We need to save the sport.

[mercguy]

ridiculous question...............look around!!!!

What does APBA do for kneel down racing? What does the President do? Any of you guys ever wonder? Where is the support? What is the headquarters doing to help boost membership? Maybe I am just not informed and would love to be corrected!!! Tell me all about it!!! Is it up to the drivers to recruit or do you think the guys that take our checks every years should have some part in this process? It baffles me how so many people are so loyal to an organization that hands out plastic cards! I would love to hear why nobody says a darn thing about such an obvious question .........

the MORE APPROPRIATE question is "what do you do for the APBA"!!!!!!!!! If you are so upset with the way APBA does things.....leave...it is as simple as that...........or, if you can do a better job, then form your own organization and do things as you see fit. As you can see the question "what does APBA do for me" really pisses me off along with the "others" that continuously condemn the APBA! There is a reason APBA has been around so long and will continue to do so.

[Lights]

I also thought of getting out myself, but changed my mind. The racing was not the most important part of which might be missed, but rather the people involved and of which you associate with..........those people are who I would miss the most. People come and go, but most do come back. You have seen here a couple people "going", but also there are more "coming", which is good. Don't count Dan in, as like he says...."he comes and go, like the wind".........next season he will buy a CSR...LOL!! We definatle know he is not an investment banker, as he takes a heavy loss each year he buys, then sells his equipment!

be careful with.................." I still want to make boats fly".................as they can get "too flighty"...........

I hear what your talking about pal. The people are great.

We all know Dan will be back. He just needs a smoother ride than that ASH.

That part about making boats fly. That fine line between flipping or not is what kind of attracts me to hydro's. One minute your doing fine and the next little bit of wind and you could go over. this kind of stuff gets my adrenalin going.

Mark

[RacerX]

Darren,
I have grown up with boatracing. I will leave if you tell me why you are so loyal? I love the sport that is why I asked. Not because I wanted to upset everyone. Did you get a gold plated plastic card? Use your head for a minute and relax. Think about it. I wasn't taking a pot shot at anyone! I am asking a serious question! What if APBA did support us what could our sport become? Drink a beer, take a deep breath brother and think about it again. Easy cowboy!!! Not trying to piss people off I think I have a good darn question!!! Your attitude along with many others that share it is part of the reason that APBA gets away with it!!!

Michael Barrett

[Lights]

Daren and Michael

Take it easy guy's. You both have good points. We need to get off are butts and we also need some help from APBA. I have yet to see them promote are sport. I have seen UL hydro's on tv and F1's tunnel's, but never kneeldowns. Now I am not ripping on them. But it would do use some good to at least have some air time on let's say, the SPEED channel. That would do use some good. We also need a way to put on local races. That is where I think the AOF comes in. they can help provide cheaper insurence.

Just my $.02

Mark

[888race]

I think it is a good ?

The last time I am aware of anyone in office coming to region 5 to talk to us was Fred H . when he was pres. and we where all going to go AOF. because of INS. cost . What a great man . Apba is not doing anything to hurt us but they sure don't seem to be helping either. This is 2006 and we are just now getting a DVD to promote stock racing , we should be giving these things away like candy. ever think about buying tv commericals billboards radio ads , or newspaper ad to promote racing . contact schools, sports marketing, tourist developement , cities chambers , Does apba even have a marketing commitee. I have more question but I will wait for some real awnsers from someone who knows and is not just quessing.

[mercguy]

Darren,
I have grown up with boatracing. I will leave if you tell me why you are so loyal? I love the sport that is why I asked. Not because I wanted to upset everyone. Did you get a gold plated plastic card? Use your head for a minute and relax. Think about it. I wasn't taking a pot shot at anyone! I am asking a serious question! What if APBA did support us what could our sport become? Drink a beer, take a deep breath brother and think about it again. Easy cowboy!!! Not trying to piss people off I think I have a good darn question!!! Your attitude along with many others that share it is part of the reason that APBA gets away with it!!!

Michael Barrett

OK, then explain to me and others with what you think APBA "is getting away with"?? Is it ran by the members elected by us. How is APBA NOT supporting us?? What do you want APBA to do, come to your house, hold you hand, drive your boat trailer to the race, pay your entry fees, carry you and put you in the boat, so all you have to do is squeeze the throttle?? If you love the sport so much, then YOU will do whatever you can to improve the things you feel are not right or incorrect. Run for a commssioner job or something else...........

of course, there are things not all of us like, but nothing is perfect..............

[Lights]

Check this out

I put up this post. http://www.hydroracer.net/forums/sho...2634#post52634 So far 48 views but no one has stepped up to say they would show up if I got an AOF race going up here.

[mercguy]

$$$$$$$$

Take it easy guy's. You both have good points. We need to get off are butts and we also need some help from APBA. I have yet to see them promote are sport. I have seen UL hydro's on tv and F1's tunnel's, but never kneeldowns. Now I am not ripping on them. But it would do use some good to at least have some air time on let's say, the SPEED channel. That would do use some good. We also need a way to put on local races. That is where I think the AOF comes in. they can help provide cheaper insurence.

Just my $.02

Mark

Mark, it is the responsibility of the conducting club/region to solicite advertising/tv sort of things. Some regions/clubs do it very well and I commend them for doing it. Reg12's SCSC Racing club does a great job with the TV aspect with the Outdoor Channel, etc. But, as a club and member, you have to have a good number of boats and participants to show up at each race to make it worthwhile for a TV crew or local columnist to show up. so falls back to the condusting club/region. APBA cannot force its members to show up. Yes, maybe APBA could do a little more in that aspect, but everyone needs to contribute. The answer does not come from having more races, but more racers needed!

[mercguy]

I put up this post. http://www.hydroracer.net/forums/sho...2634#post52634 So far 48 views but no one has stepped up to say they would show up if I got an AOF race going up here.

Mark, more races could be put on everywhere, but s not worth the time and effort, if you do not get the entrys......more races are not the answers, more entrys (at current races) are and that is what needs to be addressed. Support your local club abd region as best you can. UNfortunately I am not the one to have the CORRECT answers, but have tried to do whatever I could to help the problem in Reg12, with no success, now with Gary selling off his equipment and my moving, it leaves Reg12 "kneeler racing" in very poor shape and facing non-existance.............

[Lights]

Promoting

Ok guy's I see a great idea for us all in Paul's post. He mentioned going to schools. Now I have got a way for us all to promote are sport. I will start doing this soon. We could talk to the school wood shop teachers about building race boats in class or for extra activity credit. What do you think?

Mark

[mercguy]

Insurance..............

Take it easy guy's. You both have good points. We need to get off are butts and we also need some help from APBA. I have yet to see them promote are sport. I have seen UL hydro's on tv and F1's tunnel's, but never kneeldowns. Now I am not ripping on them. But it would do use some good to at least have some air time on let's say, the SPEED channel. That would do use some good. We also need a way to put on local races. That is where I think the AOF comes in. they can help provide cheaper insurence.

Just my $.02

Mark

Mark, compare the types of insurance APBA has versus AOF/NBRA has and you will know EXACTLY why APBA costs more. I am in no way knocking AOF or NBRA, as a matter of fact, I am really looking forward to racing in AOF this year!!!! In the current "sue happy" world now, APBA has to cover their ASS and yours!

[David Weaver]

Scarey thought,

but I agree with some of what Racer X says and I believe that he is being constructive with his thoughts.

Sorry, I had to pause as a bolt of lightening just hit by my keyboard.

I have been a long time supporter of APBA (31 years a card carrying member). But more and more, I am coming to the conclusion that the goal of a membership organization cannot be just to keep the organization alive. The organization must advance the cause of its members and member clubs.

I have not given up on APBA, as I believe that there is more good than bad still. But, I can understand why so many have gone looking for alternatives.

I believe that the leadership has an opportunity to improve its standing with the membership as a whole. And to increase the quantity and quality of communications. For instance, what is the real financial condition of APBA? Is the organization so strapped by recent legal battles (and legal bills) that its financial viability is threatened? I was told at the PRO Commission meeting that we could not access fully what on paper is a healthy marketing budget. The funds had been "loaned" for other purposes. What gives exactly?

I would prefer to have the whole story from APBA even if it contains a lot of bad news. At least from that starting point, "we" could make informed decisons about "our" future. Maybe this information is readily available and someone can point me to it.

I hope APBA is around for a long time to come. It would take a lot of work to replace the infrastructure that we have now (and that we take for granite). But, the time may soon come when it makes sense to start anew.

[mercguy]

talk and ideas.............

Ok guy's I see a great idea for us all in Paul's post. He mentioned going to schools. Now I have got a way for us all to promote are sport. I will start doing this soon. We could talk to the school wood shop teachers about building race boats in class or for extra activity credit. What do you think?

Mark

do not mean much, but rather ACTIONS do. Go for it Mark, take charge..........I am sure if you succeed, others will follow.

I think USTS does a wonderful job of advertising their races, but they are a small organiztion also, just like your local condusting club. Maybe the clubs should take notes from them? Remember though, out type of boat racing is more of a hobby and for PERSONAL gratification, not to make money or gain national fame (although that would be cool!), like most other type of sports, which SO MANY try to compare "us" to.

[mercguy]

is it APBA's fault............

1) that racers don't show up to race.
2) operating expenses getting higher
3) cost of living getting higher
4) race courses being lost
5) conducting clubs not promoting races
6) members quitting (that might be questionable, as I read)

David has some good points also, maybe APBA should inform its members (since we ARE the APBA) more of its actions and operations...............I dunno, I am just a "wannabe" boat racer (most of the time).....

[Lights]

Talk and ideas do not mean much, but rather ACTIONS do. Go for it Mark, take charge..........I am sure if you succeed, others will follow.

I think USTS does a wonderful job of advertising their races, but they are a small organiztion also, just like your local condusting club. Maybe the clubs should take notes from them? Remember though, out type of boat racing is more of a hobby and for PERSONAL gratification, not to make money or gain national fame (although that would be cool!), like most other type of sports, which SO MANY try to compare "us" to.

What size boats be it hydro's or runabouts. Would be best for lets say 16 year olds?

Oh I will support my local races but most of them are in WI. Regoin 7 We do have a few and I mean a few in Regoin 8 for us kneelers. Are club is almost gown. We combine races with the OPC club which has worked out. We just need to attract new racers.