It doesn’t necessarily depend on the level you race at be it club racing or major series events. Some racers don’t do anything until the week before the first race of the season. Others are in a constant planning and physically working on their equipment most of the year. A few are too busy with other activities and have to fit boat racing plans in their schedule when they can.
I found the biggest problem I had was work that needed to be done by others. (IE machine shop) Your work needs to fit into their schedule and many times there are delays. Finding good and dependable support can be a challenge.
I learned the costly hard way about making repairs at the race. Best solution was to just switch the complete faulty unit be it a powerhead or gearcase with a spare unit. Inspect the faulty unit when you get home.
This video talks about the race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxFcnDxEtFk