| 2010 Rendezvous Kick-off |
|
|
|
| Written by Administrator | ||||
| Dec 16, 2009 at 02:47 PM | ||||
 Planning for the 2010 Precision Sailboat Rendezvous is underway... A small group who indicated they’d be interested in assisting with this effort after last year’s Rendezvous have met twice via conference call to discuss the dates, agenda, location, destination sail, and racing at the 2010 Rendezvous. Our “guiding principle” for the 2010 Rendezvous is to leverage the effort we put in last year for this year’s Rendezvous. Much time and effort was spent trying to get a handle on how to put such an event together, so we’ll use what we’ve learned. What did we learn? Well, we learned that flexibility is a key factor and that a tight agenda may not allow broad participation. Additionally, we learned that participation levels are difficult to anticipate. Economic conditions, schedules, and random events can keep people from attending even though they had the full intention of showing up. So for 2010, we decided that we will (tentatively): a.) Use the Sailing Emporium as a base once again. They were happy to have us, and the accommodations, amenities, and location are excellent. b.) Extend the time for the Rendezvous. Last year we scheduled over a weekend, which was fine, but really didn’t allow for “partial” participation. This year we are considering a longer Rendezvous so folks can pick and choose how they want to participate. This is also more accommodating to schedules. Not everyone can take time off, so having the bulk of participants available for sailing and socializing on a weekend at the home-base allows folks who can only manage the weekend to participate without having most of the group off on a destination sail. c.) Destination cruise. This year we are looking at Annapolis, MD as the destination for our overnight cruise. Annapolis is about 15NM from Rock Hall. There are no draw bridges along the way, so there should be less motoring. Annapolis has many attractions, the US Naval Academy, many eateries, bars, and shops. We’d like to be able to spend more time in Annapolis than we did in St. Michael’s, so we’re suggesting a full day in Annapolis, which requires two overnights at slips or moorings at the City Dock. Anchoring is not a viable option in the coves around Annapolis. Annapolis can be crowded on the weekends, which is why we decided to do this trip during the week when traffic is less and dockage and moorings are more available. Additionally, anyone who had to go back to work and wants to meet for dinner can drive in and meet the group. d.) Extended stay possibilities. Since we can come back to Rock Hall from Annapolis on Wednesday, there will be time for more open-ended cruising in the upper Chesapeake area. Raft-ups in more rural settings, informal racing, and just sailing on other folks’ boats can occur on Thursday, with a group dinner on Thursday or Friday night. Folks who wish to stay longer can extend their plans through the weekend. e.) Increasing participation. Hopefully this agenda will be conducive to greater participation in the Rendezvous. However the agenda alone cannot accomplish this. The most powerful marketing tool is the human mouth! We will of course leverage all the electronic medium reasonably available to us, but word-of-mouth is key. Additionally, for those in the Chesapeake area, volunteering to visit marinas and post an announcement, and get an add in free local papers may have a good effect. Tentative 2010 Precision Sailboat Rendezvous Agenda
Please login or register to add comments |
||||
| Last Updated ( Dec 17, 2009 at 12:44 PM ) | ||||
