toy run

[Croc1]

can some one post the article from http://www.flatoday.com local section heres a couple of quotes roaring open header engines and giant whirling propellers ,the noisy watercraft will motor on mini expeditions up and down the stjohns I just read it hopfully they will come out today and someone can talk to them about writing a story more about what we are all about we need to let him know how we all have muffled boats and as a group a trying to make the quietest airboats in the world

 

[basketcase0302]

Croc1,

It don't really sound good, (maybe the writer has a beef with us)!

Dakota, Can I have your autograph :thumbright:

Ya'll have a nice, safe ride!

Basketcase

 

[jim]

http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051203/NEWS01/512030319/1006

It's not that bad.

Jim

 

[bondsman]

kinda underhanded though.undertones somewhat take your attention off of the good in the story.

 

[jim]

After all the whining about mufflers and the paranoid comments about the quiet airboat project, the comments in the article seem justified. He probably read all of that stuff.

Jim

 

[bondsman]

hey jim,i think some of us our lashing out because we are affraid this wont be the end of it.i run mufflers i have no problem with the refinement of the law.but i truley hope with curtious boating and mufflers this will come to a happy closing.and i greatly appreciate a website like southern airboat, maybe this site will band us all together.this has truely been a great site for a personal opinion and our right to speech.

 

[Anonymous]

Bondsman, you have my word ....... this is definitely NOT the end of it.

The population of this State is growing by 1600 people every day, and I think it's a fair guess that 98% of them have never seen an airboat up- close and personal.

That means that those 98% are also clueless about the fact that airboats are as much a part of our history as gator hunting or the Confederate flag. and that they're also ignorant of the fact that an airboat is the most environmentally friendly watercraft on the planet.

That's why you, and I, and everone else on here needs to join a Club and get involved. The 'quiet police' will be back, and we're going to have to defend our boats until we can find ways (hopefully inexpensive ways) to quiet them down. The word "Can't" is not an option. It can be done..... it'll just take a positive attitude, and a lot of creative thinking.

I want to move from a defensive position, to an offensive position. I want to see airboats promoted as the only watercraft capable of responding to a disaster like Katrina. I want to see airboat operators respected as boaters who love and respect the environment, and who are incapable of harming the Manatee. That will take time, and involvement, but it IS possible.

BF

 

[Croc1]

Jim I am a floridian, I live on the water, 18 years ago when I bought my home I could water ski and run around and fish now I can only idle around and huge areas are no motor zones. I have a camp in the forest as of january 1st 90% of the forest will be closed to 4 wheelers they have taken my back yard from both of my places now using noise as a weapon they are try to make it so I will no longer be able to run around the swamp this is why I am upset with the article I bet there was not one boat there with open headers .

 

[Priorty1]

I'm new to this site and still in the process of building my air boat. Big Feather I could not agree with you more, we all need to move from a defensive position and be more positive or proactive in our ways. The article was not all bad it did leave things on a positive note were the air boat/boaters are concerned. One thing to remember about this "Wonderful" site is that it is public domain, and the article did mention the site with the web address, so anyone can log on and read the posts and may even and some posts themselves to stir the mud up. Just food for thought...

 

[jim]

Croc1, I am a Floridian, I live on the water, 10 years ago when I bought my home I could water ski and run around and fish now I can still do all of those things plus there are several airplanes based on this private lake. My seaplane friends are free to visit by landing on the Lake. My neighbors enjoy the show. Everyone uses their head and do not make a lot of noise and the lake is pretty empty on Sunday morning and at night. There are 100's of lakes like this in Florida.

I am disappointed with the southern airboat posts that indicate that some airboaters will only adopt noise prevention when it is jammed down their throats, and that somehow their "rights" have been infringed by the required mufflers. The notion that the quiet airboat contest is bad because it will give the "enemy" more ideas is paranoia. In truth, it should give airboaters ideas about how to make them quieter.

These attitudes are what produce articles like the one you mentioned. Your story is an example of what can happen all over the state if we "hold our ground" and keep them loud. They should be quieted down and not by law. If it does not happen, the local governments will get more and more pressure and they will act. My .02, and that is about what it is worth.

Jim

 

[woodswoman]

Okay Guys--Here is what we have to do, educate the media! Below is the letter I sent to him before heading down south to Melbourne for the toy run. Was a GREAT success! Channel 13 local news interviewed us, Hometown News also took names and photographed the event! We took them out on the boats- and their faces were lit up with thrill and excitement. The toy box was overflowing- even had to stack them on the ground. Amazing, what we airboaters do for the sake of our beloved sport!

rneale@flatoday.net

Hi Rick,

Thank you for your coverage the Southernairboat.com ride to collect toys for children in need. I appreciated your call the other day. Hope I gave you some information you might use in future news coverage regarding the community services airboat clubs provide throughout the state of Florida. I am sure you are aware of airboats role in rescue efforts in the wake of hurricane Katrina. The Florida Airboat Association received a letter of Congressional Commendation for our efforts in mobilizing volunteers to head to Louisiana to do a service for their fellowman.

I'm hoping you will be able to attend the "toy run" today. Quite possibly you will notice that the "roar" and "noise" you refer to in your article is actually very palatable. The airboating sportsmen throughout the state have gone to great lengths to "quiet" their vessels. For over three years now airboaters have worked with state and local officials in an effort to require mufflers on all airboats. We volunteered our boats for use in the sound study done by Florida Atlantic University. Just this past week, in Key Largo at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting, the rule to enforce mufflers on all airboats was accepted and will go before the legislature during the upcoming session. The Florida Airboat Association is pleased and encouraged that this legislation we have worked so diligently for will come to fruition.

Use of the word "noise" in reference to airboat sound is a biased, term that airboaters are offended by. Airboat "sound" is music to our ears and we have gone to great expense and effort to make that sound palatable for all. We appreciate our news media contacts referring to the word "sound" as opposed to the word "noise." Thank you again for your efforts to cover this worthwhile community event, just another service provided by the airboating sportsmen of Flordia.

Lauren Brown, RN
Florida Airboat Association Public Information Officer
(386) 871-8945

 

[Anonymous]

Lauren, that was an excellent letter. Thank you!!

You are exactly right ..... we need to educate, and not only the media but some of the hold-outs in our own ranks. What the citizens of Florida are asking for is neither unreasonable, nor un-obtainable up to now. If we're willing to exercise some self discipline we can expect many more years of enjoyment with our very unique boats.

BF

 

[woodswoman]

Thank you Big Feather-- wish you could have joined us today! A great time, and a beautiful ride. We ran up on some awesome, healthy hogs in the marsh. Was one of the highlights of my day....wanted to reach out and touch them, however they scattered after awhile. Came back thru and they were still there, moving the bushes on the other side of a fence. Makes a gals heart flutter....

Please feel free to write Mr. Rick Neale your thoughts on his article. He was trying to do us a service and for that we thank him. He just needs a little education. I was prepared to speak with him more in depth but he was not present- (had informed me by phone that he might not be able to attend) Next time he may show up and we can take him on an informative ride thru the marsh.

P.S. we were covered on local 13 televison, has been airing tonight since the 6:00 news...

 

[SwampMatt]

The report was aired this evening on "Central Florida News 13" which is a cable news channel on Brighthouse cable network. The channel is joint owned by Brighthouse networks and The Orlando Sentinel. The report was AWESOME! Very informative, positive, and showcased the dignitaries boarding Cntry's boat and it very quietly driving off. The report even showed Waterthunder taking off and getting on plane, and the sound was not bad at all. Of course, Thunder's boat is so powerful and light, he's up on plane in about 1.5 seconds!

It was a good news report, and cchardt even gave the cameraman a ride in his boat. There was some great footage from the point of view of a boater.

All good stuff. Congrats Lauren for setting that one up! Thanks to all and especially Cntry for giving the VIPs such a nice ride and introduction to airboating.

Was a beautiful day for boating. Lots of photos and videos were taken and will pe posted soon I'm sure.

Faron - Enjoy your lump pf coal! That dang raffle must have been rigged!!!! Just kidding... I think everyone who took part won something in the raffle.

And for the negative muffler comments, I have not seen all that many. Most posts on the topic seem forward looking... Anticipating the next action. Modifying our behavior to be courtious is our best weapon right now, and that is the cheapest, easiest thing to do.

matt.

 

[JABO]

I agree that the article was a little underhanded. However the newspaper is a great tool for informing those who don't know what we are about.And if we send bad e-mails to the editor about one article, we may not be able to get a "good publicity" article past him.Therfore only bad can come of it. Just my opinon.

 

[Dakota]

You know the article was not all that bad. Just like Lauren said, that is the way they are supposed to get people's attention. This article was blown out of proportion and I think we had a great turn out and alot of great toys for these kids and that is the only thing that we need to worry about. We did not gather together for the press anyway but I can say this. Everyone from the media who was there today had a great time and enjoyed themselves with us and all wished they could have spent the day with us. So forget about the article and just go on. As far as I am concerned the post can be deleted.

 

[Capt Jeff]

I had the same thought about the negativity of the FT article.

I thought maybe it was me so I let the wife read it w/o stating my feelings.

Her thoughts ended up being the same as mine.

 

[cntry141iq]

Go easy folks as long as it is no worse than that we can handle it. The point of the article was for us to be competing with the roaring harleydavidson motorcycles on their toy run. WE beat them by one day. The ladies hada good time and regretted they didn't know what to expect, they were ready for a quick spin around the marsh and ended up on a bonafide trail ride, they for got to tell me what they wanted to do until it was too late.

When I pulled up under the oaks at the oakhead and drove down the road back tot he water when I stopped they both turned around just laughing and giggling. That is the usual reaction of non-airboaters when exposed to hill running the first time. They commented on how peaceful and beautiful it was out there and how airboats was the only way to do it.

We had a great ride no one showed out lots of good comradere witnessed by the ladies and I am sure there will be more told on this. I did my best to show them the good side of things and all the capabilities of airboats but I don't believe I scared them too bad.LOL I invited them to attend more of our rides and maybe they will. It was fun.

 

[woodswoman]

Thank you John for volunteering to take Lisa and Donna out. When Gatorstick made the request, I was pretty much involved in something else, wondered if time would permit finding a willing volunteer. I appreciate the response of folks willing to alter their normal plans to make a lasting impression. John, the impression you made on those folks will have a positive impact on the entire airboat community. All you have to do is ask and an airboater WILL step up to the plate! Thank you Chris, Charity and Faron for all your efforts on the toy run. Tim--thank you kindly for riding me around in the marsh and good luck on your new prop! I can't wait until the News Years Eve Run!! YeeeHaaaa!

 

[Croc1]

I changed the thread I guess I got pissy I missed another run! sorry if I offened anyone ,how many people and boats showed ? what did you all eat!! lets see some pictures!!!