Cowes 2012

[Firefly]

Has anyone here been asked to provide voluntary safety boat services for the BPRC's events (Cowes Powerboat Festival) commencing on the 24th of this month?

Has anyone here volunteered?

[Cookee]

The link to the event site is Here

[Firefly]

The reason I ask, just been following the discussions on boatmad regarding safety boats for the Cowes events. The BPRC, contacted me on the 3rd of July asking me if I would help out. I said I would provided they offered basic expenses. I was subsequently contacted by on the 13th of this month to say they had enough boats to cover the minimum requirement but the more the merrier however the budget didn't allow for expenses.

My questions are:

1. How can it be that, whilst the likes of Formula Future, OCRDA and ORDA manage to pay or contribute towards expenses, one of the richest powerboat clubs in the Country cannot?

2. What does the fact that no money is set aside in the budget for safety boat expenses say about BPRC's attitude to safety?

I have so far covered 6 events as safety boat this year, all of which covered expenses. Looking at the boats, rigs and support infrastructure assocaited with the BPRC's regular entrants, I don't believe for one minute that there is no money available.

Rant over, feel much better now.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Firefly

The reason I ask, just been following the discussions on boatmad regarding safety boats for the Cowes events. The BPRC, contacted me on the 3rd of July asking me if I would help out. I said I would provided they offered basic expenses. I was subsequently contacted by on the 13th of this month to say they had enough boats to cover the minimum requirement but the more the merrier however the budget didn't allow for expenses.

My questions are:

1. How can it be that, whilst the likes of Formula Future, OCRDA and ORDA manage to pay or contribute towards expenses, one of the richest powerboat clubs in the Country cannot?

2. What does the fact that no money is set aside in the budget for safety boat expenses say about BPRC's attitude to safety?

I have so far covered 6 events as safety boat this year, all of which covered expenses. Looking at the boats, rigs and support infrastructure assocaited with the BPRC's regular entrants, I don't believe for one minute that there is no money available.

Rant over, feel much better now.

Good question - I do know that the Cowes Yacht Haven keep putting up their prices and the other costs are quite large. On another point the reason for not going to the Skerries buoy (the far side of Dartmouth) was a lack of safety cover so in addition to expenses some better communication is required!

[James Slatter]

Been in contact and their safety arrangements are in place but they are always looking for people to help out, I assume to bolster the support and cover any deficiencies on the day.
Link for contacts is http://cowes2012.co.uk/index.php?id=10

[Zippy]

Intersting point and i am sure very annoying for all!

Interesting also that cowes have increased their prices again making it more expensive for organisers and entrants.

I appreciate its COWES - Torquay - COWES and history dictates it should start from cowes but given the race actually starts well to the west of Cowes, why not consider basing the event somewhere cheaper (on the mainland) where more people can see the event / boats and give something for the media / sponsors to place value to??

Look at the sucess of the Clipper yacht race which started from Ocean Village. Like many, i was at the start of the race and it was a great specitical with thousands of people there....

Hamble point has the space and lifting faclities on site to cope with the event,

Hythe marina has lifting and fuel on site. lots of space for dry and wet pits and almost direct access to southampton water.

i know all to well organising an event like this is a thankless task and am grateful to the guys that do it or the sport would be lost forever but maybe its time to think outside the usual to see if costs can be reduced and interest revived?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Firefly

1. How can it be that, whilst the likes of Formula Future, OCRDA and ORDA manage to pay or contribute towards expenses, one of the richest powerboat clubs in the Country cannot?

is it that they cannot or that they can get enough people to meet their need FOC so they don't (rather than can't).

2. What does the fact that no money is set aside in the budget for safety boat expenses say about BPRC's attitude to safety?

I don't know that I'd draw a correlation; it possibly says more about the popularity of the event that they can get the boats they need without paying people's fuel etc. Presumably this is not a change of policy this year? in which case it says to me they've been happy with the FOC cover they got in previous years and so are happy to maintain the same standard.

I have so far covered 6 events as safety boat this year, all of which covered expenses. Looking at the boats, rigs and support infrastructure assocaited with the BPRC's regular entrants, I don't believe for one minute that there is no money available.

no one is forcing you to get involved, either you are happy to do it without expenses or you go and do something else - not sure why you are upset.

[Firefly]

Originally Posted by Poly

is it that they cannot or that they can get enough people to meet their need FOC so they don't (rather than can't).
I don't know that I'd draw a correlation; it possibly says more about the popularity of the event that they can get the boats they need without paying people's fuel etc. Presumably this is not a change of policy this year? in which case it says to me they've been happy with the FOC cover they got in previous years and so are happy to maintain the same standard.
no one is forcing you to get involved, either you are happy to do it without expenses or you go and do something else - not sure why you are upset.

First allow me to say that the purpose of this thread is to spark a debate. Secondly, I am not upset. I am fully aware that I am not being forced to do this however, being asked to volunteer without thought of expenses is simply wrong. I don't know of any voluntary service or body in the UK that doesn't cover volunteer's expenses. Perhaps you do.

My point is this:

Asking me to make available my rib, crew and equipment as well as incurring towing fuel, boat fuel, accommodation and sustenance costs, is effectively asking me to sponsor the event rather than volunteer. That is a whole different ball game.

[Firefly]

Originally Posted by Poly

is it that they cannot or that they can get enough people to meet their need FOC so they don't (rather than can't).
I don't know that I'd draw a correlation; it possibly says more about the popularity of the event that they can get the boats they need without paying people's fuel etc. Presumably this is not a change of policy this year? in which case it says to me they've been happy with the FOC cover they got in previous years and so are happy to maintain the same standard.
no one is forcing you to get involved, either you are happy to do it without expenses or you go and do something else - not sure why you are upset.

First allow me to say that the purpose of this thread is to spark a debate. Secondly, I am not upset. I am fully aware that I am not being forced to do this however, being asked to volunteer without thought of expenses is simply wrong. I don't know of any voluntary service or body in the UK that doesn't cover volunteer's expenses. Perhaps you do.

My point is this:

Asking me to make available my rib, crew and equipment as well as incurring towing fuel, boat fuel, accommodation and sustenance costs, is effectively asking me to sponsor the event rather than volunteer. That is a whole different ball game.

[C2 RIBS]

For your info if you are going out to this event
http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/admi...No%2031_T_.pdf