SPORT!!! LEVEL FIELD...

[BP125V]

who are we?

"I think there are two possible ways to go. One would be a single person with the ability and power to institute the hard changes that the membership cannot seem to be able to agree on. I think the individual should be a retired racer that is no longer directly involved in competition and has a good understanding of both the equipment needs of racing and financial needs of racers. Most importantly. this individual should be someone who is not concerned with upsetting people." Bill Rosado.

I agree with the above statement by Bill and would add that I think this person(s) should be retired from racing so they will not have to choose between working for the sport or getting their equipment ready for the next race.


"The product is US, the racers, the families,and the good times. Market the local clubs as an organization that you would want to be involved with and you will have growth. " Steve Johnson.

I think you are partially correct Steve. We do need to be a group that people want to associate with, but I think more importantly we need to focus on providing people with low cost and fair competition. We cannot base our growth program on "we are a great bunch of people" alone as just about any group from Little League to a car club will make that same claim. We don't have the corner on nice people, but I do think we have a very challenging and unique form of motorsport that is relatively inexpensive.


Bill Pavlick III