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Author Topic: Overly serious enthusiasts / model boat clubs ?  (Read 4738 times)

rem2007

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Overly serious enthusiasts / model boat clubs ?
« on: September 30, 2018, 05:01:06 pm »


I have been a keen model boater for some 10 years now but today was totally put off the hobby by my own club.

Since having moved to the area some 5 years ago, decided on a home in Highbridge, Somerset which allowed work opportunities, schooling for our youngest and access to the area. We had returned to the UK from Canada as my wife and her children are English and I was too young to retire and we found all easily enough,  but as I have suffered health issues, work became more difficult due to both redundancy and government cutbacks as well. So i took part time work instead and said, well almost 60 why not and relax and enjoy my hobby, that is up until today.

The club I had belonged to, Sedgemoor Model Boat Club located in Highbridge/Burnham on Sea, at which I sailed scale and small yachts, has become a clique of two clubs, those who want to enjoy the hobby and those who want to win. By this I would place myself in the former as most of us do, as we have had enough stresses in our lives not to endure them whilst trying to enjoy our hobby.

The straw which has broken the camel's back for me, occurred just this morning, whilst sailing my small yacht in the club section which has an annual series. The club secretary and section chair went through the rules regarding starboard tack and hitting and penalty turns, but after several races, these rules seemed to apply to those who enjoy rather than to those who win, and after several complaints made toward myself when I was in the wrong I packed up and left, as my mentioning when those who win were to blame for similar such complaints by myself fell on deaf ears, and of course they went on to win that particular race. I am a competent and capable participant and understand the rules of small yacht racing, but these rules seem to change for those of the latter clique. You should hear them when they do 1 metre sailing...

I would also like to mention that I have been called a 'foreigner' by club members and discovered that this sort of behaviour is against their rules and regs. I have emailed the club secretary and section chair to remove myself from their mailing list, but felt I should bring it to the attention of this forum. So if anyone would like to purchase a Dragonforce with Housemartin sails fitted send me a message, and if you want to enjoy your hobby and relax, then join any club but this one.


Robert 
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Neil

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2018, 06:28:44 pm »


Robert, you are not alone...….Fleetwood club has them, as do many clubs, and I am afraid that the competitive yachtsmen AND women at Fleetwood are the worst.....I despair as numbers drop in our hobby whether such clubs with big club houses will be around in 20 years because of the behaviour of such members...……..and clearly why I am not a member of a club any more....


the only clubs that I have ever found to make visitors welcome are the members of New Brighton and Largs [North Ayrshire] clubs and on the very rare time that I sale at it, Lytham St  Annes club...….and I say rare to this because I sail large boats and the bank of the lake has a sloping buttress to the lake side making it very difficult for me with my bad back to launch.


so don't worry...….just take down a fast noisy ICE or Brushless nondescript fast boat and set it amongst them...…...if its a public lake they can do sod all about it. {-) {-) {-) {-) :-))
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jaymac

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2018, 06:34:05 pm »

Sorry about your conflict with the Locals always welcome up the road at Portishead  used by Woodspring  but used even more by us Non members though not at the mo waiting for the level to come upJay
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barriew

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2018, 06:39:42 pm »

The only good thing to come from the takeover of our lake by a commercial angling organisation was that the one metre sailors had to remove their buoys from the lake. So they left. :-)) 
We now only have the recreational sailors, power and sail, so no rules and no arguments :-)) :-)) :-))


Barrie
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Leaky

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2018, 08:25:18 pm »

I watched a really bad tempered yacht race the other week which would put anyone off taking up competitive yachting, I wouldn't pack in though have a break and try another r/c boat type with no stressy competitive types.
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2018, 11:44:16 pm »

Some years ago our club had a similar problem, where the competitive yacht racers seemed to be competing for prizes worth millions, judging by their attitude. Eventually they split from our club to form their own, much to the relief of all, and now sail on different water altogether. Harmony has reigned supreme ever since.


Peter.
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tigertiger

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2018, 02:17:06 am »

It will always be an area of conflict. It is not clear from the OPs post if he was just sailing on the water, or taking part in a race.
In the 1:1 world of sailing, if there is a race, only competitors are allowed on the course. All competitors must obey all rules or be penalized, sworn at or rammed (yep seen that too). Even if you are not racing seriously you must follow the rules or you may inadvertently interfere with another boats chances of winning.
Once the race is over, it is open water, race rules don't apply.


If there are mixed clubs, perhaps there can be time slots where an allocated area of the lake is set out as a course and only racers can use the course at those times. If the lake is small, then reasonable time slots can be allocated, that suit both parties (e.g. first part of the afternoon for racing, latter part leisure).


Perhaps if a number of members can get together, and write a proposal to put forward at the next club meeting. It may not get resolved, at a meeting, but it is a better way of doing it, as nothing gets resolved satisfactorily in the hear of the moment.
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tigertiger

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2018, 02:26:12 am »

@Rem
I sympathize. I live in China and get called 'laowai' (foreigner) all the time, this is the impolite form. People point at me, or nudge their friends and say, "laowai, laowai', not always quietly. If they are better educated they say, 'Wai guo ren' (overseas person), which is a little better. Some people want to take a selfie with me, some of those get annoyed when I say no.


Sadly, there are ignorant people everywhere, don't let it get you down. Or you could do what I do, I smile and nod while cussing at them in my mother tongue. Yes I am bad %) :-X
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grendel

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2018, 08:36:36 am »

It will always be an area of conflict. It is not clear from the OPs post if he was just sailing on the water, or taking part in a race.
In the 1:1 world of sailing, if there is a race, only competitors are allowed on the course. All competitors must obey all rules or be penalized, sworn at or rammed (yep seen that too). Even if you are not racing seriously you must follow the rules or you may inadvertently interfere with another boats chances of winning.
Once the race is over, it is open water, race rules don't apply.

 

This is not always the case, on the Norfolk Broads there are many races held on the rivers and broads, without stopping the normal boat traffic, they do have warning boats out, but there are many races where an oblivious boat hirer or private boat has steamed through the race just beating the horn for the boats to move out of his or her way, the racers are told to treat other boat traffic as part of the bank, and it is seen as bad manners to squeeze a sailing boat through between the cruisers and the bank if they have moved over to allow the race past. though as said above some of the competitors get far too carried away with the racing and forget their manners when dealing with the non racing boats, which leaves a bad taste. I just feel sorry for those on their first hire experience who may just 30 minutes after taking over the boat come around a corner to find wall to wall sailing boats all over the river.
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Captain Flack

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2018, 09:30:29 am »

I would add that this type of behaviour doesn't just apply to Model Boat Clubs.  Ask me how I know!!!!!!!!!
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2018, 09:58:52 am »

I would add that this type of behaviour doesn't just apply to Model Boat Clubs.  Ask me how I know!!!!!!!!!
Which type of behaviour?
There are "serious" racing clubs whose senior members demand that all newcomers should have at least the same knowlege and experience as themselves.  They are usually the ones who are convinced that he who shouts loudest, knows best.  They are probably the cause of a lot of second hand DF65s by causing the owners to find a new hobby.
Then there are clubs who do not take themselves quite as seriously, but it can sometimes be an uphil task keeping the seriousness where it belongs, in the back ground.
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raflaunches

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2018, 10:39:10 am »

I know this behaviour too well after our experience at our lake just over 6 years ago where the footy yacht racers tried to take over the club. They even tried to force other yacht sailors to race with them so they could practice. Initially we allowed them to practice during the week but then they demanded that they needed to practice on the club free sail sessions saying that they needed to keep up their edge at all times! My Dad, who was the new chairman at the time even tried to calm the situation down but in the end the racers were told that they were not welcome anymore, they stormed off and set up their own club elsewhere. Their pigheaded behaviour is no longer tolerated and we have a much happier club which still sees yachts sailing together - just not in a competitive way. :-))
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Brian60

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2018, 12:38:07 pm »

I think you will find this happens where any consumer of spare time (a hobby) becomes competitive. It doesn't matter whether it is jogging, snail racing or anything you can think of. Once somebody decides it would be 'good' to make it a competition then friendliness goes out the window to be replaced by selfishness.

Colin Bishop

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2018, 01:08:44 pm »

Not sure I would agree with that. Back in the 70s & 80s the MPBA Scale Competition was great fun and sor the most part free of the sort of behaviour described in this topic. Yes, there were 'pot hunters'  who tried to subvert the spirit of the rules but not many and we all enjoyed the ingenious courses set out by clubs all around the country to test our steeing abilities.
These days it is almost all aimless sailing around the lake with no opportunity to demonstrate our boat handling skills which personally I find boring.
There will always be those who make a macho thing of 'in your face' competition and when you get a group of them together then friction does occur but as said earlier it's certainly not confined to model boating.
Colin
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Klunk

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2018, 01:10:15 pm »

LDMBC just drink tea, eat cake and have bacon roll Sunday once a month. I have even managed to do away with 90% of committee meetings! Anyone who knows me will know I hate anyone being serious. Competative racing is for the minority of model boaters. At the end of the day it gets dark. deal with reality first, then drink tea, have a cake and relax.
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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2018, 03:47:48 pm »

I've witnessed clubs alter beyond all recognition with just the exchange of one or two personnel- for better or for worse.
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Leaky

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2018, 06:39:00 pm »

Can a dedicated yacht (or powerboat) racer give me an insight as to why it gets so heated and intense?
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2018, 06:47:18 pm »

It's not about the activity, it's about the people. Certain individuals get upset about anything that they consider is preventing them from winning or getting one up on somebody else. Some people are just disposed to be agressive, another manifestation is road rage. Just human nature unfortunately. Some people are like that, fortunately most are not.
The other end of the spectrum is that people just lie back and let things be done to them and complain as a consequence.
Well adjusted individuals steer a middle course.  :-))
Colin
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Neil

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2018, 08:12:24 pm »

LDMBC just drink tea, eat cake and have bacon roll Sunday once a month. I have even managed to do away with 90% of committee meetings! Anyone who knows me will know I hate anyone being serious. Competative racing is for the minority of model boaters. At the end of the day it gets dark. deal with reality first, then drink tea, have a cake and relax.





That sounds like the sort of club i'd like to be a member of, instead of some I have been, lol...…..MG owners and Triumph Straight Six clubs to be specific, lol...…….car clubs are probably far worse than model clubs when it comes to one upmanship and arrogance!
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justboatonic

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2018, 10:11:09 pm »

My sympathies. We had this at a local model car racing club I used to initially organise for young lads, then, as a few adults joined up, still helped out. Now you'd expect a racing club to be competitive and apart from bumps and scrapes with cars, racing and friendliness abounded even if the clubwas rather informally organised.

Then a guy his 2 younger lads and his older dad joined up. Pretty soon they decided the club had to be run their way. Everything had to be done 'their' way. Any ideas from other members was poo-pooed as a non starter. Eventually people had enough and started drifting away and the club folded which was a shame because it had the roots to grow into a good club.
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tigertiger

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #20 on: October 02, 2018, 04:21:53 am »




That sounds like the sort of club i'd like to be a member of, instead of some I have been, lol...…..MG owners and Triumph Straight Six clubs to be specific, lol...…….car clubs are probably far worse than model clubs when it comes to one upmanship and arrogance!
 


I used to work for one of the big motoring organisations in the UK. The moment someone introduced themselves and included, "I am a member of the __(insert any make)___ Owners Club", we knew it was going to be a difficult phone call.
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Neil

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2018, 08:57:56 am »


I had "recently" bought a pristine  MGC Roadster, but some years ago when I went along to the Preston and District MG Owners club meeting one sunny evening...sat there all night listening mainly to what the chairman and secretary had to say about a forthcoming "Christmas " run.....they liked the sound of their own voices...…..and said virtually nothing about the evening myself except to give my name, address and membership number of the national owners club membership.   meeting over I got up  to leave, I said goodnight, see you all next month, when the chairman said...……."errr just a minute, we'll have to have a vote now on whether to accept your membership, we'll let you know by post"


you can imagine what my reply was, but in a polite laymans term it involved the sun and placing things where it doesn't shine, lol.
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dreadnought72

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2018, 09:18:57 am »

Back in August, a bunch of pirates invited me, my Wayfarer, and son #1 for a weekend of sailing and a bbq at Waterhead, Windermere. Club rules? "Have fun!". Any other rules? "No."


On the Saturday we sailed down the lake, me in tee-shirt, life jacket and shorts, and - it being hot - after two hours I decided to head into Bowness for a drink. Mooring up at a jetty, I sent son #1 into the village to pick up a couple of cold cans. He returned two minutes later with "I can't get out!" He said we were in some type of large, gated compound. I was surprised to say the least, and said I'd take a look, and it was true: there was no access into Bowness.


Returning to the boat, a 'gentleman' in a blazer and tie stopped me and asked, "Are you a member?"


I said, "Of what?", my hackles already rising.


Literally puffing himself up, he replied, "The Royal Windermere Yacht Club."


Every syllable dripped with pretentious, class-driven privilege.


"No way." I said. (That sort of thing is the last thing I'd want to be part of. Give me piratical fun any day.)


"Then," he said, pointing at me with a victorious finger, "perhaps you'd better leave."


"Thank you for such a warm welcome." I said, before taking my time to untie the boat and sailing off.


How is it such an atmosphere can develop in a club? Surely we're all in it for the same reasons? (Though maybe not - many of the plastic gin palaces I saw at the RWYC seem to be little more than floating boltholes for the weekend, rarely, if ever, using the lake for sailing...)


I despair.


Andy
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Neil

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #23 on: October 02, 2018, 12:40:49 pm »

Back in August, a bunch of pirates invited me, my Wayfarer, and son #1 for a weekend of sailing and a bbq at Waterhead, Windermere. Club rules? "Have fun!". Any other rules? "No."
On the Saturday we sailed down the lake, me in tee-shirt, life jacket and shorts, and - it being hot - after two hours I decided to head into Bowness for a drink. Mooring up at a jetty, I sent son #1 into the village to pick up a couple of cold cans. He returned two minutes later with "I can't get out!" He said we were in some type of large, gated compound. I was surprised to say the least, and said I'd take a look, and it was true: there was no access into Bowness.
Returning to the boat, a 'gentleman' in a blazer and tie stopped me and asked, "Are you a member?"
I said, "Of what?", my hackles already rising.
Literally puffing himself up, he replied, "The Royal Windermere Yacht Club."
Every syllable dripped with pretentious, class-driven privilege.
"No way." I said. (That sort of thing is the last thing I'd want to be part of. Give me piratical fun any day.)
"Then," he said, pointing at me with a victorious finger, "perhaps you'd better leave."
"Thank you for such a warm welcome." I said, before taking my time to untie the boat and sailing off.
How is it such an atmosphere can develop in a club? Surely we're all in it for the same reasons? (Though maybe not - many of the plastic gin palaces I saw at the RWYC seem to be little more than floating boltholes for the weekend, rarely, if ever, using the lake for sailing...)
I despair.
Andy




you can tell the ones that don't use them...…...growth under the water line...…...or those half full of water or sunk, lol. {-) {-) {-)


when people ask me if I'm a member I ALWAYS answer "YES...……[And then mutter under my breath..of the human race] i'm just back over on holiday from my summer home in the US..."       


but by calling his bluff by saying yes...……..they have to take one of two stances...…….either go and check in the members registration book, or humbly apologise and invite you to have a nice days sailing. either way you have won and say, "yes thank you we will...….see you next time I'm over from the States"......


works a treat every time because such pompous beings thrive on you answering in the negative, and as soon as you call their bluff, they panic and fluster and bluster in order to show they are in seniority and more to the point their own self appointed superiority.. lol
I just love it.
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TheLongBuild

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Re: Up until today!
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2018, 01:12:11 pm »

Back in August, a bunch of pirates invited me, my Wayfarer, and son #1 for a weekend of sailing and a bbq at Waterhead, Windermere. Club rules? "Have fun!". Any other rules? "No."


On the Saturday we sailed down the lake, me in tee-shirt, life jacket and shorts, and - it being hot - after two hours I decided to head into Bowness for a drink. Mooring up at a jetty, I sent son #1 into the village to pick up a couple of cold cans. He returned two minutes later with "I can't get out!" He said we were in some type of large, gated compound. I was surprised to say the least, and said I'd take a look, and it was true: there was no access into Bowness.


Returning to the boat, a 'gentleman' in a blazer and tie stopped me and asked, "Are you a member?"


I said, "Of what?", my hackles already rising.


Literally puffing himself up, he replied, "The Royal Windermere Yacht Club."


Every syllable dripped with pretentious, class-driven privilege.


"No way." I said. (That sort of thing is the last thing I'd want to be part of. Give me piratical fun any day.)


"Then," he said, pointing at me with a victorious finger, "perhaps you'd better leave."


"Thank you for such a warm welcome." I said, before taking my time to untie the boat and sailing off.


How is it such an atmosphere can develop in a club? Surely we're all in it for the same reasons? (Though maybe not - many of the plastic gin palaces I saw at the RWYC seem to be little more than floating boltholes for the weekend, rarely, if ever, using the lake for sailing...)


I despair.


Andy


Originating in 1860, the Club was formed by elite and wealthy individuals, many from the textile belt of the North of England; certainly by what one would consider to be “men of influence”. It is undoubtedly this factor that gave rise to the granting of the title “Royal” to the Club in 1887 after requests from Sir William Forwood; it also enabled the Club to survive two world wars.
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