Hi Ian,
Ah yes! It's easy to enjoy a 24 hour race when it stays dry and has consistent winds throughout the race, allowing you to
achieve a finish. You'll recall it's why I claim you are the only crew I've had that's keen to do it again.
The "inexplicable reason" for not being invited to take part last year relates to a post I made in the
Norfolk Broads Forum, in which I claimed that the race controller, and chairman of the race committee wasn't very computer literate. I take the view that such personal remarks shouldn't have affected a decision on whether any boat or crew should be invited to take part in the race. However, it is an invitation race and the organisers can, of course, use whatever criteria they like for deciding who can take part.
Immediately I heard directly from the race controller I did post an
unreserved apology for any offence I caused, conceding that I did get "carried away". I had hoped that it would be sufficient to end the matter. However, exclusion from the 2010 race, the fiftieth anniversary race, was upheld.
So far this year I have not received an invitation, although last year, the Vice Commodore had indicated that he hoped the matter could be laid to rest with an apology. He is now the Club Commodore and I have been in correspondence with him about the matter again. I understood and respected his position last year, which followed strict club protocol. However, I confess that this year I have lost confidence in the man. His last email to me, on 10 April, said:
I met with the committee at the last meeting. Your application was discussed, and I was instructed to reply with some agreed answers.
which seems to me very much like the tail wagging the dog. He explained...
Many committee member were offended by the comments you posted, and were awaiting a suitable public apology.
This I find very strange. Last year I had received an email from him telling me to expect to be contacted by the Race Chairman. The call came that same evening and, as expected, he said he felt an an apology was due, though he never actually told me which words had caused offence. It was if he hadn't read the original post himself. I assumed that he would have reported the conversation to the committee, and that he, the vice commodore, or at least someone on the committee would have been monitoring the forum last year for the apology. I don't understand how not one of them appear to have seen it. I am at a loss about the whole business. It now seems to me that proper process has completely collapsed within the race committee and the committee is also beyond the proper control of the club itself.
Yes I have been working hard on the boat and I do hope to have
Imagination back on the water in time for the race. However, weekends with Diana, the new lady in my life, and the extra time I am spending with my 94 year old father have conspired against the speedy strip down and repaint that I am logging on
my blog. I am almost beginning to panic that, even if an invite should come, she won't be ready!
And yes, it would be great to see a fleet of SeaHawks in the race, even if I am only there to photograph them.
Locked
