rageman

Any suggestions on suitable locations where you can run Nitro RC boats in the StLouis County area or nearby?

Ron Olson

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Look at www.impba4.com . Contact Ken Hildreth, the club prez in St. Louis. I used to chat with him on AIM, he'll help you out a lot.

rageman

Well I tried but no answer back from two Emails to Ken. Still interested in suggestions on suitable water in St Louis proximity area to run Nitro boats.

Kelly Miller

They are having a race there May 5th and 6th. go to www.impba.net then go to "current flyers" the month's are out of order on the listing but find May and you will be able to open the flyer. Frank Holten State Park. Hope this helps

Ron Olson

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I only know of one other person in the area, Mike DuPuis in Chesterfield. He moved there from here to work for Pfizer and I ran boats with him when he lived here.

rageman

Thanks guys. I will give these a try.

kyle1

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hrmm i dont know if they will give you grief if you try to run at creve coeur lake.

im new to the boating seen, ill think about it and answer ya tomorrow

rageman

I called the St Louis County Parks Department that controls all the St Louis County Parks including Creve Coeur Lake and Bush Wildlife. They said that none of the County Parks lakes are available for Nitro boat running except for Unger Lake in back of the soccer fields at I-270 and I-44. This lake is totally virgin and over grown with trees and brush both in the water and the shoreline. Hardly a good place to run much less for retrieving a dead in the water boat. Also Earth City canals are a no no. Winter Park in Fenton on the Meramec river may work but you can not run in the area of water that the park includes but on the fringe slack water bordering may be viable. I have to go down there and see for my self. The rivers are leagal to run on but the river current and shoreline access are the problem.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

kyle1

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Hrmm i would just take your boat out to bush wild life. If you have not ever been out there there are 35 different lakes. And most of the time there is nobody around at most of the lakes. Park rangers are far and few inbetween. And if one happens to come by just play dumb

A few of the lakes are rather large and way in the back of the park. I am sure you could find something to fit you need out there.

Or if you would come a little further west there is Lake Saint Louis. They have two large lakes out there where you can run with a lot of clear shore line.

rageman

As I mentioned I contacted the Bush Wild Life Park Rangers and they said these lakes are for fishing only, no RC boat running allowed. It is a little difficult to run a Nitro boat in a stealth mode.

I initially discounted Lake St Louis because it is just like a subdivision lake only on a much larger scale. But there could be back water areas on the lake far enough away from touchy residents that might work out. I will track down the trustees or who ever oversees the lake and see what they say first.

I know one can always try to sneek a run at these places but that is too much hastle for me these days.

rageman

I called the Lake St Louis City General Manager. Electic Rc boats are allowed but Nitro/Gas are not because of the noise. Sounds familiar.

kyle1

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Hrmmm ok back to the drawing board then...i dont have this problem i have my own lake to play on

kyle1

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Ok here are a few more, We are really scraping the bottom of the barrel now...

-Simpson County park
-Suson park
-there are a few more big lakes around but they are getting a little far away, baldwin lake, rend lake, and carlyle lake.


Man id hate to have someone move here and not be able to enjoy there hobby. There has to be somewhere for you to enjoy your boat.

I think you are going to be hard pressed to find anywhere where you can call and they are going to be like "sure come on over and run that loud boat" but i dont think many of these park lakes will get you kicked out.

On the other hand it is a lot of work to pack all your gear up and then be told to leave 5 min after you get there.

I normally run mine at my lake down at lake of the ozarks area. But there has to be some local place to run these at. We need to find a sutiable place and meet up!!!

rageman

Sorry but again Suson and Simpson are St Louis County Parks and not allowed. The big lakes should be OK but as you say some distance.

kyle1

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Ok i have not given up on you yet!!!!

after further review i have come up with this

Frank Holten State Park in East St. Louis, IL

check out this article. I am not sure if this lake is just open to anyone or they get special permision to run there boats there but it is something you could look into

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...02/ai_n9477875


If not the club presidents number is on there i am sure he could point you in the right direction

zubee1

The St. Louis Thunderboaters run over in Illinois at Frank Holten State Park. Call Tom Henderson at 314-837-7383 or Mike Schuttleworth SR at 314-895-1779 They will connect you up with when and where for Stl boating.

Bill Zuber
IMPBA President

rageman

Thanks. I am aware of that park and the Thunder Boaters. I sent Ken a couple of Emails asking about other lakes avaiable in the this area but got no response. That surprised me from a club president. I need to try calling as well.

I asked about this park at a local hobby shop and was told that it is in a bad area of East St Louis and that he did not feel safe there after dark. I need to see for myself in the day time.

kyle1

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I do not know where the park is. But i would never be cought in East STL after dark. Just not a good idea. Prolly the roughest area in metro STL.

I wonder if he changed his email. Like you said kinda funny he did not answer you email. You would think he would want to push the hobby as much as he could around here. Who knows maby he is out of town

rageman

Bill,

Thanks for the direction. I will call as you suggest.

Ron Olson

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We've got a lake or two around here like that. I've heard of the bad rep thta East St. Louis has. One of my ponds that I run at has drug addicts that hang out there but don't bother us as they stay on the other side. Thread Lake in Flint where the record trials are run is another place not to be after the sun goes down. Even the police won't go in there for fear of being shot at!

rageman

I am also pursuing the Unger Park lake option which StLouis County Parks has designated for RC boat running but it is totally over grown and only good for fishing at the moment . I tracked down the Parks Maintenance Supervisor and described the minimal clearing required to make this lake accessable and usable for RC boating. He seemed very agreeable to looking into these improvements. Actually the aerial map (www.co.st-louis.mo.us/parks/parkmaps/Unger.pdf ) on their web site shows it to be very promising for RC Boats. This lake would be perfect for me since it is only about 15 min. from my home. Fingers crossed.

JohnBoat2

Any updates? I have just upgraded to nitro from battery here in STL and outside of my "big boat" boating outings to the big lakes woud like a local lake to run on. I'll be checking out Unger Park Lake this weekend. I hope it's not as bad as you made it sound ... just being optimistic.

rageman

No, no updates. I have been side tracked for a while now on kitchen remodeling and have not followed up. Please post what your experience was with the Unger Park lake. Hopefully the Parks people have responded and made some improvements in access. Since they like to keep the citzenery happy, a call from you or any others focusing on the needed improvements to Unger Lake for RC boat use would help I am sure:

KENT THEILING, PARKS OPERATIONS OFFICE SUPERVISOR (MAINTENANCE)
[email protected]
314-615-8230

rageman

I called KENT THEILING, PARKS OPERATIONS OFFICE SUPERVISOR (MAINTENANCE) Friday. He had not yet taken action regarding previously discussed access improvements to Unger Park Lake. he promised to inspect the lake this week with the grounds crew for possible widening of path between the parking lot and the lake's shore line. I attemped to educate him on the need for extensive shore line perimeter access to allow for retreival of disabled boats at all points of the lake via fishing pole and tennis ball. The grass field adjacent to one end of the lake was noted as another possible access point free of trees but at the farthest end away from the parking lot.

Kent asked how big the boats were and other similar type questions indicating he had no clue what this was all about. This will be a process and to be continued.

rageman

JohnBoat2,

Have you tried running at the lake yet?