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Old 08-02-2008, 10:19 AM   #21
MB1
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The philosophy of free licences for the first year does make commercial sense and is in fact a model used by literally thousands of business' everyday.

Shops that offer heavy discounts on particular lines in the hope that you will also buy non discounted products once in the shop.

Mobile phone companies that offer free calls and texts in the hope you will go over you allowance and use more airtime.

Car manufacturers that heavily discount new cars, and offer things like free insurance so that they can profit from the subsequent servicing that you will need for your new car.

Software companies that offer free trial periods for their software in the hope you will ultimately purchase the product.

The list goes on. The idea is that you win a customer with cheap or free deals in the hope you will keep that customer in the future at a more profitable level.

The principal is the same with licences. At the moment the sport is desperate for more competitors, and the reason so often cited for not racing is the cost of doing so, especially in the first year when the initial outlay is huge and when new people are not sure they are up for it.

This initiative is an effort to help resolve this issue and i think it should be supported. If it works it will help attract the new blood the sport needs, and ultimately if it means more competitors on the water, then the overall cost pressure reduces, and the likelyhood of licence fees being reduced for existing competitors becomes much greater.

It is a simple matter of economics, in that all racers have to share the cost of running their sport. The more competitors there are the more the cost is divided up, and the less we each have to pay individually.

I have personally poured about 75k into racing 3c in the last few years, and if it does not survive, we will all be left with worthless boats. Surely a much worse position than missing out on a free license by a year.

Stop moaning and support the sport.
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Old 08-02-2008, 01:21 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RHINO View Post
i dont remember there ever being cheaper licences for class 3 at the worlds being mentioned.All competitors would already have a licence from their national authority so i think someone has their wires crossed.
Aparently we dont attend the same meetings at the same time.
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Old 08-02-2008, 01:29 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by BluFin View Post
if not I think Tricky can do a CSRC Licence
(Caprivi Strip Racing Club)
I already tried that...
Angola does not have a powerboat club, and good old ZA does not do anything except circut boats.


Bottom line is that IMO the idea was great but should have been implemented differently - the deal was poorly thought out and will lead to resentment.
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Old 08-02-2008, 05:04 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by verytricky View Post
Bottom line is that IMO the idea was great but should have been implemented differently
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Old 08-02-2008, 07:00 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MB1 View Post
The philosophy of free licences for the first year does make commercial sense and is in fact a model used by literally thousands of business' everyday.

Shops that offer heavy discounts on particular lines in the hope that you will also buy non discounted products once in the shop.

Mobile phone companies that offer free calls and texts in the hope you will go over you allowance and use more airtime.

Car manufacturers that heavily discount new cars, and offer things like free insurance so that they can profit from the subsequent servicing that you will need for your new car.

Software companies that offer free trial periods for their software in the hope you will ultimately purchase the product.

The list goes on. The idea is that you win a customer with cheap or free deals in the hope you will keep that customer in the future at a more profitable level.

The principal is the same with licences. At the moment the sport is desperate for more competitors, and the reason so often cited for not racing is the cost of doing so, especially in the first year when the initial outlay is huge and when new people are not sure they are up for it.

This initiative is an effort to help resolve this issue and i think it should be supported. If it works it will help attract the new blood the sport needs, and ultimately if it means more competitors on the water, then the overall cost pressure reduces, and the likelyhood of licence fees being reduced for existing competitors becomes much greater.

It is a simple matter of economics, in that all racers have to share the cost of running their sport. The more competitors there are the more the cost is divided up, and the less we each have to pay individually.

I have personally poured about 75k into racing 3c in the last few years, and if it does not survive, we will all be left with worthless boats. Surely a much worse position than missing out on a free license by a year.

Stop moaning and support the sport.
Then Sir, your school of economics is very different from mine. And I suggest you read more carefully my argument as you have certainly missed it! Discount discount discount...you write. SO DID I!!!!!

Free ---? So did I? Evaluation? So said I! In fact you agree with me. All you need to do is actually consider the maths.

OK let's challenge whoever came up with the policy to produce the spreadsheet. I would love to see it. No I wouldn't actually I have had my head buried in one for two weeks....carefully planning ;-)

Support? Yes I do we have spent a lot in money and resource for the good of the sport and if you want to see the file of publicity Nikki has created I will happily send it to you. So you cannot say we don't support the sport.

Desperate for racers? Honda is building 4 new 225s and has sveral new people coming in. Perhaps a little thought outside of the box instead of "deperate" measures (and those were not my words) may be a better idea?

This of all years when The Round Britain is running and what a FANTASTIC oportunity that is to promote the sport -the best launchpad to promote and get people interested.

Why does anyone need to give it away. Half of the people starting this year were going to buy one anyway!!!!!

Anyway off to a wedding eve doo now. Have to cut back on the opportunity cost pint I have lost due to not having the money to pay for it that I could have had had I not raced last year and started this and saved that money to spend on it....um er...the pint that is!!!



Now that's economics!!
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Old 08-02-2008, 07:12 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Techteam View Post
There are literally thousands of examples out there, credit card balance transfers 0% on transfers and 0% on purchases for 6 months NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. Broadband 6.99 for the first three months then 14.99 every month after NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. The only difference is you cannot get your head round the word free. To get people hooked on a great sport which they should KNOW will cost them THOUSANDS isn't easy, look at what you pay to compete in probably one of the best supported series in the UK. If you feel upset now just imagine how much it would cost you if Honda suddenly said right we've created a new class and supported it now for several years so your on your own now= no Honda 4 stroke in about three seasons.
OK! Let's look at these examples:

First 6 months free...do you think so? Check the card companies statistics for spend trapping in year 1...You'd be horrified at the amount of money the card co.s make...

6.99 instead of 14.99 is not free it is a discount...Jeepers if you're gonna dive in, at least read it from the top!!!

I DONT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DISCOUNT!!!!!!

800 to Zero is is the point!!!!

I am really going now - to get that beer!

Goodnight John Boy! Love you all!
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Old 08-02-2008, 07:18 PM   #27
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My "limited view" on this license cost is this, if you can't afford a license don't go racing.

When you "stack up the costs" of running a race boat thru a season, surely the license cost would "pale into insignificance"?
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Old 09-02-2008, 09:34 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by ciao! View Post
My "limited view" on this license cost is this, if you can't afford a license don't go racing.

When you "stack up the costs" of running a race boat thru a season, surely the license cost would "pale into insignificance"?
PRECISELY! As it is such an insignificant cost to those entering the sport...WHY GIVE IT AWAY!!!!!!!!?????

Hey guys bak to square 1...

Why not give away an event licence to try before you buy?

Basially the 'maths point' is the RYA will lose revenue it would have had anyway i.e. multiples of season licences to those who were about to buy them anyway as it represents, in your word an insinificant amount compared with the rest, (by the way for me last year it was 10% of the season running costs (not inding boat depreciation of course!) Cos Honda engines are efficient ;-)

So new person has a go...say 2 events for free = 120 (in Honda)

Likes it and signs up next year after buying a boat etc etc.

So about just less than two thirds discount...

get em hooked like the bank ad and then charge an upgrade?

Back to software....?

If you value the service you will be happy to pay an introductory rate and scale up if you like it ----surely

Like most of the examples thrown at me above ;-)
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Old 12-02-2008, 11:53 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scream-it.com View Post
However, to find if I had joined this year it would have cost me over £800 LESS (for 10 races) has left a sour taste. Am I wrong to criticise the RYA's idea about promoting new entrants to this sport?
I think I have found out the actual information - and stand open to correction - but as the RYA has not bothered to resond with the facts, then these are the facts as I understand them....


There was since 2006? 2007? a BASIC licence that lasted all year. Prior to that you have to buy an event licence three times then upgrade to a National Licence. If you only intended to race BASIC races they buying an annual BASIC licence was cheaper, and it allowed the RYA to do a medical check on you - not possible with multiple event licences....

This new FOC licence is ONLY for the BASIC annual licence. ie it is only for those who are going to race the BASIC races 2008. New national event guys will still have to buy a National Licence. Honda is Not a BASIC race, it is a National Event, and you would have to buy a National Licence.


If the RYA had bothered to clarify, they would not have generated as much ill will as they seem to like generating. But Hey!

* This posting is my opinion and my understanding of fact. It is open to debate and clarification. This posting is my expression of my legal right to free speach under local, European and international laws.
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Old 12-02-2008, 01:21 PM   #30
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"* This posting is my opinion and my understanding of fact. It is open to debate and clarification. This posting is my expression of my legal right to free speach under local, European and international laws."

Been reading the RYA newsletter about forums and websites then Tricky
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Old 12-02-2008, 01:22 PM   #31
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I "think" it was 3 event licenses, then you had to upgrade to a "full" basic license which requried the medical. A national license was always a different license category altogether depending on the class you wanted to race - and never eligible for the event license category.
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