Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
Our "image" is always important but even more so in this our Centennial year and while in the midst of the ongoing ISAF Olympic decision. As a result, it is natural for others to talk and post online about the Star and their impressions. For those in touch with the modern Star, they know the boat as a modern high performance racing keel boat, supported by a highly competitive, vibrant one-design class.
Unfortunately, not everyone sees the Star in this light. This can be due in part to a lack of information or bias, but it is also in some part a result of how we present ourselves. Look around your club. How does the Star present itself? Do you see a well organized fleet of sleek racing machines or do you see a parking lot cluttered up with a lifeless bunch of neglected boats? If there is any suggestion of the latter, then it’s time to take action!
For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a good time to get our boats and facilities ready for the sailing season ahead. Let’s make sure we're looking ship shape and squared away! This is something to which each Star sailor can contribute.
Fleet Captains: organize a work party; help members get their Star on the starting line; volunteer to your club to execute one notable club improvement project in the name of the Star Centennial. If you have a fleet nearby who is struggling, make plans to lend them a hand.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Make sure your own boat is clean and seaworthy. The Star is elegant and inspiring. Make sure your Star looks the part. If you have a broken piece of rigging and need assistance, ask for help from your fellow fleet members. There is always someone in every fleet who has the knack for these things and the necessary tools.
2. If there is a "loaner boat" at your club, make sure it receives special notice. It is your fleet's "flagship" and should look the part.
3. Make sure the fleet parking and boat areas are clean and organized. Remove trash and broken parts. Make sure gravel and paving is clean, grass is cut, and leaves are raked. Line the boats up in their parking spots; don't have them randomly positioned. You're a racing fleet!
4. Update the Star class portions of the bulletin boards and trophy cabinets at your club. Make sure active members are promoted. Replace faded photographs and outdated brochures. Polish your trophies and make sure their inscriptions are current. Check your fleet flags and signals and replace any that are tattered or faded.
5. Chances are you have an annual Star regatta or event. Make sure the podium, lectern, trophy table, and backdrops are freshly painted, highly photogenic, and have a Star "presence" in every photo.
Preparations are well underway for the Star Centennial Events being held in Larchmont and St Tropez later this year. We encourage all Star sailors, past and present, to make plans now to attend. However, our Centennial Year is something to enjoy and support the entire year. Start now!
