Re: Swift Solo 2008/9 financial report

[Chris Bull]

That was awesome. I think that we have just found our marketing officer!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: "Schulmeisters, Karl" <Karl.Schu...@unisys.com>

Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:16:29
To: Rob DesMarais, D.C.<dr...@artelco.com>; 'Chris Bull'<cb...@southlandonline.com>; 'Robert Harper'<rha...@xmission.com>
Cc: 'Kerem San'<email...@gmail.com>; 'Warren Stevens'<war...@catzooks.com>; 'Darius'<DARD...@aol.com>; DEW...@global.co.za<DEW...@global.co.za>; HCWi...@aol.com<HCWi...@aol.com>; Harvey...@wmconnect.com<Harvey...@wmconnect.com>; Jall...@aol.com<Jall...@aol.com>; JeffB...@westernstartrucks.com<JeffB...@westernstartrucks.com>; Kau.Sch...@t-online.de<Kau.Sch...@t-online.de>; Paul.OS...@solarpower.net<Paul.OS...@solarpower.net>; RWr...@ipsadvantage.com<RWr...@ipsadvantage.com>; Steven....@bell.ca<Steven....@bell.ca>; a_ski...@hotmail.com<a_ski...@hotmail.com>; aals...@telenet.net<aals...@telenet.net>; al.pri...@loft42.com<al.pri...@loft42.com>; bed...@comcast.net<bed...@comcast.net>; bobf...@sbcglobal.net<bobf...@sbcglobal.net>; colin....@iinet.net.au<colin....@iinet.net.au>; d.k...@q-med.com<d.k...@q-med.com>; d.kir...@rockytops.co.uk<d.kir...@rockytops.co.uk>; danielt...@yahoo.com<danielt...@yahoo.com>; de...@alaska.net<de...@alaska.net>; dje...@cfl.rr.com<dje...@cfl.rr.com>; dmc...@uvm.edu<dmc...@uvm.edu>; doesi...@hotmail.com<doesi...@hotmail.com>; edhol...@earthlink.net<edhol...@earthlink.net>; edi...@nwtracks.com<edi...@nwtracks.com>; fireba...@gmail.com<fireba...@gmail.com>; gregor...@hotmail.com<gregor...@hotmail.com>; idmac...@telus.net<idmac...@telus.net>; jnle...@gmail.com<jnle...@gmail.com>; j...@ladybugadventures.com<j...@ladybugadventures.com>; jo...@valleyboatworks.com<jo...@valleyboatworks.com>; jorda...@bigpond.com<jorda...@bigpond.com>; kd...@telus.net<kd...@telus.net>; 'Keith Councell'<keithc...@yahoo.com>; kylef...@kconline.com<kylef...@kconline.com>; lin...@axionet.com<lin...@axionet.com>; mbrun...@parcusmedical.com<mbrun...@parcusmedical.com>; mi...@steweng.com<mi...@steweng.com>; mikej...@shaw.ca<mikej...@shaw.ca>; mwhit...@gmail.com<mwhit...@gmail.com>; nan...@yahoo.com<nan...@yahoo.com>; ne...@vanderplas.net<ne...@vanderplas.net>; nic...@bigpond.net.au<nic...@bigpond.net.au>; otterfis...@gmail.com<otterfis...@gmail.com>; paolo...@insiel.it<paolo...@insiel.it>; p...@fabricam.com<p...@fabricam.com>; patrick_...@hotmail.com<patrick_...@hotmail.com>; patrick...@stic.net<patrick...@stic.net>; pe...@claryinc.com<pe...@claryinc.com>; pgst...@sympatico.ca<pgst...@sympatico.ca>; phili...@joimail.com<phili...@joimail.com>; ple...@ropepartner.com<ple...@ropepartner.com>; rome...@paradisetime.com<rome...@paradisetime.com>; royc...@yahoo.com<royc...@yahoo.com>; rudi...@yahoo.com<rudi...@yahoo.com>; rwa...@yahoo.com<rwa...@yahoo.com>; ryo...@yahoo.com<ryo...@yahoo.com>; sab...@highstream.net<sab...@highstream.net>; shil...@gmail.com<shil...@gmail.com>; stav...@bellsouth.net<stav...@bellsouth.net>; tna...@tm.net.my<tna...@tm.net.my>; vesa.n...@saunalahti.fi<vesa.n...@saunalahti.fi>; wan...@skynet.be<wan...@skynet.be>; wee...@hotmail.com<wee...@hotmail.com>; wf...@aol.com<wf...@aol.com>; will.g...@talk21.com<will.g...@talk21.com>; wojtek...@yahoo.com<wojtek...@yahoo.com>; zcs...@yahoo.com<zcs...@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: Swift Solo 2008/9 financial report


The point of marketing is to create in the mind of the target audience, an appealing and attractive perception of the thing you want to attract them to. In this case it is not just regattas - it is a combination of:

Swift Solo class Regattaes,
the pleasure of sailing a Swift Solo even not in a regatta,
the off-water camaraderie associated with the Swift Solo class,
for some the pleasure of building a Swift,
and the possible opportunities that sailing a Swift opens up for you (remember it was conceived as a skippers trainer for the 49er class)

And the target audience is the set of folks that like fast boats, that like single-handing or lack a crew, that like a boat that rewards fitness and skill, as well as folks that like building boats.

A complicated way to say that 'we want more people to play with' - regardless of what the word "play" means.

Karl Schulmeisters

-----Original Message-----
From: Rob DesMarais, D.C. [mailto:dr...@artelco.com]
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 2:09 PM
To: 'Chris Bull'; 'Robert Harper'


Chris - What would you propose we market? The only thing I can think of is
regatta's!

Swift Solo Grand Prix: Greers Ferry Lake

We (Darius, Christian, Keith & Erik (025) will all be gathering in Arkansas
at Greers Ferry Lake October 27 thru the 31st. There's a beautiful
campground there, the water is still decent and we'll be having a 14 mile
distance race one of the days around Sugar Loaf Mountain. All are welcome
to race, learn or see the Swift. I also have a guest house that the present
crew is staying in. A few more are welcome. Might be bigger than the
Nationals?

Where are the PHRF Numbers so that the Swift can play with others?


-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Bull [mailto:cb...@southlandonline.com]
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 10:07 AM
To: 'Christian Rasmussen'; 'Robert Harper'
Cc: 'Kerem San'; 'Warren Stevens'; BDall...@aol.com; 'Darius';
DEW...@global.co.za; HCWi...@aol.com; Harvey...@wmconnect.com;
Jall...@aol.com; JeffB...@westernstartrucks.com;
Karl.Schu...@unisys.com; Kau.Sch...@t-online.de;
Paul.OS...@solarpower.net; RWr...@ipsadvantage.com;
Steven....@bell.ca; a_ski...@hotmail.com; aals...@telenet.net;
al.pri...@loft42.com; bed...@comcast.net; bobf...@sbcglobal.net;
colin....@iinet.net.au; d.k...@q-med.com; d.kir...@rockytops.co.uk;
danielt...@yahoo.com; de...@alaska.net; dje...@cfl.rr.com;
dmc...@uvm.edu; doesi...@hotmail.com; 'D.C. Rob DesMarais';
edhol...@earthlink.net; edi...@nwtracks.com; fireba...@gmail.com;
gregor...@hotmail.com; idmac...@telus.net; jnle...@gmail.com;
j...@ladybugadventures.com; jo...@valleyboatworks.com; jorda...@bigpond.com;
kd...@telus.net; 'Keith Councell'; kylef...@kconline.com;
lin...@axionet.com; mbrun...@parcusmedical.com; mi...@steweng.com;
mikej...@shaw.ca; mwhit...@gmail.com; nan...@yahoo.com;
ne...@vanderplas.net; nic...@bigpond.net.au; otterfis...@gmail.com;
paolo...@insiel.it; p...@fabricam.com; patrick_...@hotmail.com;
patrick...@stic.net; pe...@claryinc.com; pgst...@sympatico.ca;
phili...@joimail.com; ple...@ropepartner.com; rome...@paradisetime.com;
royc...@yahoo.com; rudi...@yahoo.com; rwa...@yahoo.com;
ryo...@yahoo.com; sab...@highstream.net; shil...@gmail.com;
stav...@bellsouth.net; tna...@tm.net.my; vesa.n...@saunalahti.fi;
wan...@skynet.be; wee...@hotmail.com; wf...@aol.com;
will.g...@talk21.com; wojtek...@yahoo.com; zcs...@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Swift Solo 2008/9 financial report

I wonder if this would be a good time to start a marketing campaign to try
to promote the class. Sorry everyone, I am a membership payment delinquent.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Christian Rasmussen [mailto:chri...@rasmussen.org]
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:02 PM
To: Robert Harper
Cc: Kerem San; Warren Stevens; BDall...@aol.com; Darius;
DEW...@global.co.za; HCWi...@aol.com; Harvey...@wmconnect.com;
Jall...@aol.com; JeffB...@westernstartrucks.com;
Karl.Schu...@unisys.com; Kau.Sch...@t-online.de;
Paul.OS...@solarpower.net; RWr...@ipsadvantage.com;
Steven....@bell.ca; a_ski...@hotmail.com; aals...@telenet.net;
al.pri...@loft42.com; bed...@comcast.net; bobf...@sbcglobal.net;
cb...@southlandonline.com; colin....@iinet.net.au; d.k...@q-med.com;
d.kir...@rockytops.co.uk; danielt...@yahoo.com; de...@alaska.net;
dje...@cfl.rr.com; dmc...@uvm.edu; doesi...@hotmail.com; D.C. Rob
DesMarais; edhol...@earthlink.net; edi...@nwtracks.com;
fireba...@gmail.com; gregor...@hotmail.com; idmac...@telus.net;
jnle...@gmail.com; j...@ladybugadventures.com; jo...@valleyboatworks.com;
jorda...@bigpond.com; kd...@telus.net; Keith Councell;
kylef...@kconline.com; lin...@axionet.com; mbrun...@parcusmedical.com;
mi...@steweng.com; mikej...@shaw.ca; mwhit...@gmail.com;
nan...@yahoo.com; ne...@vanderplas.net; nic...@bigpond.net.au;
otterfis...@gmail.com; paolo...@insiel.it; p...@fabricam.com;
patrick_...@hotmail.com; patrick...@stic.net; pe...@claryinc.com;
pgst...@sympatico.ca; phili...@joimail.com; ple...@ropepartner.com;
rome...@paradisetime.com; royc...@yahoo.com; rudi...@yahoo.com;
rwa...@yahoo.com; ryo...@yahoo.com; sab...@highstream.net;
shil...@gmail.com; stav...@bellsouth.net; tna...@tm.net.my;
vesa.n...@saunalahti.fi; wan...@skynet.be; wee...@hotmail.com;
wf...@aol.com; will.g...@talk21.com; wojtek...@yahoo.com;
zcs...@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Swift Solo 2008/9 financial report


So its probably a bit of a long stretch to blame this on Greg. He
hasn't been active for a while, there has been plenty of time and
opportunity to change things.

I think it might be more useful to have a discussion about what the
money should go to. There has been no real discussion since Greg left on
what to do with it. Without some ideas why would I join? The money
will just sit in a box somewhere.

Personally I think the biggest thing that it could be used for is to
encourage people to come to the NAs by offering some (not all) help
with shipping boats and/or
encourage charter boats.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Christian
USA073


On Aug 31, 2009, at 8:32 AM, Robert Harper wrote:

> Part of the problem is that we have a PayPal account that was set up
> by Greg Ryan. It was never tied to the bank account by him and I do
> not have access to the account. He says he created an account for me
> but I've spent days on the phone with PayPal and they say the
> account was never created. Greg refuses to help saying that I have
> an account even when I've told him that PayPal says there is only
> his managerial account. Without his help, that account is not
> accessable.
>
> I guess we should probably look at creating a new account. One thing
> I don't like about this though is that these accounts get tied to an
> individual and it is a lot of work to change ownership.

[Robert Harper]

Karl makes a very good point. I think one very good target market would be
505 crews who still love to drive but have grown a little large for
sitting in the back of the bus. I know there are several of us that either
have or still sail 505's actively sailing a Swift. I'm not sure active
49er sailors is a good target because the boat takes so much time in the
boat to stay competent that there wouldn't be much time for the Swift but
ex 49er sailors would be a great market.

The very best marketing is done by those who can make it to the water. I
know having Mark and I sailing here in Utah has sparked some interest with
some of the HP cat sailors that are having a hard time finding crew that
are willing to climb onto an F18 and hang on. The boat pretty much sells
itself to those who are interested.

Another great shot in the arm would be something like the "Wooden Boat"
article that hooked so many of us. I don't know how we swing an article in
but it would be nice. Maybe get the MPS, RS, and Swift down to the RYC
dinghy show and have someone do an article on them.

--
Live large, love lots, and sail fast!
The mark of who you are is determined by what you do when you don't have
to do it.
USA 050 Fugu
77959 Wasabi
Robert Harper