A message from Jonh Eisenlohr
June 10,2025
Fellow Dirtboaters:
As you may know I've volunteered to take over as NALSA President. I want to thank Mary Robertson for taking on that role for such a long time. I've been on the NALSA board since the pandemics and have seen the challenges to keep NALSA running. It was actually pretty dire when I came aboard due to corporate and insurance issues. Some of that unavoidable tied to the effects of the pandemic. Hopefully with everyone's help things will run smoothly while I'm at the helm. I've had a lot of people give me their support already, so thanks for that.
Here is the agenda for the near future:
- "The Wrong Side Of The Tracks Regatta" - fall 2025.
Were working out the details now. Dates will become available
soon.
- 2026 ALC.
- Financial strategies.
- Make the ALC break even.
2025 we were in the hole around $700.00.
- I want to thank everyone who spontaneously donated at
the event. If it weren't for your kind support it would of
been $4700.00.The event costs upwards of $17000.00. The
biggest expense was the tent at $8100.00. Roughly half the
cost of the event. I think we had around 67 pilots so out
of there $160.00 entry fee $121.00 went to the tent. Other
cost increases were the BLM raising their permit rates
from $6.00 per racing day per pilot to $7.00. The
insurance goes up about 5 to 10% every year as well. I've
been warning the board that we are not charging enough for
the entry fee for a few years. We did raise the rate form
$140.00 to $160.00 last year. We raised it again at the
last board meeting to $200.00 for 2026. For the ALC to
break even the entry fee should be around $255.00 using
2025 costs. (17000 divide 67)
- Make the ALC more cost effective Lance Hossack and I
have been working on an alternative to the tent. I did
some research and found renting 3 40' shipping containers
and placing them in a C shaped compound (wind block) could
cut the tent costs in half or less. We are designing an
awning system that could be reused annually. We will still
rent tables and chairs from our vendor. We will try it at
the 2026 to see if its viable. Any help in funding the
awning system would be appreciated. The concept will run
about $700.00 so far.
- Growing the sport
- Get more participation at the ALC. More numbers help pay for the event.
- We had 4 Blokarters join us at the ALC. They had a great time. I got to meet Neil Foley the President of NABSA at the ALC. We talked about collaborating toilets and possible the tent or containers in the future to help hold down costs. He also asked if more Blokarters can join us in the future. I encouraged it. The considered the ALC as a warm up to their regatta. We placed them in International Mini 5.6 and staggered their start with Manta Singles at the 2025 ALC. It dovetailed well.
- Renee has been instrumental in getting more foreign pilots into the ALC. She has worked hard to provide boats for them to sail.
- I have also worked hard over the last 10 years with the Mini Skeeter participation. Many people that have taken my Mini Skeeter build class end up on the start line. Every person I've lent my Mini Skeeter to race has come back again to race in their own newly built Mini Skeeter.
- I spoke with Augie Dale last week. He said we should experiment with a concept called AB Fleet. the AB Fleet is A =owner B = guest share dirtboat and are scored as a team. Renee and I have discussed a similar concept as well. In Augies case he would like to introduce Collegiate water sailors to the sport. Iceboaters, foreign dirtboaters or your soft water yacht club members could play a role in this.
- Maybe having a non racing event to introduce/teach/clinic newbies would be a good idea.
- If we work a little harder getting people out
sailing or racing with us the sport will grow.
- Race committee
- It would be nice to form another team to support the race
committee. The RC selflessly works out in harsh conditions
all day long. Many of them don't have time to get lunch or
snacks. It would be nice to have a support team to replenish
with food and or snacks as they work at the start
line.
- World Championship 2028
FISLY has asked if NALSA would host the World Championship in 2028. I have been in discussion with the FISLY President to see if its viable. So far I've had positive feedback from everyone I've talked to. I am working on a budget and about a million other details to present to the NALSA board in the future. I've spoken with many involved with the 2014 WC to see what did and did not work. If it happens it will be in conjunction with the ALC at Ivanpah during March in 2028. The US hosted the WC at Ivanpah in 1990 and 2000 in very much the same way. The difference in 2028 is there will be more if not all International classes. Manta Single and Twin were considered International Classes in the 2014 WC at Smith Creek USA. I'm petitioning for Miniskeeter to be included in 2028. If it evolves we will be forming committee's for the WC to cover all the area's to host the event.