Why can’t Lake Havasu put on events like LOTO?

[zx14]

Why can’t LHC do races like LOTO? Plenty big, From now till April you could so so many events that crowds and Spencer’s could float this place with money. I don’t know why there are not more boating events? Does the state dictate what can be done? If I was mayor, the coffers would be full.

Ok going back to watching LOTO race, wishing I could smell race fuel.

 

[H20 Toie]

Well for one LOTO is way bigger than Havasu,

 

[SJP]

There is way more docks and commercial property on LOTO. I would love more events in Havasu though.

 

[hallett21]

Havasu is too small. 75ish miles dam to dam. But few will go past needles bridge which cuts off 20-30 miles. The big guys couldn’t even around on plane up there.


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[RandyH]

Start Dredging...….it has potential....

 

[Skinny Tire AH]

There’s 70,000 lakefront homes on LOTO. At least that’s what I was told.

 

[hallett21]

Better question would be why aren’t there more Pacific Ocean events. You could really run those boats.

Marina Del Rey
Avalon
Long Beach
Newport
Dana Point

I know Scope does this but you could have quite a few events with on the water homes, restaurants etc


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[H20 Toie]

Better question would be why aren’t there more Pacific Ocean events. You could really run those boats.

Marina Del Rey
Avalon
Long Beach
Newport
Dana Point

I know Scope does this but you could have quite a few events with on the water homes, restaurants etc


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Scope use to do events, they closed shop

 

[DRYHEAT]

I think the biggest problem is we are too far away from everything. There’s not a whole bunch of little towns around and not enough on the water entertainment, eateries, bars and such not to mention a shortage of boat slips.

 

[twocents]

California and its coastline is no longer a 'friendly' place for special boating events (i.e. races) like it once was. Back in the 1970s, getting a permit for an offshore race in California was relatively easy -- submit an application to the Coast Guard and it was almost a sure-thing to be approved. Today, with all the incredibly powerful enviromental groups present in the 'golden state', it's virtually impossible to satisfy those special interest groups who are very much opposed to anything motorized.

Example #1 -- in the late 1970s I was participating in a POPBRA sanctioned San Francisco offshore race. A portion of the race course sent us out under the Golden Gate and on to and around the Farallon Islands which are about 40 miles miles offshore. And yes, the race had a Coast Guard permit. But at the very last second, a bay area enviromental group got a court order to stop the race because the noise of the race boats would be harmful to the protected bird sancuary on the deserted island. With less than 24 hours to race time a compromise was reached to apease the bird lovers that the race course would be moved another mile out from the shoreline of the island. The beginning of the end for west coast offshore racing.

Example #2 -- Long ago, I was the race chairman for the Catalina Water Ski Race (when more than 100 teams competed) out of Long Beach. We started the race at 8am on the dot come hell or high water. It was our call. Today, heavens no -- it's the Coast Guard who makes the determination if visibility and water conditions are acceptable to start the race. I'm sorry, the Coast Guard is a fine and necessary organization but I don't think they know 'jack' about boat racing. But when the race organization no longer has control of its own event, bad things are likely to happen.

 

[hallett21]

California and its coastline is no longer a 'friendly' place for special boating events (i.e. races) like it once was. Back in the 1970s, getting a permit for an offshore race in California was relatively easy -- submit an application to the Coast Guard and it was almost a sure-thing to be approved. Today, with all the incredibly powerful enviromental groups present in the 'golden state', it's virtually impossible to satisfy those special interest groups who are very much opposed to anything motorized.

Example #1 -- in the late 1970s I was participating in a POPBRA sanctioned San Francisco offshore race. A portion of the race course sent us out under the Golden Gate and on to and around the Farallon Islands which are about 40 miles miles offshore. And yes, the race had a Coast Guard permit. But at the very last second, a bay area enviromental group got a court order to stop the race because the noise of the race boats would be harmful to the protected bird sancuary on the deserted island. With less than 24 hours to race time a compromise was reached to apease the bird lovers that the race course would be moved another mile out from the shoreline of the island. The beginning of the end for west coast offshore racing.

Example #2 -- Long ago, I was the race chairman for the Catalina Water Ski Race (when more than 100 teams competed) out of Long Beach. We started the race at 8am on the dot come hell or high water. It was our call. Today, heavens no -- it's the Coast Guard who makes the determination if visibility and water conditions are acceptable to start the race. I'm sorry, the Coast Guard is a fine and necessary organization but I don't think they know 'jack' about boat racing. But when the race organization no longer has control of its own event, bad things are likely to happen.

Does that apply to poker runs as well?


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[throttle]

I think it was POPRA that came to havasu and ran some races several years ago (piggy backing on the Desert Storm Poker Run) at havasu. The course was set up outside of Thompson Bay and ran almost to copper canyon and back.

I remember Mike Defrees taking checkered flag with the CRC MTI, but don’t recall what year. 2010 or 11 maybe [emoji848]


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[twocents]

Does that apply to poker runs as well?


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Official poker runs (not the 'notta' variety) definitely require a Coast Guard permit. The thing about Coast Guard permits is the Coast Guard circulates that request for permit to a huge list of potentially 'interested' parties for comment prior to granting the permit. It's usually in the 'comment' period of the permit process where problems may arise. If some entity or person raises objections or concerns about the permit plan submitted by the poker run organizer, things can go downhill rapidly.

 

[twocents]

I think it was POPRA that came to havasu and ran some races several years ago (piggy backing on the Desert Storm Poker Run) at havasu. The course was set up outside of Thompson Bay and ran almost to copper canyon and back.

I remember Mike Defrees taking checkered flag with the CRC MTI, but don’t recall what year. 2010 or 11 maybe [emoji848]


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You are correct -- as a last ditch effort to keep POPRA going, the club did try to run a couple of races at Havasu (one was at the April Boat Show in 2010 or 2011 -- and there was one in Thompson Bay with pits at the Nautical about that same time). Unfortunately the club wasn't able to field enough boats to make a decent race and general interest in offshore was badly on the decline.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Well for one LOTO is way bigger than Havasu,

It is also an easy day's drive from several large population centers... Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville, ect...

 

[Uncle Dave]

Distance to a commercial airport, hotel rooms, restaurant capacity, Insurance.
Havasu just isn't ideal for a large event.

Even if it were you cant put on any kind of boating event in ANY official capacity without city/local permits and event insurance.

 

[Tank]

Havasu actually has a shit ton of events! Two poker runs, every west coast boating manufacturers regattas, ballon event, 4th of July fireworks, car shows, concerts. Shit, I think havasu actually has MORE events than LOTO. Not to mention the desert storm poker run set the bar for street fairs at LOTO. They only recently started doing that at LOTO. Brett and performance boat center is the huge driving force for events at LOTO. Before they started you had the shootout and that was it! Now they’re doing some type of run every weekend during the season. But this weekend was their last for the season. Now they’ll shut down where havasu has events all year long (car shows, desert runs, etc).

I love LOTO. Big fan. But I think havasu actually has more stuff going on throughout the year actually.

 

[twocents]

Unfortunately this year (2020) Arizona/Havasu went into the dumper on events. It is apparent that LOTO has much more relaxed rules and restrictions than Havasu when it comes to special events and crowds. Not that I'm counting, but, here's just a sample of what didn't go off -- 29th Annual Havasu Boat Show, Desert Storm/Monster Storm, Relics & Rods (Run to the Sun), London Bridge Days Parade, Run Havasu Marathon, Havasu Air Show, Havasu Palozza, Extreme Machines, Renaissance Faire, Sand-Water-RV Expo, traditional Halloween Street Party, and the Balloon Fest is already canceled for 2021. And this doesn't count many. many boat manufacturer regattas that didn't happen either. For a city that counts on tourism as one of its primary industries, this was a major hit. Now the question remains, how many of these events will attempt a comeback with such an unpredictable outlook for 2021.

 

[2Driver]

Unfortunately this year (2020) Arizona/Havasu went into the dumper on events. It is apparent that LOTO has much more relaxed rules and restrictions than Havasu when it comes to special events and crowds. Not that I'm counting, but, here's just a sample of what didn't go off -- 29th Annual Havasu Boat Show, Desert Storm/Monster Storm, Relics & Rods (Run to the Sun), London Bridge Days Parade, Run Havasu Marathon, Havasu Air Show, Havasu Palozza, Extreme Machines, Renaissance Faire, Sand-Water-RV Expo, traditional Halloween Street Party, and the Balloon Fest is already canceled for 2021. And this doesn't count many. many boat manufacturer regattas that didn't happen either. For a city that counts on tourism as one of its primary industries, this was a major hit. Now the question remains, how many of these events will attempt a comeback with such an unpredictable outlook for 2021.

They could have happened if the event organizers knew to put the word ”protest“ at the end of every event name.

All this stuff and the old days of racing gone by is disheartening to say the least. The things BITD has to do to pull off the desert races is making it more difficult as well, so I hear