Class Politics Help Grow the Class?

[Rob B]

We are hosting our first District Laser event. The registration has been higher than expected with 45 boats confirmed, (both on-line and verbal) and a total turn out of 50 expected. One of the things I'm doing is giving folks the chance to join the class by putting it in as a line item on the on-line and hard copy registration forms. So far I've had 5 "takers". Anyone else have any luck trying this?

 

[gouvernail]

Regatta host membership collection is one of the classes best tools. When the class makes an honest effort to support local hosts, the hosts feel obligated to do the right thing and collect and foreword class membership funds.
The record collection for the Easter Laser Regatta was in 1993. I wrote a check for more than $500 to cover the cash payers memberships and sent another 27 individual and family checks.
To earn my loyal service, Allan and Jocelyn had sent me address labels for District 15 and the nearby districts, address labels for 500 participants in the Grand Prix, a print out of regatta hosting guidelines, an envelope full of membership forms and bumper stickers, a stack of newsletters and their personal phone numbers if I needed further help.
They also ran an NOR in the newsletter and had included my event on the class calendars for the entire previous year.

The above may resemble a lot of effort but, 2% of the entire 1993 NA Class membership signed up at my regatta. The time spent supporting the Easter event was certainly not 2% of the entire class office regatta support time for the year.

OK everybody has seen this coming from way off>>


The pitch>>

If you are hosting an event get help. The class secretaries can help you if they search for you and ask what you want. You can quit playing hide and go seek and tell them who you are and what help you want.
They can do a lot more if you simply save them a lot of wondering and ask for help.

The class database can spit out:
1. lists of addresses for any region you describe.
2. lists of email addresses for any region you describe

3. The grand prix standings are tied to the membership base and they can belch out lists of contact information for the sailors with the most points, the sailors who enter the most regattas and the sailors who have Radials, full rigs and 4.7.
4. All the advdrtisers are in the database. You can look for sponsors among those who have merchandise they want to sell to Laser sailors.


IN 2002 the class officers were not satisfied that we could do all of the above except belch out email addresses. The officers knew how important it was to put every possible bit of enformation about any sailor who might even possibly come to an event in the hands of regatta and fleet organizers. We spent $3000 in 2002 to upgrade the database so that it could be put on line and operated by ANY authorized person from anywhere in the world. We spent $3000 and that system was fully tested and fully operational when I passed it to James Appel. We used Access and Frontpage and set up a hell of a system. All James had to do was enter the information as he entered renewal memberships and update the information away from the Austin office on a new class secure server.
I am certain the system is still there somewhere. (If it is not, Ryan Minth said in 2002 he could have set up the entire system in a morning. I am certain e could re do the system even faster today.) I am not aware whether anyone has had the time or authorization to put the information on line again. Regardless, on nline or not, the database and the information exist. Just ask for the information you want!!

The class loves membership dollars!! The officers and employees love to help make regattas better. Just let them know what you think you want.

Hint: While you are at it. Ask what THEY think you ought to want. They do this stuff every single day. You will get a better view if you stand on their shoulders.
Last: When you see the Full page Ad for the Easter Laser Regatta in the Winter Laser Sailor, stop reading for a moment, and register for the event.

As part of my end of the 10 year advertising deal, I will be collecting dues on site from all those who have not already joined the class.

 

[dyzzypyxxy]

I thought it was the job of the District reps to collect membership dues at the District Championships.

Do you really think that regatta organizers should burden themselves with the duty of collecting money for the Class they are hosting?

Our club hosted a big Opti gig this summer and the Opti Class reps certainly held up their end by taking care of their own membership dues.

Besides, having a Class rep at the registration table of a District event is just good PR. This class could use a stiff dose of PR, imho.

 

[gouvernail]

I thought it was the job of the District reps to collect membership dues at the District Championships.

.

Nobody gets paid to collect memberships and no one has been paid since the old days when we thought it was a cood thing to ahve a secretary who operatred on a commision pay basis.

 

[Rob B]

There's 2 kinds of people. 1)-Those who complain and expect someone else to fix it. 2)- Those who try to make things better through actions.

dyzzy, which kind are you??? Based on your single post jab I already have my opinion.

 

[Merrily]

I thought it was the job of the District reps to collect membership dues at the District Championships.

Do you really think that regatta organizers should burden themselves with the duty of collecting money for the Class they are hosting?

Our club hosted a big Opti gig this summer and the Opti Class reps certainly held up their end by taking care of their own membership dues.

Besides, having a Class rep at the registration table of a District event is just good PR. This class could use a stiff dose of PR, imho.

The District rep "job" can be anything the rep wants it to be. As far as having a Class rep at the registration table of a District level event, this District 18 secretary is sailing the event, and she has little time to sit at a table. It's mandatory to be a class member to sail at a district Grand Prix/Championship, so the organizers just view it as part of the honor of putting on the regatta. I don't know why that would be funny.

 

[Rob B]

Back to being constructive. Our district opens our "district" series events to anyone who wants to sail. However, we only score ILCA members for the championship series awards. I think it brings more sailors to the events and once they see what's going on they are more inclined to join the class and be an "offical" part of all the fun. My result from this weekend? I put the onus on myself to try and get new members by including it on our registration form. Anyone that checked the box indicating they wanted to join I then filled out a class registration form for them and attached it to their registration package. When they checked in at the regatta all they had to do was write a check to our club and one to ILCA. We pulled in 6 new members from our event last weekend. We had a total of 56 sailors show up, (there are only 86 ILCA members in our district, well now there are 92). The participation was awsome and a great way to end our year. I hope the "mo" carries into 2007.

 

[dyzzypyxxy]

When I was a District rep I organized, hosted and sailed in District Champ regattas every year. Invariably, local people with Lasers would show up on the day of the event wanting to just go sailing with our group.

I must admit that I lacked the moral fortitude to ask some 18-yr. old for an extra $35 (which was the going rate then for Class membership) when I knew darn well that one of two things would happen:

1. they would turn around and go home because of lack of enough funds and be disappointed that they couldn't sail, and we were trying to rip them off. Great PR for the Laser Class.

2. they would pony up, sail the regatta but feel ripped off because that was very likely the only time they would race their Laser that year. Thus instead of the $20 or $30 entry fee, they have paid $55 or $65 for one regatta. Think they'll be back next year?

Our policy, which I discussed with my fellow district sailors, was to let these people sail the first time they showed up, but also let them know that they really SHOULD join the Class. then if they showed up again the next year, no qualms about standing firm on Class membership.

Nowadays, I belong to a club that hosts a lot of these types of regatta. May I correct Merrily, in saying that the Class is in a begging position in getting clubs to host regattas, not "honoring" the club with their regatta.

We're a volunteer-run club without a professional Race Manager so everything is done by club volunteers to run any regatta. We do registration and scoring, we do RC and organize protest committees, we set marks, we organize food and supply powerboats manned by volunteers for RC, mark setting and safety. We absolutely do NOT collect any Class memberships. We are doing a lot of other work to run the regatta and we are volunteers for our club, not for the Class. The District reps and elected Exec are the Class's volunteers. It is their job to grow the Class.

Let me say, though, that the idea of the regatta organizer to make the Class dues payable by anyone who pre-registers, either online or by mail, is excellent as long as he is willing to be responsible for getting the money and member info he collects to the Class. Sounds like one more volunteer chore to me.

People who pre-register for a Laser regatta are not the people I outlined above. In my experience, Laser sailors are notorious for NOT pre-registering, though. Last Laser event we hosted, we had 16 pre-reg's Friday night and ended up with 60 boats Saturday morning.

Sorry about the tirade. Hope it changed Rob's opinion of me.

dyzzy

 

[Merrily]

I had 3 clubs competing to hold the District Championship this year, so I don't have any experience with begging. More of being feted! District 18--Indiana, Ohio, western Pennsylvania and Kentucky--the place to be! And the organizers were happy to sign people up for their district memberships with great positive attitudes, as well.

Rob B, we don't get a lot of pre-registration either, but what a great idea to add a class membership option to the form.

 

[Rob B]

When I was a District rep I organized, hosted and sailed in District Champ regattas every year. Invariably, local people with Lasers would show up on the day of the event wanting to just go sailing with our group.

I must admit that I lacked the moral fortitude to ask some 18-yr. old for an extra $35 (which was the going rate then for Class membership) when I knew darn well that one of two things would happen:

1. they would turn around and go home because of lack of enough funds and be disappointed that they couldn't sail, and we were trying to rip them off. Great PR for the Laser Class.

2. they would pony up, sail the regatta but feel ripped off because that was very likely the only time they would race their Laser that year. Thus instead of the $20 or $30 entry fee, they have paid $55 or $65 for one regatta. Think they'll be back next year?

Our policy, which I discussed with my fellow district sailors, was to let these people sail the first time they showed up, but also let them know that they really SHOULD join the Class. then if they showed up again the next year, no qualms about standing firm on Class membership.

Nowadays, I belong to a club that hosts a lot of these types of regatta. May I correct Merrily, in saying that the Class is in a begging position in getting clubs to host regattas, not "honoring" the club with their regatta.

We're a volunteer-run club without a professional Race Manager so everything is done by club volunteers to run any regatta. We do registration and scoring, we do RC and organize protest committees, we set marks, we organize food and supply powerboats manned by volunteers for RC, mark setting and safety. We absolutely do NOT collect any Class memberships. We are doing a lot of other work to run the regatta and we are volunteers for our club, not for the Class. The District reps and elected Exec are the Class's volunteers. It is their job to grow the Class.

Let me say, though, that the idea of the regatta organizer to make the Class dues payable by anyone who pre-registers, either online or by mail, is excellent as long as he is willing to be responsible for getting the money and member info he collects to the Class. Sounds like one more volunteer chore to me.

People who pre-register for a Laser regatta are not the people I outlined above. In my experience, Laser sailors are notorious for NOT pre-registering, though. Last Laser event we hosted, we had 16 pre-reg's Friday night and ended up with 60 boats Saturday morning.

Sorry about the tirade. Hope it changed Rob's opinion of me.

dyzzy

OK. I agree with a lot of your post and our club is all volunteer as well, but we do like to host events. It's good for the club in a lot of ways. Pre-Reg's is difficult w/the Laser crowd. I just kept pushing and ended up w/44 pre-registered with 12showing up on Sat AM. I really used the internet and our D12 e-mail list to push the event. Every time my budget would allow for more goodies like music, beer, or free T's I would let the whole district know. I'm not sure if this drove up the participation or not. As for the registration forms collected I'm just stufing an envelope and sending it to the class. It's not much work.

For a 2 day, one night event this was not a lot to organize, (it's the first one I've organized) but I can imagine it gets way more involved for larger, multiple evening events and more expensive!