Earlier this year the Kern County board of supervisors set out to raise the Lake Ming rent for racing events. I think NJBA got their rates raised, not sure, but Ross stood firm because SCSC doesn't charge the locals a fee to get in, and allows them to use the lake after the days races are over. Based on that, SCSC's rate was not increased, at least for this year. If the rate is doubled, as they tried this year, SCSC/APBA and lake Ming are through.......After trying to find races in region 10 this summer, we realize how lucky we are to have SCSC in region 12. Region 10 attempted 6 races in 12 weeks......If it wasn't for the region 12 boats at Blacklake there would have been no Western Divisional flatbottom classes. (SS/PS, NO Ks, NO GNs) With that many races, 2 weeks apart, the boat attrition made 2 days of racing impossible, and I think at least 2, if not 3, races were canceled for the flats entirely, and a couple of others only had classes for the first day due to broken equipment. In Region 12 we field a full class of SS and even more PS boats lately for all the races. Long Beach should be fun again this year..........Ray

Running back to back is almost impossible for us but thats where the term "Marathon" comes in. its not that you don't break it, you just have to be able to thrash like a mofo

Ross brought this up in the last meeting. I believe the NJBA didnt even get to schedule anymore races for the year because of construction. (rebuilding the north restrooms and fixing the docs). Ross said he did stand firm on the issue reminding them what the lake was put there for - BOAT RACING. There is a big war over lake ming and we are losing. Its Power vs Non-Power. (sailing, kayaks, etc) ...the non power guys are the locals that have the time to go to the city coucil meetings and have money to blow on top dollar lawyers. I talked to the ranger a bit about it and he said its sad, theres 10-15 of them and none of us defending the lake. I wish i was local so i could be more involved in that situation because in the end, the locals will win.

To get the US Forestry sevice, Fish and Game, the Sherriffs dept. and the local chapter of the Sierra club to begin to see our "side" of bringing racing back to the lower Rogue river, ther were actually several petitions signed and turned over to a representative of the SOPBA, and the other sanctioning bodies to present as "the represented" almost the way a lawyer would use "charactor witnesses", it brought racing back to a very protected area that had not had any racing since 1998, a major hurdle.

Another thing that has probably already been brought up is all of the "Green powered" boats need to make up the fee difference since they are talking about eliminating power boats altogether, nine times out of ten around here the lakes become paddle and sail then run out of money to maintain the facilities and shortly thereafter close down because of lack of funds...Major Bullshit IMO.