Everyday a customer buys an rc boat with absolutely no thoughts of ever racing competitively. Most don't even know there are organized rc boat racing events held in the USA. So if in the back of your mind, you might be interested in competing against other Rc boat enthusiasts, you have to ask yourself an important question. Will the rc boat your buying or building fit the guidelines of the rules laid out by the largest racing organizations, Namba or Impba? NAMBA, North American Model Boating Association A bit about NAMBA from their website, "NAMBA International is a non-profit association of radio-controlled model boat clubs. A President, Vice President, and a number of District Directors are elected by the members, and serve a two year term. The President also appoints knowledgeable chairmen in such areas as Electric, Offshore, Sport Hydro, Outboard, and Unlimited Hydro."
IMPBA, International Model Power Boat Association
A bit about IMPBA from their website, "The International Model Power Boat Association is a non-profit organization that was started in 1949 by a dedicated group of model boat enthusiasts. They created the organization to foster model powerboat building and to encourage and assist in the formation of clubs. We provide a uniform set of rules for racing and records. Go to an IMPBA event anywhere in the US and Canada, and you can expect racing rules and event rules to be consistent. We have 14 Districts and an additional District 21 established for everyone outside the US and Canada. +"
A bit about what these two organizations provide to the members.- These two organizations promote the sport of model boat racing in North America. Model boat racing involves the operation of radio-controlled model boats in competitive events. These events can take place on various bodies of water, such as lakes or ponds, and typically involve different classes or types of model boats.- They serve as the governing body for model boat racing in North America. They establish the rules, regulations, and standards for competitions, provides guidance and support to local clubs and racers, and organizes national and regional events.- These associations foster a community of model boat enthusiasts, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, techniques, and experiences related to model boat building, setup, racing and maintain a points system to rank racers and recognizes champions in different classes and categories.- They provide insurnace while racing, see more on their website.The most important factor will be the location of the individual clubs and races locations. For example, NAMBA is more local to OSE, so we race under the NAMBA rules. So jf you are interested in learning more, I recommend visiting their official website or reaching out to local model boat clubs in your area for more specific and up-to-date information. Or checking the OSE forum for racing and club info.
Below you will find links to rules and their websites.
NAMBALink to Namba website. PDF file containing the complete Namba Rule BookLink to Offshore Electrics Inc Forum Section for NAMBA Racing IMPBALink to IMPBA website. PDF file containing the IMPBA Electric RulesLink to Offshore Electrics Inc Forum Section for IMPBA Racing