Some thoughts on race organizations...

[Scott Deware]

First time I've heard "The Great Pumpkin" in a while. That was Bob Johnson from Seekonk MA. Bob helped me get started when I was a teenager. There was a whole group of us running SE from New England. Bob Johnson, Ron Beausoile (I know I screwed up his name), Larry Kenny, and others. We had a choice to drive to PA or MD for a race or Canada. We usually picked Canada because of the Tow Money (good money), food, lodging. We would go to Valleyfield (just don't eat the back bacon sandwich!), Picton, and if I remember right..Gravenhurst, St. Mary's, Peterboro and some others. This was 79 - 81 and I was running SE and Mod 50. There was also a great group of Guys up there we race with...Tom Henderson and Mark Rothermal, who I later ran F1 V-8's with, the Newells, Dunn, and others. I stopped going about "82" because I started to run other classes and drove for a team out of Ohio. But it was a great time with lots of stories and for us that ran OMC stuff, Murray White was always good to us if we needed anything. Great memories.

Scott Deware

[john527]

Peter,
I noticed your avatar photo...gentex life jacket and tee shirt, notice mine? those were the days, 70s and early 80s! What happen?

[Dave M]

What Happened

Peter,
I noticed your avatar photo...gentex life jacket and tee shirt, notice mine? those were the days, 70s and early 80s! What happen?

The spirits of boat racers was crushed that is what happend. Regulated to near extinction. Why ? Most likely just what was said, liability. Like it or not, we live in a sue happy society today. No other reason there needs to be so many lawyers. And we all know what happens when lawyers get involved. All the T's get crossed, and the I's dotted. If you don't lawyer up today, you are a fool. There comes a point in regluations that it surpasses the desire to continue a project. Whether racing or anything else. The day they let that idiot woman sue McDonalds for hot coffe being spilled and she burned herself things changed, for the worse. What is the first words out of someones mouth if you tell them you found a bone in your fish at the eating joint ? They say if you choke you can sue them.....

Me, if someone spits in my face I am going to prolly punch them in the face. I am called old school I suppose. Because the next generation says sue them..... and most likely I will get sued for punching the dude who spit in my face....

[blueskyracer]

The spirits of boat racers was crushed that is what happend. Regulated to near extinction. Why ? Most likely just what was said, liability. Like it or not, we live in a sue happy society today. No other reason there needs to be so many lawyers. And we all know what happens when lawyers get involved. All the T's get crossed, and the I's dotted. If you don't lawyer up today, you are a fool. There comes a point in regluations that it surpasses the desire to continue a project. Whether racing or anything else. The day they let that idiot woman sue McDonalds for hot coffe being spilled and she burned herself things changed, for the worse. What is the first words out of someones mouth if you tell them you found a bone in your fish at the eating joint ? They say if you choke you can sue them.....

Me, if someone spits in my face I am going to prolly punch them in the face. I am called old school I suppose. Because the next generation says sue them..... and most likely I will get sued for punching the dude who spit in my face....

Dave you better watch out. Someone might sue you for your comments here

[ram95]

We're micro-managing this darn thing. The rulebook is too thick for the grass-roots sport which we are. We are not Jersey Speed, Tunnel, or SLT. We are where boat racing started and we've priced the newbie right out of it.

C'mon folks: $1200 for protective gear, $200 membership, Club dues, Entry fee, testing fee, boat, motor, prop(s), trailer, and fuel to travel on an average of 300 miles one way plus motel/camping.

Where's the incentive? Don't talk to me, i'm already hooked.

Alex

[john527]

Well said!
Kevlars are still a big question for me! The price of them and the fact that most patrol boat personel would not be able to cut somebody loose if they had too! maybe it should be drivers choice, I keep going back to the day my brother got tangled up in a prop, luckly he was able to tear his blue jeans and free himself from the prop, if he had kevlar on that day most likely he would have blead out in the water!
Over protection may be more dangerous then we think!