C-15 and Sailing Articles

Why Join the C-15 Association?

Every year at sign-up time many C-15 sailors simply ask “why join the C-15 Association”? Recently, to provide members with reasons and to promote the fleet, the Association issued fine looking and very high quality hats and shirts to all members. But back to the original question -- the answer cannot be simply “to get great hats and shirts”.

The Coronado 15 Association is essentially a government providing its members a social, economic, administrative and legal framework in which to work and enjoy themselves. The C-15 Association establishes rules and standards in which we can participate in our dearly loved sport of one design sailboat sailing and racing.

The organization establishes, maintains, and enforces the rules for the boat's design, modification, and competition. It organizes people 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 are established, known, and enforced, thus providing a level playing field for all.

You invest money in a boat and you expect that everybody will compete in a similar boat. You expect the rules to be maintained so that the boat retains value over time. You spend time and money to participate, and expect a fair shot and an enjoyable time competing. The value of the entire system filters down even to the person that sails occasionally in fleet races or just day sails his C-15. He can get information from the organization and possibly sell his boat latter because a system exists for people to get involved.

A small amount of money is required to establish and maintain such a system -- money for communication, administration, publication of rules, advertisements, etc. Money to promote C-15 ownership and sailing. An attitude of "let someone else" pay or take care of it, leads to events so poorly run that they will inevitably disappear, which leads to no fleet racing and a drop in the C-15 boat market as all interest disappears.

We ask each of you who own C-15s, and those who do or want to participate in C-15 events to help pay the freight by joining and participating in your North American and local C-15 organization. We encourage you to take a moment and consider that it is your own best interest to support the organization that you are using and from which you derive value and services.