Boat Racers

[KURPS]

From time to time on this site and others, you read posts how one racer screwed over another (true or not), maybe giving the impression to others that racers can not be trusted.

I would like to share my experience dealing with boat racers.

A few years back I had a retirement sale of all my PRO racing equipment from 40 years of racing, selling all on Hydroracer. I sent most of the sold items to the buyers without payment first. To every man or woman racer, in Stock, Modified, PRO, and Inboard divisions, not one tried to cheat me out of the purchase price. All the racers I dealt with were very honest.

Bill Kurps

[Jack Stotts]

I've had the same experience. Good folks through the years. Jack

[runabout333]

Most indeed. A long time ago I sold a set of fold-up steering bars to a fellow racer. I forgot to send him an invoice and after a long time
it was brought to my attention by the racer's wife that an invoice had not been sent. Top that one!!

[machinedcomp]

I wish I could say the same. Every year I have to chase down a few racers to pay up or make good on bounced checks. My own region is the worst. In my office I have a wall of shame. Some of the names may surprise you.

[runabout333]

For the quality of parts that you are making,, You should repo at the race site.
Aluminum,, try racing without it.

I've seen that somewhere.

[Steve77t]

I wish I could say the same. Every year I have to chase down a few racers to pay up or make good on a bounced checks. My own region is the worst. In my office I have a wall of shame. Some of the names may surprise you.

Hope I'm not on that wall Lee, but yes, after 30 years only one has not paid and yup he was from the west coast. I have more trouble with mod racers and never a PRO racer. Steve. Oh by the way Lee, if I am on that wall, I would rather owe it to you for the rest of my life than beat you out of it😄

[bill van steenwyk]

Just so there is no misunderstanding, my posts on this subject were NOT intended to paint the whole boat racing fraternity with the same brush, but to warn other racers and also folks that might be thinking about sponsoring a specific individual, that they might want to think twice before either immediate payment or some type of agreement as to who retains ownership of the equipment. I also have sold much of my previous racing equipment, both on HR and otherwise, and like the previous posters have not been screwed out of any money.

That being said, I have a good friend who donated this equipment to RFTK, and agreed to post this information for him as my friend does not type well, in fact he does not type at all, and both he and I when I heard the story wanted to warn folks that the persons involved are not to be trusted based on this experience. Nothing else was intended.

If anyone that reads this has 20K or more in equipment they want to lose or have to go thru what he and RFTK did (the court case and associated expense) to get it back, then go right ahead and loan it out or ship it with a promise to get paid later.. You will not be able to say you were not warned.

I have had NUMEROUS phone calls and PM's thanking me for posting this story, and it is all true. To those who think a disservice has been done to the boat racing fraternity by the posting of this information, send me whatever spare dollars you have to lose and I will put them to good use.

[bill van steenwyk]

To those who think this is "airing of dirty laundry and should not be done" I hope you never lose anything from the actions of this type individual.
There exists in each one of us the idea that we just might get away with something if we go ahead and take that fateful step. Thank goodness the Boat Racing group is not ripe with but a very few of these type individuals and that is what this thread is meant to warn against. So be warned. As mentioned I have heard from more than several, suppliers of equipment included, that they are appreciative of this thread. Usually it is just a couple of bucks and nobody gets hurt much. Just think about what this type of loss could mean to you.

[raceright]

Ya know this is beneath most but no no no keep it going. And all over chump change. Surprising it went this far and the Plaintiff was talked into going this far as this is defiantly chump change to him. People just like to throw dirt.
Just to put things in prospective I have lost a hell of a lot more than this in Business. Some people just think so small.

[machinedcomp]

Steve, were all good. Most of the time I'm buying and your selling. Your credit is excellent with me. Yes, I've have had to repo items at races before. Not fun but it gets the point across. I agree with Bill Van Steenwyk, vendors need to be aware of deadbeats.

[runabout333]

Since boat racing retirement,, I have given away more gas tanks than I ever sold. 2 went to APBA Nationals,,1-Moses Lake,,!-Wakefield.
The other 2 were personally delivered to 2 consecutive Oklahoma NBRA races. Now that I am employment retired,, I have mostly lost
access to 5- 4000Watt lasers, 6 press brakes and several tig welding machines. Now that we have moved into condo in Florida,, I threw away
my jig fixtures and sold all of my raw material. :People needing gas tanks should be buying from that Spud guy in Wisconsin anyway.
I never got to meet the recipients from APBA, but I think the NBRA guys were happy as I was there.
You can take the boy out of racing, but you can't take the racing out of the boy.

[David Weaver]

All in all, I find the boat racing community a generous, fair and honest group. Sure, there are exceptions. I have sold and purchased tons of "stuff" over the years and never had a real problem paying or collecting. If you are transacting with a stranger, I suggest getting a referral or two about the character of the other party. I did this when I first met Lee by having someone he trusted vouch for me. If the transaction is a sizable one, there is no harm or insult in writing up a simple, clear agreement.

[ZUL8TR]

In the past on my purchases and sales with boat racers never had a deal go sour :-) , but did have a couple sour deals in consulting engineering :-(

[bill van steenwyk]

Perhaps the reason for that (no or very few deals go sour) is that the Boat Racing fraternity is a small one and any screwing around with other folks money would be commonly known. Just shows the ignorance of the perpetrator in thinking he could get away with such a flagrant and stupid action against another Boat Racer and the sponsor.

All the more reason for the original thread about Congrats to RFTK in exposing this type of action by a person who was GIVEN a boat and motor to use and ultimately won a World Championship with it.

A heck of a way to show appreciation for this gift.

[raceright]

Hope ya computer crashes soon