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Not a lot that I feel the need to post a reply to, but man what a lot of bitching over nothing but something that could be good if people got behind it.

 

Speaking as a pom in NZ (so await those comments!) the problems here are:

 

There is so much going on the pool is diluted for a major event. Because you can get your kicks 4 nights a week on a race boat you can do other things at the weekend with the family thus scoring points at home. When it comes to the weekends you are going to sail then you are probably choosing club over national events.

 

The reason the UK gets so many people at the larger events is that people make it part of their annual holidays, the majority live hours away from the boat so only get to sail weekends and those weekends are also part of a larger social group and become part of a yearly calendar. Same time next year....

 

Round the Island race (say equivalent to Round Waiheke) attracts on average 1500 boats because it is sold as a day out when everyone can turn up large or small. Everyone knows the professionals will take line honours but the spoils are shared throughout the fleet with all sorts of diverse trophies. If you want to race then race but if you want a good day out come along too you are part of the event and no one will slag you off for being in a 4KSB. Rub shoulders in the bar with the Ainslies and Coutts of the world. You just sailed the same course as them.

 

Cowes Week is different but the same. There is a class for anyone. Don't want the hassle of flying extras Sir, come along join the "Gentlemans" class, bring the family. The event is run by Cowes Combined Clubs with 8 handicap classes and 31, yes 31 different one design classes. The CCC actively talk to the class associatiions and get them to make it part of their annual series. Bring ten boats and we organise the racing for you.

 

Lastly and by no means least, all of the events throughout the country have a focal point, some kind of tented village. Imagine this, Westhaven providing extra berths so you don't need to travel down or up from Gulf Harbour, Bucks or Pine Harbour, you bring your boat, moor in town and are part of a central area laid out in the marina car park, (which just begs for it, bands on stage, biggest bar in AKL, sold also as a must be seen at for the VIP's in town (they don't need to race). Take a leaf from Cork Week and bring the big boats under the Harbour bridge on Saturday as part of the course. This city begs for it.

 

But you have to be united. And think on this.

 

BMW sell cars they don't run yacht regattas. Someone, somewhere is advising them. Why slag them off? Why not help and make something good that everyone can be part of.

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Oh and before anyone asks...no we're not doing it for lack of crew at last minute who have decided that a trip to Sydney, childs birthday on Tuesday, work, rugby training and can't be arsed is a better proposition despite being in diary for four months or so. Grrrrrrrrr.

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That was a good post, gbr.
What he said. Some good points and suggestions raised there.

 

 

Are the 'pom in NZ' comments optional or compulsory gbr933? I can if you like but just can't think of any right at this moment. Can you make dumb post? That would probably help make it easier ;)

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Some excellent advice there on how to build support for a regatta.

 

The only change I would offer would be to move the whole shebang to Gulf Harbour, lots of room, better water for racing, 2 mins from the marina to race area, better food, nicer people.......... :twisted: :twisted:

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Imagine this, Westhaven providing extra berths so you don't need to travel down or up from Gulf Harbour, Bucks or Pine Harbour, you bring your boat, moor in town and are part of a central area laid out in the marina car park, (which just begs for it, bands on stage, biggest bar in AKL, sold also as a must be seen at for the VIP's in town (they don't need to race). Take a leaf from Cork Week and bring the big boats under the Harbour bridge on Saturday as part of the course. This city begs for it.

 

Or...what about...like the Auckland Council opening up the so called "marine events centre" that is the Viaduct :roll: , to us everyday yachting peeeons that make up the lions share of sailing activity in this City??? Imagine filling that up with 20 88s, 20 S34s, 15 R930s, 15 Piedys, 20 <26 footers, 20 1020s / MRX's etc etc with BMW and other class sponsors flags all hanging off 'em.

 

On second thoughts...let's just keep using it as a lifeless berthing facility for rich feckers and the occasional boat expo :cry: :evil: .

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I spoke to a few people last evening and asked 'What ya reckon we do this event next year as part of the BMW Series, would you be a starter?'.

 

Well done that man. :clap:

 

Will look forward to seeing the results of the follow through next year! :wink:

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Or...what about...like the Auckland Council opening up the so called "marine events centre" that is the Viaduct :roll: , to us everyday yachting peeeons that make up the lions share of sailing activity in this City??? Imagine filling that up with 20 88s, 20 S34s, 15 R930s, 15 Piedys, 20

 

Throw in free parking for all crew and you are onto a winner.

 

Imagine that. People visiting the viaduct will actually see most boats (racers & the active commercial boats) going in and out, a total hive of activity before and after the races shown live on big screens.

 

Everything actually busy, alive and happening.

 

PLUS a banner SIGN / Info stall to book people into sailing full time in ADDITION to the commercial trippers.

 

Currently I would guess 80% of the vaiduct boats "go out less than once a week". Perhaps i would be right to make that "go out less than once a month"

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If 10 people can convince one Class Ass. or their club to put one of their events into the BMW it could easily mean another 100 or more entries. I'm working on one so 9 others are needed.

 

After that it's up to the Regatta organisers to make an event all the boats want to come back too.

 

I do still agree with Squid, events that attract the numbers do so by making it an attractive event. 'It's fun' and 'we have great prizes' just doesn't get a lot of people moist. 'Oh come on as we have to support {insert any sponsors name}' just looks needy and personally speaking, is a turn off.

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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

 

What :?: no racing for 3 weeks :?: in the best summer weather period.

 

:silent: :silent: :silent: :silent: :silent:

 

This will really be a killer . . . . .

 

Some may consider the Squadron, as the largest club, has a certain presence and attitude (especially in bygone years) that "RNZYS" can do what we want, Full Speed Ahead and Damm the Torpedoes :!:

 

I'm sure the many flag officers of all the other Auckland clubs would file such a requested condition appropriately. GAGS :!: :thumbup:

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If 10 people can convince one Class Ass. or their club to put one of their events into the BMW it could easily mean another 100 or more entries. I'm working on one so 9 others are needed.

 

After that it's up to the Regatta organisers to make an event all the boats want to come back too.

 

I do still agree with Squid, events that attract the numbers do so by making it an attractive event. 'It's fun' and 'we have great prizes' just doesn't get a lot of people moist. 'Oh come on as we have to support {insert any sponsors name}' just looks needy and personally speaking, is a turn off.

 

The SR's are a second that would be keen... It could even get to a point where all the associations get together to work it out?

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well said gbr933

 

paulr as always you somehow manage to come up with a twisted view of the whole scene

 

the idea of a week off either side is not for the squaddie to do what they want, Full Speed Ahead and Damm the Torpedoes

 

the idea is that RNZYS and BBYC invite all other clubs to join a wider bigger festival of sail they all "own " to make it a total auckland event as described by gbr933,

so hopefully all or a big % of auckland clubs would be involved.

then as it is such a big weekend all those clubs support actively they would recognise that not everyone can race every weekend , they wuld have just given their members a great event and the weekends off either sideare to prepare the boats , do family stuff etc , go cruising.

 

if other clubs were included they may be happy to forgoe one or two weeks racing to make the event bigger and better

the suggestion was not just for rnzys but everbody. the concept doesnt work without the first part that involves all clubs

 

knot me just a question what is missing from BMW that doesnt make you so moist vs what it does provide. I struggle to see what is missing from BMW that makes it so uninteresting that all these "other" events have

in fact it has a lot more than other events have

please enlighten me

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An idle thought, I'd skip the clubs and go after the class associations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact I wonder if events like this would be better served if they were independant of the clubs and were simply "hosted" by them (ducks for cover).

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ah squid

now you are on to it too

perhaps the event needs sailors rather than administrators to run it

maybe if a whole lot of classes ran it it would expand as they sought to increase numbers to cover costs etc

no disrespect but a class will want to do it more than a club vis avis the 8.5s

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Good call on the associations getting behind it JK, It has sure worked for the multi's.

 

In the leaners i wonder how many of the other classes would struggle to get their "nationals" crews on the boats? (Not a negativity by the way, just curious) as alot of the class nationals seem to have the same groups of people sailing in them? For example the 88's and 1020's etc.

 

Would certainly make for a few more spots to get crews involved in regattas like that rather than the "teams" taking out the whole lot...

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knot me just a question what is missing from BMW that doesnt make you so moist vs what it does provide. I struggle to see what is missing from BMW that makes it so uninteresting that all these "other" events have

in fact it has a lot more than other events have

please enlighten me

Obviously this is just one blokes view, with some consideration of his crews comments also. First off, it has nothing, squat diddly, zero, nada to to with the sponsor, it could be 'The Japanese Nuclear Industry Regatta' and it wouldn't change the comments. Personally I rate BMW highly for taking the effort and in such a big way.

 

Basically, and I hope this comes out right, this Regatta doesn't make us knot moist but equally its knot that much different than most others to get us fizzing at the bung. I've done 2 or 3 in the same waters using pretty much the same courses very recently. Sure the fleets will be bigger and if the 'off the water' things are an attraction to you there is a plus there.

 

And again I'll start with - It's the Sponsors/Organisers choice as to how they decide to run an event, I have no problem with that. But there was a major hook in past year/s that now isn't there. With a multitude of choices, like many things in life these days, it's often the hook that is the make or break of which option one chooses. Bay Week has the hook of it being in totally different waters and a nice slab of a 'road trip' angle {not we were there for pretty much the same reasons we aren't doing BMW this year but hope to be next as we will with the BMW}.

 

It's a bit tricky to put it into words but being blunter than I'd like to be, is there a bit of 'Same ol Same ol' that needs to be addressed. Personally I think there is but as a rider to that I do know I think different to many so maybe it's just me... but then even though there are nice numbers entered it is a lot less than I would be thinking is possible, a hell of a lot less. So maybe I don't think that different, it's hard to say really.

 

This is probably a little more boat specific, but would we have great racing? As mentioned above we don't enter anything (bar one shorthanded series as it does have a very good hook that over comes that lack of a chance thing) just to puff up the entry numbers, we enter to win a damn good race. Just having a quick peek at the entries and I'd have to say Nope. This para is over come-able and I've started work on that already, Yes a fair amount of that is selfish related but it would also be a benefit for the Series, a win-win one might say.

 

So in short, there's nothing bad about the series, bar maybe a bit of timing and boat state for us this year, both of which are being worked on as I write, but then there's nothing that grabs us by the knuts and drags us in either.

 

I hope that makes some sense.

 

I'd like to see Akl have a super regatta for many reasons and as BMW have stepped up I see this as a damn good base towards a 300 plus boat fleet. That would be so good in so many ways. But we just can't force people to do things 'just because it's there' or XX is the sponsor, they have to want to come.

 

A question I'd like to ask the viewers now, Is the reasoning above the same as why others aren't there or is there something else? I know my head often works in funny tangents so it that just me or am I just the only one willing to say so out loud?

 

And along with that is the 2 organising YC's are the 2 biggest in NZ so why are most of their fleet/s knot diving in on mass?

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as great as it would be to have 10x seperate classes out there, 1020, 930s, 88s, sr26, s34s, upto26, piedy and so on, they all have the same crew on them.

Especially so when boats want to make the step up from weds night mode to 'regatta' mode.

 

We're struggling to get crew for the 88, anyone want to sail Sat?.

 

Best chance of getting all the classes out there would be too make anything less than 35ft sail 3 handed, but not sure of thats the go...

 

Agree wholeheartedly re the phrf comments above, the 'rule' / system is just not up to it.

 

RNZYS and BBYC have made the start by co-operating, the next step needs to be getting Rich, Pons, GH, and so on involved.

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