Caution: Rant. Why don't S.I. Nats work like N.I. Nats?

[ampEater]

Answer IMO is someone says the worlds worst sequential sentences "What's the point? No-ones going to be there."

Well hello! Saying that makes you one of those people! And then the dominoes fall as everyone adopts that dreaded saying.

Other excuses follow from the aforementioned as they realise its a weak excuse; "Oh I can't justify the $500 for fuel and expenses" or "I'm not good enough" or "It's not worth it going down just for the two days of my competition" Again, are you driving a 5L American V8 or something and staying in a 5 star hotel?! And why don't you carpool with someone else if the price of petrol makes you cringe at the sight of your car keys? Have you seen Brownie fly? (just joking browny ) You don't have to be the best, compete and you'll become the best. And finally have you stuck around and enjoyed the social life of the nats? Or hid away in your fancy hotel room and left after your final round?

I love the Nats, and KNOW the S.I. has the potential to be better than the N.I. Nats, but my opinion is the S.I. mentality is rather lazy, stingy and afraid to try new things.

Why do 200 odd people compete in the N.I. nats? There must be a reason, so come along and find out what it is. The Nats are what you make it to be.

I'm not trying to start a heated argument here and my intentions are DEFINITELY not to out anyone down or have a go at anyone, I'm just having my rant and hoping to high tail fin that the Nats don't flop this year due to lack of some peoples motivation.

Hope to see you all there.

[alec taylor]

dont know the answer. the imac at dunedin tomorow is cancelled due to lake of interest. whats going to happen at the nats, no body has entered yet. alex

[mikeymikeymikey]

I am not one to talk as I am sure I am not helping the problem but it comes down to population size and costs, and the northern men have that cook straight thing to cross. If you hold a comp close to 2/3rds of the population you are guarenteed to get a decent turnout. When we did the mission to Carterton by car a few years back it was hell of a fun, probably the best RC experience I have had so far, Dunedin was good but ultimately the numbers don't travel that far even though I am sure it will be an amazingly run event. A trip by car from Auckland to Balclutha would be epic...1,513 km...

[ampEater]

But the thing is I'm not talking about the N.I. guys. I'm talking about the locals.

The N.I. guys came down to Dunedin and probably outnumbered the S.I. guys!!! So it's fair enough that they shouldn't bother this year.

It's the people that can't be bothered with $200 travel cost to local Balclutha, when it costs a Grand in travel costs to get across the ditch to Carterton. AND you could car pool from somewhere like CHCH and split the travel costs! This is what I am doing.

I'm going to enter as much as I can these Nats.

[NZ Scythe]

Many people have had this discussion before, I've attended Nats in Christchurch, Dunedin and Carterton and it is safe to say the last Dunedin one was a fizzer... yes there were just about more north island guys than locals and that was rather pathetic.

In my opinion if the assosiation wants the Nats to be a success with regular attendance from both the North and South Islanders they need to hold the Nats in the South Island more often, by holding the Nats in Carterton three years in a row it creates separation and an 'us and them" attitude.

I don't know if the Nats have been held in Nelson, or somewhere at the top of the North Island, but in my mind that would be a starting point to getting more people from both islands together. If they alternated between Carterton and Nelson or Blenhein each year you are splitting the difference in cost of the ferry crossing which is a big factor and by then there is no real excuse for people from either Auckland or Dunedin.

As far as I am aware there is no real flying contingent based at Carterton, and I think that is one of the reasons the Carterton Nats are a success, no local politics to get in the way! I would hate to try and organise a Nats in Christchurch, there are about 6 or 7 clubs, they all think they are the best and all have it in for the others (and I currently belong to none of them!) Club politics get in the way of everyone having fun and just add a huge burden to the event organisers.

I also believe the second major issue with the Nats is the timing... I know they have been held over the christmas/ new year break for decades now, but the times have changed people, women are now allowed out of the kitchen to work, and can even vote believe it or not! Everything has changed over the last 60 years, they way buisnesses operate, the number of hours we are working, technology, transport the list goes on... It has been discussed a number of times but many people agree that holding the nats over new years doesn't work. It it was only held off a week it could be much better? For me personally I usually travel down to the south of the South Island to be with my Family over christmas, then for a Carterton Nats that means I have to drive all the way back to christchurch, load up the models and hit the road again for another day of travelling and then board the ferry for several hours - all within a couple of days. Many of people in the North Island have to do similar efforts... surley putting the Nats off by a week would solve these problems? why not hold then a month later when the traffic on the roads is less congested?

I have a feeling that the Nats this year are going to be a flop, this upsets me greatly as my home town club is hosting them, but there is pretty much nothing I can do about it. Most of the north islanders have made up their minds not to make the trip down (for them the south island nats are a break for them and a chance to have a family summer holiday)
My girlfriend is working in Christchurch between Christmas/New Years so unless I take a second car down I am onlycoing to be down for a couple of days over christmas and will drive back on Boxing Day, which means I am not not really going to be there for the Nats.

If it were up to me, I'd have a Nationals Website with Electronic Registration, Discussion Forum and live updates of scores/results etc. I would alternate between North and South Island every year but keep in a central location. Change the date fo move away from the busy time of christmas / new years - possibly even late Jan/early Feb? Have Nominated event organisers for all major classes (RC Power, Glider, Heli, FF and CL) Get some more young blood on the committee and promote the sport to the younger generation.

Well thats my suggestion, feel free to pick holes in my logic.

[mikeymikeymikey]

Agree 100% paddy, Central, different dates, more alcohol.

[Mr Loopy]

You hit the nail right on the head Patrick.
My situation will be similar to others I guess. I have 3 weeks off work with no pay. Wife will only have stats off and we have kiddies. Mortgage and bills need to come before models (**** I can't believe I just said that)
I would love to get to the nats but alas it won't be this year :-(

[ampEater]

This is some good discussion guys, i might have to put my NZMAA Mole to work on swaying the NZMAA committee to make some Nats Changes

[jsteel]

This is very interesting, anyone willing to guess on the numbers that will eventually be at the nats this year?

Oh and are you wearing your underpants on the outside of your shorts yet Paddy??????

[ampEater]

I'm guessing all up of 80-100 people over all disciplines this year. And maybe 5 people in sportsman aeros, and 3 in Advanced and nowhere near enough for F3A.

IMAC is going to be a flop also with maybe 6 people in total over all routines.

[my extra260]

I am going to try.

Ill enter Sportsmen Imac and pattern. Just in time to change the sequences and have to learn a new one for the NI rumble!! :-)

Cheers steve.

[jsteel]

How many people would be at the NI Nats then Alex over all the disciplines?

[ampEater]

Read first post.

Steve, Glad to hear you will be coming I wouldn't expect any less

[my extra260]

Hey I didnt say i WAS i said i will try!! lol

I should be able to come down. Hopefully with my new Extra and kick your arse, Oh thats right that was only a dream i had!! lol

cheers steve. p.s how many hours is the Nats from blenheim?? I hate traveling!!

[alec taylor]

all day. alex