BMW Entrys

[Guest]

Well said SD, There are some very hardworking Volunteers who have put heaps of time into what has potential to be a huge regatta but it won't be because of the unfathomable attitude of some people to the organizers/sponsors. We tried to lobby the Sport boats to get a fleet but there is a residule attitude that the BMW was setup to screw over the Bayweek. Quite the opposite is true in fact the committee contacted Ray Hasler before the regatta was formed and worked with him to find a format that would complement the Bay. Ray was pleased that there was another regatta to do (he does't compete up north due to his busy role) with the opinion the more yachting to do the better. BMW had it's origins in the BBYC's Motuhie Is regatta which was formed at the same time as the Bay week and was going to be based around a beach party at Motuhie.

On this thread there has already been a comment as to the difficulty in having friday included....Bay Week= Wed, Thurs, Fri + delivery up and down so don't feed me that BS.

What about "I don't think I will enter because there is not many boats"...It doesn't take a genius to figure the flaw in that logic.....

 

BMW has been a very generous and highly professional sponsor and brings the opportunity for going on to an international regatta (which they have every right to specify the elegibility as they pay the $$$) the requirements of which is irrelavant to the main regatta if you choose.

 

Maybe next year it will be the Burger King Regatta and there will be lots of entries due to the sponsor appealling more to the Yachties' as their demographic.

[Guest]

Dunno if you guys are aware, there's been an earthquake in NZ somewhere (google it) That on top of an economic depression will mean the chances of any event, sporting or charitable (outside earthquake recovery) finding sponsorship in the future about zero.

 

So go ahead, bag BMW, next year you'll be moaning about the lack of regatta racing in NZ.

 

Frankly I'm surprised they are still there.

 

I think it is great that BMW are underwriting two Auckland regattas. Big ups to them and the other sponsors. Many of whom regularly support our sport.

 

The way I see it there are two regattas;

 

The first one is an open regatta with some great sponsorship support.

(And a lot of effort from the regatta management team)

 

The second regatta is an invitation only regatta. Paid for by BMW.

The eligibility rules reflect the type of regatta they want to run and ultimately they type of team they want to send on to their 'top regatta'.

Pretty simple isn't it?

BMW are in the business of selling cars, not nappies.

 

P.S. Squid you seem to be in a bad mood, did you miss a sale on the weekend or something?

[Guest]

Last time I checked we all steadily grow older.

 

People who are under 25 will undoubtedly end up being over 25 (if they don't die in the interim).

 

If the rationale is the target market is over 25s it seems to me shortsighted to not allow the participation of younger yachtspeople. The alternative is to involve them, expose them to the brand, allow them to form a positive brand association. It seems likely that even if it is true that under 25s don't buy BMWs that in a few years they would then be more likely to aspire to and even perhaps purchase BMWs.

 

Not the best piece of thinking I've ever seen, if the under 25's don't buy BMWs was in fact that rationale behind the rule.

 

I wouldn't mind asneaky fiver on something to do with not wanting to be seen to be promoting binge drinking amongst teenagers and young adults as perhaps having something to do with it... (not saying I think that is a good or bad reason - just putting it out there that that angle might have been a factor).

[Guest]

Well said Grunta.

 

All I can say, as a volunteer who will be on the water doing stuff in the event, is that I hope a lot more sailors pull their collective fingers out and enter.

 

Otherwise BMW will stop sponsoring thevent and bail.

 

I thought that the wednesday night warriors would be champing at the bit to do some sailing that does not involve going up and down the ditch (or river). If that's not the case well sailing in NZ is going down the toilet big time.

[Guest]

We talked about it. Just no 'hook' for us hence the right buttons aren't being pushed. Nothing that specific to pin it on really.

 

But this year, for us specifically, we are already nursing the boat very heavily and the BMW would be the 4th regatta/all weekenders in as many weeks for most of us, 2 of us have done even more.

 

We have nothing against it and after the way too long overdue rebuild has happened it was one on our look harder at list.

 

The invitation thing wasn't in the mix when we discussed it but I would suggest it does take remove the one big point of difference that sets it apart from any other regatta. If BWM want to do that it's fine as they are being nice enough to put the yards in in the 1st place, so we don't have any problem with that bit really. Certainly knot with the 25yo bit, being a boat load of shiny or silver tops that we are.

 

May I suggest timing could be part of it? March is chocker with lots of good shite so that sure wouldn't help. Just a thought.

[Cameron 75]

I think BMW has been a fantasic supportive sponsor and Auckland Yachties and to a lessor degree the clubs haven't done enough in return.

 

You don't have to go buy a BMW...just race your yacht ! In theory thats why you own it anyway!

 

Forget some of the issues in regards to progressing to the BMW Cup and concentrate on the open regatta. There is no reason why it can't be as good as Bay of Islands Regatta...after all they don't have a follow regatta anyway.

 

There is no reason for Bucks and Squaddy members not to know about the event but have we really tried to ensure Ponce, Richmond and Akarana members also join in ?

 

As far as the under 25 rule... I suspect BMW wants the teams to represent the best of the typical regular crew makeup...not a team of Hotshots assembled to take it out. So NZ might not win... but who ever goes on will give it their best shot and enjoy an experience they would never normally get.

[Get Wet 0]

Correct me if my memory is a bit faded but I seem to recall the first BMW Regatta in 2008 as being aimed at the owner/driver with no ring-in hotshot crews, unlike many National comps. This was what made it an attractive and enjoyable event to compete in with 100+ entries. But since then it has been almost turned on its head with last years cup winners a classic example being a virtual professional team.

 

At least the cup entry invitation is now transparent, with entries racing for the right reasons other than to be in the cup.

 

But I still fail to understand the 25yr cutoff though and wonder if they will renounce a boats results if one of the crew was born on 21st March 1986?

Will look forward to the organisers reasoning for this.

[Marshy 30]

As much as anything it is probably donw to cut off the many sailors that should be nominated as "Professional" and manage to sneak in as Amatuers because they are "Youth" sailors. So i dont necissarily disagree with it. Agree with what Cameron is saying regarding boats. If other boats our size showed any interest i would be out there in a flash, But sadly the two SR's that were all cocked for it are not going now, Unless something changes and one may still pop out.

[PaulR 3]

What is the $10 per crewmember for

 

What happens if you get an extra crew member Thursday night

 

Are you now in a position to be ommitted from results, protested out or totally disquallified

 

Are late fees payable for that extra crew member

 

Are refunds available if you have paid for a crew member who does not end up sailing with you

 

It all seems a little difficult and complicated.

 

Putting a S34 hat and shirt on, with oposition brand Hyundai emblazoned on the mainsails and spinnakers would be interesting, and may certainly exclude BMW Cup invitations even if a S34 won the open regatta.

 

S34's would have problems deciding to enter as a class or as "Modern Classics".

 

Another problem is that it would be terribly crass to ask Hyundai to pay the entries fdor a BMW event.

 

So I believe there won't be many S34's entered.

 

Now open to receive invitations to crew as I am available for all days but this will be my 6th weekend out of 7, racing all weekends, like KnotMe.

[Guest]

Paddy - did I really sound that grumpy? Better have another Mount Gay and see if I improve.

 

You know in many ways you are all correct, It's BMW's regatta and they can do what they want with it.

But if they put on an event that isn't of particular interest to a lot of people, then attendance will slip and eventually they will go away. Alternatively if they put on an event that captures people's imagination entries will grow and everyone will be happy.

 

It's just that I think these changes are leading them down the first path, so think of it as constructive criticism. In this case I really do hope I'm wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And stop telling people they have to get out and race. They can do what they want with their boats. The idea is to produce an event they'll want to participate in, then problem solved.

[johnk 0]

As a competitor and a sponsor in every BMW regatta I read this thread and shake my head. Here we have a group of sponsors in these difficult financial times putting up around the $100k+ mark for an event in the 'City of Sails" and all a majority of you can do is find reasons to complain and reasons not to attend

 

Any other sport would jump at that level of support , not bag the event and therefore the sponsor on line and certainly not criticise their decsion to align the event to their target market. You might think you are or about to become their target market but their research says otherwise but hey this is crew.org expert in all matters

 

What should have happened is the events that have been on over the last few weekends and will be on over the weeks after ( and i wont name any to be fair to them ) should should have considered joining the event and building it and their profile

 

At BOI several classes made the regatta either a nationals or a north island champs

 

I will predict that when inevitably the sponsor finds another more grateful audience ( probably next year) that those who bemoan the event here will in 3 years time be the very ones lamenting its demise

I suggest that unless you want to see the event disappear off the calendar you get in and support it even if you have raced 4 or 6 of the last few weekends, do just one day , race short handed in the cruising division, form a 2 handed division, or race with a mate so he/she has crew

 

The other piece of logic i find strange is that you wont asupport the one event that has the potential to grow into a major event but are willing to support club type events that will survive anyway because they have year on year and dont rely on a sponsor, maybe those events should merge into the regatta

 

What upsets me most is the sensles bagging of the event and the sponsors ( by inference ) and the second guessing their motives and the pathetic excuses being offered for not going

[Get Wet 0]

JohnK does have a point that organising a Regatta of this size is not an easy or cheap task, so BMW should be congratulated on that rather than chastised. As said before, the Regatta seems well planned it is just the cup entry & age limit that seems to have kicked up the fuss.

 

Current low entry numbers could also be due to the number of recent events and future ones. But has this regatta been noted to the other clubs that Cameron mentioned?

 

I recalled this other upcoming event, complete with the entry form http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/Online-Entry-forms-for-the-Clash-At-The-Cove-Regatta-available-here/80865

No follow on event but looks like a good time.

 

The Pons also has their Kawau weekend on same time so the calendar is fairly full. Do they talk to each other?

[johnk 0]

get wet

that is the one point that perhaps could have been improved slightly,

 

perhaps each year they should have added two or three new clubs clubs, (say) RAYC, PHYC and PCC in year 2 and then PYBC, GHYC and RYC in year 3 and this year maybe a couple of small boat clubs

invite them to join the organising authority but as a condition they must agree not to hold racing in the 2 weeks before and the week after the regatta. in that way the clubs boats could be made ready and would be busting to race, and the clubs would all work to a common goal

[Guest]

Good post JohnK.

 

From where I sit this bit make a massive amount of sense and would guarantee our arrival 100% for sure. I would be thinking it would do the same for a huge number of boats.

 

What should have happened is the events that have been on over the last few weekends and will be on over the weeks after ( and i wont name any to be fair to them ) should should have considered joining the event and building it and their profile

For example there is zero reason the event we are in all this weekend couldn't be part of the BWM Series, the format and race area are almost identical. Nor the event we did last weekend thinking about it, again a very similar format. That's a potential few dozen odd boats.

 

But that's for all the Clubs to sit down and thrash out I suppose. I'd be willing to shout the meeting beers of they did...... and did so more regularly over the entire calendar. The conflicts all season must surely be entry number negative to a lot of events.

 

Then again this one does have a lot of merits also -

The idea is to produce an event they'll want to participate in, then problem solved.

 

As a FYI to those interested - The only place I've seen anything about this years BMW Series is here on Crew. Not a dickey bird from any other place and I do get lots of stuff from other places. It may just be me but if it's knot that wouldn't help.

[Guest]

What should have happened is the events that have been on over the last few weekends and will be on over the weeks after ( and i wont name any to be fair to them ) should should have considered joining the event and building it and their profile

 

At BOI several classes made the regatta either a nationals or a north island champs

 

That is 1001% on the money. One rolls their eyes why some classes pass up the chance to embed their nats in a well organised well sponsored regatta that would give them plenty of profile/exposure and enhance the opportunity to attract division sponsorship and opt for sailing in the middle of nowhere all weekend with no one else in sight.

 

IMHO too many people see a sponsorship request as a charity hand out rather than a reciprocal arrangement.

 

Ignore the "It's not for me so I'll bag it" brigade you fellas.

[Guest]

But that's for all the Clubs to sit down and thrash out I suppose. I'd be willing to shout the meeting beers of they did...... and did so more regularly over the entire calendar. The conflicts all season must surely be entry number negative to a lot of events.

 

If, as a member of a class association, you sit back and wait for a club to advance your interests (some clubs in particular come to mind) I think you'll be waiting for a long time, particularly if it involves losing an event to another club's regatta.

 

Association committees (who are much less conflicted and don't have to juggle multiple objectives and therefore comprimise compared with clubs) just need to grunt up, take the bull by the horns and do what's best for the members and participants and not sit around and wait for others to make it happen for them KM!

 

OK so three days isn't for everyone. Work it out for two!

[Bogan 8]

Drums of time is entered, and if hard labor is entering that makes at least six 1020s. I'd like a few more of the mid-tier boats, but am looking forward to the weekend.

 

Don't care about the subsequent regatta entry, just thank the sponsors for making the regatta happen.

[Guest]

To true Wineglass.

While I'm knot on any Assoc committee I certainly will suggest and encourage that very scenario to those it does concern.

[PaulR 3]

As a competitor and a sponsor in every BMW regatta I read this thread and shake my head. Here we have a group of sponsors in these difficult financial times putting up around the $100k+ mark for an event in the 'City of Sails" and all a majority of you can do is find reasons to complain and reasons not to attend

 

Any other sport would jump at that level of support , not bag the event and therefore the sponsor on line and certainly not criticise their decsion to align the event to their target market. You might think you are or about to become their target market but their research says otherwise but hey this is crew.org expert in all matters

. . . .

What upsets me most is the sensles bagging of the event and the sponsors ( by inference ) and the second guessing their motives and the pathetic excuses being offered for not going

 

I've just been playing with the number of entries as per BMW Regatta web info. (Spreadsheet attached)

 

If as you say "$100k+ mark",

 

Tonight the number of entered boats = 38 would bring in $3,420 in entry fees.

 

I have then guessed some crew numbers per boat = 239 sailors @$10 pp = $2,390

 

making a total entry fees to date of $5,810; or 5.8% of your sponsorship figure.

 

By contrast as as a suggestion for such a highly sponsored event, if entry fees were waived, would many more boats and sailors turn up for 3 days of racing

 

What are the prizes

NoR only states "Divisional prizes"

12.2 Divisional prizes will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on the In Shore PHRF

results and on 1st, 2nd and 3rd General Handicap

12.3 A Line honours prize will be presented for each Division.

 

Certainly KPMG has an impressive $5,000 new business assistance prize.

 

What other prizes or examples

 

Any crew prizes

 

Is the Musto clothing with corporate logos, free to participants or the place getters or the Line winners

 

So there are a few thoughts to consider when questioning response levels and entries.

 

On the otherhand a "sponsored event" is of interest, and well done to sponsors for running eventys. They want to promote their products and so ask "What's in it for me as a sponsor?"

 

Equally owners and crews ask "Whats in it for me to race hard, put myself in physical dangers and attempt to win?"

[ScottiE 174]

the NZMYC Open 8.5's have got behind this one and made it thier Nationals. Tim, Bobo, Greer et al work very hard to encourage the lazy arses like myself to get out and support this event.