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RS400atC View Drop Down
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    Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 10:28am
Originally posted by fab100

Originally posted by RS400atC

I'm put off buying another RS boat by the association, Portland and very sparse calendars for the singlehander classes other than the Aero.

The 100 class decided that one event a month is about right, April to October. We are a bit light on that this year, but I think that's a post-covid artefact

7 events, of which some will be places I really don't want to go, some will be OK places but a long way away. Some will inevitably clash with something. How many events are guaranteed to be W/L courses? How many of those events are compromised for your fleet because it's a multi-fleet event and the organisers have limitations?  It's not a stunning 'business case' for spending five grand on a boat.
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fab100 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1005 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fab100 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 10:10am
Originally posted by Paramedic

 
The post about WPNSA is interesting, it seems people absolutely love it or simply cant stand it. One overwhelming thing in its favour is race management standard and equipment, for which you pay a premium. There just doesnt seem a happy medium between the facility which some dont like and the members club with often the odd race management quirk.

As it happens, biggest race management farrago we ever had at a nationals was at WPNSA
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fab100 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1005 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fab100 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 10:07am
Originally posted by RS400atC

I'm put off buying another RS boat by the association, Portland and very sparse calendars for the singlehander classes other than the Aero.

The 100 class decided that one event a month is about right, April to October. We are a bit light on that this year, but I think that's a post-covid artefact
Great book for Club Sailors here
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hotpunter View Drop Down
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Posts: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Quote hotpunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 9:04am
At least from a class point of view, open event venues and their costs can be reviewed and discussed through class groups. Changes to future calendars then made if the class wants to remain active and keep attendance. (all good in theory) but something healthy classes seem to manage.

As for mixed opens, just a case of long standing events and what each club wants (or has) to charge to make it work. Whether that’s £50 or £120 or whatever, if the experience is good and relative then it was worth it. But if parties outside of the host club are adding a cost for little to no benefit, then it shouldn’t be a surprise that those events are struggling. Most will accept a higher entry cost from a hard working member driven club, not so much when near 30 - 40% of the entry fee leaves with a 3rd party when the doors shut.
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RS400atC View Drop Down
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Posts: 3011 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 8:49am
You've also got the barrier of CA membership.

 
That's not expensive if you get some coaching and several events out of it, but it's a significant wedge added to one event.      
 
 
I'm put off buying another RS boat by the association, Portland and very sparse calendars for the singlehander classes other than the Aero.
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Mozzy View Drop Down
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Posts: 209 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Mozzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 8:07am
Originally posted by A2Z

Originally posted by Mozzy

Originally posted by ClubRacer

£50 for a 2 day event?! Sounds like a bargain. RS want £120 for a 2 day event down in Weymouth

Yeah... for the most part I don't believe entry fees are the big put off. Certainly if I believe it will goes to well deserving club.

You say this as a front of fleet sailor with something to get out of the event. Would a mid-fleet/back marker feel the same?  

We can’t get 2/3rds of our home fleet to pay £15 for our home open meeting - why would they when they know they won’t win and can race for free every other weekend?

Yeah, I take that point. But if people are not willing to pay £15 for a home open meeting, then perhaps they are just not in the market to be buying that product. At the end of the day, some people don't want what is being offered. If you made the event free then there still would be people who don't turn up, because they just aren't bothered about racing against different people / higher standard or they are just not in a life situation where they can carve out days in the diary for sailing and instead can only sail when other life commitments allow (regardless of cost). 

Even myself, I did opens back in the day in 200s, then stopped. It was never the entry cost that was the tipping factor though, it was the time involved and the quality of racing / social (I felt I could get better racing / social not travelling). Lowering the entry fees wouldn't have kept me on the 200 circuit. 

However... at £60 a day for a two person boat... that would start to cause me second thoughts as it suddenly becomes markedly more expensive than other hobbies. At that point you're not just putting off local boats, but also the diehards. 
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Paramedic View Drop Down
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Posts: 929 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Paramedic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 22 at 6:48am
Originally posted by Grumpycat

Or maybe just less people sailing fireballs ? 
Has their class membership fallen at the same rate as attendance at the nationals ? Certainly the Fireball class at Draycote is a shadow of what it was in the 1990s.

The guys that were sailing Fireballs in the 90's are now 25+ years older and the younger generation are - with one or two exceptions - sailing something else. The Enterprise has gone through the same thing, though its maybe coming back a bit at championship level it's still best described as hanging on at open meeting level, certainly in the midlands.

The post about WPNSA is interesting, it seems people absolutely love it or simply cant stand it. One overwhelming thing in its favour is race management standard and equipment, for which you pay a premium. There just doesnt seem a happy medium between the facility which some dont like and the members club with often the odd race management quirk.


Edited by Paramedic - 29 Jun 22 at 6:51am
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fab100 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1005 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fab100 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 10:47pm
Our 100 nats this year are at the ‘orrible soulless 1970’s reminiscent municipal facility that is WPNSA this year. Entry fee 50% above Brixham YC’s last year and double Porthpean (who bring you proper Cornish pasties between races) pre-covid. To spend 4 days at a place built for the olympics with too small changing rooms with no ventilation, all concrete and no greenspace and a far too long beat back if they actually let you out into the bay. Over-priced sh1t beer in squishy plastic glasses. Nowhere appealing to stay. I loathe the place and am only going very reluctantly and force majeur is usually my only reason to miss a 100 meeting. Weymouth Olympic Week, off the beach used to be OK, back in the day. Castle Cove, lovely club. WPNSA, yuk. I wonder why our entries are under half of last year?
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Grumpycat View Drop Down
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Posts: 497 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Grumpycat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 10:46pm
Originally posted by A2Z

Take the Fireball as an example.  Once upon a time there were regularly over 100 boats at the nationals. Since 2000 the numbers have continued to decline, from 80, to 70, 60, 50, 40 and now about 30. That means every year several more boats decide they won’t bother again next year.  Why is that?  Not enough time? Not enough money?  Not enough fun?  Not enough prestige?   

Or maybe just less people sailing fireballs ? 
Has their class membership fallen at the same rate as attendance at the nationals ? Certainly the Fireball class at Draycote is a shadow of what it was in the 1990s.
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fab100 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1005 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fab100 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 22 at 10:27pm
Originally posted by Do Different

davidyacht. The voice of reason.  

Good lord. David print this and put it in your scrapbook, surely no one’s ever said that before😳
Great book for Club Sailors here
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