NECRA
Thursday 7th September 2006

Present

Larry Wilkinson - Chairman
Harold Usherwood - Treasurer
Alan Cooper - THYC
Ken Cameron - WBA
Nigel Robinson - WYC
(Dave Mathews - SYC -was unfortunately unable to gain entrance to THYC- Appologies Dave!)

Welcome to new committee from Chairman

Introduction of committee members.

Venue for future meetings - agreed to be at THYC and held on a Wednesday evening during the winter season. Meetings to be held approx every 2 months but more frequent if required.

Agreed communication for committee members to be by e-mail other than HU. who requires fax at present.

Appointment of NECRA Officers:

Agreed Larry Wilkinson to remain Chairman. Harold Usherwood to remain as Treasurer.

Alan Cooper agreed to take minutes and handle registrations for 2007.
Larry Wilkinson will act as Trophies Officer.

Concern expressed that NECRA was lacking a Publicity Officer - important that NECRA results and race round ups are distributed to magazines etc. As no committee member was prepared to carry out this role agreed to look out outside for a suitable person in an ex-offico role.

Race Programme for 2007.

Dates already received for some events from RNYC and WYC.

General agreement for need to follow similar race format as previous year and build on increased numbers - no radical changes required.

Concern expressed about possible clash of events at Sunderland Regatta - Chairman to send a letter to SYC seeking to clarify.

SPRING SERIES (Royal Quays):

The following information was provided by RNYC

Sunday 22nd and Sunday 29th April
Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May

However the committee decided that the above series will NOT be included in the NECRA 2007 programme.

OFFSHORE SERIES:

* Feeder Races to Whitby - Saturday 26th May
(Hartlepool to Whitby) and (Scarborough to Whitby)
* Bass Rock - Friday 1st June
* Sunderland to Whitby - Friday 22nd June
* Whitby to Hartlepool - Sunday 24th June
* North Sea Race (S'borough) - Friday 6th July
* Farnes Race - Saturday 18th August

As programme is made up with two race starting and ending at Blyth plus the North Sea Race
Proposal is for 3 out of 6 to count.

INSHORE SERIES:

* Whitby Regatta - Sunday/Monday 27/28th May
* Roker Regatta - Saturday/Sunday/Monday 25/26/27th August
* Blyth Regatta - Saturday/Sunday 1/2nd September

This programme gives 7 inshore race days of which 4 days to count.

It was agreed to continue using the 'race day' format where points are awarded for aggregate position of days racing irrespective of number of races set - all races on race day to count, no race discards allowed.

To help with socials at NECRA events - NECRA is prepared to make a contribution (up to �150.00) to subsidise members where appropriate.

Results

Feeling that results via the web was preferred - full results on paper at end of season.

Classes for 20007

Classes confirmed to remain as 2006.

As an experiment, a separate start for multihulls - 15 mins prior to other classes - will be provided for the overnight Sunderland to Whitby and the Whitby to Hartlepool.

Yachts to declare on registration forms which class they intend to participate in for each series.

Ratings

NECRA members still seeking access to NERR website. (NERR site now public, 7 Dec)
NECRA to ask NERR for proposals/changes relating to forthcoming season.

Some discussion on possible alternative rating systems.

NECRA asked Club Representatives to discuss, within own clubs, current attitude towards NERR system and feed concerns or preferences back to NECRA.

Safety

Concerns & issues regarding safety regs. arising from 2006 season were raised. NECRA asked club reps to refer back to clubs and to raise issues with NESS representatives.

Registration

Remains as a postal system - no registration meeting felt necessary. Forms will be available from web or NECRA reps from Jan 2007.

AOB

Review of comments from open meeting & members.
Suggestion that if skippers put crew e-mail addresses on registration forms then crew members could also be copied in on electronic mailing list - agreed as a good idea - LW to amend 2007 registration form to allow for this.

NECRA newsletter to be sent by end of 2006. Any copy to Larry ASAP.

Date of next meeting

Wednesday 20th December
venue THYC
commencing 19.30 hours.

Alan Cooper

07/12/2006