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Sussex Regatta Development

Started by Robin Stevenson, May 21, 2007, 08:47:02 AM

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Robin Stevenson

On Thursday 17th May 2007 the combined clubs committee responsible for steering the Sussex Regatta held a debrief meeting to discuss the outcome of the 2007 Sussex Regatta.

All the feed back received from competitors was discussed and taken on board and will be considered for the 2008 event.

However one item was raised that was felt too weighty to be decided by those sitting on the committee.

There is a general feeling that perhaps the event should not move between the three clubs, BMYC, SYC and SHYC.  Given the logistical problems that this presents, maybe it would be better to run the regatta from the same venue, but organise by a central committee comprising members from three main participating clubs?

This is where we need your help.  Please will you post your views here on the forum.  We will monitor and comment as appropriate.  We look forward to hearing your views
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robin

#1
bit of an unfair question, i acknowledge, but hey-ho . . .

is there any feeling among regular participants that one of the current venues has been consistently more succesful than others; or, conversely, is there any possibility that a "neutral" venue might be adopted (I can't think where!)?

Brighton Marina has the virtue of being central to the current structure of the regatta but I confess it's not my favourite place.

and has the committee considered the case for extending the regatta by including clubs like Littlehampton?

it is very decent that the question has been aired, but I suspect that this is one of those occasions when the views of them what participate should predominate

for myself, if i never have to spend another wretched Sunday beating into a westerly around Beachy Head . . .

apologies, my innate forebearance has reasserted itslf :!:

 8)

Steve Vyse

#2
Robin,

Thanks for the opportunity to provide some input - using the forum in this way is a great idea.

Is the committee intending the regatta to become a major event on the South East? If that is the direction being taken, then the logical answer is to fix the host club (and I am assuming Sovereign Harbour is seen as the venue with the best facilities). The inevitable next stage would be to try and guarantee a good turnout, so underpinning the commerciality of the event, by moving to an open format with boats coming from outside of Sussex.

This all sounds great if you are a raced-up rock star, but I wonder if we'd be missing the point? The Sussex Regatta is a great chance to not only poke around the other clubs but to experience the different racing conditions along our coast. There's also a great deal of pride when a club carries off a successful regatta and the drive to "get one over" on the other clubs must encourage house committees to spruce things up with a 'regatta spring clean'.

Then there is the effort involved in attending. Competitors from distant clubs will be discouraged, especially those with smaller boats. Taking our old J24 Juvenile Delinquent down to Sovereign Harbour from SYC was a fairly big deal, especially when you then need to arrange and pay for accommodation and then face issues about getting back safely (small day-boats and long passages don't make for a great end to a bank holiday weekend).

My fear would be the loss of grass roots support and those boats that only race when the circus comes to their own club simply wouldn't attend at all, and I think this was noticed at the last event - the SYC turnout seemed very low.

The host club also gets a significant financial and PR boost which cannot be ignored. I suspect all clubs have issues over keeping caterers and if the regatta always goes away, then they not only lose income from the event, but those competing away take their wallets as well.

All things considered my vote is to keep on rotating.

Steve Vyse
Barda

Robin Stevenson

#3
Thanks Robin... We hope that this will reveal if one venue is more appealing than another

Brighton has the obvious advantage that one can get in and out of the marina quickly and easily at almost any state of tide.  Facilities are ok, though Yacht Club space is very limited.

Littlehampton boats rarely take part.  The Arun Yacht Club did host the event once, but moorings are very short and getting in and out of the river is a real issue for deep draft yachts and makes timing of the event tricky.  The AYC are very good at running events for dinghies, maybe we could utilise their race management skills, if it got them on board??

Robin Stevenson

#4
Thanks Steve

The financial gain is actually very small.  The voluntary work involved is massif for the small gain; I think I remember having some 30 people on the gang last time it was at SYC!

Good point about local attendance when the show is in town.

Ben G Evans

#5
Hi

My limited experience of the regatta over the last two years involves one failed attempt getting to Eastbourne in the first place (on my sonata) and this year crewing aboard Truant.

I think Steve V's comments are pretty much bang on in that the outcome of whether we should continue rotating largely revolves around how we see the event growing in years to come.

Eastbourne has my vote for a serious racing regatta given its facilities and access for boats from sussex and kent.

Whilst loyal to SYC and the Brighton area generally my vote would be to keep it in Eastbourne and accept that small boats will occasionally struggle to get there!

I hope the forum provides some useful input Robin.

Best

Ben

Robin Stevenson

#6
Steve, one more thing.  I think, and I am only speaking for myself here, that at the moment we are happy to continue the event as a local derby with around 50 or so entries.  Much more than that and facilities become a real issue, and need handling differently.  Keep in mind 50 boats brings in excess of 300 people to the host club.

Rob Grierson

#7
The Sussex regatta is a great event which I feel is looked forward to by a great number of people. One of the joys of it is going to other bits of water to play on. There are advantages of giving it a home but i think we would be giving away an event. I think it is great the the orginising commitee is tri-club and ideally should remain a constant but to base the event at only one venue would be a mistake the less hard core racers would be penilised for not having the regatta at their home club. As for the money the event might not show any great profit but I am sure the cateerers and the bars look forward to the event coming home.

I am aware how much effort goes into the event and the sucess of the regattas is testimount to the skills we have in the three clubs. let us keep working togerther and build on the sucessful base we have and keep the event rotating between the three bit of water and also encourage others to come and play. Possibly combine a national championship to gain some profile to this great regatta.

Jeff P

#8
All,

Brief intro first - Hi, my name is Jeff Penfold, a member of SHYC, and one of the people who has been sitting on the Sussex Regatta Committee for a couple of years now.  I have also been part of the joint handicapping committee for a similar period.

However, for the purposes of this forum, I'll be putting my personal opinions forward as somebody who tries to race an old 32' cruiser about from time to time.

Enough of that.

In reply to the suggestion about combining the regatta with another event.  My experience with this approach (albeit with dinghy events) is that it changes the character of the event, makes the organisation of it more complex, reducing the appeal to the more "grass roots" people for whom a pure inter-club event raises some personal pride.

I suppose the question is "what do we want the regatta to be?"

For me the appeal of the Regatta has been the opportunity to visit other clubs, meet new people, have some fun and do some racing against a whole new bunch of people.

Regards,
Jeff.
1973 Centurion 32, Aeolus 4

Mark Lloyd

#9
As a competitor, I favour alternating the venue as it makes it a bit more interesting, and gives an opportunity for a shortish passage race on the way there.

As a BMYC member I would find it boring if it was always held in Brighton. Also, if it was to be at Eastbourne again next year me and my crew would probably think twice about going, as its harder to get to by road etc.

Variety is the spice of life............!

djskinner

#10
Having been involved when the Combined Regatta started I see no good reason for changing to a fixed venue.I share the views of others along these lines.I am of the old School "If it aint broke dont fix it"

Barbara

#11
As someone who has only taken part once, I agree with the view that its main appeal is a regular opportunity to compete against neighbouring clubs and that the rotation of venues is part of its attraction.

The regatta that I took part in was based at Shoreham and that year SYC boats predominated, but there were also several Brighton based competitors and some SHYC also.

It is probably inevitable that the host club will atttract greater participation than the most far-flung. The only time I took part on a club rally to Sovereign Harbour it was hard going struggling back in the face of strong westerlies - this in a 42 ft boat. Under those conditions I would not have wished to attempt it in a small cruising or racing yacht.

Robin Stevenson

#12
Very interesting stuff, keep it coming.

robin

#13
Robin,

you have certainly created the fastest-growing Topic so far!  But i suspect most of the enthusiastic contributors are those who enjoy the event without the undoubted headache of organising the thing.

Is it possible for you or your colleagues to put the debate into context by elaborating on the nature of the logistical difficulties?  It is obvious that this question has not been raised without some soul-searching.

robin

Robin Stevenson

#14
OK Robin.  I will try:

Each venue has its advantages and disadvantages

Eastbourne:  Good moorings, good access to a fine club house, slow locking, is a fair step to reach from the main body of boats in the west.

Brighton: Good access to the sea, good moorings, not so good club facilities, very central to the main body of the Sussex fleet.

Shoreham: One lock can hold whole fleet, available most states of tide, good club house facilities but a long way from moorings, mooring facilities limited, reasonably near the main body of the Sussex fleet.

Then it is a question of reinventing the wheel each time.  The host club must almost start from scratch in organising the event.  Paperwork is no problem, it is all the socials and admin that eats time and staff.  A completely new team needs forming for each Regatta in order that we have enough committee boat crew, admin staff, publicity, socials, mark laying boats with crew and helm and so on.

At the end of the day none of this is a problem as long as competitors are prepared to accept an event that has a completely different feel each time. For example, say we keep it as it is and move the event each year, competitors shouldn't pick on an unavoidable weakness of the host club for criticism.  Each venue is different and this may well add colour to the event??

Hope this helps??