SSCA to double fees..

[Nicholson58]

We’ve been members for about ten years. We are also OCC and Salty Dawgs. We bit on a couple of the on line classes and found we knew more than was offered. When we tried to ask more technical questions we were snubbed and shuttled aside. There are few members in the Caribbean and the value is nil to us. The increase including spousal charge will finish us. I was offered commodore sponsorship a couple times but couldn’t see any reason to follow up.

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I left years ago when they didn't change the ridiculous voting criteria. The members who contribute the overwhelming bulk of the dues can not vote.

This. Same for us. No more SSCA for us since 2010...

[RickG]

We have made good friends in the SSCA and see a good bit of value. We've gotten great information from cruising station contacts in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico - where to get propane, less expensive secure marinas, etc. Sure, some of that information is available from other sources. But, will you get a ride to fill your propane tanks? Works for me.

As for politics, mis-management, bad contracts - hopefully having professionals running the organization will help reduce that.

Cheers, RickG

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Bill Balme

I don't know if it's more or less expensive than the SSCA - but if you feel that you have graduated from the SSCA (as we felt) and are looking for a group a little more qualified - think about joining the Ocean Cruising Club as an alternate. To be a full member of the club you have to have completed a 1,000 mile non stop rhumb line passage on a boat of 70ft or less. You can have been crew aboard someone else's boat - but we prefer that you played an active role... Or... if you have plans to do the 1,000 mile passage in the near future, do as we did and join as an Associate Member. The club is a worldwide organization, with nearly 3,000 members and still actively growing. Check out the OCC at oceancruisingclub.org With an active forum and mentorship program, come and join a club with a wealth of experience - and minimal politics!

I was not familiar w the OCC until recenlty. A bunch of OCC boats left out of Bermuda ahead of us in early June bound for the Azores. We caught up with them and got close enough to one of them (Sophia) to make VHF contact. We then set up an impromptu SSB net for the duration of the trip. Unfortunate to read that Sophia was struck by lightening after leaving the Azores!

[Akafred]

Originally Posted by Adelie

That's not nearly double, that's not even a 50% increase.

I'm not trying to quibble with it being too much money, I'm pointing out that your excessive exaggeration make you look untrustworthy, people wonder what else you are exaggerating.

I’m not a member of this or any other club and have no opinion either way..

I joined this forum not too long ago and was really exited about having a place where I could go to get some good info and answers to sailing questions. I’m sad to see that whenever someone posts just about anything there are always trolls out there trying to stir crap up . . the original poster may have exaggerated the percentage but that doesn’t mean he or she is not trust worthy.

To those who have nothing of value to add maybe you should keep you’re snide remarks to yourselves .. just my opinion..

[Island Time O25]

In an age of paper newsletters, expensive overseas phonecalls and little other solid information available other than word of mouth reports and what not, their model was well honed for the times.

But today, they seem to still be trying to sell buggy whips and saddles to cruisers used to 24/7 interenet, sat phones, etc. I don't even think it's the dues increases as even a free buggy whip would have a minimal practical value today other than a conversation piece.

Just like many old time business models - newspapers, land lines, traditional taxis, etc, etc. - they just could not adjust to the new economies.

[Joe Abbott]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

What is the SSCA ?

SSCA - see website at https://www.ssca.org/




Free sample copy of their Commodores’ Bulletin at: https://www.ssca.org/docs.ashx?id=469521

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by zengirl

Never heard of them. I'm always amazed people even bother with clubs, but that's me. What do these people do for you, what do you get in return for your money? Just curious.

SSCA ?!?! "The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation is an agency of the government of Cambodia in-charge of civil aviation including airports in the country." Why this is on a sailing cruisers forumn is beyond me.....

[lewisa]

It's interesting that the SSCA keeps touting the "volunteers'" contributions to the organization, and then justifies the increased dues to their costs. Doesn't make any sense except for supporting a third party expense. I will see if they file an IRS Form 990 for non-profits which will specify exactly where the money goes.

It's also rediculous to charge spouses and partners, who cruise on the same vessels, a separate fee.

[lewisa]

I just reviewed the SCCA's latest IRS Form 990, which is required for all non-profit organizations, with following data:
Income: $215,710
Expenses: $195.398
Management: $95,509
Salaries and Wages: $14,189

So, clearly, the organization is not being run by volunteers, other than the board which contracts with a management firm to to the real work. I suspect the management firm is increasing its fees which may be why the dues increase is necessary.

Clearly, it's up to the members to determine if the cost is worth the benefits.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by lewisa

I just reviewed the SCCA's latest IRS Form 990, which is required for all non-profit organizations, with following data:

Income: $215,710

Expenses: $195.398

Management: $95,509

Salaries and Wages: $14,189



So, clearly, the organization is not being run by volunteers, other than the board which contracts with a management firm to to the real work. I suspect the management firm is increasing its fees which may be why the dues increase is necessary.



Clearly, it's up to the members to determine if the cost is worth the benefits.

I’m no genius at math, but those numbers don’t add up?

[mjscottinnc]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Interesting… I left the organization a few years ago when faced with another large increase in fees. It wasn’t the fee increase that drove me away, it was the lack of adequate explanation or information regarding the finances and strategic plans.

I finally managed to piece together some financial and membership data, and figured out that the organization was on a poor financial and membership trajectory. But when I raised these issues I was faced with no substantive response. So, I wished them well and moved on.

This current news is no surprise to me, but I still find it unfortunate to see the organization struggle. It has done some great things, and obviously fills a need for many cruisers. For me, there was just not enough value for money. And I suspect this move will drive a further nail in the coffin.

At someone's suggestion I joined SSCA last July and paid for two years. Within the first month there was in-fighting among board members, fairly aggressive posting if you didn't go along with the 'group think'. I was very suppressed and since I live my life drama free I said goodbye. I honestly do not understand why anyone would subject themselves to that.

The fee raising and nickel and diming everyone to death is only a symptom of the leadership's continued alienation of its members. All my own opinion based on actual experience. For what it's worth.

[Joe Abbott]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I’m no genius at math, but those numbers don’t add up?

Read the filing: http://990.erieri.com/EINS/591669131...7_0fd45a84.PDF

[Buzzman]

OCC is an option, but at AUS$110-ish plus US$100 'joining fee' it's certainly not cheaper!

Having said that, OCC *does* make past issues of their journal 'Flying Fish' available off their website to non-members.

Facinating reading.....!!

I'd probably consider joining OCC for that reason alone - they seem to have the 'volunteer ethos' a bit better managed/understood. Just need to get that '1000nm' membership requirement completed!

FTR, I'm the Secretary, Editor and Webmaster of my local classic car club, and believe me, this volunteering lark is NOT for the fainthearted! In the middle of some ructions atm due to 'differing policies' of different factions.
If it all goes pear-shaped, guess what, I'll be walking, and they can find some other bunny to hop around after them..! lol
But for now, I'm hanging in there....under the belief that I'm doing what the *majority* of members want....until proven otherwise....

We do our bi-monthly newsletter/magazine as digital PDF via email (to save cost of printing and posting) but still have a few elderly members who are not net-savvy, and who prefer paper copy, which they get Black & White (not colour like the PDF) either hand-delivered (by volunteers) or posted.
We also do SMS reminders for events and meetings a day or two out, so people are reminded in a timely fashion, without having to look at the PDF buried on their PC or device.

So we are attempting to 'move with the times', but still cater to those who haven't.

As an example of attempting to provide additional VFM for our members, I was instrumental in having the SMS messaging system adopted (so it didn't fall to a single member's phone to be the sole point of contact) and we use an online SMS portal that was selected after trialling three different systems.

We opted for the lowest cost per SMS option, which does not enable 'return messages' - which also means we don't have to deal with them! It's a simple 'upload credit and use till credit runs out' system, not a month-by-month plan or 'unused credits expire' plan. So no 'waste'.

While it would have been *way cheaper* to use a single member's phone to do this, that member necessarily had to be a member of the C'tee, phone and net savvy, and able/capable of successfully integrating our membership database and their phone of choice, and then ongoing management of the phone and all calls/messages. No-one volunteered....!!!
Surprise, surprise! lol

It wasn't economical for the Club to purchase a phone and an 'unlimited SMS plan' at the time, but I am watching providers adverts so that when that changes, we can go down that path instead. With a phone plan, the SMS would be free, but the phone and monthly 'connection' fee would be more costly - and MUCH more difficult to manage on a daily basis. I have enough trouble managing my *own* phone and SMS contacts list!!

Basically the SMS service costs the club around $2 per member per annum for not less than 36 x 160-character SMS messages per annum. Cost is AUS$0.07c per SMS per member. [In Oz this is not expensive!] That's three reminders a month, and we seldom use more than two. It works for us.

Lots of debate at the time but, since implemented, accepted and enjoyed for the 'immediacy' of the 'reminders'.

And SOOOOO simple to manage and maintain.... [ the *key* benefit - to the Exec C'tee ... and the muggins who has to do the updating. Guess who? lol ]

If anyone is interested, the co. we use is Burst SMS.
https://www.burstsms.com.au

It's simple to upload a CSV file of Contacts exported from our Excel database, and dead easy to change, alter, add, subtract as members come and go. Annual 'clean-up' after renewal period keeps it current.

*MOST* importantly, it enabled us to add a 'service' for members that we had previously not been able to provide adequately (if at all), and thus 'value add' for our members.

Oh, and also FTR, our website costs us zip. OK, so it's super-basic as a result (a 'community support action' of a larger company), but what does a car club need beyond a basic 'Who We are', 'How To Contact', and 'Events Calendar' page..??

Due to print industry contacts I was also able to screw our local printer convince the local printer to match the charges of a much bigger big city printer so even the small number of copies we need to print now costs us less, but is *WAY* better quality than the supposedly cheapest option previously utilised.

In volunteer-based orgs, a little knowledge goes a long way....

But I believe the emphasis has to be on the V-word..!! Volunteers are *always* cheaper than a paid professional, so provide better VFM for members.

YMMV

[Jim Cate]

I've been following this thread with some interest, mostly due to my very long association with SSCA.

I joined a long time ago... somewhere around the mid 70s when I seriously began to consider long term cruising. At that time, the organization was still pretty loose and was still much associated with the West coast and San Diego, where it all began at the Silvergate YC. But folks in the original group started a diaspora, with many ending in Florida, and the rot began to set in (my opinion). Soon there was little of interest on the left coast, with the vast majority of the activities being back East.

We started our serious cruising in 1986, and after a while were nominated to become Commodores... we accepted and considered it an honor. Meanwhile we had been contributing to the journal and reading it avidly when we got our twice a year mail delivery. This was nearly our sole source of cruising news and info, and it was pretty valuable and enjoyable.

But as the years went by the content became pretty repetitive, the fees went up and the organization became more monetized, selling insurance and baubles and doing things that the original founders would have scoffed at... but we persevered. The advent of pay per view "lessons" and the like really discouraged us, just as some others have reported upthread. We would have quit, but by that time we were nearly at the 25 year mark with the carrot of "lifetime commodore" status and FREE membership dangling in front of our eyes, so we hung in and in time (and with some difficulty) seem to have achieved that status. And ya know what? We haven't found ourselves even checking into the website for a couple of years now, and we just don't miss it. The current management and it's money hungry attitudes turn us off, and I'd surely not retain membership if I had to pay for it now.

It was a fun and interesting and useful group when the population numbered in the low hundreds and the internet hadn't even been a dream. I fear that it has outlived its purpose and will flounder to its death. Too bad... the originators were a great group of cruisers, some of whom we knew as friends, mostly gone now.

But we now have CF!

Jim