Highlights of the ODCC Panel Discussion
on One-Design Class Growth and Promotion

held during the Spring meeting of US SAILING
March 24, 2000 at the Chicago Yacht Club

Panelists

Alexander "Ali" Meller began crewing for his father 1971 at age 12. In 1975, he was loaned a 505 and has been hooked ever since. Ali is currently the Vice-President of International 505 Class Yacht Racing Association but has served the 505 class in many capacities from Fleet Captain to Canadian Class President. He is a recipient of US SAILING's John H. Gardiner, Jr. Service Award. His contributions to the 505 class include helping start the 505 class list server, building the International 505 Class website, and tracking used boats for sale.

Kerry Nielan began crewing on a Thistle in 1982 and purchased his first boat in 1988. Currently, Kerry is the Third Vice-President for Growth and Promotion for Thistle Class Association but has served as everything from Fleet Captain to Regional Vice-President. He sails out of Crescent Sail Yacht Club in Detroit, Michigan where he is cochairman for Fleet Race Committee and organizer of the fall frostbiting series. He is also a US SAILING Judge.

Dave Kirkpatrick grew up sailing on Long Island at Centerport Yacht Club but got really serious while on the sailing team at Tufts. Since graduating, he has done some team racing and sailed 505s and Melges 24s. Working for Vanguard mandates that he be involved with many classes rather than concentrating on one. In the next year he will be sailing Vanguard 15s, and is looking forward to the 2000 Sunfish World Championship.

Moderator

Patty Lawrence

Attendance

Forty-four people from 10 states and over 13 One Design Classes

Topics

Youth Involvement

Dave Kirkpatrick opened the discussion with ideas about community sailing centers where kids get exposure to sailboats. Access is vital. They can start in Optis, then move to Lasers and 420s They progress as they age out (in the case of the Optis) or simply move on. Afternoon classes allow students to take lessons or sail after school. Dave stressed that sailing must be a continual learning experience from Optis to high school to college and beyond.

The community based Sailing Smart program was mentioned by Lee Parks This pilot program, a joint venture between US SAILING and the Coast Guard, is for children ages 10-13 to be run in parks and recreation departments.

Creating a path which moves kids through a series of boats and classes is important so that they end up graduating through the ranks. This gives them goals and makes sailing a continuing experience.

It is important to foster the social aspects of sailing for the kids as they are likely to do what their friends are doing.

Regatta Attendance

Ali Meller's best advice for getting people to regattas is to eliminate excuses. Whatever problems they mention, solve them. Find crew. Help inexperienced sailors tune their boats so they are not always at the back of the pack. Do whatever it takes to make boats available for people to use: lend or make charter boats available. Double decking boat trailers to get more/extra boats to regattas. If all else fails, shame people

into sailing. Ali mentioned that in regatta reports he sometimes includes mention of "Lame Excuses" which lists everyone's reason for not sailing.

One E-Scow regatta chair worked for a year to get 130 plus boats to come to a regatta. The sailor went to regattas talking up his regatta and encouraging everyone to come. He raffled a brand new E-Scow, had individual race awards consisting of massages, wine/cheese baskets, and other items to bolster participation and fun. The consensus was that it takes a "sparkplug" to get an event going, but once that happens the event will build on itself as more and more people hear about it and plan to participate. An event is not going to just happen; it takes hard work, and sailors must perceive they are going to have fun or they won't go.

Sailing as a Life Long Learning Experience

Change the focus from racing and where sailors stand in the pecking order to sailing as a life long learning experience.

Kerry Nielan explained the Coach TCA program at Thistle Class Association Midwinters East which is responsible for adding 20-25 boats each year to the event. The coach program is a week long total immersion in sailing. The coaches are a top group of Thistle sailors who are paired with the students. The students get help setting up and tuning their boats before the event. They get daily weather and tactics discussions and on the water coaching in their boat. Additionally, both the coach and participants are video taped each day and the tape is then used as a learning tool.

Pairing sailors was discussed as a good method to break down barriers (whether they are real or perceived) between the top sailors and the middle/back part of the fleet. If the performance level is raised then the middle/back of the pack will have more fun and stay involved. Additionally, the social aspects must be stressed so that everyone is having fun. If a sailor knows more people, the fun factor is likely to be increased. Top sailors get their rewards no matter what, so put the emphasis on the middle and back of the fleet at regattas.

Mentoring programs

Help sailors make improvements. The 505 class ranks everyone based on the previous years regattas. Then first and last place boats are paired, the second and second-to-last, etc. The scores are then kept and a trophy given out for the team with the best combined score. These pairings help people meet one another and help the slower boats go faster.

A J/24 fleet promoted having the top five skippers (after the season championship had been settled) sail on the last five place boats. The crews of the top five boats had to sail their boats without their regular skippers. This helps the boats at the back of the fleet and gives the top crews a chance to steer, possibly even producing future skippers.

The Hobies use "GEP," Guest Expert Program, where they bring in experts to help with tuning.

Recommend that newcomers focus on making improvements from one regatta to the next. Help them with one skill to work on at each regatta.

Used Boats and Parts

The 505 class actively searches for all used boats for sale in the class. On their web page they maintain three lists: (1) boats which are for sale, (2) boats sold (for comparison on price and to help track boat locations) and (3) boats that are not being sailed in the hopes of either getting the owner to sail or sell.

The Thistle Class manages a Used Boat Clearinghouse on the class website. Sellers and buyers can post classified ads on the web page directly.

While Vanguard does not deal in used boats, they know where to find a fleet of used boats as clubs buy new fleets. So if someone is looking for used boats, they know where to send them.

Dave mentioned the necessity of having parts available to keep your boat going in race ready condition. Parts should be easy to come by or the class may go by the wayside.

Internet Connection

Ali stated the 505 class website was very beneficial. He updates it daily so there is always new information, thus giving people reasons to keep coming back.

Other internet tools include e-mail, list servers and bulletin boards. Classes have success with all these, but the consensus was that list server is the most interactive and up-to-date method of keeping in touch. Bulletin boards for matching crew and skipper are also very useful.

Post the results of fleet racing or regattas immediately so that those not there will be kept current and they can see how much fun they are missing. Folks like to see their names in print so try to highlight something done by each person in the fleet.

Other sources of publicity should be explored including the use of the local papers. Send them race results.

Social Sailing

The social aspects of regattas and fleets is very important. Pick a night and have party; get people interested. Have a family day at the sailing club, have kids games and activities. Each event should have a social center where meals, beverages and events take place. This helps focus activities in one spot and makes it more likely sailors will congregate together.

Baby-sitting is a must at events so that both Mom and Dad can go sail.

Additional Sources of Help

The Class Management Handbook is a great tool available from US SAILING.

To keep up with one design news, check out the One Design Class Council website (www.ussailing.org/odcc) The ODCC also has an interclass list server. All one design sailors are encouraged to join. You can get more information and learn how to sign up (it's free) at www.ussailing.org/odcc/list_server.htm.

Wrapup

The forum wrapped up with Patty Lawrence asking what can US SAILING do for one design classes. The most pressing response was help with promotion especially marketing to non-sailors. While the One Design Class Council explores the marketing issue (which may be the subject for the next ODCC Panel, possibly at the October, 2000 meeting of US SAILING in New Orleans), all sailors must spread the word that sailing is fun, affordable, and accessible.