Farewell to Boat Racing

[Dennis Crews]

My family has been involved in kneel-down boat racing as far back as the 1940's. I grew up around boat racing and it is so deeply imbedded into me that I believed I could never subdue the urge, the passion, the desire to be around boat racing and the people involved. Until now that is.

I have grown weary of the infighting, the back-biting, the name calling, the personal attacks on social media, the finger pointing in public forums, the whining about everything from the race officials to the course layout to the condition of the pits to the location of the port-a-potties and on and on and on and on.

I have personally witnessed people making negative comments about the race officiating at a volume obviously intended for the judges stand to hear every word. And they did hear it. I could tell by the looks on their faces. Ok...maybe the next time a race official makes a mistake we should penalize them by cutting their pay. Oh wait...they are volunteering FOR FREE to do a job that you could do (better according you) but that you won't do. Why, because you don't want any part of it. Don't like the way a race is being officiated? Then leave your equipment home for one race and work WITH the race officials all weekend. I bet the next time you race you have a bit more appreciation for those volunteers.

And how about the rule manipulating to protect that self-perceived 'edge' that you have developed over your competition, even to the point of outright cheating at times. All to win another plaque for the wall or another trophy for the mantle? Really?...you go Mr. boat-racer. We are all so proud of you.

If you are new to boat racing and reading this I hope it is not a discouragement to you but rather motivation for you to be part of the great side of this sport. Get involved, be a positive force in your local and national organizations. There are so many great people involved in our sport, so many great reasons to be involved, so many great memories to be made with family and friends, so many great competitors who will help you at a moment's notice, many times without even being asked. But I for one am growing weary of the drama.

As we dwindle in numbers surely we don't have as why...right? If you can't see the real reasons then maybe you are one of those that can't see past your own motor-box or the plaques on your wall.

The sport is in YOUR hands. How will you treat it going forward? I hope you do the right thing for us all. If we are not careful we will all be bidding farewell to our beloved sport.

And if you see a post in the near future here on HR with all my equipment for sale, please do not ask me why. Just refer back to this post.



Dennis

[racingfan1]

And how about the rule manipulating to protect that self-perceived 'edge' that you have developed over your competition, even to the point of outright cheating at times. All to win another plaque for the wall or another trophy for the mantle? Really?...you go Mr. boat-racer. We are all so proud of you.

Seems this is not a new concept as this column by Manuel Carnaks in a 1971 edition of Propeller would indicate.

[V25racergirl]

Mr. Crews,
I hate to hear the focus on the negative side of boat racing is discouraging you and your family to continue racing. I have been on that judge stand for almost three years before actively racing and when I was recovering from my wreak, I was placed in the judge stand and scoring with my non dominant arm (that was a challenge). I also have played the role of being the line judge, turn judge, announcer, AND the referee in my racing experience. I can tell you how big of a challenge and responsibilities the roles are. I wish other people would just be in these roles sometimes and see the weigh and responsibilities these officials had to face. So I want to give a big thank you to all the hard working and dedicated members to be our backbone of the events. Thank you to the Crews for your hard work and dedication to keep our club going as well. And you can’t just quit just now, who’s gunna be battling with me down the shoot? Haha. I enjoy racing with y’all!

[Harold8]

I think at some time every boat racer feels as Mr Crews has stated. Fortunately the complainers are in the minority and the rest ignore them and move on, continuing to volunteer and participate at each race, trying to make it the best one possible. It would be nice if the different organizations, NBRA, USTS, APBA, etc. could get together putting their differences aside to grow the sport back to the heights it once had. The thread on a Super Nationals could be a starting point. As for Mr. Crews, I hope you reconsider your leaving the sport , as someone who obviously cares about it, leaving would create a large hole that would probably never be filled! Just my 2 cents.

[Dennis Crews]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I know my post seems like more of a rant than anything else and maybe it is.I just so badly want people to base their actions and make their decisions based on common sense and the overall good of the sport. Is that too much to ask?

[dan69fd]

It seems like because things are not going like you want you are going to quit. Instead of trying to do something about the problems you are unhappy about. Our sport is and getting smaller but all racing sports have the same trouble even big ones. IT takes people like you that understand whats going on to help fix the problem. Quitting the sport you say you love because it ani"t perfect seems to be a little extreme. Mr. crew I mean disrespect just my opinion hate to lose someone who looks like he truly loves the sport of boat racing.

[Dennis Crews]

I understand what you are saying dan69fd. My wife and I are both very involved at both the local and national level and doing all we know how to be positive influences on our sport. We do truly love it. It is just that it seems like we are losing the battle.

[Art K]

After 50 plus years. I have decided to call it quits. Not for the reason stated above. But at age 81It has become to hard physically to horse those mod 4cyl. and Tohatsus around. I have a driver but he lives 75 miles away. So it usually me alone trying to maintain the equipment.But I can tell you Dennis is dead on with what is going on. Boat racing has become a bunch of whiners and cryers. Rather than working to correct a wrong the usual reaction is I will just take my toys and play somewhere else.These people are not real winners.Real winners just go back out on the race course and prove themselves. Dennis my friend stick with it.Fight the good fight. I will still be involved. Just in a different way.

[Dennis Crews]

Thanks Art. You have invested decades into the sport and we thank you for that. We will see what unfolds in the weeks and months ahead. Maybe progress can be made at some level. Time will tell.

[modsquad]

Its time to get together as one, for instance clubs that don't allow testing because a mod motor hurts my ears! This is racing, stop being a tree huger!
Point being we need to have more races that offer testing, without it a lot of us are not going to drive the distance to race hoping our equipment is going to perform. LETS MAKE BOAT RACING GREAT AGAIN!

[ricochet112]

Its time to get together as one, for instance clubs that don't allow testing because a mod motor hurts my ears! This is racing, stop being a tree huger!
Point being we need to have more races that offer testing, without it a lot of us are not going to drive the distance to race hoping our equipment is going to perform. LETS MAKE BOAT RACING GREAT AGAIN!

It has NOTHING to do with environmental, tree hugging, issues. It has to do with population density and noise pollution.

A lot of lakes now have many more people living next to them, and if they voice opposition to the noise, legal limits will be upheld.

Dennis' opinion would also fit great in the late 1980's.

All forms of motorsports and flat lining or are in decline for participation, viewers and fans.

[1100-one]

I have no dog in this fight. But Dennis I understand your points. It's everywhere though. You have to try and look at the sport as you mentioned the great folks you meet. Will add to the reply of noise. I raced FER for eons. We lost races here do to noise, one site that was a very long time race so yes,I was a part of the problem . You can't test/race if the neighborhood folks dont like what they here. I always,wondered about Yelm in Wash. Ok let's get back to Dennis post and no more side tracking. Sorry Dennis!!!

[racingfan1]

Just another example of the concerns about the survival of boat racing.

[Dennis Crews]

This article is right on point. Any idea when it was written?

[racingfan1]

It appeared in the AOF newsletter The Checkered Flag dated Fall 2004

[modsquad]

It has NOTHING to do with environmental, tree hugging, issues. It has to do with population density and noise pollution.

A lot of lakes now have many more people living next to them, and if they voice opposition to the noise, legal limits will be upheld.

Dennis' opinion would also fit great in the late 1980's.

All forms of motorsports and flat lining or are in decline for participation, viewers and fans.

Well, I guess Dennis is right... bye bye boat racing!

[Dennis Crews]

The AOF article posted by racingfan1 is telling. Now 14 years later we are status quo and continuing our decline. Do we give up, accept the inevitable and live out our boat racing days til they are gone, or do we find some way to all get along and start to right the ship? The frustrating part to me is the dividing lines seem to be mostly rooted in personal issues or hard feelings from something in the past. If I am wrong please enlighten me. I do not care who is right or wrong. We just need to move forward somehow to a common goal.

[pav225]

Check out the numbers from Lock Haven. Over 500 entries for a weekend race!!! That's incredible! ! Great job DVORA!

Oshkosh, WI also had a nice turnout this weekend and put on a great show for the crowd! Great job BSOA/MRC!!

There is still plenty of good things happening in boat racing today! Stay involved, bring people to races, lend equipment, volunteer, and have some fun!

[modsquad]

This is all good, but what do we have to offer a new guy who is 200 plus pounds and wants to get into D or 750, 850 mod hydro/runabout? does he or she go to a race hoping they will allow testing? The 125 mod class is great, but not for us bigger drivers!

[Ram4x4]

200ish pounds if perfectly fine for C and 300. Bigger guys have options too, but yeah, they do cost more, but it's not like D, 750, and 850 aren't being run. Out west DSH is doing pretty good, just not in the east (much to my chagrin)