dhlaw

No BS, no posturing just straight answers.....

Why is OSS in existence???

What substantive reasons do they have for refusing to join with Sbi/APBA??

Is this just straight ego that keeps the divide??

If SBI is a democracy, why would OSS be reluctant to join with all of their collective voting power??

What would it take to get OSS and Sbi together?? (it would be nice to hear from you Paul)

Lets have an honest answer to these questions. We are soo close to having a single sanctioning body...... whats it gonna take???

dhlaw

Is this potato too hot for a few of you???

Andrew Corn

No, they seem to be direct questions for racers. Certainly you do not infer me of being afraid to comment (or Kool Kat).

I support you getting answers to questions.

AC

Andrew Corn

Ok, I'm going to take a stab at this to get the conversation going.

My best guess at this point is that they have a significant investment in their program and have not seen anything yet from SBI/APBA and are not ready to give up their options right now if ever.

Same as above.

Don't think so, just caution.

Most do not believe SBI/APBA is a democracy, it is own by one and that one person has the ultimate power to override any member based decisions and has in the past. That's what they left when they broke away.

Cannot speak for OSS, but my guess is that there will always be some type of owners organization from now on in offshore racing and those people will probably always have control of their racing as a block regardless if they are producing races or not. Them producing races provide security that they have a place to race until there are other options.

Don't think there will ever be one racing organization, there may be one sanctioning body but it would have had to be under it's own steam and not competing with the other organizations. Ie. If APBA has moved itself to being only a sanctioning body and built the framework for producers to put on races while giving racers the freedom to make their own class rules and agreements with the race sites you would have a better chance of getting everyone to race on the same water.

Pure conversation and ideas to get conversation going.

Dhlaw, Mark, Shane and company have defended and been staunch advocates for their organization. They deserve the same respect demanded as when they were asked questions.

AC

MANITIE

A question AC....What perfessional race Organization out there lets the racers make the rules...A few of us racers got to talk to crew chief of a NASCAR team in Key West he was on his way to the Homested race...we got to tell him some of the problems in Offshore racing one being that the racers want to make there own rules....you should have hear of his response to that idea...he said wrong answer...it will never work because the racers will never be on the same page. He said the Organization needs to make there rules and the racers need to follow them....now I do think its great that both Organizations have class reps and can vote on rules...that to me is a big step...OSS and SBI/APBA have that in effect now....But if I recall the main problems the racers had a few years ago were.
1 Racers wanted a set schedule in Jan. and for it to stick.
2.Racers wanted prize money that was payed out on a timely manner.
3.Racers wanted the proper saftey personnal i.e. Helos, Patrol boats and so on.
4.Racers wanted the race to be promoted so when we came to town they would know that there was a race that weekend
5.Racers wanted input for any rule changes and for engine packages etc. be put into place and set for 3 to 4 years.

If I recall that was the main problems the racers had....now don't we have that today in both Organizations?
Again nothing against OSS and I will race with them...but they have had schedule changes like APBA and SBI has had...of the 3 Organization in the lst 2 years SBI has had the best set schedule out there.
OSS has said there would be National TV coverage last year and did'nt either did APBA. SBI did have there TV like they said.
OSS has class reps so does SBI/APBA.
OSS payes out there prize money at the races and SBI payes out in 2 weeks.
So what this said were is the problems from the racers complaints a little over 2 years ago.

Now today if you look at what we have is dam close to what all the racers wanted and that is a big step in the right direction...

Andrew Corn

I think it has to do with the organizations have historically never regarded the investment that the racers have made to race as a major priority and have made many changes based on their well being not the racers. When the organizations can provide a forum that a business can be based on and careers can be made that you can get a house loan or send a kid to college then I think you will see racers relinquish their urge to control the rules. I guess it is a chicken before egg deal. Make no mistake, the racers are the hard cash investors of any organization at this time and need to be regarded as such.

I think it comes down to trust for most. SBI/APBA has not had a chance to show that they are going to be a viable option and I think OSS is not only not willing to give up their options at this time, they probably have commitments that they as a group would like to fullfill.

Nobody can blame them for that because the first thing out of someones mouth next would be they failed, they didn't race where they said they were, they left people hold the bag.

The best anyone, fan, racer, sponsor, or vendor, can hope for at this point is using the cards that are on the table and hopeing to draw into something like having both organizations as their own entities on the water at the same time to build that trust.

AC

MANITIE

HOLLY CRAP....I agree!!!! I have to say that is very true and all racers are going to have to see how both Organizations turnout this year....If thats the way OSS really feels, I still don't see why the 2 banners and just not one...I can say thats a very resonable answer because we all as racers have been told one thing and it didn't come true....I will say if thats the main reson I think thers is a good chance that we all will be racing together in the furture....I hope it all works out...

Pete B

Nice post AC,

if the racers run thier own and fail they have no one else to blame, it private enterprise, you feel lied to and cheated.

let history take its course.

vinny kostelac

1. I think the idea off less classes at a race site allows for the fans to follow the race, the racers spend most of their time racing people in thierclass and it runs very smoothly. Not saying to eliminate anyone just a need for divisional races and national, there are alot of racers that don't travel outside of their respective area anyway except for a big event. That was the path apba was on ( they were promoting the canopy classes mainly.......that is why we bought one).
2. Sbi has had a consistent schedule, John has done a good job with that, however they rarely leave florida (I guess if it is not broken don't fix it), If I lived near florida I would like that schedule, however if the sport/hobby is going to grow we need to be in more places, OSS as a new organization is working on establishing sites that can support races. and meet the needs of the racers. It will be interesting to see how many sbi/apba boats actually race in the divisional races or a full schedule (12 races is a lot of effort). Both organizations are promoting it well and that is good for everybody
3. Why not join? For now OSS is working and growing members, why quit?We went to OSS to race against more boats in our class and we like the all canopy concept, we liked apba and raced there for years, but it lost momentum and with our new investment we wanted a return.......if it was only for more competeition, not that shane and Gary are not competition they are well respected competitors, but more in our class and less classes looked like a good direction.
4. Did apba members have a choice when they merged with sbi? was there a vote to merge?
5. One organization in the future? Time will tell.........I am just here to enjoy the ride.

TYPHOON

You mean Wild Ride.
MD