Are you a member of a class association?

I have paid £15 to the 2000 class association.  I don't expect to get to many events but part of the website is memers only content and I wanted to access that.  I think it's good value.

I paid £10 to the cvrda which as I understand it goes to the upkeep of the website - it is a primarily web based organisation - and it is again very good value.

For me good, up to date information online and readily accessible is key.

Whether a class has an extant CA is a huge factor in the second-hand value of boats, so it makes sense for every boat owner to join the CA.

I am a member of 2 class associations, Solo and Scorpion, and I have always been a member of whatever class of boat I have at the time. This has nothing to do with attending open meetings or championships, although that is important to me, chiefly its to do with supporting the class for which I have an active interest and a financial investment.

For the majority of classes the association is the only body investing in the future, keeping an open meeting circuit going, policing the rules and generally publicizing the class.

Every bit of support that a class association can get is always useful, both financial and in terms of time and effort. I have sat on 2 different class committees and understand both the frustrations and satisfactions of doing so, and I always admire those who give much larger chunks of their time than I was able, the majority for no reward and at personal expense (although many are offered expenses they are usually declined).

Class subs are usually a miniscule proportion of what we invest in our boats, and yet an active class can ensure value is retained in the boat itself, for me this alone justifies the £20-25 a year, although as already said there are many other benefits too.

Regarding 'members only web content, I see it as a balance between a few members you might gain who want the content and are prepared to pay for it, vs giving the class a good image and maybe attracting people to buy the boat.
A dead looking website does not sell the class, so if much of the good stuff is members only, it's an uphill struggle to promote the class. I'd say don't do it unless you have plenty of web content for the general public.
There may be internal debates on the forum which would be best not public, but such things tend to leak out anyway, from my non-sailing experience.

In my view, if you (or the owner etc) don't join the CA, you are as much out of class as if you have replica sails.