Regatta Management

1. Regatta Management Tom Winlow 2009

2. The Team Regatta Chair • Race officer • Protest Judge • Publicity - Notice of race, Local press, Club liaison, SI's, registration desk and kits, notice board • Awards - awards for winners, sponsorship and any other prizes or freebees • Regalia • Meet and greet - people to meet out of town boats, assign trailer and car parking; Liaise with harbormaster for moorings; handle haul out including extra cranes if required • Accommodations - billeting, camping, hotels • Food services - Breakfasts, dinners, on the water lunches • Entertainment - regatta party, presentations, guest entertainment • Budget - control

3. The Team • Regatta Chair • Race officer • Protest Judge • Publicity - Notice of race, Local press, Club liaison, SI's, registration kits, Official Notice boards • Awards - awards for winners, sponsorship and any other prizes or freebees • Regalia • Meet and greet - people to meet out of town boats, assign trailer and car parking; Liaise with harbormaster for moorings • Accommodations - billeting, camping, hotels • Food services - Breakfasts, dinners, on the water lunches • Entertainment - regatta party, presentations, guest entertainment • Budget - control

4. Regalia • A tough one • How to estimate in advance the number and size of t-shirts, golf shirts, hats, or other stuff you will be able to sell • Depends on the size and prestige of the event • Don’t agonize over sizes. Just get large and X-large? Try and find a competent designer • Better to sell out than have dozens left over • Sell at cost. Don’t try to make money on the stuff • Try and have fleet select suppliers to get bigger orders and better prices

5. Meet and Greet • One of the best bangs for the bucks. • Make sure the volunteers are recognizable • Get them on-site early for arrival and departure • Make sure they know how to run the cranes if keelboats are expected • Ensure they liaise with club manager for trailer space, car parking, rules with respect to free beer on arrival • Have some tools and access to spare bits and pieces available

6. Accommodations • Dependent on whether out-of-town boats are expected • Sign up billets early • Location for campers on-site and off • Maps and information on local motels/hotels/B&Bs • Make certain the club showers and washrooms both in the main building and the youth center are cleaned each day and stocked

7. Food services • Make it good and make it cheap Regatta Policy – Break even or sponsor • Work with club caterer to ensure they know the kind of crowd to expect. Recognize that most will not sign up in advance for dinners (some cost risk here) • Making lunches available for the racing days is a great opportunity for volunteers. Racers can order at registration • Provide breakfast on race days even if only coffee, juice and muffins

8. Entertainment • Decide whether band is wanted • Liaise with club manager • Budget • Off-site opportunities for racers families • Tours in Ottawa • Restaurant recommendations • Volunteers • On-site activities after racing Making the Regatta Memorable for all

9. CYA manual • Principle Race Officer- all on-water race activities • Protest Committee Chair – on and off-water jury / protests / judges • Safety - this is the responsibility of PRO • Medical - if special needs are involved such as Able Sail • Equipment - responsibility of PRO • On-shore logistics (i.e. boat storage) – part of Meet and Greet above • Measurement - requires a separate team leader if classes require • Registration - part of publicity • Food • Accommodation • Social activities/seminars - entertainment • Ceremonies - awards • Media - publicity • Sponsorship – awards • Prizes/trophies - awards