CLUB MANAGEMENT

We have about 8 a year, but ours have around 120-300 boats!

Our little puddle again. We have a core group of organisers who happen to do most of the racing, we have a large number of social sailors who are happy to potter. We are very aware that the committee are mainly racing members so have recently asked for comments etc from social sailors and would they like a representative on the committee. The silence was deafening not one single response from over 100 members. If you want to change things bring it up at the AGM or commit yourself to helping run the club. We struggle every year to find new people to join the committee and DO something to help. These clubs dont run themselves and its always the few who come forward for the benefit of the many. Sorry rant over

At my old club they used to try to only have an open on one sunday a month and tried to encourage opens on saturdays - the club was nearly always deserted on a sat.

This used to work reasonably well and on the days when club racing had to be run alongiside opens the open fleet would go out for a race at 11am.  The club fleet would then go our at 12 when they finished, use their start line and course so quick turnaround.  The open fleet would then go out for 2 back to back after this.  The club fleet then used the second committee boat to race in a restricted area for race 2 and then race 3 they would have the whole lake.  Very rarely had a problem with this system.

And yes I was on committee.  We did have a cruising member and a windsurfer on the committee too to try and get representation from non racers/sailors.  

Strangely enough this sounds quite like my club: Burghfield Sailing Club.

I'm on the sailing committee representing 'recreational sailors'  (those who are not much interested in racing) so I have an interest here.

We welcome people telling us what they want to see happening. We're also happy to get views from members by email (there's links to all of the committee members emails, including mine) on the website and we have club forums for people to express views and comments.

The newly organised Saturday afternoon social sailing (called the Admiral's Club, motto: fun sailing for all) has been set up specifically because many non-racng sailors wanted a bit more structure to help improve their sailing and get to know more people at the club, and have organised rescue cover in place.

There are a few Saturdays in the year when we have 'restricted casual sailing' because of open meetings, but there is still normally plenty of water to sail on (the foreshore does get crowded). We haven't increased the number of these days in the last two years that I've been involved.

Sundays are often busy - its the sign of a thriving club that we get many club boats out racing on sundays, but there's areas of lake to sail on away from the racers and they finish fairly early.

If it is BSC that Xpletive is conerned about, I can only ask that he contacts me or one of the committee members via the website lnks,

Cheers,

Jay

At my club. I head the sailing committee and I sit on the executive committee. I can't honestly say I'm the best person for the job or that I particularly wanted it. But I do have a passion for sailing - my sailing and everyone else's and noone else volunteered. Mug? Maybe but at least the job gets done. Xpletive, it is very easy to sit on the sidelines snipe at those who are doing their best and claim that you are just "not suited to organisational work". The only way you will change your club is from within. Every year your club officers stand for election and a majority at the AGM vote them in. Their plans might not suit you and you may think that the quorum at the AGM does not represent the body of the club. That's democracy for you. Those voters at the AGM have sufficient interest to get involved. It seems you are merly interested in yourself!