Formula Outlaw

I have been heavily involved in tow/patrol events at both the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix and as the Course Captain and the Chairperson of the tow/patrol Committee of the now defunct Sarasota Offshore Showdown.

For the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, for offering to perform the tow/patrol duties, volunteers receive a $500.00 donation certificate from the Suncoast Foundation for the Handicapped, Inc., to apply towards your taxes. This was supposed to be the same case for the SOS, unfortunately with so many problems "post race" it never happened.

The idea of having to pay to help out, utilizing your boat, your time, your gas, your insurance, and all the other related costs is insulting. My reply would be "in your dreams".

Think about it. You are doing them a tremendous/costly favor and someone comes up with the idea of requiring you to pay to do them a favor? Not in my lifetime.

If this info turns out to be incorrect, disregard the above statement. My two cents.

rfweber

That is BULL S--- !!!!
The OSS is going down FAST....After the St.Pete race they must be trying to recover
allot of LOST MONEY !!!!!!

Blade38

Usually they ask for vounteers. I did that. They told me I would be a medical platform because my brand new 42 was one of the larger boats. After filling my tanks, I went to the docks and picked up what they said was emerg personnel. What they did was trade me off to the Manatee/Turtle watcher patrol and gave the emerg med gut to there buddy with a 19ft bayliner. I could back out because it was 20min before showtime. This woman who resembled a manatee had a pen which marked up everything and a very large cooler of food which I pulled half of it out from between the uphoulstry. $400 in gas. Was it cool doing it $uck NO. Now the OSS is a dif organization than the APBA. I got no thank yous. No free bee's at all which was OK but the manatee thing still burns my aZZ. Could you imagine if I paid for that. I think the pics of the guys with the check is for real.

Formula Outlaw

At the Sarasota Offshore Showdown, last August, two hours before we were to head out, APBA told me I had to come up with three boats to put "turtle watchers" on board. That was the hardest part of the entire race for me. I might as well have been asking people to put someone with the "E-Coli" virus on board. They wanted NO PART of any turtle watchers due to the one sided, complete ignorance of the Save the Manatee Club and it's fanatics. I got two people to agree and was out of options. I asked Pops if I could double up two on one boat and was told "no way", if you can't get three boats, we don't race. I finally had to stick one on one of my "Sector Captains" boat, a neighbor, which cost me dearly in "beer payments".

Brought to you by the same APBA that neglected to bring any flags for the turn boats.

Oh yeah, the morning of the race I got woke up at 6:00 am, after getting to bed around 2am, I get a call from "an APBA" official telling me he doesn't have a boat to set the buoys from, what are WE going to do? Again, Brian Copper (sector captain) came through for me.

When it was all over, I grabbed three beers, walked down to the docks at the Hyatt, and told everybody to just leave me alone for half an hour.

If someone had asked me to pay money to do that, I'd shot em'.

Cord

iTrader: (2)

Maybe for the $100 fee, they'll buy you a tank of gas?

Waterfoul

Hey Rob, ever set any bouys for free????? I thought so!!! Tell em to go F themselves!!

MACDAD260

Sounds like B.S. to me. They should pay you. At least we don't have to watch out for sea cows and turtles in Lake Michigan. If the race sponsors want to make money at these events they need to do it by having something interesting on shore for people to see an do. Seems to me that they could sell booths to vendors that have something to sell to the boating crowd. My .02.

DanB

I think this is a misunderstanding....who did you talk too? Volunteers NEVER have to pay for anything except fuel for there boats. Someone has got there signals crossed.

Dan

Playn

obvioulsly paying the $100 fee to "volunteer" is certainly your right....but I think I'd just have to them to fu@k themselves. You are already spending your money on your boat, insurance, fuel, time and they want you to "pay" for the privlege of helping them? Love of the sport aside.......I think not.

Ted G

iTrader: (1)

I actually give our volunteers shirts, a slip, and a party or two just for coming out. This year they will also be able to participate in a pre-race poker run. It is absurd to ask you to pay to help them pull off a safe race. And if you are paying an entry fee you are considered a "participant" which means it is likely you have no boat insurance during the race-I would check your policy or with your agent very carefully.