Feeler thread- FE 1/10 scale unlimited hydro class in IMPBA

[Coug90]

This is absolutely one of the most interesting threads I've come across in a very long time. It's always fun to see what folks are building and talking about in 1:10 scale. I don't have much patience when it comes to politics, but I love racing 1:10 scale. I've done it exclusively for over 25 years now and I still love it. Out here in WA, where scale racing started, it's so much about the history of the real unlimiteds. I love the idea of more racers getting into 1:10 scale in other parts of the country and world. IMO, they are just about a perfect fit in size and affordability. I can tell you that turning left was as important to me as the fact that the FE boats don't have to be toss started while running. I grew up having seen real hydroplanes run and I was hooked when I saw a 36" hydro get on plane from a standstill. Once I got on the water with my first boat and got enough confidence and skill to go deck to deck with other scale boat and sliding through corners on the small skid fin, I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. It's not surprising to me that people who have experienced only turning right in other classes would tend to want to continue that when faced with something new. Yes, I will always want to see scale hydroplanes turning left. Yes, I always wondered why 1:8th scale racers haven't started turning left now that they are not so limited in prop selection. IMO scale racing takes a commitment to something other than the people that race. It's a commitment to the history of the real boats. That's hard to do when you're just starting out and it may not be popular. Is turning left a deal-breaker for some, maybe. Maybe you build a few boats first, try turning left in a few experimental or exhibitions. Maybe it won't be as big of a deal as anticipated. I know we have a different connection to history and maybe some have never seen event a video of a real unlimited race from the 50's or 60's but why not try it if it's easy to change over if you don't like it? At least then you know that you have a chance that there could be some crossover with other hobbyists if the majority are turning left in 1:10 scale. It doesn't sound like you'd be risking much by starting out that way and seeing how it goes before locking in on making it a formal class and solidifying a rules package. Anyway, it's nice to see 1:10 scale being talked about. I've never dealt with IMPBA, so I won't speak to it's bad relationship history with NAMBA. Let's see some more boats! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help with a build. I'm working on some parts for the 83 Renault and a 92 Coors dry build right now for some guys on this thread.

[don ferrette]

I was wondering when Captain Butthurt was gonna show and turn this into another anti IMPBA rant....

Apparently Davey boy's comprehension skills are severely lacking when it has been repeatedly stated that ultimately IF this gets going on a national level we will do what the MAJORITY of actual racers want. For now since right turn 10th scales already exist in my district (which I did not know about until this past weekend) we will play that way in my district.

Hmm..... Nah that's not it at all after this crap-

3.) No, IMPBA shouldn’t put a class in the book that 5-6 guys have a boat for. But a class that is the most popular in all of FE should be considered for the rule book. I can’t say the classes or the moderators here will delete the post. But I’m not talking about 10th Scale.
4.) I do state that the BODs turn down classes even though the majority of members want them. And that’s why it’s no use making proposals because the BODs have made it clear privately and publically that there is a VERY popular class in FE that they just will not consider to be allowed in the rule books. Again… not talking about 10th Scale.

Nope. Captain Butthurt is using my 1/10th scale discussion thread as a soapbox so he can wizz and moan about P limited and have his little temper tantrum about the evils of the IMPBA. Again.

Congratulations David you lived up to my expectations and are the very reason this was in the first post when I started this thread-

I'd like some POSITIVE and CONSTRUCTIVE input from IMPBA folks who might want to try this out and NAMBA racers who already run it and what they like about it. Ideas and thoughts are welcome BUT if there are any "pissin' and moanin" posts I'll ask mods to remove them immediately.

So unless you can contribute something SPECIFICALLY about this class take that crybaby crap somewhere else and stay off this thread

[Diegoboy]

Reminder:

David, this about sums it up.

"ive brought this up to individuals within IMPBA and the previous FE National host club, but no one wants to hear it. "

If no one wants to hear it, consider dropping it and joining what's being done. I'm so done with this subject. I'm openly telling any mod to remove any thread that deal with spec class rules. Enough. We look like a bunch of childish fools.

[T.S.Davis]

Do we need to put a class in the rule book every time 5-6 guys build the same boat that's not a class.... probably not.

DING DING DING Guilty Matt! Looking right in the mirror. I'm guilty. This is where we (FE) has screwed up the works. I can tell you how it happened though.

In the early years of FE the only way you could get enough racers of any particular class to make a heat of anything was by gathering guys from multiple clubs and in some cases multiple districts. NAMBA had a nats every year and the belief then was that it had to be in the rule book or we were uninsured. Nonsense of course but that was the directive. So every time the tech changed or something new came along that put a handful of boats on the water in a district it got proposed. There was never enough demand for 1/8 scale for instance IMPBA had approximately 5 boats nation wide when the rule was added. In fairness, there could have been some I didn't know about. If I'm off by 200% that makes 15. The FE thinking then was "make the rule and they will come". Doesn't work that way as you mentioned.

Now that every form of every boat we ever thought of is in the book we will have them forever. Nothing ever comes back out of either book. ECO is still in the NAMBA book. Couldn't field a heat at the largest FE event ever. N stock hydro is still in the IMPBA rule book. For what? There are maybe 2 guys that run it at a time trial once per year. Worthy of inclusion? There are plenty of unattended classes like this in both books. Just clutter for anyone looking to get into racing. I'm as guilty as anyone for this being so. Ignorance was bliss.

FE is a super small specialized segment or racing spread over too many classes. Net result being that it's hard to form heats. This is how so many FE guys end up running so many classes. Trying to make heats. Why be good at 3 or 4 classes when you can suck at a 11 of them? haha

With Don's group, I'm simply asking (more like hoping, still aint mad at ya Don) that if they're going to start fiddling with scales that they try to follow along with other guys from our tiny little itty bitty segment of the hobby. The format exists. Guys are digging it. It's actually our most attended class up here now. Go figure. Some of the ERCU club races go 50 boats. Why try to forge a new path? Two different versions of the same thing? Let's say there is interest worthy of being added to major events in the future. If some venue wants to attract some 10th scale guys in some distant future they need to pick which format to run. ugh. The guys that already built boats to turn this way or that way will have to make a decision........do they toss their boats and start over or just not race at venue x,y,z? The whole point is for us morons to get together at the pond and have a few laughs.

[T.S.Davis]

Hmmm, figure 8s... now THAT would be a hoot, like the old demolition derby days.

We've been talking about this for years. We should make it happen at an event in the future. We need to stop goofing and do it. I think it would be a riot. Just some turds from our fleets that we don't care about anymore. Like a Viking funeral or something. HA! Last boat running is gutted, lit on fire, and pushed out to die.

[dethow]

Don,
I was responding to direct questions asked by Matt when I had to say "But I’m not talking about 10th Scale."

My first post was completely in regards to 10th scale and the potentials of it being an unlimited hydro class in IMPBA.

I'm not the only one who sees what's going to happen here. If your district runs right and others run left, the IMPBA BODs will NOT give its seal of approval for a rules proposal and thus will never make it in the rule book. So like some other classes... host clubs will dictate the rules and some racers who are in clubs that go the other way will be unable to enter their boats in the National Event. Year to year there will be different rules and no consistency. And that's my positive and constructive input. Like Terry, I don't want to see a class like this run different ways and thus guys from across the country can't race together and there will only be cross over from NAMBA racers when an event is being hosted by a club who runs left turning.

The fact that there is a long history of 10th scale being run left and there are a bunch of boats in district 2 being run left says that it may be the smarter avenue NOT to accommodate the minority (1 or 2 boats) at this point and start running right in a particular district.

And I do expect the administrator do do something about your abusive name calling.

[don ferrette]

Abusive name calling?? LMAO!!! Here's a better idea- since you can't offer anything productive on this topic why don't you just go to your safe space and stay off my thread.

[Doug Smock]

Please keep it on the surface fellas. David it seems that your input isn't wanted in this thread. Please find something else to do with your time. Thank you sir.

[raptor347]

Having driven lots of boats that turn right and quite a few that turn left, here's my input for what it's worth.

Actually driving the boats is easy, it takes a few laps to get the accustomed to the direction, after that it just driving a boat. These boats are fun to drive and they look great on the water without breaking the bank.

The hardcore scale guys love the left turning thing, it scratches that itch. I don't know that it's worth changing the direction for an established class with pretty good equipment support.

The only time there is any issue with the lefties is in open water, they need their own open water sessions. It's not a big deal, the organizer just needs to plan for it.

Just my .02

[Doug Smock]

The only time there is any issue with the lefties is in open water, they need their own open water sessions. It's not a big deal, the organizer just needs to plan for it.

Just my .02

Yep. That's what we do at the Spring Nats. "Guys we'll close the pond and let the 10ths run at --:00, be ready". I don't recall them ever asking for more than one shot at it. Guys that have never seen them run stop what they're doing to watch. I know I did...

[dethow]

Abusive name calling?? LMAO!!! Here's a better idea- since you can't offer anything productive on this topic why don't you just go to your safe space and stay off my thread.

Don,
You really make me laugh.
Do you not understand that by you demanding that anyone with an opposing voice take it elsewhere you ARE the one whom is demanding this thread be YOUR safe space.

Go ahead Don... go and encourage folks in your district to build right running boats because 1 or 2 already exist. Then you'll have maybe 6 to 8 right running boats while the rest of both organizations are running left. Then if the BOD ever decides to put 10th Scale in the books they will go with the MAJORITY and run left. Mean while your right runners will run alone and not be allowed at National Events.

That is unless its really your goal to expect everyone else to change because your district as a couple boats currently running right. Because if that's not your ultimate goal then it'd just seem to make sense for you to advice your district to conform and build to what's already out there in much larger numbers. Otherwise you are just setting them up to build boats which may not be able to run outside your district. Besides the fact that they will be worth less to sell if they ever want to as people will want the left turning boats.

Just doesn't make much sense... but that's right, I'm the bad guy.

And Doug... I've done nothing wrong. Why don't you spend your time talking to the single member whom is attempting to bully another member out of a thread with name calling. Effectively I'd said nothing different then multiple others in this thread regarding Don's thoughts on running right turning 10th Scales. There's multiple people who disagree and it appears that he stands alone on this issue.

[dethow]

And Mitch... thought you might appreciate these.

[don ferrette]

Davey boy you really don't get it do you? Your opinions mean nothing because you are nothing more than a shxt stirrer pounding on his keyboard. I have no respect for someone who does not race and spends his time causing problems as you do both here and elsewhere (yeah I know about all the crap you stirred up with the IMPBA officials) . You used this thread to once again bash the IMPBA just like I knew you would when I made the first post. While the guys in my district are wanting to "go right" I am encouraging them to build as I am with a turn fin backer on both sponsons so IF this class catches on nationally and the majority want to go left it's an easy switch with a turn fin, cable and prop change. If it doesn't then we will continue to have fun locally, either way we have more boats on the water. Nobody who has been involved in this thread has been asked to step away because of differing opinions, only you are not welcome because you are nothing more than a whiny little crybaby who still hasn't gotten over the whole P limited thing and proved it with posts you made here. So little man take your wadded up panties elsewhere so we can get back to talking about the pros and cons of this class.

[Fluid]

David, you’ve already been warned by another moderator to stay off this thread. Like it or not, this is not your forum, it’s Steven’s. Disruptive behavior - by anyone on the forum - isn’t tolerated well. Consider this another warning.....


.

[dethow]

While the guys in my district are wanting to "go right" I am encouraging them to build as I am with a turn fin backer on both sponsons so IF this class catches on nationally and the majority want to go left it's an easy switch with a turn fin, cable and prop change.

Well at least you're giving some good advice there.
Probably not a bad idea for any scale boat, either 8th or 10th scales.

I with that I'll I've said my peace on the matter.
Just hope Matt wants to and can clean up the mess that is FE in IMPBA.