Why Join SCIRA?

By Don Hackbarth, SCIRA Secretary General of the Western Hemisphere/Orient

Dear Snipe sailors and interested parties,

Every once in a while the topic of people participating in SCIRA events and using SCIRA services (yes this is a SCIRA service) without being a dues paying member of SCIRA, internationally AND nationally comes to the surface. As we are nearing the middle of 1997 and most of the sailors in the northern hemisphere are back on the water and the southern hemisphere sailors have had a great summer of sailing but have not reitred for the year it is appropriate to remind everyone that all of this "snipe stuff" does not happen by accident, it is planned, structured, administered, enforced, etc. by an organization that covers the world. It takes people's time and costs money.

I like to compare the Snipe Organization to a government. A government provides to its citizens a social, economic, administrative and legal framework in which one can, work, recreate, raise a family, live and enjoy themselves. It establishes rules and standards which people are expected to live by and you become to expect people to do so. You rely on this system for your survival. To support this system you pay taxes to that organization and, in many cases give your time. You realize that these sacrifices are in your best interests. It makes the system work. You go somewhere you expect people to follow the traffic rules, the police to protect you, etc. If more and more people developed the attitude that they didn't have to pay their taxes and give of their time to support this organization/government it would eventually not survive, its rules would break down, people would move away to a more stable government, the value of your assets would decline, your family would be in danger, you would just have each day much less fun in your life.

SCIRA International and your nation's Snipe organization establishes a framework in which you can participate in a sport which many of us love dearly, one design sailboat racing, particularly Snipe racing. It establishes the rules for the boat's design, etc. the rules for competition and enforces these rules. It organizes the people around the world into groups such that they can gather according to a planned schedule and compete. We come to these events with the expectation that the rules will be established, known, understood and enforced. We expect a fair shake on a level playing field from all of this. If we didn't expect this we probably would not come to the event. we would sail another boat or do something else, like windsurf. You invest money in a boat and you expect that everybody will compete in a similar boat. You hope the rules are maintained so it retains value over time. You expend money to participate, and expect a fair shot, an enjoyable time competing with fellow sailors. The value of the entire system filters down even to the person that sails occasionally in fleet races or just day sails his snipe. He can get information from the organization and possibly sell his boat latter because a system exists for people to get involved in. Enough. Get the point? Sorry to beat it to death.

To establish and maintain such a system money is required for communication, administration, publishing of rules, etc, etc. If everybody had the attitude "let someone else" pay or take care of it, soon we would be showing up to poorly run events where the rules were not followed, if there were any. Everything would eventually dissolve down to the fleet racing and even the market for the boat, becasue no one would be interested in it anymore.

I am asking all of you out there, and there are many, many more each year that are letting someone else pay the freight and do the work. But they show up and expect to participate or use the Class's services. We appreciate your interest and encourage you to take some time and think about this. Is it too much to ask for your to support the organization that you are using and expecting value and services from. What would the result be if tomorrow you could get no info on the snipe, there were no more regattas, fleets, etc. I bet many of us would go insane!

I strongly encourage you to join SCIRA International ($30 US) and your national organization, organize in fleets and sail. Organization at all these levels is critical to the continued survival and enjoyment of Snipe sailing.

Thank you,

Don Hackbarth
Atlanta, Ga.
SCIRA Secretary General-Western Hemisphere/Orient