There used to be a fleet of Taipan 4.9's at Gulfport. Are they still there and still racing? I haven't heard anything about them recently.

Okay, I see 10 F16's registered for the A-Class/F16 Invitational at Gulfport. How many of those F16's are Taipan 4.9's? ANY of them? Or are they all Blades? Any other F16's BESIDES Blades?

I think at least one or two are Tai Pans. Where is Rick's Tai Pan? You could bring it up, race it or charter it or sell it there.

You are begging the question. What happened to all the Taipans at Gulfport? Where are they? Why aren't they participating in the F16 races? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Seth's is still there and he races it often, Jen sold hers, it went north, I don't know where the rest went.

Mary,

At this time all 10 registered F16's for the invitational are Blade F16's.

Looking over the class data, there appear to be almost twice as many Blade F16's in the USA now then Taipans and this ratio will only grow as AHPC does not sell any Taipans to USA (or EU) anymore.

Personally I did expect Seth to enter the invitational on his Taipan; he usually did in the past.

Wouter

Seth still has his, Stefan bought Fred's. Last I spoke with Stefan, he and Seth will sail together on one of those boats for the invitational.

I think Seth has new sails, so . . .

the snake will be on the water....

Everyone watch out!!!!!

Great Seth

Okay that makes 11 F16's and 11 A-cats for the Gulfport invitational !

With two boats you guys should have enough spare parts this time ! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> (joke !)

Wouter

Don't be so sure wout.
Destruction is guaranteed if it is blowing.

So WHY don't you know where the rest went? Isn't somebody in the class trying to keep track of all the F16's and who has them and where they go? How are you supposed to keep communicating with the people who have them?

Sorry, but this is just basics for fleet-building and class-building.

Clearly, you've never tried to herd cats! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Mary,

We can only keep track of F16 boat owners who care to register themselves with the US F16 class association. A few Taipans were sold to new owners who then disappeared of the radar. For a long time I kept track of all boats but they are becoming too many to keep doing this. Also, boats are now more often sold outside of the catsailor forum or classifieds.

It is simply not so easy as you make it appear to be; i.e. "fleet-building and class-building basics".

Wouter

Well, we've been doing it for over 40 years. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

It's not YOUR job, Wouter. It is the job of the people in the immediate area to keep track.

Well Mary, I thought that was YOUR job! (I'm kidding of course) But you actually OWN a Tai Pan 4.9, why don't you show up and race it, that would "build the fleet" too. Or sell it to someone who is interested in racing it. I think the best place to advertise it would be at a F16 regatta, where there are already people interested in the class.

I can't (legaly) chase down every F16 sold and then force the new owners to pay their $20, join the class, show up at regattas, etc. And maybe they don't want to race. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

We have a web site, that's better than a news letter these days. But I can't force them to use it.

If they want in, it's pretty easy to find info on the regattas, etc. If people want to join the class, fine, and I would be happy to take any prospective buyers out on my boat, but I'm not going to drag them in, kicking and screaming, it's just not for everyone.

Great possibility to air one of my pet peeves Timbo.



A newsletter will reach the recipent without demanding action on the recipients side. To visit a website, you actually have to do quite a lot (remember adress etc.). That is why I am so hung up in having the possibility to subscribe to the forum with e-mail and have either a daily digest sent or every message. You ned to push information wherever possible <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You need to maintain contact with people who own boats in your class, regardless of whether they are interested in racing. You need to keep them "in the loop" informationwise.

Rolf is right that a newsletter is the best way to do that. Websites are NOT better than paper newsletters. The demise of paper newsletters that go to the mailbox (or at least to their e-mail box) is one of the reasons sailing is declining. And you do NOT, EVER, say, "Well, I am not going to send a newsletter to somebody who is not willing to pay their dues." You have to maintain contact, at all costs.

As far as Rick and me and our Taipan, I'm sure you all know that we are getting pretty old. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> And everybody knows that we are successfully building our Wave fleets in two different locations.

What I am saying is that you guys can do the same thing with your F16 fleet if you just keep sending information to people. It makes a HUGE difference.

That's why we keep sending our magazine to lots of people who don't even pay for it. As soon as you drop them off your newsletter just because they don't pay, they are lost forever.

Some people can't afford it. Some people temporarily drop out of sailing because of children, school, illness, work or whatever. But you need to keep sending them the information and keeping sailing in their minds so they will come back to it when they are able. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah,

But a newsletter only reaches the persons already being a member while a website and forum can reach a MUCH larger audience and thus promote the class to all important new comers !

Wouter

That is true. But once you have a fleet developing, you cannot rely upon a web site to keep in contact with the fleet members. You have to almost literally put the information in their hands on an ongoing basis.

Our sailing club sends every club member an e-mail two or three times a week about upcoming events and meetings and activities. And on top of that Rick sends an e-mail twice a week to all of our Wave sailors, both local and distant, reminding them about our Wave racing locally. Even the people who are too far away to come to the local series races are motivated by at least seeing that others are doing it and having fun. And it makes them feel included in the class, just knowing that somebody cares enough to send them information.

In the old days we used to do all that contacting every week by telephone, so e-mail has been a big help. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />