Formula's pro-active approach
 

I respect this company more and more every day...

From Formula's web site:

"Pat Laux, Formula’s plant manager, and Vic Spellberg, Formula’s director of sponsor promotions, received an invitation from Markel American Marine Insurance to be guest speakers at their annual meeting. This meeting was held aboard Royal Caribbean’s cruise line's beautiful Majesty of the Seas, January 13 – 16, 2004.

Pat and Vic, with assistance from Shelley Porter, created an outstanding 90-minute PowerPoint presentation. The program also contained video and DVD segments. Pat and Vic spoke to 90 Markel American agents and executives, covering topics ranging from the history of Thunderbird Products and Formula boats to detailed information on Formula's current manufacturing processes.

Other segments of their presentation included Formula’s marketing philosophy, safe high-performance boating and Formula’s recent win in the APBA Offshore Pro-Series—two World Championships and one National championship title, our most winning race season ever!

On Thursday, 35 Markel guests had the opportunity to experience firsthand a thrilling ride in a beautiful 353 FAS³TECH®. They were taken through Key West Harbor for a ride into the Atlantic Ocean waters. The guests were all very excited to experience a Formula high-performance run. Demonstrations were given on safe boating techniques, and respect for as well as a greater understanding of high-performance boats was definitely reached by all.

Markel is a Titanium-level sponsor for Formula Racing. Markel and Formula boats have partnered together on numerous marketing opportunities such as poker runs; open-house visits and employee boat rides; the Formula Racing Mobile Sponsor Showroom; the Special Olympics of Michigan and numerous other racing events. Markel is presently introducing an innovative insurance program available to our Formula owners for both new and used Formula boats. Check out the Formula website at www.formulaboats.com for more information on this special offer.

We were honored to be invited as a participant in Markel's anuual meeting and look forward to growing our relationship with Markel American Marine Insurance.

Wishing you safe boating!"

Now, if the rest of the industry (and we participants) could be just as forward-thinking about image and safety. :confused:

Thank You, Scott and Shelley Porter, Pat Laux, Vic Porter and the rest of the Formula Family. :)

Formula and the Porter family...ALWAYS a class act!:)

Nice Move, Formula. :cool:

smart people...spending money on the intangibles is sometimes the money best spent...
great story...
thanks

Very Very classy, and safe!!!

Now if we can get the rest of the industry to start doing this then maybe we can keep boating for a LONG LONG TIME :D:D

Great move on Formula's part. Nice to see some positive PR.....

You know, after last weeks tragedy, I CANNOT BELIEVE that there have only been six replies to this topic.

When are you people going to wake up and realize that this is the only way to save the sport/hobby that we love??? :hothead:

There is no bigger threat to performance boating that the perception of the "general public" to what we do. If we don't take control of it ourselves, this whole party will be toast in five years. If Mercury, Fountain, Baja, APBA, SBI, and the rest of the industry want to have jobs in the future, they had best start cooperating NOW.

So far, the only organizations that I have seen that seem to understand and give a da*m are Formula, the NJPPC and Poker Runs America.

The only thing required for this sport to die is for the majority of us to sit back and do nothing. (Paraphrased from a much more important quote.)

Chuck....it has over 250 views! I read it, and yes a great move on Formula's part. What can I do? I'm not a boat manufacturer, and our club practices safe boating techniques. The NJPPC is not the only club that preaches safety (nor is SCOPE), and they didn't invent it either.

Formula and the entire Formula Famaily are a class act and oviously continue with that philosophy. Something otheres should learn from.

Nort - Sorry for leaving SCOPE out - if they're serious about it, consider them added to the list. On the other hand, we all know that there are more than one or two large organizers out there who don't mind drunks standing up on sunpads and holding onto the radar arch at speed during their Poker Runs, too.

I think that there is LOTS each of us can do, foremost of which is to behave any time we're onboard. That includes everything from sitting at the dock to picking our way out of a crowded harbor.

Look: A lot of people on this board contributed to the "Poker Run 10 Commandments" theme 3 years ago. Maybe it's time we revisted those ideas and update them if we feel necessary. Ideally, it would be nice to make them identical to Poker Runs Americas Rules. (I think PRA has 12 basic rules...) I've spoken to Bill Taylor about this, and he agrees in principle. There is also a fair amount of behind-the-scenes communication going on between various other organizations, (Florida Powerboat Club, Chesapeake Bay Power Boat Association, etc.), but there is no central organization to coordinate everyone's efforts.

It would be nice if the APBA could step up and do it. Years ago, the LLC guys showed some interest, but in the end, they just didn't have the time. The bottom line is that the APBA should be the ones to take charge like the American Motorcyclists Association does for land-based Poker Runs. If all the various manufacturers and organizations all contributed just a little bit each, there would be enough funding to appoint and pay a coordinator and get the ball rolling.

Strange as it may sound, BoatUS mught be a good place to start. Sure, they are largely "mainstream", but that's probably a good thing. One thing that BoatUS is very good at is organizing and lobbying. All of us have benefitted from their efforts, and I would venture to say that a lot of us are members. The NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) would also have a vested interest in keeping the performance segment of the market going. Mercury Racing in particular should be paying attention. Without "us", they'd be completely out of business - the racing customers alone are only a small fraction of their business.

Anybody got any contacts with these organizations?

Go Formula!!!

TTT


Thanks for the 411 Chuck!

Fantastic story! Thumbs up to the people at Formula.

Formula is a boat company that all manufactures should strive to be someday. (and NO I'm not a dealer for them)

Great Product, Great Marketing, Great People, Great Owners, etc.........

There are exceptions to every rule :D:D

Yep.....The Porter family is a class act !! Others should learn from them.

C-Spray....I agree 100% with what you are saying.

Yeah, what birdog said;)





#19

Chuck, One question for ya....How many words a minute do you type? ;)

NOW THEY JUST NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON UPGRADING THE BOTTOMS OF THE FAST3TECH'S AND GET THEM UP TO PAR AND ALL WILL BE WELL1