Well the 2016 Needles Boat show has come to a close, and this year did not disappoint! Before we get started on the article I wanted to take a second to thank the main sponsor for the show this year, and in particular the one man behind it. In a testament to how much this show has grown over the last eight years the main sponsor this year was actually Shell Oil corporation!
I'm not sure how many of you know, but I can say from a lot of experience putting on events, getting a large corporation like that involved in a grass roots event is a very very rare occurrence. The main man responsible for that is none other then Joe Jones of Needles California, whom also put a considerable sum of his own personal money into the event as well!
Joe owns the Needles Shell gas station, as well as the local Subway and Dairy Queen. Needless to say he's an extremely busy man that works never ending hours, and he not only sponsored the event, but took time out of his schedule to be a part of it. So from not only myself, but on behalf of the RDP community we would like to say Thank You for all that you did in 2016. It certainly did not go unnoticed.
As far as the show this year, I arrived in the afternoon on Saturday due to some obligations I had earlier in the day. This years show was a complete mix of emotions for me because it is one of my favorite events to go to out of the year. The thing about these type of boat shows that is different then most other car / boat shows is that the displays aren't just "Static." Historically whatever show you go too, if they are selling boats you and your kids can climb all over the lower and middle tier stuff. The upper tier stuff is roped off, or don't touch, don't even look at it too long. You can't afford this thing why are you wasting our time.. "Scram kid you're bothering us" type mentalities.
I'm not sure that it's fair to compare the two types of shows as obviously at Needles it's not new manufacturers selling new products, but (and there's always a "but") some of the hardware at this show even being 30+ years old has a level of craftsmanship that rivals anything being built in the modern era. To get back to the point I was making is, it's generally the owners and family that you will end up talking too, and they are excited to show you what they own or in most cases have built. They are true enthusiasts, and love to talk shop, and interestingly enough aren't trying to keep their super trick secrets, but rather show them off and tell you how they did it.
(Beautiful Wood Deck)
(The creativity of some of these setups is amazing. How do you turn a flat bottom into a five seater? Here's how!)
(How about a family friendly three seater blown Hydro?)
To rewind back even further to what I was talking about with Static displays versus Active displays, at Needles every few minutes you will hear these guys lighting these boats off right there in the Parking lot. It doesn't sound like much, but how often do you get to hear blown hemi's, alcohol motors light off and get to stand right next to it? To take that a step further, things get even more interactive when some of the owners drop everything from pieces of history, to fire breathing beasts in the water and run them for the crowds pleasure! Of course sometimes that goes as planned, and other times it ends with a tow rope.
There's plenty of great action shots and videos in the member thread that I will provide a link too at the end of the article. (Where the rest of my pictures will be as well) This would be a good time to give a shout out / thank you to Pirates Cove for sponsoring the Rescue team. While obviously these guys aren't out there racing competitively these boats are fast and things can happen in a hurry. (Note, nothing has happened to date, but better safe then sorry) A prime example of that is this little on board video of how not to be a passenger in a circle boat. (Video courtesy of Jeff Conant / Greg Duff Driving - Jeff being the passenger)
[video=youtube;5JpCQgG4FfQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JpCQgG4FfQ[/video]
The last part I'm going to talk about regarding this event is friends and family and the cause. People come from all over the country to participate in the event, but also attend it. The event when you really break it down isn't about the boats and cars. It's about community and bringing people together. Many of these folks have been friends for years, and this is there chance to get together with people from all over the country that in some cases only get to see each other a few times a year.
A lot of guys call it "Their extended boating family" in my circles of friends a lot of them jokingly refer to it as the "Framily" (Friends/Family). Whatever you want to call it, the bonds run very deep among boaters. These guys will do anything to help each other out of a bind, and inversely, when something happens to one of us we all feel it like it happened to our own family.
Unfortunately the boating community suffered a tremendous loss right before the Needles boat show with the passing of Campbell Carl. Carl was extremely popular with all the various groups and sects of boaters, whether that be the Needles Boat show / NRKA crowd, The online boating forums, or even the active Racing crowd (both circle and Endurance). Carl was more or less an ambassador at all of the various boating events and his hospitality to both friends and "soon to be friends" was limitless. His importance not only to me and this site, but to the entire boating community was evident at the show, as people showed up with everything from hand painted tributes on their boats, to wooden displays, banners on trailers, and tribute shirts. I think I speak not only for myself but for everyone when I say he will forever be missed.
In closing, I'd like to say Thank you to Billy B for originally putting this show together and creating that opportunity to make new friends, and helping to build that sense of community. It's also important to know that the Needles Chamber has taken this show to the next level since that first one and why they do it. The proceeds to the show go to various community projects for kids. Those projects include putting money into the Rec Center, rebuilding the little league field, purchasing Christmas gifts for underprivileged kids, and maintaining and improving the Chamber itself. So when you pay for parking, or purchase that ticket to get into the show, hopefully it gives you a good feeling of helping some people that not only need it, but truly deserve it.
For all of my pictures, and Pictures from various RDP Photographers, and Inmates please click the link below that will take you to the thread for the 2016 Needles Boat Show!
http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/showthread.php?144758-Needles-2016-Picture-Thread-Post-Here
