Too much to race?

[william24424]

Bassackwards $200 race entries are down this year, about half, some blame a competing 'Round the Vineyard' race. I haven't entered because Wednesday nights cost about $12 a race, and longer "Round the bay" races run around $50. Marina sponsoring Bassackwards has called me a few times to enter, politely I decline, too much me thinks, I am stuck on principal, or maybe just being cheap. I've also missed the Figawi, ($500+), unless my crew wants to pay or I find a sponsor, I can't bring myself to do it., I sail or race for the love of the sport/hobby/lifestyle. I spend thousands on my boat, but these racing fees, just can't do it. Thoughts? Colleagues often ask, "you racing _____?" How should I answer? Yes, just on Weds.!? Advice? Thanks.

 

[higgs]

Those are some pretty hefty fees, if you ask me. My club charges nothing for races (except one regatta for $50) and even pays for your PHRF certificate.

 

[jackhartjr]

You sound like me, I love driving trucks, but paying tolls urinates me off! So I go where there are no tolls, or I can get around them. (Therefore I stay out of the Northeast!)
Stay with your principals, you will be glad you did in the end.
And when they ask, tell them why you aren't racing; when folks don't speak up, other folks think they are happy!
Jack

 

[Ross]

I have a bad attitude about racing I like to stop at points of interest along the way.

 

[higgs]

Ross - have you ever raced?

 

[MrUnix]

Never paid to race.. always been free. Usually, it starts off with something like "Hey, bet I can beat you to [insert destination here]...". And who wins doesn't really matter much.

As to the original post.. for those entrance fees, there better be some damn nice prizes, food, booze and entertainment at the end to justify the price! If not, I'm with Jack and think you should tell them and anyone else who will listen exactly why it is you are not participating.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[Ross]

Ross - have you ever raced?

Nope! no interest.

 

[higgs]

Ross - I am not a racer type guy, but before you dis it you should at least give it a try.

 

[william24424]

Figawi started with 3 sailors racing to Nantucket for the weekend, now that sounds fun...I'm sure all of you race, any time you pull that grinder at the sight of another sailboat..it's a race. Well, don't know the eats on big races but the food & drink on Wednesday nights is top notch, my wife's a great cook..homemade pesto & corn pasta with garden fresh tomato salad, some cold Sam Adams..first class meal on my boat., can't speak for the other racers.

 

[alexco38]

http://www.lo300.org/

$275 to enter. Click on Yellowbrick button to follow in realtime.

Done it for 4 years. Great fun.

 

[Jackdaw]

You should get what you pay for.

Real race management, prizes, parties, swag costs money. Some clubs build that into their fees for members. Non-members should always expect to pay in proportion with the effort to put the race on. For a beercan race, 12 bucks seems high. But a marina is sponsoring it? Seems like a money-making scheme, and not an effort to get more boats racing.

For us and a crew of 8, the race entry fees are basically a rounding error in our overall costs.

But everybody will have different sensibilities about that, and vote with their wallets. Two-up on a Wednesday night? I'd pass too.

 

[kloudie1]

I used to crew on a few races.. it was customary to split the race fees (and provisions and dockage ) amongst all on board. These races were generally longer than around the buoys; Glaveston to Veracruz, Galveston to Corpus Christi, Biloxi to Pensacola, etc..

 

[RobertLangdirect]

GOOD TRADE did not race a local DC race last year and a good friend asked why. I told him it was the $100 Cantina Cup entry fee. This year, he is "sponsoring" my boat.

I have tried repeatedly to get Northrop Grumman to assist me with the Leukemia Cup. In as much as I have a Grumman built hull, they seem to think that is enough and refuse to assist any further.

Anybody from Lockheed Martin, or EADS, out there?

 

[Ross]

Ross - I am not a racer type guy, but before you dis it you should at least give it a try.

I don't dis it. I simply don't care about it.

 

[Rick D]

Race Fees

For largish races, fees of $50 - $200 is common here. Usually some SWAG included with that. There is some real expense putting on a largish race. Fees have not gone up much in the last few years. Usually the race fee is only about a third to a fourth of the total expense to do a race, so I don't think it's at all too much. However, if it is your YC sponsoring a regatta, the cost should be minimal, IMHO.

 

[Tim R.]

I have a bad attitude about racing I like to stop at points of interest along the way.

Then why post in this thread?

 

[Ray T]

Re: Race Fees

I used to race on the Chesapeak and the entry fees were 20 to 30 dollars. I didn't mind the fees but what used to really tick me off was that the results were suposed to be in the paper the following Thursday and they weren't. Sometimes we didn't get the results untill the end of the year when the high point champions were determined. It seemed to me that the yacht clubs taking your money to put in their treasury wern't living up to their part of the bargan.

 

[Joe]

I don't dis it. I simply don't care about it.

If you have no interest or don't care....... why make a comment in the first place? It obviously isn't your conversation ...

 

[Slow Mo^cean]

I'll only pay high entry fees if I know where that money is going exactly to the cent. I can understand it being high if there is a great prize table or payout, or if the overhead to run an event is high, but just for it to go in someone's pocket is ridiculous.

 

[s sauer]

In years past, I've participated as skipper on my boat and as crew on others, usually for 'benefit' cup races, such as Leukemia Cup or Epilepsy Cup and generally in PHRF Non-Spin or Cruising Class. If you need to join a sanctioning body and need to pay to get a PHRF certificate and pay the entry fees, it will add up. Going the 'cruising class' route was simpler particularly for one or two big races per year and I needed less crew and they took the PHRF number 'out of the book'. I can see where races that count towards a local High Point championship need to be more tightly controlled, hence cost more.