I would imagine most of you recently got this email from the RYA.
But for those of you that didn't....or who are not members of the RYA:
The survey is open to members and non-members and as an incentive we are giving away an iPad2, possibly 2 if we hit the target. We would be really interested in getting the views of club members who are not RYA members.
So would you be able to notify people that the survey is now online (closing date 31st Jan 2012), there is a news article on the RYA website, I have been tweeting about it and added it to the RYA Facebook page.
If you have Facebook pages/profiles and twitter accounts please do add the survey news article to them, also while you are there please like the Facebook page and follow the RYA on twitter (I will follow/like you back).
Interesting that they are looking for feedback from non-members.
cheers
eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
Thanks for the link, that's 5 minutes of my life I won't get back, shame they couldn't spell Flickr.
As an ex-member I needed more than 30 words to vent my spleen on how boring and turgid the current process of learning how to sail is and it results in identikit racers, all doing the same thing on the start line. The Pyramid approach is useless and does not encourage anyone to stay in the sport. The recent vomiting of funds into clubs was unsustainable and bordering on madness - the rush to spend because the budget had to go was ill conceived and benefits no-one in the long term. Why would I want broadband and mobile phones from the RYA? Are they going to do an 'AA' and be taken over by Venture Capitalists just to have their brand exploited?
Survey filled in - it wasn't exactly clear what they wanted, though - the last question wanted me to describe the RYA and what it does - don't they know that already? Instead, I had a whinge, bit like Neil...
some time back, the RYA got a major infusion of funding that was all supposed to be about the 'adult experience' - the money was supposed to be ring fenced against it going on yoof and olympic sailing (lets face it...that is where 90% of the activity seems to be focused). So, this 6 figure (very nearly a 7 figure) windfall was intended for the grassroots of the sport and having been to some of the RYA meetings on this, they wanted to 'improve the experience' - much in the way you describe.
It all looked so good.... the RYA cast around for people who 'knew' the sport and who were prepared to put something in to make this all happen. Now at least 2 CVRDA members were involved (and that was just in the SE Region), Trevor C was one, I was another.
We went all through the process...passed the day and became part of the process, only to get bypassed in favour of a lady whose contribution to the day was to ask who 'ooofa fux' was......
As far as I was concerned, the initiative went downhill from there.....there are things going on that are supposed to be by products of the plan, but nothing that I can see that is really substantive.
No I don't know about you, but if I spent 9 million pounds plus on something, I'd like to think that there is a clear set of deliverables that you can point to, highlighting 'value for money'. There is a lot more that could be said on this topic (as you pointed out, the way it was done was hardly sustainable) but we have to be so very careful.... we;ve already had individuals cutting and pasting comments made on this forum and then forwarding them to the RYA .
So all of you who used the opportunity to have a bit of a whinge, well done, you're in good company. Will it change a single thing.... hate to say it but from where I sit, the answer has to be 'no'.
Dougal
PS...you may ask where all the money did go? Well.... just at the top of Hamble Lane, leading away from the village, is a large Tescos. Pop in there on a Friday, find a spot between all the badged up RYA Volvo 'chelsea tractors'.... and you'll see some of it. Now you could question if the 'back office' staff at the RYA all need the smart RYA/Sail for Gold etc badged clothing, smart Musto jackets to the fore. But how about the partners of RYA staff...people who have no other link to the organisation other than they cohabit with an RYA employee.... oppss , have said too much already, it will be back to the Tower soon; that said, I'll not lack for company!
One thing I guess I should say is that I'm a fan of the RYA. It is just that I think they could do many things better than they do now, and maybe not do some of the things at all. Not sure that the survey really hits on any of these things, though.
Hi I went to survey and filled in Coldplay, Kings of Leon etc submitted form and realised it was brands, so look forward to jackets badged RYA supports Coldplay.
