I found two heavy large letters on our doorstep today which must have cost the class considerably in postage again so I have a proposal that I'd like the committee to take forward (as I can't attend the AGM) which is to introduce a new class of membership - JOINT membership for two members living at the same address and charged at a bit less than two full memberships (e.g. £40 instead of £50) but carrying the same rights as two full members (either can helm at an event) but receiving only one set of mailings, magazines etc. Whether it would carry two votes or one at the AGM is up to the committee.
The class would recoup most of the difference in postage and printing costs over the year and it may encourage others in a family to join as a partner. What do others think?

Hi pat

Will raise this at the next committee meeting, we will save a lot on postage this year sending reminders with the autumn mag and stopping sending membership stickers along with general increase in use of emailing but always keen to look at other ways of spending money wisely

Just a thought.
Given the huge amount of standing data contained in the Yearbook is it perhaps time to consider putting it all online such that it can be accessed only by members logging in  and an be continually updated.
Would save a fortune in printing and postage.

Slightly off piste, but the N12 has a rather funky boat database which is the natural extension of where this thread takes you.

Ahh, but have they got a mobile app for it as well?

Quote,	
"Megan	26 Feb 13 08:36
Just a thought.
Given the huge amount of standing data contained in the Yearbook is it perhaps time to consider putting it all online such that it can be accessed only by members logging in and an be continually updated.
Would save a fortune in printing and postage."


+1
And a thinner book on the bookshelf.

totally support the boat database idea, the N12 site works really well and it's great when researching boats to buy!However, suggest we talk to them about the time, effort and technology needed to keep it up to date first... printing might be cheaper?!

I like having a book to flick through, but we don't need two either.

+1

"I like having a book to flick through, but we don't need two either"

- It's a great reference to look up boat histories
- Not everyone is online
- Having a printed book mailed to members, avoids all sorts of privacy issues, that the class would have to deal with before putting any (even vaguely) personal online

I for one would prefer a book, and am happy to pay or it. Money saving is all very well, but what does the association intend to do with the pile of cash it is amassing? 
I understand the need to cut costs when it in needed, but not for its own sake, 
it's good to have a paper copy of the book, what's the next proposal  an on-line magazine? I think that the cutting of these things is devaluing the membership experience
Apologies for ruffling feathers but I think it needs to be said

I tend to agree with Ian, I prefer to have a book as well. There is far too much emphasis these days of let's put things on line: where any skilled person can access it. 

I also agree that sending two copies to a single household should be discussed. Can someone not write a program that only prints the one address label for a given address? And then see what is said at the AGM?

I am very much in favour of keeping the Year Book. I find a hard copy easier to brouse and it is immediatly to hand. Visitors also find it interesting.  Regarding the Data Base - the N12 base houses a wealth of information on the history of individual boats which is constantly being updated. Much of M/R boat data and individual history has been lost. Had we this sort of data base Dougal would have found it a great help in researching his new book.

12s still publish a lot of paper based content.  Yearbooks, newsletters and every few years a damn great book with everything about all the boats.

We had the same debate few years back, and several times since, and many people didn't want to loose the paper record.

The boat database is a sort of 'self service' product, where people log in and add their own additional information about boats as they want to.  It's often interesting, but it's not an 'official' record.

Hi Mike, 
Firstly I''m 100% in agreement about keeping the book though Pat's suggestion is more than sensible - sending one copy to a household!
From the historical viewpoint, the detail that we have in the book now is a great help and if I've needed more, then everyone on here has been more than forthcoming with information. I did think along the lines you suggested but...hmmmm, the 505s (a class that has enjoyed a big interplay of personalities with the MR) also have a database that stores first, second and current owner.
To really 'record' the history, you'd need space for each boat  so that paragraphs of text could be added as the story unfolds. Take 2994 - ASP - there is a boat that I could see getting a fair few column inches whereas the next boat on the list is a Smokers bult my Mike Lovett that might not even get a mention! But an interesting idea all the same.........
D

There are actually not very many members where 2 copies go to same household, some people actually want it that way

Anyway will discuss that at next committee meeting and see what everybody thinks, probably not an agm type thing

Woof woof

I like the Yearbook and think it would be a shame to loose it. I am still a little disapointed that we lost the fixtures book. I would much rather have the book than a database and that is coming from the person who has to creat the book every year!!

Privacy issues:
It's pretty easy to secure an online database with a password. You trust your bank with the same method. Isn't the greater risk when old paper yearbooks are chucked in the bin? Now I have a new one, I was just about to pop last year's into the recycling...

Personally, I think we still need a paper version, provided the cost is not foolishly high.

PLEASE KEEP THE BOOKS AND THE PAPERWORK, SAILING SEEMS MORE TANGIBLE WHEN YOU HAVE A PICTURE ON A PIECE OF PAPER. ITS PART OF THE SUCCESS OF THE BOAT, YOU TAKE YOUR OLD MAGS ON HOLIDAY WITH YOU AND LEAVE THEM FOR OTHERS TO PERUSE, I TAKE SOME TO THE DOCTORS SURGERY TOO ! AND THE PIC OF PAT & JILLY IN THE NEW MAG WOULD NEED A VERY BIG SCREEN TO DO IT JUSTICE.

I too would like to keep the paper book (and only one copy each year) but, as a professional database designer, would also like to see an online version with the yearbook data, plus space for owners past and present (MROA members only) to add more of the story about each boat, with each entry having date from, date to, owner and text and allowing as many entries as required. That way owners could log championship wins, refits and other notable events in a boat's life as well as ownership. Something of a blog for each boat maybe with possibly images too?

The Lark class have a useful Lark Register where owners add details about their boats but the limitation there is that only one person "owns" each entry so past owners can't add their bits.

The comitee discussed this recently, and decided to retain the hard copy of the yearbook and not open the can of worms that is on-line data storage, however joint membership has NOT come up at a comitee meeting yet, though the possibility of sending one magazine to multiple member addresses has been mooted. This new membership category would seem like a sensible option.

Handbooks and Newsletters are tangible items that add value to being a member. Take that away, and put it on the web and some members would be alienated. the web isn't for everybody.

As a new member myself i welcome the information through the post and have learned an awful lot about the history and heritage of the class. I would encourage the committee to keep the handbook and newsletter

Nick MR3723

Actually, both would be good. We scrapped three orphan N12s at Earlswood in 2009 and thanks to this thread I have been able to go and update the N12 database.

One of the things that makes Merlins special is the history and tales of individual boats over the years and this forum regularly reveals snipets of boat information that we should capture and enjoy. 

I agree with the suggestion to approach the N12s to see how they do it and at what cost and effort.

Not sure that my original post suggested scrapping the Yearbook - I love the paper copy.

I also remember a certain Alex Jackson being delighted to get a 6th at the Championships, purely because it meant that his name would always be in the yearbook.

The N12 database for Merlins would be wonderful. I could spend all my evenings in Merlin geek heaven ....