OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[Itsworthit]

It was very nice to see Ryan, Tim, Gary and Leo up here for the worlds, but I am very disappointed with the turn out from the USA racers at our World Race here in Canada, with all the race boats in the sates and only 2 boats showing up, and I thank them (wonder full people), I wonder what, (if any) the issue is, I know we all have lives and racing is expensive, but there are a lot of boats in the states, and quite frankly, I thought there would have been more boats show up, It sure would have been nice to see more, and I was looking forward in seeing more show up. I know, and have meet a huge amount of wonderful and giving racers from the sates, I just don't understand why the poor turnout. Please know that I am not trying to be rude or unappreciative, just fill me in

[allblowdup]

I totally agree with "it's worth it". I would have liked to see alot more US boats at the worlds this year. If there is an underlying issue for why this was not possible then it would be great to hear about it so that we can maybe address it for the future.

[Bald Man]

It's because they don't speak French .
Ya, me too. I wonder why more don't show up. It is not that far to travel. If memory serves me correct, we had 9 or so boats travel down to California for the last US Worlds. But, on the other hand it great to see the Mexican guys make the trip. WAY more culture shock for them guys.

[allblowdup]

From what I hear one Mexican team got the ultimate welcome to Canada present at Whitcourt. There engine had quit and they were just sitting there waiting for the leg to be over so they could get help from a support boat. The navigator looks over and a six pack of Canadian floats right up to the boat, didn't even have to get out of his seat for it. Gotta love this country

[Yellowhammer]

Karey,

At the risk of treading on old territory, I know I did not come up (although I really wanted to) because my motors did not meet your rules for the FX Class. I have forged rods and pistons in both motors and one has the iron vortec heads. Because of these changes I am told my engines are not "crate" engines. I did not want to run the "C" class because my set up would not be competitive (speed wise) with this class. In all honesty, I realize speed is not the only factor in racing, but you have to understand that I do not like to do things half heartedly. My set up is to be competitive in the FX class not the "C" class. If I were to race the "C" class I would have a different hull and engines built accordingly. So...to answer your question about the low turnout from the US, for me it was because the rules did not fit my needs.

By the way, I spoke to Weaver on the phone today and he is still smiling about his trip up North. He told me that he met some of the best people he has ever met in his life. Sounded like it was a great time. Kudos to all that helped put this race on. Someday I hope to make the trip up there and to see the beautiful country.

[greg b]

Carey, Personally, i would have really loved to come up again, raced in 2003 there and and really enjoyed it! Got very, very lucky and won the SJ class! Of course I can't speak for anyone else, but I can tell you I certainly don't think there's anyone who has issues with going to Canada, I think the Canadian race organization is very much respected down here! In my op ion our club is not very healthy, yes there is a bunch of great guys competing, but if taken class by class, it seems we have problems every where! For the most part, maybe where just not attracting enough new people, we have had 4 or 5 new guys in the last couple years and there really quality people,(one new driver/owner in FX, but no new boats, lost at least 2-5 boats every race as compared to the previous year) but I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone here who would'nt like to see more! And remember, our last race in Gold Beach was just one week before the Worlds! I think we has 3 boats cross the finish line, many boats either didn't race or didn't finish everything was broke here! Primarily I'd say it was mostly a financial problem for most guys!

[Cavefish]

It has nothing at all to do with Canadian racing, you guys do it right.

As Greg said, thin teams and worn out at that. Wish it was different. We get a few new racers but then lose more than we gained. The new guys are great racers too, we just need more. I am very concerned about the sport here. I have the same question as Itsworthit, where are all those race boats???

Ryan and Tim will put together a good Worlds next year, and we will all help them with it.

Jesse

[KJet]

Karey,
I wonder the same as you. I felt a little embarrassed when I heard there were only two boats from the U.S. showing up to a Worlds event so close to home.

I'm not aware of any political or all encompassing reason for the no-shows from the U.S.. And maybe because, I'm one of the new guys, I'm not yet privy to such things. So I'm sorry, I have no answers. Although, I do sense that the worries that Jesse has about the sport are real and I don't know why. When I realized this I committed myself to do whatever I could do to help resolve it.

WHAT? Someone who says he has committed himself to this sport and didn't make to the Worlds, what a hypocrite!

My bad Karey, I should have been there. I could have bought, begged borrowed, or stolen a boat to be there, at the very least I should have hooked up with the Old Geezer and james and helped them out up there.
I deserve a good old fashioned Canadian flogging.

Dead serious and sorry my Canadian and AWJA brothers,

Kirt

[Cavefish]

Well said Kirt, and especially for a guy who's boat was still on the bottom of the Salmon at the time the races started!

[KJet]

Thanks Jesse,

I just hope everyone realizes that I'm not upset with anyone but myself on this. I just got to get my sheite together if I'm going to do this thing. I need to bone-up on my French, Spanish, and not to mention my English, and Get'er Done.

In hindsight, I'm really kicking myself. Why didn't I loan the Yellowhammer Team a legal motor so Merv could go up there and show those boys and girls how to drive a race boat? Richard, Karey, and Dale came down to Riggins and blew my gunnel's off, why didn't I do something to try and return the favor? Their wanting to race against the best the same as we are.

If boat numbers are something that is going to help us out then it would have helped them out too. The ambassadorship needs to be reciprocal. If numbers is one thing we need then I can't think of a more handy and immediate pool of boats to pull from than are friends to the north. Would this attract more local boats? Would this attract more of are friends from the south to come up? I don't know, but I don't see were it would hurt.

Kirt

[Rapidchaser]

I'm taking a little risk here but I'll chance it.
From a fans point of view, this is racing at its best and the event was second to none!

It was the 2007 worlds! in racing you take your chances, it is expensive, you take your chances and you do your best to play by the rules.

The people who live and love the sport showed up and the best of the best won it! hands down!
Cheers,
Emery

[SouthIdahoGary]

I think I would sum it up as lack of TIME and lack of money. Some thoughts follow….mostly random, stream of consciousness ramblings.

Some background-In the US we have a points series consisting of 5-6 different venues starting in March and sometimes stretching into August. For many of “us” supporting each venue in the US series is the first boat racing priority. IMHO jetboat racing survives in the US because of the efforts of a few to make and keep a series alive in 5-6 different venues. The purses enable us to be able to cover some of the high costs of goin’ racin’ and allow some that otherwise not be able to to participate. For those venues to continue to support jetboat racing requires us to put on a show so the sponsors and fans think they are getting their money’s worth. It is real hard to get 18 boats to a venue. There aren’t that many runnable boats in the States. Many are older hulls that have been patched and passed around. Some by manufacturers that many have never even heard of. “We” started racing in March and each venue takes a toll on the equipment and the pocketbook. Takes a few days to repair / patch up your equipment. I think you can count on one hand the number of guys that have a backup motor—and have some fingers left. Hard to conceive of what it would take to try and keep the equipment together for a week! Most of our racers can not do both (run the series AND go to Worlds). They chose to go with what gives them a chance to race every year and supported the US Series in the hopes that it can continue and we can keep the venues alive and going and the sponsors and small towns that have supported jetboat racing active and involved.

We compete with many other racing opportunities. Even boat racing ones. Some of our participants have come from other racing disciplines. Many go back to what they have enjoyed and had success at. Jetboat racing is “different” and harder than what they imagined. Motor and setup expertise don’t translate well. Lots of drag, circle track racing opportunities in the Pacific NW. They can race almost weekly in fairly close proximity to “home”. And get money for just showing up. Lap money also. Helps defray some of the costs involved.

Most of our racers are “blue collar” with limited budgets. Some of the venues we race at they can’t even get to because they can not get the time off to drive there. The higher dollar natural resource jobs that helped US jetboat racing start and grow in the early days of the sport are mostly gone now. The guys that are self employed are mostly sole proprietors / partnerships tradesman. Taking extended periods of days off just doesn’t work out to well. If you are not there working almost each day, someone else will be. Some of the guys are starting to come to the time of their life when kids are at the high school/college stage and the family dollar focus goes there.

New guys. Last a couple of years and then run out of money and patience. Discouragement sets in. Steep learning curve. Takes a LOT of resources to be a Jet River Racer. Excitement and adrenaline take a back seat to totals in a checkbook. Many that think they would “like” to be jetboat racers are sidelined by the cash outlay. They might have sufficient credit to get in, but can’t get insurance on a race boat. The lenders demand that collateral be insured. Already have their house mortgaged and re-mortgaged.

My own story……reasons……excuses….

I have a brother / partner / crewmate-and very understanding families. By pooling our resources we can now do some jetboat racing. Kids out of college. Empty nesters. Some discretionary income available for the “want to” stuff. But it takes the two of us to swing it. I might be able to swing the $$$$$ to run FX, if alone.

I took a week off in early March to accompany my wife on a vacation. Each race in the US series requires me to take a couple of days off to get there and back for each race. Boat racing is a budgeted ($$$ and time) activity. When they are gone it’s pretty much over until the next budget cycle. My youngest daughter graduated from college and got married in early June with festivities in 2 different states that required my presence- (more days off). I was also in the process of building a new home and shop that is now completed and was moving the accumulated flotsam and jetsam of 28 years starting on June 27th. I am one of only 4 employees at our branch/warehouse. I figured the Worlds would take another 2 weeks off--time off I just couldn't take. The folks I work for are somewhat tolerant but not all that understanding of my not being there. (Some days I am the only one there. To swing the whole week in March to go with my wife, the president of the company came from HQ and covered my position.) Going to the Worlds was penciled in last year, but all these other things knocked it off the radar. I was still running my '06 motor that has many races on it-and I did not make the time to freshen it during the winter. Snapped the nose off the crank mere hours before the Grants Pass race. I run a Dart/Chevy B class small block. Built with my own hands in my garage. 23 degree heads. Cast intake. Fairly low budget / low tech. Less than 575 HP. 1997 hull. Total hardware investment (hull, trailer, pump and motor is less than what I see as $$ that many run for pro-built / high HP motor alone) My '07/ backup motor is still just a block on a motor stand and an assortment of some other parts in boxes and cupboards. Not time or dollars left to get it finished for the season. I borrowed a questionable motor (post mortem-had cracked pistons) to try and finish my commitment to the US season and it came apart. Now have 2 to repair and 1 to finish.

I know, I know, WAAAA-WAAAAA, but I just could not see any way clear to make it. I not only couldn't put my money where my mouth is, I could not even put my mouth where my mouth wanted to be. At the end of the day you do what you really want to do. So I apologize for not being there, but I can’t apologize for choosing other things that became more important or that I really wanted to be my life for the whole ’07. Some of the things I chose will allow me to continue to have the kind of life I really like to have. I COULD have quit my job, mortgaged my home and sent my wife on vacation alone but I did not figure that life would be so good in what was left of ’07 and beyond with those kind of decisions. As much as I love jetboat racing it is an OPTIONAL activity for ME after what I have chosen as obligations are met.

Again, my apologies……………..but no red faces.

[ravencrew]

I would have to agree with Gary, I personally don't race. I have raced in a couple of races though. I would go down and help Jesse work on his boat for hours, Just trying to get to the next race. There are no big sponsorships here in the states. So most of these guys have to fork out the money out of their own pockets. I too wished there would have been more guys from the states come up to your backyard and gave the impeller a turn. Just hoping that some big deep pockets will find an interest in our sport in general. Regardless of what country were from!! We need more people to race and more people like Vince, Shawn, And the rest of the video guys to help push this sport?! Hopefully there will be a big sugar daddy sponsor who will want to help out the sport of jetboat racing. I can say that the cost of covering the US races with my video camera kills my pocket book every year! I don't even own a race boat! I would love to travel up there and see the country though. From what I've read in the forums you guys are doing it right! Keep up the good work fellas! You guys and gals behind the scenes deserve a pat on the back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!