3000 members
 

Food for thought
1995/96 the IMPBA had about 2700 members. I have a 95/96 member list.
2020 the IMPBA has less than 900 members. I just checked the IMPBA site.
Thats a huge loss.
No matter what ya all say, it's not the nitro engine tuning, cost of fuel, noise, or cost of hobby or lack of affordable boat racing class or lack of water. It's also not that large scale gas or FE, is taking over because there is less than 900 total members racing in all classes.

Let's look at Nitro cars. R/C nitro cars are not cheap, and there is really less places to race them. "1/8th scale tires are toast after 3 tanks" Glow plugs burn up faster and piston/sleeves wear out sooner. (Nitro car racing has a stupid huge following).
On the other hand there is a wealth of high end parts and they are available to the general public without having to the secret codeword or handshake.

I have been trying to say about the the IMPBA and membership and racing; I said maybe look at the individual who is a newcomer and not worry so much on the affordable boat to attract new pwr boaters.
Notice the advert for a nitro buggy race.
Jr novice (12 under)
Novice/Beginner (13 upto Any age)
40+
Sportsman and pro (The seasoned non paid pilot can hone skills with the pro's) or basicly it's an Open class.
The beginner class of racing is what sucks people in and keeps them while they learn how to race.

RC Boat racing has been in decline. Like I said, maybe if there was classes where newcomers weren't racing against 40 year vets with impeccable pilot skills, maybe more people would last in this hobby/sport.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...b68aea28aa.jpg
If your worried about the future of r/c boat racing and or the IMPBA, changes need to be made asap to our hobby that will actually attract newcomers and keep them. Actually the issue is not attracting people, it's keeping them.

You might think I have been out of the hobby, I do keep track of what is going on. I said it before if you all like racing against the same 12 people than keep it as it is until it's no longer.

I have not seen one post where the individual was thought of. I guess it makes it easy to be a record holder with no members. I guess it's easy to take a 1st place with only 5 boats in a class. But that's just me and my opinion.
When more ppl race rc boats, then and only them will the market be flooded with parts at an even more affordable price, more manufactures would offer marine engines and such.
The cost of manufacturing would be a feasible gamble.
(produce 1000 engines one year and sell only sell 400 of them the cost skyrockets per unit) hence why engines cost 500 plus nowadays. The more members, the more sales, the cost goes down.
When the cost goes down, even more ppl will join.

Back in the 90's rc nitro car racing was without a beginner class and it was relatively a small group of people racing against themselves, much like the IMPBA today.

I wonder why nitro rc car is flourishing now, the only change was the advent of novice and beginner class that opened up the sport to newcomers. Why is the rc nitro boat a dying sport? The only thing that hasn't changed, I could wrong but maybe, just maybe... because no novice or beginner class.

When I was young (that was a lonnnngggg time ago) hydro racing was well attended. AFAIK, not so much anymore. Things change. Nitro truck enthusiasts are much younger than boat racers because they have much different formats. And having movies like Fast And Furious helps attract fans.

I don't think it's really the cost as much as two other factors:
1) How are prospective newcomers treated when they show up at the pond? I've seen people show up at the pond with questions about the sport that were ignored or told to move away because of "safety requirements" in such a way that they leave. Not saying it was done rudely or anything of the sort, just that the people didn't feel welcome.
2) How are the new members treated? There are times that I have felt like an outsider at my own club. There have been periods when I wouldn't go to a race because of how I was treated by others. That said, I have had others that would go out of their way to help me out with my boat without being asked(which was much appreciated by the way).

We all need to work at how we represent the hobby and club we belong to. The way WE are perceived goes a long way toward the health of the club and the hobby. Another thing that CAN make a difference is how we interact with prospective boaters in the forums. I try to help out others as much as possible when it comes to learning about the boats. I've had many that were on the verge of selling off and leaving become people that will look me up as well as other boaters set up places for me to come run with them (yes, I actually had people in Missouri, Indiana and New York set up fun run days so I could run with them as well as a racer from New Zealand show up at a local race just to meet me and the wife after chatting through a web forum). These kind of things are what makes the sport/hobby fun and keeps it going.

Really think you have hit the nail on the head when it comes to racing and the hobby in general.
I have certainly attended a few races over the decades and have seen first hand how some guys are only too interested in sharing knowledge and time with someone attending a race for the first time with either an interest in the hobby or in racing.
I have first hand experience at how ignorant some people can be when someone stops by to talk (at an appropriate quiet time) and the racer is rude or dismissive. While I feel there have been more guys who are welcoming and interested in sharing - probably 3 to 1 or more. But it just depends on who you talk to as to who you get the first impression from. For some - the need for victory exceeds the interest in sportsmanship - and it is true of so many hobbies and sports these days unfortunately.