If I can weigh in my tuppence's worth as well...
The merits or not of BIBOA have been debated at length in the past. Some people think its great others that it doesn't do it for them. BIBOA is RYA affiliated by the way although what benefits any powerboater gets out of the RYA is very questionable IMHO! I personally gained a lot from being in BIBOA in terms of meeting folk, going on cruises etc. I also put a bit back in by being Cruising Coordinator for a couple of years - a thankless task at times I'll tell you!
I'm find it interesting that JK has floated the idea of a Rib.net club. One of the strengths of Rib.net is the informality and lack of organisational bullexcretia that sometimes go with clubs. For a bunch of East Coast mudlarks, Solent ribsters or those strange people from the North West to organise an event, meet up, piss up etc you don't need a club you just need a communication tool to bring together likeminded people e.g. the rib.net forum! In fact there are people here who would never go to a BIBOA cruise on principle because they have to pay to join but happily attend a Rib.net event. We now can pay if we want to support this forum. If you have to pay then to be in the rib.net club to meet up then you are straight back into those issues. Plus of course who gets to be commodore, chairman, secretary etc etc.
The other key thing to remember these days is liability. Again this has been discussed before. If you run an event then you'd better have officers and officials liability insurance. Othwewise when someone on the cruise gets injured or injures someone else you might well get sued. (pretty much a certainty these days). BIBOA's officers and liability insurance costs several thousand. Where is the rib.net club going to get that from? JK's piggy bank? No from subscriptions, which given the level of membership intially I submit will be significantly higher than BIBOA to cover these costs.
The thrust of the rib club thread seems to be about access to sailing/yacht clubs and their facilities. Personally if thats important to you then join a club (pretend to be a yottie if neccessary
) or join BIBOA and use that as your RYA affiliated membership. Either that or boldly walk in, sign in as a member of some impressive sounding but non-existant club like the "Royal Goodwin Sands SC" and I bet you won't be challenged!!
Alan
