The 99% Looking at the numbers

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Every six or seven years there is a revision in the club, supposedly because of low participation. Looking at the numbers at the foot of the main page, 1102 members, 122 active members! By my math, that' a little over ten percent active (paying members). That's a dismal percentage!

What to do to encourage the 90% to become active members? Any ideas out there? I've got a few, but will wait to see what you 10% think?

[DMCI]

Tim:

My big problem is that I am spending all my free time working on my boat.

Now if I was a farmer, I would be working on my barn. In the old days neighbors would get together for a barn raising.

Now 10 or 12 members working on a single boat would do a lot of work on a boat in a week end.

If some body, a potential new member like me needed help and direction on their boat, well...

I am also waiting to get some more money for certain things I need, like paint, trailer and motor, etc.

Failing that winter meetings cover restoration technologys, etc like you have had in the past would help to develop skills.

[Charlie]

Tim,

I think you will find that many folks are not local to the Puget Sound area. Like myself the thought of driving over the pass into the traffic jam for a
boat ride or meeting is out of the question. You guys are used to the madness
many of us are not. Add in the expense of travel and the time involved,
taking an active part in the club becomes less appealing.

For the people I have described above (including myself) there is one more
significant factor. For us the "Club" is the website, we enjoy it, learn from it
and make "net friends" through it. And, best of all its free!

I would gladly join as a "paying" web member. I joined as a full member the first year...once Marty completed our Skagit, I knew I would never be an
active club member. But, I appreciate the time and effort this website
demands and I would have no problem paying a reduced rate to be called a
"web member", "associate member" or ???.

Regards, Charlie

[Tim McCrain]

Every six or seven years there is a revision in the club, supposedly because of low participation. Looking at the numbers at the foot of the main page, 1102 members, 122 active members! By my math, that' a little over ten percent active (paying members). That's a dismal percentage!

What to do to encourage the 90% to become active members? Any ideas out there? I've got a few, but will wait to see what you 10% think?

The numbers at the bottom of the page actually don't have anything to do with club membership, they relate only to the forum software. The total members is the number of users that have registered to use the forum, the "active" number reflects the number of users that have logged in within a certain period of time, which I think is the last 30 days though it may be longer. Joe may know the exact time period.

These numbers can be misleading, since a whole bunch of people register so they can read but never post, some register so they can find some specific thing and then they never come back, some have been "lurkers" for years who read and never post.

We currently have 63 paid club members, including some who don't use the forums, some who read but don't post, some who don't attend events, some who are in other countries and paid dues only to support the forums which they enjoy. (Thanks guys!)

Tim

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Looking at the numbers

Thanks Dave, Charlie and Tim for your input. This shines some light on the membership. I can understand the distance and traffic issues and the various uses people have for the site/club.

There appears to be a core group that is the driving force behind the Club. A diverse group to be sure....and from all over. Part of the weakness and strength of such a group is the internet.

I've been looking forward to a big rendezvous at one of the San Juan Islands state parks, Jones Island, or Sucia. We almost had one back in 2007, think it was.....but the weather turned sour.

I had a trailer boat for a while, the Skagit Tyee, but never had it in the water, partly because of the cost of round trip on the ferry. I understand the limitations.....

Cheers,

Tim

[DMCI]

Well, if I find a 26 or 28 Moppie, I will probably dry store it at Skyline, so that I can get it in play a lot cheaper that mooriing it at LaConner or Anacortes like I did in the past or even at Seattle on Lake Union. There are thousands available but finding a good one will be tricky.

Gas wise, in the old days, I thought nothing of running through the locks up to Deer Harbor for the week end at 30 knots with twin 454s. Those days are gone forever, but it made for a very nice Friday afternoon cruise, and Monday morning return.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Moppie

Dave,

Moppie, okay a Bertram. I see 28 Bertrams now and then. Most have a cabin, not an open design. When I think of the Bertram Moppie, I think of Bertram 31 hull one which was wood and won the Miami-Nassau race.

They build the 26 and 28 in inboard, I/O and outboard?

I'll keep my eyes peeled...

[DMCI]

Moppie of course was Dick (Richard) Bertram's wife’s nick name. Dick was a yacht broker in Florida. The original moppie was an open race boat which Dick had built after a design by Ray Hunt. Dick was a very experienced ocean racer both power and sail.

When he saw the wooden boat run in heavy seas, he commissioned a wood copy and soon the Bertram Yacht Company was established across the street building fiberglass copies, and the rest is history.

The name Moppie has been applied to virtually all classes of Bertram Yachts over the years. I've run several, big and small and love them to death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=C71M4Bg6xIA

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

31 Moppies vs 31 Saratogan

I've seen several of the 26 and 28 Moppies you are looking for here in the islands over the years. Rarely one for sale.

I'm looking for a 31 Bertram owner who would be interested in a side-by-side cruise-off against the 31 Saratogan. The two boats are nearly identical in length and beam. Bertram 31 sold 1200+ copies. Saratogan 3. Want to know why, as all my boating instincts tells me the Saratogan is a very good boat.

Always wanted to own a Bertram 31, but it's not going to happen. Still, I'd like to compare the two boats performance, sea keeping, fuel economy, ride in a chop, dryness of ride (or lack thereof) general comfort and creature comforts, etc.

Prefer a Bertram that's been repowered with diesel for a more fare comparison. If you see a 31 with owner, mention the comparison. Might get it published in a boating magazine......

McSkagit

[DMCI]

Back in the day, I ran my dad's 37 cove boat (Canoe Cove were the Bertram Licensee on Vancouver Island. 37 x 14 with 23 dead rise. twin 6v-53 naturals.) There was nothing that could stay with us after 4 or five miles. Those big gas jobs didn't have the muscle and would soon overheat. Secret was not to overload it on building. My dad insisted that the builder put the minimum of features in the cabin. We had 700 fuel, but rarely put over half in the San Juans. Boat was still very heavy. I saw the cut out where they hole sawed the hull for the big transducer. Biscuit was over an inch thick!

She ran best in a 2 to 3 foot chop that would break the stickson. 22 knots at 2450 was best cruise with 24 square wheels. We had a spare set 23 x 26 with very similar performance.

My 27 deep V had similar performance with twin 454 bravos, but a lot faster.

Think Skagit would do really well in protected waters. Don't know about speed in 3 foot chop, but would be interesting study. Cove boat was wet in 5 foot chop at 20 knots. (Nanaimo to Welcome across straight.)

Would be an interesting study as you suggest.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Bertram Video

I watched the Bertram video. Very impressive. Didn't realize there were so many versions of the Bertram 31. I saw six or seven Bertram 31s in Cabo.

Might seem presumptious of me to compare a Skagit 31 to a Bertram 31, but they were designed and built about the same time and are the same length and beam. Also both early fiberglass.

The Bertram 24 degree dead-rise and straked bottom is what put the Bertram 31 on the map and winning races certainly didn't hurt sales either. There is a penalty for pushing that 24 degree wedge through the water, though, in the form of poor fuel consumption. Many were powered with twin big blocks.

In hind sight, Howard Roberts at Skagit Plastics was going after a different market, essentially taking on the Roamer division of Chris Craft. The steel hulled Roamers were top of the line at Chris and Robert's 31 Saratogan was a close knock-off of the Roamer 31 and 35.

Don't know what happened at Skagit, but lack of marketing dollars, expensive materials and some quality control issues followed by competing in military contracts they didn't win, I believe put the company under.

Would still like to do a side by side comparison of the Saratogan and Bertram, if just to show that the 31 Saratogan was (is) a very good boat, stunted in development probably by being too expensive.

Count me out in the six foot sea competition. Been there and done that off Point No Point and it wasn't fun!

Three foot seas, no problem.......

Tim

[STOREBRO36]

Membership drive?

Hey Tim,

Back in 2003, before fibergalssics, when the club was at its peak membership, we had a club roster. I have a copy of that roster.

After fiberglassics, many members dropped out, figuring the club was at it's end.

We may have to contact those members, and let them know we are still alive and kicking.

I can send the list to Helmar.

Also the price of gas may have somthing to do with it?

Steve