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Simon Lovesey View Drop Down
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    Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 7:10am
So if we could have got the entry fee down to £40,  how many Bytes would have entered ?
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iiitick View Drop Down
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Posts: 478 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iiitick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 8:52am
Originally posted by Simon Lovesey

So if we could have got the entry fee down to £40,  how many Bytes would have entered ?

Good morning Simon. That is a hard question to answer of course. The problems of low turnout in the Byte class is more complicated than that. This is a personal opinion of course but I believe that minor classes need all the help they can get. Classes like Solo have critical mass and a wide range of competitor types so no problems there. As I have said before I like the idea of bringing smaller classes together and making a better event out of it. In order to get small class competitors to travel it has to be easy for them. Remember there are loads of sailors out there happily racing their mates on a Sunday afternoon at home clubs (I am one of them), why should they travel? My son had to take Friday off work, load up two boats, drive 150 miles, spend £85.00 on B&B, £69.00 on entry, pay for fuel etc. It was worth it for him as defending champion and for Rick who won but other competitors need all the encouragement they can get. Cheap fees may just be part of this encouragement.

I would add however that sailing politics in this country seem to discourage youth from the Byte class which limits its participants. However with the involvement of Hartley we hope for better things in the future.
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Do Different View Drop Down
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 9:16am
I would say the cost of entry is nearly the smallest expense of a weekend away; does ten pounds either really make any difference apart of course for being a handy stick to beat organisers with.

So long as broadly in line, the I only time I would complain about the cost of entry is when the organisers proved to be unhelpful, tight fisted or not doing their best to work around the conditions and put on some sort of racing.


Edited by Do Different - 30 Aug 14 at 9:17am
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iiitick View Drop Down
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Posts: 478 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iiitick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 10:14am
Originally posted by Do Different

I would say the cost of entry is nearly the smallest expense of a weekend away; does ten pounds either really make any difference apart of course for being a handy stick to beat organisers with.

So long as broadly in line, the I only time I would complain about the cost of entry is when the organisers proved to be unhelpful, tight fisted or not doing their best to work around the conditions and put on some sort of racing.
Why do you presume I am 'trying to beat the organisers'. I am trying to have a constructive discussion!

Sure things went wrong but life is like that. I still maintain that Sailfest is a good idea.
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Do Different View Drop Down
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 10:22am
Not you Itick in particular, a very general observation about entry fees. I was there last year and was very impressed by the helpful attitude of Simon and his team.

I as you, like the idea of multi class regattas for the more minority classes.
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winging it View Drop Down
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Posts: 3958 		Post Options Post Options   Quote winging it Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 10:41am
There used to be an event for single handers abover a certain PY called Billy No Mates.  It was great funa nd allowed for lots of like for like racing.

I've toyed with the idea of doing something similar at Hunts, called Billy Slow Mates, where you get classes such as Comets, Europes, Bytes, etc, that don't always have the numbers for big regattas, so they can enjoy either one start handicap racing, or simply one start racing if the particpants felt up to it.  You could include other slower classes like minisails and picos, but exclude those who have plenty of numbers already eg British Moths, Streakers, Lightnings etc.

Lastly, I'm about to go to Holland and take part in an event which is part of the Benelux skiff circuit.  Boats taking part will be all the usual such as RS trap boats, Vagos, MPS, vareos etc, but also some of the older classes like Iso, Buzz etc.  Why not a North, South, East and West event like this, with decent windward leeward racing?
the same, but different...

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Simon Lovesey View Drop Down
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Posts: 349 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Simon Lovesey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 10:45am
Originally posted by iiitick

Originally posted by Simon Lovesey

So if we could have got the entry fee down to £40,  how many Bytes would have entered ?

Good morning Simon. That is a hard question to answer of course. 
and so is organising events.

We endeavour to keep the entry fees to an affordable level and only look to cover the out of pocket costs of running the racing,  but costs of running a major coastal events are not cheap with things like ribs and fuel.   We also look to add value with things like coach support.  Would love to find the magic formula to lower these costs,  but given we need ribs for safety,  mark laying and coaching and hard to compromise here.
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Do Different View Drop Down
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 10:49am
Have fun in Holland; we love sailing with the Dutch  Hug

In general I think they seem to have a different setup. Not sailing clubs as we do putting on racing week in week out but sailing centres that offer teaching, boat storage and free sailing. They then appear to travel to regattas every few weeks as takes their fancy to get their racing. 
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winging it View Drop Down
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Posts: 3958 		Post Options Post Options   Quote winging it Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 11:11am
My partner is half Dutch so we actually go and sail there a lot.  Yes, the set up is different, as it is across most of Europe, but that's some thing that could start happening over here.

I organise a lot of events at our small club, and I know the costs and pitfalls pretty well.  My view is that for the smaller classes, organisations like Sailracer and the multiclass events they set up, will be key to their survival as classes that offer championships.  Multiclas events can offer a crucial financial safety net that small clubs cannot afford.  Certainly having hosted a few events this year where only a handful of boats have turned up makes you wary of doing so again.  Sailracer and the like can stomach a degree of loss knowing they may gain next time, whereas a smaller club cannot. Since the smaller classes cannot afford what the big clubs will charge, what alternative do they have?
the same, but different...

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Do Different View Drop Down
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 14 at 11:35am
As ever W.I. a lot of sense in what you say.

Exactly, the smaller classes cannot get a look in on their own at a prestige venue but with the help of some sort of umbrella organisation such as Sailracer they can and gain the fun of mixing it in a big fleet.

There are of course established open regattas that small classes can target to be on a ranking circuit or attend as a championship.


Edited by Do Different - 30 Aug 14 at 11:36am
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