Open Meetings

Originally posted by NickA I think our overheads are too big. They reckon £125 a day for use of ribs, then each volunteer ( RO, 2X aro, mark layers, safety boat) gets £40 knocked off their club fees. The ribs are expensive as the club bought several nice new ones with huge engines. If we don't use the "duty levy" system of club fee reduction it's reckoned no one will do any duties. Our club fees are expensive due to the club's 2/3 employees and a hefty rent to the lake owners (Severn Trent = grabbing barstewards with share holders to please) so a refund is nice to have. NB: open fees now £40 for a double hander for two days. But I just paid £50 for the Bala long distance ( includes a cut to the 3rd party event organisers I suppose).

Edited by Grumpycat - 02 Jun 22 at 10:28am

Originally posted by NickA I think our overheads are too big. They reckon £125 a day for use of ribs, then each volunteer ( RO, 2X aro, mark layers, safety boat) gets £40 knocked off their club fees. The ribs are expensive as the club bought several nice new ones with huge engines. If we don't use the "duty levy" system of club fee reduction it's reckoned no one will do any duties. Our club fees are expensive due to the club's 2/3 employees and a hefty rent to the lake owners (Severn Trent = grabbing barstewards with share holders to please) so a refund is nice to have. NB: open fees now £40 for a double hander for two days. But I just paid £50 for the Bala long distance ( includes a cut to the 3rd party event organisers I suppose).

Ah so it’s about the charging regime! Not the actual operating costs/break even point.

precisely - it should be a verified income stream.  Esp when the getting people to actually do duties is a problem - that resource is precious and shouldn't be squandered on non-members.... it's not like those travelling 100 miles are likely to join, unless they just happen to move to the area at some point in the future.

Originally posted by turnturtle BTW - impressed to see the numbers at the RS Aero Nationals ... excellent work given all the reasons in the world right now why we might not expect new classes to fair so well. They've even introduced a new rig size by the looks of it... RS Aero 6

I tend to agree that the present dinghy sailing demographic has a lot to do with falling attendances. Many, if not most, of us are getting quite long in the (few remaining) tooth and have 'been there, done that, worn the T-shirt' as far as trailing round the country and kipping in cars every other weekend is concerned. If, in reality, you are just going to make up the numbers the venue and craic have got to be so outstanding that the whole experience is enough of a treat to make you look forward to it for some weeks before. If the actual boat you are sailing is a bit of a 'chore' in anything other than ideal conditions, it makes it even less likely that you are going to travel, Add in the Windguru factor and clubs holding one-day opens (some of which now require paid pre-entry) are on to a hiding to nothing. The answer? Local circuits (decent sized catchment within 1 to 1.5hrs drive so hitch and go on the morning) with entry on the day, welcoming clubs and a sanguine attitude to poor attendances on the back of bad forecasts. Oh, yes.....and an influx of youngsters into dinghy sailing with the endless enthusiasm we had in our 20's and 30's. Two nights in Hotel Cortina, anyone?