Boat race weekends are a fun time.  Showing up at the race sight, greeting old racer friends, meeting new racer friends, seeing new boats and motors, it’s all part of the experience that keeps you coming back!

On race days, there are always spectators from the local town that come to see the sights and hear the sounds that are part of the racing spectacle.  Some are race fans that have there before and have come back for a day of thrills and excitement.  Many are first timers though, and they often stroll through the pits looking over the rigs and ask questions.  Usually the first question is:  “How fast does it go?”  Other questions include: “What’s the horsepower of your engine?  What kind of motor is that?  What kind of gas do you burn?”  It’s fun to interact with the people that come to races, and time permitting, let them know as much as you can about racing.  You never know which one you talk to that day may come back as a racer another day.

Sometimes you can tell the level of interest of a person by the number and type of questions they ask.  The ones that are more than casually interested usually get around to asking: “How much does a boat and motor like that cost?”  Since my racing equipment is stuff I have picked up from other racers and my boats are not of the latest design, I give them answers that are probably on the low end of the scale.  I quickly add that you can spend as little or as much as you want, depending on much you can afford, and how badly you want to run out front.

There are other costs involved beyond the boat and motor, such as the protective pants and sleeves, helmet, motor parts, overhauls, etc, and of course the endless search for the most perfect propeller of all time.  I usually don’t share these additional details simply because they may seem overwhelming to potential new racers, and its best to not scare them off at first.  But the fact remains, those of us who enjoy the sport are willing to exchange a portion our worldly wealth to race.  There is nothing that compares to the fun, thrills, and excitement of moving fast on the water on little more than a couple of carefully crafted thin sheets of plywood.  If you ever attend a race, you will see the spectrum of equipment:  those who race on a minimal budget, and those who are blessed with additional wealth and have extra funds for their racing equipment, boat trailer, and tow vehicle.

I sometimes personally struggle with where to draw the line on spending.  My wife prefers that I don’t scrimp on safety equipment, but beyond that she probably doesn’t understand the need to spend money to pursue an extra mile an hour.  So I have to sometimes check myself and ensure I keep everything in perspective. 

There are great words of wisdom in Matthew 6:19-21:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I need to keep this always in mind, not just concerning racing, but to keep all things in proper perspective and always focus on the eternal, not the temporary.

What is your perspective?  Where is your treasure?  All our earthly treasures will be left behind one day, and we’ll move on.  What will be waiting for us?