It's about paradigms.

Cat sailors are used to not having to pre-register for weekend regattas, and we're used to low-cost regattas ($50 for a weekend of racing for a two-person boat is cheap).

YCs and mono events almost always require pre-registration for events, and they charge a lot more (say $100 for a weekend Opti event).

Until it becomes common practice to require pre-registration across most of our events, this won't change. A case can be made that we can't afford to do this if there is a chance it will reduce turnout any further; an equal case can be made that we will run out of venues if we hit fleets with more money-losing events.

Mike