There was a thread over on PB about something similar, but it was more for drag racing...

It sucks that the common people of this world just dont get this hobby we all love...boats. Jet Boats, V-drives, outboards, etc....and when you throw the word "racing" into the conversation of boats amongst the said general public, I feel like a im made out to be a complete idiot and im wasting my money and time with my boat.

anytime i mention boat racing to anyone of the general public, i always get asked, what kind of racing....and i say circle racing.....then the blank look hits their face with complete cluelessness. Then I say "its like nascar, but on water"....then the eyebrows raise and they say "gotcha" almost sarcasticly like I am completely nuts.

I find it quite frustrating that after a weekend of racing, i get back to work and no one cares about my awesome weekend. I try to talk to anyone about it, and they act like they are interested when you can tell they dont give 2 shits and dont want to hear about it. I work with a bunch of 40+ computer dorks who dont understand performance unless its going through a network. They just dont get it. Thank god for the internet and this website i can chat with people about my non-work related hobby.

All that matters is that we have a blast going out there nervous as hell untill we mash down on the throtle! Some of the people I have talked to about my weekends of racing dont really know what its all about untill I show them some video of it and then they either say your F***ing nuts or thats pretty cool...

I dont know that I would say cluelessness, cause like you mentioned Nascar.. they are like ya right watch cars go round in a circle, big fffin deal. Well i happen to like nascar, i spend alot of money on nascar related items and going to the races, but ill tell ya this when i go to the races its a whole different different atmosphere, the people are real and cool, and outgoing. Walk thru the parkin lot and people are offering ya drinks, food whatever. I'ts the comaradrie. Hell dont know them from adam. I have had that same experience at Firebird, was frickin awesome. Was invited by some guys from Bergerom to be there for the finals. The boat racing was awesome, being in the pits was awesome, the people there??? AWESOME!!! I could walk up to anyone workin on there boats and ask a question, and it was answered. Hell a few of them tried to get me to come back with my boat to run the river class. I guess what I am tryin to say is that we spend money to have fun! No stress! (except to pay for the next trip ) and the comaradie!!!!  Just my .02  Mark

I sooo miss the days when the sport was growing.  I did some promotional sketches for Norm Grimes showing his Daytona and crew cab all done up with 7/11 sponsorship.  It was so close to becoming TV kind of big.  Then Flat bottoms hit 150 MPH and Hydros went over 200 and all of a sudden we were killing drivers every week. The networks didn't want those kind of highlights and our chance was missed.

Going out to Bakersfield last month showed me one thing.  Boaters still can't put on a program that spectators will put up with.  Take the entire day edit the tape and what do you get... 15 minutes of dull passes... We would at least try to run one round right away then have a round of sprints, round two, more sprints, round three, hell run a powderpuff race (Wives & Girlfriends driving Ski Jet).  There was some talk of combining the races with an air show.  There was also at least radio ads if not a TV spot or two with the news covering it.  Oh the days...

Different strokes...........Hey guys/girls, our sport is a little under the radar, at least in region 12. Other areas of the country are into "Sprint boats" as much as some areas are into Nascar.....Burley for example, has a terrific turnout of spectators, Morgan City is off the hook with fans and southern hospitality, Valleyfield quadruples it's population during the Regatta there........Talking to someone about "last" weekend is kinda tough......Try talking about "next" weekend. Invite them to your pits.....Reserve extra rooms for possible friends that "might" come.......You can always cancel or give the reservation to someone that needs it..........Also, quality racing pictures,/ posters, on your office/shop walls say more than just words........And/or tell them about the "piece of ass' thread at Socaljetboats. If that doesn't get their attention, they have one foot in the grave anyway...........MP

Scheduling.....

We all have to look hard at the class scheduling, as it is now, and how it COULD be. Ross, don't get me wrong here, but the current way sucks. Plan to run EVERY class once before ANY class runs a second time. I understand the little boats need smooth water, but then again, ALL classes need decent water. Now look from a spectator's point of view....A few "hot" classes mixed in with the small boats and jet skis might keep a spectator's attention. The CJ/NJ classes might put on a much better show on good water, not to mention the spellbinding sound of a flattie really wound up down the back straight....To keep interest, a program MUST jump around. Granted there are lulls in any spectator sport, end of an inning, 1/2 time etc. etc...But to delay most of the 100 plus boats until the afternoon is just wrong........People get bored, people don't come back. Hell, some of the racers don't want to run because they waited all day for their first heat........Run "A" program, top to bottom, then start at the top again......The flats, the jets, even the outboard guys MIGHT need some time for repairs/ adjustments between heats. A complete top to bottom program would space things out nicely. Oh, and by the way, I'll be glad to help you with the drivers meetings. (just ask) We can cut them to about 30 minutes MAX, and be racing by 8:30 AM..............Ray

Ramps.......The ramps work fine. You might have to send some of the class to the other in/out ramp, but the eastern ramp seems to be fairly smooth. The "TOWER" needs to be in CONTACT with both ramps. I know the PS guys will not start, regardless of the tower, until ALL boats are wet. It is only fair to give everyone the same playing field. IF the tower had someone with a RADIO on the ramps, maybe the idea of "get them wet" 1/2 way into a heat, when the ramp is full, could be corrected to "PS, WHEN this heat clears the ramp, get them wet and turned around"........Also, NO DOWN TIME. How often do we sit around with nothing happening on the water?.......Then hurry up, hurry up......If Ross dares to give ME a radio, I'll make shit happen, bang bang bang.........Or pass the radio on to the next guy who thinks he can solve most of the problems at the ramps..........Ross, don't take any of this personal. If you  need help at the drivers meeting, , ask for it. Just don't continue doing the same things expecting a different result.........Ray

The only complaint about the ramp is people who sit there with a empty trailer when there is still people waiting to launch. After your boat is off the trailer get out of the way for the rest of us trying to launch someone!

Take a count. How many are over here? How many are over there?.......Split it up, 4 and 4 or 3 and 5......I personally like to leave the trailer on the ramp, much quicker in and out, and I hate backing a trailer I can't see, (empty), with a shell or camper........and those "items are closer than they look" mirrors......are useless.........The Crackers are a good example of splitting the class.........See you at Parker, which BTW used to be an entire beach launch area till those retards put up the stupid railroad ties, and then the welded chains, and the door denting posts in the fuckin middle of  what is left of the launch areas.........I would really like to see, just to look at what a true idiot looks like, the guy that came up with that idea.....Ray

Skip you are forgetting one thing IT"S ALL ABOUT THE $$$$$!

If they start limiting the number of boats they lose money. Sometimes you have to step back and look at it from theire point of view.

I'll add one more thought to the mix.  Racing boats is fun but when you start having sanctioned events then entertainment value gets added to the equation.  If you charge admission just to see the races it implies you are going to be entertained.  The organization is ultimately responsible to provide that value therefore everyone running the event should be aware that time is money and a well run event that is fun to watch will help the thing grow.  PS we use to have a Ramp Boss that kept the ramp humming. do they no longer use them if the boat count is light?

I'll add one more thought to the mix.  Racing boats is fun but when you start having sanctioned events then entertainment value gets added to the equation.  If you charge admission just to see the races it implies you are going to be entertained.  The organization is ultimately responsible to provide that value therefore everyone running the event should be aware that time is money and a well run event that is fun to watch will help the thing grow.  PS we use to have a Ramp Boss that kept the ramp humming. do they no longer use them if the boat count is light?

Tom, the SCSC/APBA races do not charge admission except at the Long Beach race. 

They do have Ramp managers helping keep the ramps moving. It usually runs pretty smooth. The problem is when classes (take the compjet class for example) all pit together, they all try to go to the closest ramp and it becomes a crowded mess.....THEN if you get 2 classes called back to back that are pitting on the same general area....it becomes a bigger mess. I have yet to see a class be dramaticly delayed because of ramp traffic.