It seems maybe some further clarification might be useful. My comments
are not negativity, but rather just reflecting where our program and
several others are at this point. We are not affiliated with any yacht
club or other wealthy organization, and our kids are typically raw
beginners who have come to our program as teenagers with no previous
sailing experience. So, a student who stepped into a boat for the first
time in their lives three weeks ago doesn't have National Championships,
US Sailing membership, and competing against year round programs with
paid coaches in mind.
I think it's great that those opportunities are out there for kids, but
we aren't there yet.
However, I think we should want to expand the sport so that kids like
ours might ultimately get there - maybe at the collegiate level and then
someday buying their own boat, etc. That means opening the "higher
level of competition" up to all kids. Maybe if we really want them to
have membership in US Sailing we could make the total fee for this
regatta $25 for high school sailors and they could come away with both
the experience of high level competition and membership in the
organization. Know also that operating a community based sailing
program takes hundreds of hours already, so every added complication
such as raising funds for one regatta, represents a formidable
challenge.
________________________________
From: Peter Shorett [mailto:pshorett at gvakm.com]
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 9:15 AM
To: Trunkey, Steve - CKJH; DB; PNW_V15
Subject: RE: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
I am a little surprised that there is such negative discussion on this.
The reason for encouraging teams to attend these types of events is to
raise the level of competition - to expose sailors to a higher level of
competition. Last year, we heavily promoted the V15 PCC's in the Gorge.
There were 20+ boats, with some of the best sailors in the area
competing and teams actually came up from California.
Having been to several HS National Championships myself and watching our
kids generally get clobbered (that's putting in mildly), teams in the NW
District have to expand their sailing horizons' from their local level.
There have been many great sailors pass through the ranks of the NW
District; they have all become great sailors by participating in
regattas that take them to the next level like NOOD (formerly SOCKS),
Sears Cup, Bemis, Laser NA's, etc.
Most all of your competition (every other HS outside of the NW District)
is doing this and more. Many schools have full time paid coaches, year
round sailing conditions and top cabin competition. Certainly the NW
District sailing program is much better off in terms of regatta
scheduling and clinics that it was 5 years ago, but if teams in the
District HS do not continue to embrace a greater playing field, then
development of the program will falter.
If its about $$'s, then consider contacting your local yacht club for
sponsorship (even if they are not a member), contact the Sailing
Foundation (I bet they would be willing to sponsor a kid who finds the
cost of entry prohibitive) or better yet, put it in your HS Sailing team
budget.
Hope to see you all there. And if you need a boat to sail, let me or
Burke know, he has a trailer load of them.
Peter
________________________________
From: pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org [mailto:pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org]
On Behalf Of Trunkey, Steve - CKJH
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 7:45 AM
To: DB; PNW_V15
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
I believe Matt is correct. Speaking for the Central Kitsap Team, I would
guess the difference would be somewhere between 0 and 6 boats from our
program. If it's expensive and requires membership in US Sailing we
likely won't be there. CK, like many of the high school programs, is a
community based program. We have kids from modest upbringings that
found even the $79 registration fee for 3 months of sailing expensive.
Some of these kids will catch the sailing fever, become successful
working adults, and eventually become leaders in the sailing community.
For now, we should be drawing them into the sport and making it
accessible.
As for the social ticket - it looks like a good deal for me personally,
but I'm not likely to take high school kids into the typical yacht club
social setting. We would race and head home and eat from our brown
bags.
-----Original Message-----
From: pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org [mailto:pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org
<mailto:pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org> ] On Behalf Of hebardmf at myuw.net
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 11:18 PM
To: Peter Shorett
Cc: pnw-v15 at myfleet.org
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
Uhh, did we need to be members to US Sailing for SOCKS last year? What
about the CGRA One-Design? CYC Seattle One-Design? Turkey Bowl? If we
did, I guess I owe someone some $$.... But all that is beside the point.
Here's the real issue for "the fleet":
Can the V15 fleet get 6 boats/skippers registered, who are members of US
Sailing, prior to April 28th (after the 28th there is a $50 late fee so
it becomes ridiculously expensive then) WITHOUT having to rely on High
School Sailors to be some of the 6 boats? If the V15 fleet can, then
MAYBE the V15s will have there own start. Or, maybe V15s will start with
another fleet (Tasars) and be scored separately. If the V15ers want to
be assured their own start, we need 10 boats registered. (This is all
from the NOR, paragraph 3.2). So, try to name 10 V15ers who will do this
regatta WITHOUT relying on the High School fleets (Orcas, Port Townsend,
Central Kitsap, Bainbridge, Friday Harbor, Port Angeles)...
1) Dean B.
2) Peter S.
3) Zig B.
4)?
5)?
6)?
7)?
8)?
9)?
10)?
Kinda hard, isn't it? I like Dean's approach: make it cheaper, somehow,
for the High School kids. That may make it more likely a fleet will form
in time. I frankly, don't know how many High School Sailors (i.e., those
involved in the NWISA circuit) are members of US Sailing. Maybe there
are more than I know, but I doubt it. I do know that it will be a tough
sell to get some families to fork over $25 for the Youth US Sailing
membership on top of an already hefty $75 entry fee for a TWO day event.
(Read the NOR, centerboard fleets are Sat. & Sun.).
This fleet relies on the High School crowd. We should advocate for them
as well.
________________________________
From: pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org [mailto:pnw-v15-bounces at myfleet.org]
On Behalf Of DB
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 3:11 AM
To: PNW_V15
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
According to the NOR, and dialogs I've had with race organizers, the 2
day format from SOCKS was going to be retained for the centerboard
classes in order to facilitate HS sailor schedules. Only keelboats
would sail for 3 days. The fact that the prices don't reflect this fact
strikes me as an oversight.
Dean
----- Original Message ----
From: Jim Lyle <jim at lylegroup.com>
To: DB <bergstro2 at yahoo.com>; PNW_V15 <pnw-v15 at myfleet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 9:10:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
Dean,
I understand your concern. However, a youth US Sailing membership is
only $25 and only the skipper needs to apply. If the youth wants to sail
in any US Sailing championship, including the local Junior Olympics in
August they will need to be members. For a three day event that makes
the entry and membership $100. No one would complain about 3 days of
golf costing that much. It's certainly cheaper than 3 days of snow
boarding. I'm not sure how you give 2 day pricing for a 3 day event.
I'm not involved with planning the event at all. But 3 days on the water
is not cheap and then throw in social events and $33 a day doesn't seem
unreasonable to me. I find it hard to go out to dinner for $33 per
person these days.
I'm completely with you that cost is something we need to work on to
promote our sport. But I'm afraid the days of $25 regattas have past -
right along with gas under $2/gallon.
Jim Lyle
----- Original Message ----
From: DB <bergstro2 at yahoo.com>
To: PNW_V15 <pnw-v15 at myfleet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 12:45:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
I would like to explore alternative pricing. I am drafting a letter to
the organizers expressing our concerns. I would like to offer pricing
alternatives. There are a few points that are particularly troublesome.
1. US Sailing membership - At most regattas, US Sailing membership is
not mandatory and can be applied towards a discount for those with
membership. Here it works the other way around and introduces
considerable expense.
2. 2 day pricing - It looks like the pricing schedule is for a 3 day
event.
3. Youth pricing - I would like to see a discount for youth and HS
sailors.
I'm going to send it off tomorrow morning. If you have any suggestions,
I would like to hear them.
Dean
----- Original Message ----
From: B&B Thomas <woodsong7 at centurytel.net>
To: hebardmf at myuw.net; DB <bergstro2 at yahoo.com>
Cc: PNW_V15 <pnw-v15 at myfleet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 9:09:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
That kind of entry fee for a two day regatta will make it very
difficult
for high school sailors to participate
Burke
----- Original Message -----
From: <hebardmf at myuw.net>
To: "DB" <bergstro2 at yahoo.com>
Cc: "PNW_V15" <pnw-v15 at myfleet.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Pnw-v15] Seattle NOOD Entry Form
> Hmm. So the regatta entry fee for me is $135.00 b/c I'm not a US
Sailing
> member....yet. Great.
>>> On Sat, 22 Mar 2008, DB wrote:
>>> Attached is the entry form for the Seattle NOOD. Can't wait to see
>> everybody out there.
>>>> Dean
>>>>>>>>________________________________________________________________________
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