Editorial

[Blackhawkguy]

The Wild One's

I remember walking by the The Wild One's garage every day to and from school-it was packed with race boats-I think I stopped almost every day and peeked in the windows-I stopped in a couple of times when the door's where open-I was 10- we started racing when I was 12. I was begging my dad for a race boat. I think this post has a very valid point but I also think Mr. Gleason shows that you just have to put in some effort-there are still young people who are interested, you just have to give them a little nudge in the right direction

Kerry

[john527]

Kids need more of this under the XMAS tree instead of video games and iphones!

[DiGia54D]

Loved my Erector set when I was little..cut myself every time i took a piece out..lol

[fcliff]

Things are changing

It is easy to blame our problems on everything and everybody accept ourselves. The world will continue to change. We are not going to give up our cell phones and computers and access to hydroracer. Technology will go forward, not away. If we continue to do things the way we did 25 years ago boat racing will continue the same direction. Technology is a great tool and at the same time it presents new issues. Boatracing is still a great sport. We must be become better ambassadors of the sport. There are way too many of us that scare away potential racers with our negative attitudes and hostile posturing. Lets start by making an effort to be more positive, and trumpeting the great excitement that can be found in boat racing. There are ideas and programs out there that are really working. Lets embrace them.

[laddies]

Stock Outboard is a great sport, I have never been a member of APBA but have had 4 sons racing over the years so I don't want to hear the old what the hell do you know or you don't have a right to comment. Why is Stock Outboard slowly diminishing lets not blame it entirely on the new generation. Some out there won't like these comments, bite your lip and think about it please. How many young people without a parent already involved in the sport have the money to buy a competitive boat, motor and prop. Now add the safety equipment, APBA dues, transportation costs and lodging. If they can come up with the money to do all of these things and get to the first race only to find out they are not even competitive. Stock Outboard flourished when you could go to a dealer buy a boat and motor go to a race and be competitive no one wants to do anything that they can not be competitive at, WHO wants to be a loser just to make a class for someone else to win in.
Then in a couple of years have their engine replaced by another engine. Let's look at C as it's one of the most popular classes, the original Yamoto engine that got it going sold because it was under $500 and there were a lot of C and D boats around to run it on anyone could afford to race, who made the decision to let some modifying be done to the engine to give themselves the advantage over the kids that were starting to run in that class. You can look in every class of stock outboard and see the same thing it does not only happen with engines it happens with boats. I think Stock Outboard was a sport that was founded for amateur racers and that's why it flourished, then came the semi-pro's and they needed a advantage, so if you can put some extra money in the engine and gain some advantage ovr the kid that spent ever thing he had on a stock engine and boat, all you need to do is join the Good Old Boys Club put some pressure on the BOD and they will change the rules so you can beat the kids.
Let's take a little blame on our own shoulders and the people that are steering the sinking ship should also.

[Dave M]

Exposure

One the biggest lack of devices boat racing has, no matter what organization you belong too, is exposure.

Daveracerdsh, your story reminds me of some things, and also gave me an idea. The times I received the most attention to the race boats was when I was working on them in the front yard, or had the trailer parked in the driveway, exposed to the street. Neighbor kids would always gawk, stop and talk. Even the utility workers wanted to know more about. The question I most often received was "How fast does that thing go?" Here is where the WOW factor is dangling like bait. You need to get them to take the baot at that point. A simple fast will get them nibbling. If they keep biting, set the hook.

My point is, when you have a shop on a busy street, or anywhere for that matter where others can see it, work outdoors, not inside. Sanding on the boat ? wheel it outside and sand away. I guarentee you of those 2000 kids that walk past your shop at least half will look and wonder, and maybe half of those will stop and gawk, and maybe half of those will talk to you. As a kid growing up today, there is a huge fear of tresspassing, you see the signs everywhere, kids are taught to not tresspass. So even with the doors open, a kid might not walk in to talk. Even as an adult I would be hesitant. You just never know how someone will react if you just walk into someoens shop.

[john527]

Sounds good Dave, but the trouble is, people wont stop and look because they are all to busy with their faces planted into their iphones!
Maybe the APBA needs a APP to put on iphones!

[krazy karl]

I have an open trailer and almost always get questions when I stop for fuel. That is when I start pushing our NorCal rent a racer program. We also had wallet sized cards to hand out with the schedule of races and websites.

The intent of the original post was not to cast stones at the new generation but the issue as a whole and how do we fix it. My own step kids are no different. They come to the races but have no interest in participating in any manner. No matter how much I have encouraged them to take an interest in anything their smart phones are still their main interest. I work on race motors, old Mercs, race boats, lake racers, cars, house remodeling, gardening and all kinds of things. Not one bite from them on anything. They have no hobbies or interest in much of anything, other than social media and video games. They don't even read, which I think is most important. No matter what you read you will learn something. I always have my nose stuck in a book or a magazine.

My own 3 kids all had interests in something, mountain biking, RC race cars, dress making, motorcycles, cheer leading. I didn't start living with my step kids until they were a bit older and I think the behavior was already established. Start early, I guess.

Paul, I like your term "wage slaves". One of my thoughts for years.

kk

[PRO-MOTIONRACING]

If they are going to spend there time staring at smart phones at least now we can rest assured they won't be watching any of that pesky helmet cam footage of boat racing.

[D_Allen_III]

This is an awesome program that utilizes great resources such as the museum and a market of people who love hydroplanes. I give you guys a lot of props for making that all happen!

I tried to get a program like this going at my school a few years ago but it fizzled out with administration and "insurance" discussions because I wanted to do it out of our industrial technology room here at school. Still hope to make it happen some time soon, I just wish I knew how to build a boat.

Here's the deal: We can whine about it all we want, and wring our hands over this as our kids futz around with our iPads and play Xbox and wonder what the h*ll we're doing wrong.

OR: We can buy some boat kits, teach our kids how to read a tape measure, sand a little, work with wood, use tools and SPEND TIME WITH THEM to build race boats.

Seems like a pretty radical idea....who would ever do that?

Oh, wait: we are. And it's working pretty good. 5 prospective new racers that will be on the water this year. And in the process, learning skills, and spending time with their parents, and other kids doing the same thing.

Show up on Saturday at Don Kelson's shop, and you can help too!

R-19

[Dave M]

How To

This is an awesome program that utilizes great resources such as the museum and a market of people who love hydroplanes. I give you guys a lot of props for making that all happen!

I tried to get a program like this going at my school a few years ago but it fizzled out with administration and "insurance" discussions because I wanted to do it out of our industrial technology room here at school. Still hope to make it happen some time soon, I just wish I knew how to build a boat.

If you pull this off, I will offer some help with a construction booklet of sorts. it is a how to book sort to speak.

[CSR4C]

White Boxes

I remember when you could see all kinds of interesting racing stuff being towed on the highway, now all you see is white boxes!

[ram95]

Pat Gleason, like a lot of us, is trying his best to bring kids thru the "basics" of the entry to life.

Kids come out of the womb with genes. Yes. Trouble is, they come into a world of many different type of parents. A world where adults are busy trying to straighten-things-out.

Well.... when we try to 'level-the-playing-field' we are messing with 'survival of the fittest. And, friends.... when we mess with that, we are trying to re-wire human-kind.

And, it aint gonna woik - sorry.

Alex
The Mad Russian