FBYC has been awarded the US Sailing One-Design Regatta Award for 2007 for hosting the 2007 Flying Scot North American Championship (“NAC”) during the 50th Anniversary of that sailboat class. This award, one of five prestigious awards given yearly by the US Sailing One Design Council, recognizes “excellence in development, promotion, and management by organizers and sponsors of the year’s outstanding regional regatta.” The award was presented on November 18 at the Council’s annual One-Design Sailing Symposium in Columbus, Ohio.

FBYC’s Vice and Rear Commodores Ric Bauer and Noel Clinard traveled to Columbus to receive the award. Noel was the event chair for the NAC and Ric was the on-shore/launch coordinator for that regatta. The President of the Flying Scot Sailing Association, who nominated FBYC for this award, Barbara Griffin, was also in attendance to congratulate FBYC. The One-Design awards were presented before the common session of the symposium following lunch on Saturday and Sunday, to the warm applause of one-design leaders attending from across the country. FBYC’s friend, mentor and supporter of the NAC, Greg Fisher of North Sails, won the One-Design Distinguished Service and Leadership Award for 2007.

Noel and Ric were invited to attend the Symposium as speakers and benefited from the wide ranging discussion of one-design subjects in general and breakout sessions. Among the more pertinent sessions to FBYC were those on: obtaining event sponsorships, increasing women’s participation in sailing and racing though all-women training programs, yacht club support of high school sailing as a source of membership and participation by youth exiting younger junior programs, formation and operation of charitable entities to run community sailing programs, thinking outside the box to increase participation, skin cancer recognition and prevention, best practices for invigorating fleets, etc. Highlights of the program were amusing and highly entertaining “cool moves within the Rules” and “sportsmanship” seminars by Dave Perry, author of numerous books on sailboat racing, including the widely read Winning in One-Designs. Ric and Noel made contact with Dave about the possibility of doing something similar for FBYC during the upcoming winter or as part of spring training. They were also preliminarily approached by the Thistle Class regarding the possibility of hosting the Thistle Nationals in 2011, a flattering opportunity with a prestigious class also designed by Sandy Douglass, designer of the Flying Scot.

While it was great to receive the regatta award, the greater benefit came from the many ideas and opportunities discussed during the formal and informal sessions of the symposium.