2007 – and the future
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Having read all of the exchanges recently about people looking for boats and updating the web content it seems to me that there are lots of people interested in the boat and in its future (Which is surely what we all want!), it just needs to be clear with its communication to the rest of the sailing world!
A bit of quick maths shows that next year the class will be 50 years old! Are there any big plans? There are a number of classes that have had anniversaries over the last couple years and have put on big 1 off events and appear to have increased ‘week in week out’ event numbers as a result. I don’t even know where the Nationals will be next year, so at present I can’t get them in the diary and book them off (or at least start selling the venue!), rather than using my holiday to attend another of my wife’s friends weddings in some far flung corner of the country! Will the class try and lure back old members with charter boats for some of these events? Will there be training in the spring rather than just autimn?
As far as I can see, from the last week or so’s exchanges it would appear that what the class really want is:
Indicative prices from our new builders and an idea of lead times;
An up to date ‘for sale’ list (it appears many boats change hands without even getting on it);
More negotiation with UK spar suppliers (although I suppose this comes down to what the top guys are using and their ability to develop a decent product – but if the manufacturer won’t develop a decent product for our boat, why would you use them?);
A continually updated website (a really tricky subject!). The content should come from the members, so that is everyones responsibilty to create ‘noise’, but is changing the format really going to make that easier to do? I have been on committees that have discussed this, and apart from some key information/history pages in the usual website format, do you move the strucuture for the rest to a ‘forum’, where interaction and up to date views are the life and soul of the website, rather than waiting for an event ‘report’? As someone said last week, if you get the wrong end of the stick with a posting, you will get a response and we will all learn something!I think that overriding message has been that people with OK’s love the boat, we don’t want to change it, there is just a desire to share that opportunity with other sailors and improve all our sailing enjoyment. We are also grateful for all the work of the current and previous committees for keeping the boat active in the UK and appreciate that points raised recently will have been on your agenda in one form or another for some time! You have been successful with your strategy in the past as the debate with fresh new people continues….
Anyway, back to tidying up the boat so that hopefully I can get her back on the water soon!
Hi Richard
I agree with you on the website issue and the fact that the for sale list has to be constantly updated. At the end of the day it is down to sloppyness there is no excuse for the For sale board taking so long to be updated as i sent my add of on wednesday 7th of June and it still has not appeared on the For Sale page, I think that people looking at the site are put off when they look at a boat on the page and find out it has been sold. We really need somone who uses the internet every day and can keep updating it; like the dreaded Solo’s or the Wayfarers both thease boats fleets are steadly growing and the fact is that at the end of the day when the new sailors go home they look at the website after sailing the boat and for other classes they find that they are advised and guided around ect; but with the OKs they are put on a non up to date website which is not very appealing (the website is what sells the Fleet to newcomers)Richard, nice comment, statement etc.. couldn’t agree more.
Pior to sailing an Ok I actively sailed a Merlin Rocket for 15 years. In 1995 we celebrated 50 years at Exe SC a fantastic venue and event. Good sailing, great parties etc,etc. Last year, the 60th anniversary, was held at Hayling Island SC, one of the best venues in th UK, not only in terms of sailing but hospitality and race oganisation. The event was promoted a year if not more before hand to maximise coverage and attendance, a 3 day event Sun to Tues for the old boats, with prizes and standard 6 day for modern, although it was up to the entrant if they wished to enter all 6 days.
The point is, as the OK is about to celebrate a half century, what is planned for 2007? Anything special, because I have not seen a dickie bird about this on any of the webistes both UK or International. If anything special is planned surely now is the time to be promoting it.
Guys,
There has been a lot of activity on the website over the past few weeks, which i have only just picked up on. It great to see the forum being used as a class communication tool, so please keep it coming.
Regarding the Website. Dave Cooper has done a sterling job in getting the UK website up & running over the past few years, unfortunately he has been dealing with a family berievement over the past months which understandably has been occupying his time. I am sure that he will be back on the case now things are beginning to settle down. We must remember that Dave can only publish information on the website that he recieves. If articles don’t get written & race reports are not sent in to him he cannot publish them, we are all responsible for the future well being of the OK Dinghy Class. If you come 3rd at an open meeting the class is relying on you to write a report & share it with the publicity officer & the webmaster!
Next year is the OK’s 50th anniversary. The Nationals will be at Felpham, the dates are yet to be confirm but will be on or around the late Aug Bank Holiday.
We are also planning a 50th anniversary celebration, probably around May time & probably at Upper Thames. It is impossible to fix dates at this stage as most clubs have not set their calenders for 2007 & we don’t have fixed dates for all of the key International fixtures.
We have 2 new builders in the class Mike Cooke of Aadvark boats in Bristol, producing boat based on Nicks Icebreaker & Alex Scoles who will be producing boats from the Rushworth moulds. It is early days for both builders, but i am sure the full details will soon be available.
The Second hand boat market has been slow due to the lack of quality boats going up for sale. This is a result of not having a class builder in the UK, since Rushworth & Thresher stopped building within months of each other.
Your association has been working hard to secure new builders & i know of 10 potential new orders form within the class. That means 10 good boat on the second hand market.
With the plans for next Years 50th anniversay World Championships in Poland well underway & Medemblik planning special 50th anniversay event i believe we can expect 2007 to be a great year to go OK sailing.I hope that helps clarify things.
On another subject i come to the end of my 3 year stint at the nationals in Sunderland. Mike Edwards is planning to take on the role, but we need a Vice Chairman who is willing to put something back into the OK class, you don’t need to be a front of the fleet sailor or hugely active on the circuit. But you do need to have the OK’s best interests at heart & be willing to take on the chairmanship after Mike’s 3 years are complete. Pls let me know if you are interested!
I hope to see you all out & about this Summer
Terry
Chairman CCCCCCC
It’s great to see activety on the forum. I beleive one thread has actually gone onto a second page!
Seriously, the comment I have made about the website is not directed at David as he is doing a sterling job and no doubt fighting fire with fire give his recent sad circumstances. The citicism lay at the foot of the IP.
Anyway, 2007, Felpham, pretty much on my door step so that will hopefully be me sorted for a spot of sea sailing next year
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