How much are you willing to spend to boat race?

[Tazman]

If your having fun and you enjoy what your doing who cares. SOME SPEND MORE & SOME SPEND LESS .? IS " WHO HAS THE MOST FUN ". As far as I know you can't take it with you. Happy racing

[DeanFHobart]

"How much are you willing to spend to boat race?"

If you want to win...... It's whatever it takes, that's the bottom line.

Best Regards To All,

Dean Hobart..... Racing Boats Since 1962.

[Hydro doc]

I ask that question to Braxton Miller, He said "How competive do you want to be?". You need to do your home work. Prices have gone up in the last few years. New boats with paint are running in the $5,000 range. Tohatsu motors with electic starts are $8,000-$10,000. Yamato motors are hard to find to find especially 302, but expect to pay $2500 and maybe more for a proven one. Can you find good cheaper rigs? Yes, we bought a older Hemp hydro and a used (unproven) motor for $5,500. The motor Just had a few races on it. We were lucky because it came with good prop too. We won allot with this rig both very rough boat and unproven motor. A new boat is usually always faster but that drives the price up to $8,000 for a new C stock hydro. Other factors that would drive the cost would be new Pistons, boring and new rings. 44ci motors have a wide range, worn out motors are in the $2500 range with good lower units, top motor fresh from top builders are $10,000. Which is in the range of a newly built Tohatsu. This motor has been very reliable in the stock condition many have run 7 years before needing rings. In NBRA, it has grown in popularity and the electric start is a very attractive feature. Boat racing equipment has always been cheaper than racing vehicles with tires. You can buy a new prop as often as you buy new tires. One factor that increases the cost of boat racing is travel. If you live in the Chicago area, that is minimal, but us in the west it is a bigger factor. I enjoy being around the water, and it really comes down to what you enjoy dirt or water. Happy holiday's len miller and What's up Doc? Race Team.

[ram95]

Before thinking about how much you'd spend... better think about the income level of a lot of the people who enter into this sport. I can tell you, it isn't too much. And, if they knew right up front how much they would end up spending over five years they probably would just stick to camping, riding dirt bikes, going 4 wheeling (not in a 4x4!!), or some thing else that APPEARED to have a fairly low cost of entry. And, just because they fork out some dough for a J or A or B.... probably not a C... don't get too confident they'll be around 3 years from now. Let's face it, WE are not comprised of a bunch of SCCA types down here at the Stock hydroplane and runabout level. And, if we allow the costs to increase out of proportion to that "income level" I spoke of.... our membership will fall off at least down here at the grass-roots level. Again, I'm not talking capsule boats, offshore, pro, Title-series, etc. I'm speaking about the people who populate the little pond and river race sites. The mom & pop & the kids camping (to save money). The struggling Uncle who takes a kid or two under his wing.

And, on top of it all, it's these kinds of folks that are the most fun to be around. They know what it means to lend a hand and be a friend.

Alex

[Matt Dagostino]

Well said Alex............my thoughts exactly. Income levels of most Stock Outboard folks have not kept up with inflation and the current expense of racing. Gas, hotels, food, tolls, entry fees, blah blah blah have made it a real strain on many Stock Outboarders and potential members. Add to that Stock Outboard engines in the $5000 and up range and new boats in that same price range and camping and dirt bike riding look more and more appealing. Stock Outboarding has always depended on lots of members and local races over the decades and due to increased costs of racing those numbers continue to erode. Don't be surprised to see Stock Outboard racing go the way of the PRO's and wind up with a 'series' format with maybe a dozen races Nationwide with a National Championship once a year. With local Stock Outboard clubs having to lay out $5000-6000 sometimes for a local race and attracting 60-70 entries per day........well, you do the math. ))

[Guest]

Never thought of what I spend on a race boat. My wife pays all the bills in our house!
Alan

[PROPDOC]

When No Quarter Racing plans for the upcoming season we look at available time off. Because we have close to a days' travel to about any race we go to we have to base our racing schedule on how many days off we have. We do have a tight budget for racing but if we had more time off we would find a way to make more races and stretch our budget even more.

[blueskyracer]

very true about the vacation time.. Two weeks or 10 days of vacation dont go very far when you need one to two days for travel each race. Plus to do that for four heats of racing if you are lucky is not very cost effective..Especially when mother nature is interfering more and more each year..

[Guest]

Is Mother Nature a new driver in NBRA?

Alan

[blueskyracer]

Nope but she can sure shut down a day or weekend of racing

[csh12M]

APBA Stock category took a big step forward in addressing cost with the 302SSH class. You can realistically run out front with a 5K investment and no blueprinting motorwork necessary. We had elims at our last couple of MI races. Region 7 also has enough to race. I have been a bit surprised that it is not catching on in more parts of the country. Time will tell, it still is early, but this class takes cost out of the equation. If it does not catch on nationally, then I think it would be fair to say that cost may not be the biggest factor in limiting growth potential.

[bill hoctor]

In retrospect..Started racing in the late 40 's..Army 52-56 back again 57 in stock.. In 1964 hooked up with engineer who was a little too over weight to compete so we went [Alki] now Pro.. He was methodical in keeping records so...From 64 to 74 racing from canada to ohio to florida circuit we spent $10G a year on everything,boats motors props gas & alki fuel motels etc running A B C D -F hydro & DSH Traveled 100,000 miles...and best of all won &10G over 10 years . 3 times Gulf Hall 66 67 68.. Since then 20 years refereeing & announcing & the last 20 + patrol boat & towing !

[Fastjack]

Jack ran 61 APBA races this year- 3 classes average race day . If I broke every thing down it averages $ 250.00 per day including the travel days ( Ga trip was 5 days $ 1250) -= That is for travel - hotels - gas- entry and broken parts - ( 1 kick out bracket - last lap last race of the season ) add to this a annual freshening up of parts and boats at $ 2000-2500 per off season. 1 trip to GA , 2 to Tabor city , and races in NY- Pa- Ct- NH-MA- and Maine. Made for a pretty good season - 2 nd place APBA AXH - Region 1 high points ASH and AXH and second in ARS. Next year --25SSR ansd 25SSH - .

[csh12M]

Not to be repetitive, but did you consider the 302SSH class for Jack - I think he is the perfect candidate. I am interested in getting "real" perception of the class from other parts of the country. Thanks, Dean

[raceright]

If I kept track of the costs : Plane flights,Diesel fuel,Motels,restaurants alone with adding in what Jimmy and Brian Destroy on the race course I would quit. So happiness is not knowing lololo

[adamallen]

“The cost of racing hasn’t increased in thirty years. Back then, it took everything you had. And it still does.” – Unknown”

[DeanFHobart]

“The cost of racing hasn’t increased in thirty years. Back then, it took everything you had. And it still does.” – Unknown”

I can remember not paying the rent to buy a R. Allen "Papa" Smith propeller...... Way back when.