Once upon a time, in a small country far far north there was almost no fun dinghys racing. Some guys (naive idiots perhaps) tought they should do something about this and considered how to beat enough bush to make an event a lasting success. Plan was to piggyback on one of the countrys largest sailboat races The Færder race have over 1000 boats racing. Mostly monohulls racing under our local handicap system, LYS,which is quite a lot like portsmouth.
Idea is to piggyback on this event, set up a distance race and take advantage of the number of boats and media on the water to get some exposure. Dinghys (which should be faster monohull and multihull dinghys) will sail a shorther course but share parts of the course with the larger boats at the time they pass trough there. Start to be timed so that the dinghys arrive at the party tent well before the majority of monohulls. Dinghys to be parked at the party.. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
We are well enough connected to pull off the organizational and political issues so we can do this.
The question is how to lure all the members of the "dead, but fast, boat society" out of the bushes? Ideas? Anything from free beer to recieving a royal audience (the king usually participates in the event with one of his older IMS racers)? What have worked earlier? How do you get owners not usually racing to attend, and how do you make the event prestigious enough to attracts sailors?
Rolf,
IMO 4 things determine an event attendance
1, Where is it ? - No-one likes sailing in a craphole
2, The boats, who will be there etc - No point going if no-one else is
3, The cost.
4, the forecast...
there is stuff all that can be done about 4, so best is to focus on 1, 2 and 3
To attract people you need an
angle. Some races sell them selves - Texel, ECPR, RTIOW, and generally Nats, Euro's and Worlds. Other events less so unless they are known. Can you get emails sent to anyone weho might want to go? Can you get all the clubs in the area to put up flyers ? Class associations ?
Is the event on a exceptional bit of water, will the partying be fantastic - will the beer be cheap ? Also, getting "good people" to attend is sometimes not a problem as they sail all over the place all summer, maybe offering spot prizes in the fleet (so 10th gets a case of beer, 20 gets 2 cases etc). Will there be a chance to "sail past all the expensive boats" etc....
