So....
I've taken over the presidency of a local draw club started in the mid 70s
Little background:
52 members
20-25 active members
meeting first Tuesday of every month (except November & December)
tournament first Saturday of every month (PARTNER-location determined by tournament committee)
We have a spring 2 day (travel) tournament (PARTNER-location voted on by membership 2 months prior)
We have a fall 2 day (travel) tournament (PARTNER-location voted on by membership 2 months prior)
We have a summer MINI 2 day (safe-noon) local tournament (location determined by tournament committee)
Points are kept through year to determine top 10 that will fish the classic (November Tournament)
Points consist on weight caught (.25lb for dead fish), 1.0 points for meeting attendance & .5 point for tournament attendance
Again this is a draw club....that has been on average....13-15 boats per tournament with 10-12 of the boats paired with random non-boater.
For the past 2-3 years this very proposal has been brought up and NOT voted in.
" If at the tournament meeting, 14 people want to fish; 8 boaters and 6 non-boaters and once it drawn you have two boaters left, obviously. I propose we change it from the remaining 2 boaters HAVE TO pair in one of their boats to the remaining 2 boaters can either pair up or fish in their own separate boats and have two singles fishing"
It hasn't been voted in for several reason with the main one being that the health of the club in the camaraderie 1st and competition second and slowly this format will break up the club into a boaters club with a few non boaters.
The second reason that is mentioned for keeping the pairing format is safety. A lot of the founding, early members are still in the club, retired have nice boats but also health issues. For safety concerns, we have kept the the pairing format.
With all that said, if there were 8 boaters and 7 non boaters, the last boater drawn would fish by himself or just not fish.
Im 31 and the youngest in the club by 6-7 years and have maybe 10 members of less under 45-50 years old. The "old timers" have been in clubs that have been ruined because of the mandatory pairing being lifted. But can see the other side just as well....You retire, buy a 75k ranger and can pre-fish on Friday if you want to. You come to the meeting and your drawn lat along with another boater and both want to take their own boat and gear for obvious reasons.
I don't want to make this to long and drawn out, but what's everyones opinion or thoughts on this based on experience or what you currently do in your draw club?
Hope this all makes sense
P.S. We have 3 partner tournaments through the year (the spring, summer and fall 2-day)
thanks for any opinions or advice
