I just looked in the Classified section of Catsailor and noticed that there were not too many Formula 18s for sale. One was John W’s Capricorn and the other was an Inter-18. I was wondering if there are not too many available or if the ads that were there expired and did not get renewed? I think I have a handle on maybe ½ of the owners in the US who have a Formula 18. I am hoping that our numbers are getting bigger as used boats get sold and new boats acquired? On the West Coast we have about 7 new owners this year of Formula 18s.

To keep the sailors informed I send out regatta reminders and am still trying to gather all of the email addresses for those new to the class. I encourage you to take upon yourself or find someone that will send out reminders in your area. In Florida area they are using the 1design.net forum to keep people apprised. The A-Cats in this area use an Evite to remind each other of the upcoming events.

I always ask the participants I am sending out too many emails with details. To remind them of regatta then try to keep the update of who plans to attend usually about two before each event (total of three). Not one person has asked me to remove them from the emails. The favorable comments coming to me are that “It is a way to keep up with the happenings and who is active in the local fleet.

It would be nice to use a moderated Evite system from the NAF18 Class website for this. Does anyone have any other ideas to keep participation up? We get about 8 to 16 boats per scheduled regatta and have 14 regattas this year. It may seem like a lot of regattas but we are still getting the sailors out. We are closing in on 40 F18s in this area, that’s a pretty good number. Some of them only come to a couple of regattas a year though.

Later,
Dan
NAF18-Chairman

Hi, Dan
I can't let this post go any longer without a reply to your question:
Does anyone have any other ideas to keep participation up?
To remind you... I bought a used tiger out of Mission Bay YC through Fastlane Sailing two months ago. The prior owner has an Inter 20 on order. So, that's net even for F18.
My ideas for you are basically based on securing better communication that you elude to. For me, getting back into sailing, I'd be lost without the internet. Only, I've been disappointed, generally, with the information available. It took me a couple months to get tapped in. Finding this forum was just by chance. I felt somewhat like a rat finding dead ends, like...
On the www.naf18 website, "Forums" lead nowhere. And this is common. The best I have seen is that Hobie fleets (51,514) have set up groups on Yahoo. I learned this, only by grass roots information. Oh, and Shauna Kinney has "catamaranracing" directed toward a crew pool, cool.
Yahoo groups is kind of cool. You can have one login, and gain access to multiple communication centers (groups).

1) Perhaps NAF18 should have a group on yahoo.
I'm not putting down this forum, it's great.
2) Even a loose calendar for next year would be nice
(based on prior schedules)
3) This is a stretch... Can F18 be invited to Hobie events?
The Tiger will be there, so what the heck.

Even Hobie Division 2 is lacking in the communication.
For now, only throught grass roots can you get information on a race caledar for 2008.

I see posts for Dennis Key (who I met at a clinic) looking for admin help to organize (and promote) events. Consider more "clinics", as the idea that you can just show up with or without a trained crew can help promote.

Larry:

I am really sorry that you feel out of the loop. I send out emails to the local sailors about twice a month during the sailing season to inform and remind them of the upcoming events. If you are not getting them that is because I do not have your email address. I looked at your profile here and you did not list it. If you would like to be on it email me a ddelave "at" aol "dot" com.

Most, actually all, of the 14 events that are one the West Coast Formula 18 list are opened to all Formula 18 sailors. We sail mostly out of Yacht Clubs and it is their wish that it not be exclusionary.

Welcome to the group! Look forward to seeing you in next years mix.

Later,
Dan

Dan,

Where is the West Coast Formula 18 list? It would be nice if the NAF18 site was kept current, especially the events page.

We are now planning our sched for the Northwest and we would like to include a California event (pretty sure Santa Barbara will conflict for me this year). It would also be great to do a West Coast Midwinters (San Diego Cat Fight in March?)

Hope a couple of you guys can make it North this year for either the Canadian Grand Prix (4 days of racing, actual prize money!!) or the Tiger North Americans.

Cheers

Scott

Scott:

Thank you for the interest. I think that the calendar will be ready in the next week or two for the West Coast.

We are trying to figure out how to keep the website current and up to date now.

Later,
Dan

It is really simple. Just send me an email and I will update the site. Just as I did for the North Americans in Texas.
I realize that there was another person looking to help with the maintaining of the site, but until that happens, as I said numerous times before, I would be happy to make changes and update the site, BUT, since I no longer sail, the info would need to be sent to me.

No sense in having an out dated site until the next person takes over.

I feel like I needed to say this as I don't want the F18 sailors to have the impression that I abandoned the class.

Tracie Van Houten Hawks

I've got a tentative SoCal schedule up on my web site in the mean time. The only event I think (hope) will get changed is the Area J Eliminations. Right now, it is scheduled the same time as the Championship - that happened last year, too. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Check HERE.