Team FEAR (south east Virginia)

[egneg]

If it were me that invested that kind of money in a dying technology, I'd...


SELL SELL SELL while I still could, then buy the new technology.

I guess that just makes too much sense to work.

If you had that kind of money invested ... what would you do knowing that you could not get back half of what you spent?

I would run what I had and fight any change!

[Diegoboy]

My mind is making a comparison to the stock market. If the value is falling, SELL while you can still get something.

[Chilli]

Good stuff Ben. Most of the guys currently racing in this hobby have been doing this for a long time. The clubs and sanctioning bodies have no choice but to cater to their dues paying members. If there is one thing I have learned over the past year and a half, it's that no one is going to listen to you if your on the outside. Thats why I decided to join the IMPBA and my local club. D12 has a dozen or so classes that the district clubs are required to run at district races. However, the host club is not limited to running just these classes and I think it would be fair to say that most D12 clubs will race any class that makes the three boat minimum. They want you to come to their races. Clubs and districts are also not restricted to running IMPBA classes. They can make classes up to suit the needs of its members. D12 runs a Stock Gas class with our own set of rules.

You guys in SE Virginia are lucky because you have probably the most active club in the district. It's the only club that runs it's own club race series and the club president is running a P-spec tunnel for the first time. Right now the current classes available are not what you would consider optimal, but you do fit in a class. The "N" class allows boats under 27" with 2S power. Any motor you want and any speed controller. Thats a start. My only option last year was novice, so thats what my and my son ran. If I were in your shoes and wanted to make some changes, I would join ODMBA and get out there with Danny and Chuck. Show the guys what the smaller boats can do and that your as serious about the hobby as they are. Then ask them to include a N class in the district race in August. I'm sure Kent would bring one of his smaller boats down to the district race if he decided to come down. The bottom line is the oportuninty is there, but no one is going to give it to us. We have to make it happen.

PS- Doug lives in Georgia, not Florida

[Meniscus]

...PS- Doug lives in Georgia, not Florida

LMAO! I did get that one wrong!!! When I first read about Doug I thought he was in Florida. I had a relapse while posting at work.

My point is, we can't really generate the interest to keep members coming and although I'd like, I can't make all the races, the same as others of you I'm sure. That being said, I was trying to think of way to not only generate interest in FE, but to sustain the growth. I certainly don't want to put forth the effort but not have anyone everyone else come into the club. At least that's what I was thinking.

I think that between all of us, we represent and can relate to the various age groups. Now we have to make it easier and get some cheaper stuff running if we want more people.

If we had a simple small rigger cut for cheap, newbies or even some of the nitro/gas guys could run one we had available for them and build one to run next time. We'd have enough boats so that we could always meet a minimum, bridge the gap between the combustion guys and FE, meanwhile a newbie can have some fun too, even if they don't run that day.

Lasercut Rigger = $35-40 ea. (or vac-u-pickles if you guys want, although a rigger may be easier to drive without flipping if the COG is forward)
Cheap Radio = $35-40 ea.
ESC = $25
Motor = $20 outrunner
H/W = $30 if we manage it right, no water pickup.
Batts = $25 or borrowed from ours => yes the collective "we" says Tanto.
Plastic Prop = $5
Glue = $5

Total = $180 to $190 for a rigger that will do 40 to 45mph, 35 to 40mph in rough water.

[Doug Smock]

Well build them, run them, and see if there are any takers!!!!!
Honestly though, that class would go nowhere in a hurry here. The growth is in the P-Limited classes. Sport Hydro, O/B Tunnel and Hydro.
Good luck!!!!
Doug

[Meniscus]

What class do you run the vac-u-pickles in? Spec with spec motors?

[Doug Smock]

Yes sir, the Pickles run in P-Limited Sport Hydro. (the new LSH)

Doug

[Chris Harris]

OK, I've been looking heavily at the IMPBA rules regarding FE.

My goal is to find a class that will allow smaller models, say up to 19-21" or less depending on other's input, to compete in a race or SAWS environment for the main purpose of having an inexpensive class for new boaters to enjoy the events. Here's my issue, let's say I wanted to recruit new members to run FE with us in a race or SAWS competition. Under the rules, if let's say we decided to run riggers up to 19-21" or smaller, the smallest class is N which has a rigger length limit of 60"!!!

So what does that mean? Realistically, I could run a 32-34" rigger on 2s2p at 10,000mah. That's all well and good, but it misses the main purpose for a smaller class: allow new boaters to get into the hobby without spending upwards of $1,000.

The above is the exact reason why we are trying to get smaller, cheaper classes back into IMPBA. (See 1-year trial rules for "Stock" and "Superstock" classes in the March Rooster Tale) These would be legal IMPBA classes that you could show up to any time trial with and run for a record. Oval or SAW. Please VOTE YES to these classes when the ballots come out later this year.

With that said the big growth movement in organized oval racing is in the P-Limited classes. These are not official IMPBA or NAMBA classes. In my opinion they've proven to wildly successful with out being recongnized classes. The fact is they are what the majority of clubs that have an oval racing program are running. So you could go just about anywhere and have boats that fit the classes they are running. Just because IMPBA or NAMBA offer 30+ classes doesn't mean you have to offer all of them at a race. Race the classes that have the most interest. I don't think having that many classes is a bad thing. It provides something for everyone at time trial events which have been very well supported in IMPBA in the last 5 years.

Chris

[Diegoboy]

Well build them, run them, and see if there are any takers!!!!!
Honestly though, that class would go nowhere in a hurry here. The growth is in the P-Limited classes. Sport Hydro, O/B Tunnel and Hydro.
Good luck!!!!
Doug

Growth for existing members converting, and the very few new members with deep pockets. We're trying to get something together for the common average joe with minimal to average sized pockets that would like to run boats but are too intimidated by the cost.

[Doug Smock]

Growth for existing members converting, and the very few new members with deep pockets. We're trying to get something together for the common average joe with minimal to average sized pockets that would like to run boats but are too intimidated by the cost.

I understand Danny. That's why I said build them, run them, and see if there are any takers.

I can't imagine a nitro or gas guy dipping his feet in FE with a boat that size and speed. On the big course they will be like watching paint dry IMO. Back to the "bathtub toy" thing we used to hear from them. If you want to put some hooks in those guys hand them a P-Limited Hydro.
New boaters, send them to the LHS to pick up a UL-1.

I'm not knocking the idea guys, just trying to be realistic. Take this year, go to the races and talk to people.
Good luck!!!!
Doug

[Diegoboy]

Doug, Would you or anyone else consider THIS as watching paint dry??

...or THIS for that matter?

[Doug Smock]

Danny build them and run then on the 1/6th mile oval. See how much interest there is in them. Convince the club that that is where the growth is going to be. Who knows??

I was asked to give some input on this thread based on my experience racing FEs with our IC counterparts and I have done so. Sorry I wasn't much help.
I wish you guys the best of luck.
Doug

[Diegoboy]

Doug,
Your input and experience are always more than welcome. It just saddens me that electrics are considered inferior bt the IC masses, and to top it off, or add insult to injury, FE supporters consider mini's as inferior. My apologies if my frustration came through and offended you in any way.
Build'em? I have.
Run'em? Not sure if they'll allow us to.

That's my whole point, Will we be allowed to run'em in the first place??

[Doug Smock]

Doug,
Your input and experience are always more than welcome. It just saddens me that electrics are considered inferior bt the IC masses, and to top it off, or add insult to injury, FE supporters consider mini's as inferior. My apologies if my frustration came through and offended you in any way.
Build'em? I have.
Run'em? Not sure if they'll allow us to.

That's my whole point, Will we be allowed to run'em in the first place??

I'm not offended Danny. I'm as hard headed as you are.
FEs have come a long way and are opening the eyes of the IC guys. We have several IC guys running P-Limited boats.
Take them to the pond, see what happens.

Doug

[Meniscus]

Doug, I know we all appreciate your input and it helps to provide another approach to consider.

I stopped in our LHS to pickup a prop and ended up talking to a few boat guys I've never seen before. That being said, Chuck has started a buzz with the Old Dominion guys regarding FE. They were excited to find out I was an FE guy and instantly wanted to tell me all about this guy who came and practiced with them. Great job Chuck!!!

During the discussion, they indicated that they were interested in running an FE boat, but don't know where exactly to start. As you can imagine, these guys are in love with their Nitro and Gas engines and don't readily justify the high cost of FE in larger sizes. After this unprompted input, I shared the things we can do with some smaller models and allowing cheaper motors and ESC's. They indicated that it made perfect sense.

So, I'm thinking that if we takes Doug's advice and see what we can do this year, we may be able to stage a small class with rules that encourage low cost, fast paced racing. At the same time, the nitro and gas guys don't have to feel threatened by the same speeds and maybe they'll join us.

=> I like positive thinking.