FSSA Membership

Submitted by sam secrest on Tue, 11/10/2009 - 06:15
First of all, as Fleet 193 captain, I see lots of value in a having a strong Class association, how we get to that goal is my issue. There is currently scuttlebutt going around that next year the association wants to require all Scots entering a "Scot" regatta to be association members. My fleet situation: Fleet started in 2008, with 4 members, currently up to 12. We have about half that are interested in racing on a regular basis. We started this quest for a fleet in September of 2005 by buying a boat and taking anyone and everyone out on it for a sail. We stress the stability and ease of sailing. We are the most active group racing at our club. For the racer tired of PHRF or looking for a boat where the competition is located, it is a no-brainer to go find a Flying Scot. We are trying to get everyone going fast. We hold back no secrets and help each other tune and rig their boats for speed. It is all a soft sell and we are typical for the fleets in the new Dixie Lakes District. Some are starting up and some are being revived. What we do not need is an obstacle of a membership requirement to hold us back. It is not the dollars, but the "requirement" to which folks object. My appeal to the members is to find a way to make membership more desirable. One design sailing is fun. If we appear to be having more fun they will come to us. We have to keep making it fun. Give me some ideas! Sam
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Comments

The FSSA (Association) has for many years required active member

Submitted by fssaeditor on Sun, 11/15/2009 - 06:41.
The FSSA (Association) has for many years required active membership by skippers competing in sanctioned regattas, which include the North Americans, the Mid-Winters, District Championships, the Masters and the Atlantic Coast Championship. Those are the only situations in which membership is required by the Association. Your fleet history is impressive, Sam, for such a short time in existence. Your approach to gaining members, and the accompanying attitude of having fun is working, and that's great. What you say about the value of a strong Asssociation is also key to perpetuating interest in the Flying Scot. Whatever you can do to encourage your fleet members to join the FSSA helps, of course. In the packet circulated to fleet captains before the last annual meeting in August, there was an item suggesting that fleets could adopt, optionally, a policy of requiring FSSA membership for those who participated regularly in racing and other fleet activities. You can imagine a situation where a fleet would want to adopt that policy. In your situation where rapid fleet growth is present and many participants are brand new to the Flying Scot, just encouraging your members to join the FSSA seems the right choice. Keep up the good work! Hank Hank Sykes FSSA Forum editor