The Scottish Series 2022 (03-06 June)

[BlowingOldBoots]

It has being claimed that the CCC organised Scottish Series from the 03-06 June 2022 has been cancelled. Posts on Facebook, nothing on the CCC page or the CCC Scottish Series Face Book pages.

No news at these sources, yet: -

https://www.scottishseries.info
https://www.facebook.com/scottishseries

A lot of organisations are suffering from lack of resources, people and support organisations to get things done. My own employer has had to cancel a workshop as the hosting company could not guarantee delivery of service at the last minute due to subcontractor shortage.

Such a shame if it is.

[Gardenshed]

Symptomatic of deeper problems?

CCC
stagnant membership
falling participation in all events (5 boats total in the Bute race)
reliant on a financially successful Scottish Series
low entry numbers indicating it will be a loss to the club
loss of momentum from covid and an insipid event off Largs last year

all predicted by an outgoing commodore (in a disruptive way where the message got lost in the way it was communicated) over a decade ago

more marinas stuffed full of more boats but few if any seeing the CCC as a club that is worth joining. Its a fantastic organisation, great heritage, fantastic history and a brilliant dinghy section at Bardowie loch, but the annual yacht events have barely changed from the 1970's.

With my boat based in Craobh, I don't see any value in joining. The last event I attended was an end of season Tarbert Race and it all seemed to be a bit flat. Few if any younger people, zero diversity (ageing white folk only) and all a bit cliquey. Hadn't attended for many years (due to living overseas) and yet no one apart from old friends, even said hello or welcome.

Scottish Series:
windward leeward is boring. Too many trying -to-be-serious racers and no easy entry or welcome to those who have never raced before. Where's the encouragement to bolster the ranks? yes racing needs rules and some formality, but what about a new-to-racing class, where the radio is used to help/explain encourage boats at the start, give on the air coaching and assist them on the way round the course?

I salute those that are on the committee and are trying to make the best of it, but get out there, walk the marina pontoons, speak to non members and listen to what they want/need.

[BlowingOldBoots]

Good observations from experience, Gardenshed. I have considered joining a few times but to be honest, the pictures of events suggested to me, exactly what you describe. Their website is not attractive and nothing about it makes it welcoming to join; full of text, little imagery and to be frank its nearly all about racing.

The CCC was always an enigma to me, the fact that it had a cruising heritage yet focused on racing, but I guess that is what people wanted, to race. Clearly the volume of boats in marinas today, the shrinking racing fleets, suggest that racing is not what people want. Some of your observations are recognised at the CCC. From the Commodores 2022 opening remarks, on their website: -

More cruises in company? More big boat / small boat crossover days? More youth activities? More blue-water cruises? Bigger better races? This year we hope to garner members opinions to be able to steer our club in the directions its members want.
Whatever we decide together, we'll need some organisers to organise things, and some doers to get things done. Could you volunteer? A few of our longer serving committee members have stood down; they served us well, and we thank them. Special thanks and mention must be made for the many years of dedicated service from Jennifer Rolland who retired mid pandemic.

Garnering members opinions, is like asking the Metropolitan Police on what they should do about racism and sexism within their ranks. If the objective is only to do what the members want, single issue politics, then I think the CCC will be doomed. However, the CCC is a membership club, so it is reasonable and necessary that membership should be consulted. I think the CA as a model has aspects that could be adopted by the CCC which would make it more attractive.

Personally, in this age of self importance and the rights of the individual, to be eh, individual, instantaneous communication, media and data access maybe the days of clubs are limited. Alternatively, they could be bastions of something special, a clique, free from the ever invading presence of mass hysteria media, a place where the individual is accepted for what they are, not rejected for what they are not.

Meanwhile Tarbert's annual bread sales are about to take a huge hit. http://www.tarbertlochfyne.com

[BlowingOldBoots]

Latest from Tarbert's Facebook page. It may be going ahead and they are looking for volunteers to do things, they don't say what. If you can help, contact below: -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllthingsTarbert/

Saturday Scottish Series update:
Talks and progress has been very positive.
Thank you to those of you who have volunteered to do bits and pieces. We have had a lot of support from the local community who also were devastated to hear about the planned cancelation.
As things stand, the Scottish Series WILL be going ahead.
Mark is awaiting confirmation from the Clyde Cruising Club that it will become a 3-day event (Friday-Sunday).
A few more volunteers would be helpful. Please email me if you are willing to do this. mark.robertson@hotmail.co.uk
It looks like we are going to Tarbert!

[Gardenshed]

"the Scottish Series" won't be going ahead, but a "Jubilee Regatta" (the 3 day event mentioned) is being proposed as the alternative.
Sad days when an event that used to get 100+ boats and good coverage in the Telegraph and Glasgow Herald as well as the yachting comics, is struggling to survive.

[marisca]

Latest news is Scottish Series is back on - more details tomorrow.

[BlowingOldBoots]

Post at 11 pm on their FB page, As gardenshed stated it is not the Scottish Series races but The Jubilee Regatta that will be going ahead. Some folks are not happy and in the FB comments are accusing the CCC of lying, such a shame that it could be acrimonious like this: -

https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/scottishseries

... You may have by now heard the news, which was released to entrants first, that the Scottish Series has regrettably had to be cancelled for 2022. It will be replaced with a three day Jubilee Regatta instead. I wanted to take this opportunity to answer some of the questions that have been addressed to the club which you may find useful.
Q. Why cancel but run a different event?
A. Scottish Series needs to meet a minimum standard which we can no longer meet due to some recent issues around volunteer and equipment availability.
Q. Why not run it even if resources are light?
A. We have to consider many things from the need to properly facilitate a protest, lay a course, be safe, provide shoreside support for volunteers and ensure the event standards are met.
Q. Why not cancel earlier?
A. Up until recently we had no reason to think, despite having a tough time with resources, we could run the event to the expected standard. Normally the event has a surplus to accommodate late issues. This year we didn't so when some resources became unavailable recently we were unable to replace them.
Q. Why were numbers down so much, there only appear to be about 70 entries?
A. Conversations over the last few months showed a number of yacht owners had other, long term plans for the Jubilee weekend and others were planning trips they had missed out on during the last two years of pandemic impacted travel.
Q. Why wasn't I asked to help?
A. The event requires, for some aspects, volunteers to be qualified which is the main area that we struggled with this year. We emailed all qualified people in the UK as part of the event prep.
Q. Why not move it to the Clyde like you did in 2022?
A. This option still wouldn't allow us to run the regatta with the premier delivery model we know the racing community want as the same resources we need are not available.
Q. How come others can do it?
A. There isn't a comparable event in Scotland with the breadth, and demand on resources. Other events are also struggling, not only in Scotland but throughout the UK right down to the south coast.
Q. Why has there not been much media and promotion on the event?
A. With less resources than usual available this year our focus has been on the event planning.
We hope the above helps answer some of the questions you may have and please do get in touch with us on 0141 221 2774 or office@clyde.org with any others.
Copyright © 2022 Clyde Cruising Club, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email as you have previously been involved in Scottish Series. ...

[marisca]

I think this is the latest

Scottish Series 2022
Important Update - 15 May 2022

#scottishseries

Following the announcement that Scottish Series was to cancel in 2022 and be replaced with a much reduced scope Regatta there has been nothing short of a tidal wave of support from communities, both afloat and ashore. To say it has been incredible would be a major understatement. So great has been the depth of support that we are confident we can now deliver significantly more than was announced last week.
We have a huge list of conversations to follow up on, logistics to confirm, and over the next 24 - 48 hours some midnight oil to burn before we can release exactly what we will be able to deliver but it looks like we may be able to provide both passage racing and class based short course racing with a possible extension to four days.
To everyone who has been in touch either directly, through your class association or to the race officers, thank you. The Clyde Cruising Club expects to release details of what can be delivered on the 17th May.
Some of the questions we know you may have at this stage are below;


Q. What can you now deliver?
A. Subject to verification it looks like the racing will consist of both short course racing and passage racing more in line with what you would expect at Scottish Series. Exact details will be confirmed once race officers agree teams.

Q. Will the event be three or four days?
A. Given the support we have received the organisers are in discussions to increase the event to four days.


We hope the above helps answer some of the questions you may have and please do get in touch with us on 0141 221 2774 or office@clyde.org with any others.

Copyright © 2022 Clyde Cruising Club, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email as you have previously been involved in Scottish Series

[wully]

Cluster Fcuk..

[Gardenshed]

Cluster Fcuk..

eloquent and accurate if not loquatious

[Gardenshed]

Scottish Series Facebook Page, as of today (May 16): last updated March 26
CCC Facebook Page, as of today: last updated May 03 (7 boats for the opening Muster, previous weekend 5 boats for the Round Bute Race)
google CCC and you get directed to their old web page. Follow the link to the new web page and there is no update./info. Go to the Scottish series webpage and there is no info

where are participants meant to get the latest info?

[Nick]

Scottish Series Facebook Page, as of today (May 16): last updated March 26
CCC Facebook Page, as of today: last updated May 03 (7 boats for the opening Muster, previous weekend 5 boats for the Round Bute Race)
google CCC and you get directed to their old web page. Follow the link to the new web page and there is no update./info. Go to the Scottish series webpage and there is no info

where are participants meant to get the latest info?

Web designers are available who could fix this, but hey . . . .

[marisca]

where are participants meant to get the latest info?

It comes in via email to participants. I posted the latest output above. While there may be some vicarious pleasure in watching a "cluster fcuk", I don't think that the CCC trying to do its best for its members and participants really has the makings of a spectator sport. Incidentally, I was one of the 5 Round Bute participants and aced the 2-handed spinnaker class!

[BlowingOldBoots]

Criticism should always be seen as an opportunity by the criticised entity but defence in accepting criticism is psychologically difficult to do, especially when criticism is repeated over the years i.e. inability to change through analysis paralysis, confirmation bias, normalisation of a status such as it becomes fixed. Is this what is happening to the CCC, who knows? A report from 2008: -

http://www.cyca-online.org.uk/cm/dynami ... 132205.pdf

... One category where it was immensely disappointing to see positive replies was that racers were unwelcoming. Starting racing is a daunting prospect for many boat owners and receiving a cold response can end a racing career before it has started. ...

... 4.2 Question 4 – Club Related Changes to Increase Racing Turnouts 4.2.1 Conclusions
Key conclusions from this question are:
Owners have simply become bored with the racing which is currently offered. Passage racing is far more popular as is white sail racing.
There is a significant lack of racing crew.
Clubs and regattas should modernise their offerings to attract more to race ...

... In a close circle such as a sailing club, people are often reluctant to give feedback if they feel they may be able to be identified and it would be recommended that such surveys be anonymous. Anonymous surveys to third parties generate better and more honest feedback. ...

At the end of the day, many have walked away from racing, yet the 2008 report, still wants to attract people to racing. What was it that Einstein actually did not say but is oft attributed to, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

Maybe the lessons from 2008 have not been applied, or have been applied but are ineffective because the majority of the current generations of boat owners, still don't want to race. Perhaps the value of something is not appreciated until it is gone.

I do hope that the CCC can grow its membership and move forward, that the Scottish Series will continue in future years is likely not in doubt. I think that a sense of recovery from impact of Covid is still wishful thinking and may take the rest of the year to build momentum.

[Gardenshed]

[/quote]

It comes in via email to participants. I posted the latest output above. While there may be some vicarious pleasure in watching a "cluster fcuk", I don't think that the CCC trying to do its best for its members and participants really has the makings of a spectator sport. Incidentally, I was one of the 5 Round Bute participants and aced the 2-handed spinnaker class!
[/quote]

what the CCC is failing to recognise and understand is that in addition to the boat skippers there is a wider audience (crew etc) who need to know what's going on. Using Facebook and their own webpages reduces the background noise/confusion by making the information available to the wider audiences. It also means that there is no delay if a skipper misses the email, its goes into a junk folder, or there is s delay in forwarding it to their crew.

Its a great illustration of poor communication and the lack of CCC understanding of how social media works. in this case, it will work against them, rather than being used to help them manage the messages and any changes/updates. Using the 3 platforms CCC control (the event page, the CCC club page and the CCC Facebook page) would guarantee that the latest most up to date and accurate information is simultaneously available to all interested parties

well done in the Bute race