There seems to be some confusion of what the AWA does...here is a quick breakdown.

1-Organize the Nationals Public Insurance Liability policy for it's members (State associations) - This allows events to be legally organized with councils etc.

2-Maintain a Sail number registry. One "AUS" number per member.

3-Organize the National Calendar so that events don't clash.

4-Maintain a AWA web site, with as much information as possible.

5-Provide a voice for each state to communicate via their State Rep.

The AWA has fulfilled all the above tasks for over 30yrs now.
There has been Nationals in Wavesailing, Formula, Slalom, Race-boards and WOD every year despite the fact that many windsurfers have refused to support either their State or Nationals, even when they are local, ie live down the road.

State Committee's develop and grow the aspects of windsurfing in their region as per the energy/motivation and experience dictates. E.G. If there is no interested Wave committee member in SA, you can hardly expect a Speed or Formula sailor to promote and organize Wave events.

Windsurfing is a fantastically diverse sport, and the best and easiest way to help it grow is to support your local club/state and or getting active with your state association.
If you love wave sailing then help develop wave sailing in your area, if you love Formula or slalom racing then do the same. The great thing about this sport is there is generally no politics, you help will be welcome with open arms at any club or state level. www.windsurfing.org
Become part of the solution, not part of the problem, is the message for anyone frustrated by how our sport is under preforming.

Brett Morris
AWA President.

agree completely also,

all of my dealings with the AWA and it's reps have been very successful.

you guys do a fantastic job.

those that whinge should get off their butts and do something themselves. then they can find out exactly what it takes to make an event happen and how it won't happen without the insurances etc in place or the efforts the national association puts in.

Moby, your reason would be Insurance - www.windsurfing.org/insurance.htm

Join up, makes sense if only for the insurance alone.

JB

Do you join the AWA directly or join a club?

There aren't any clubs for the places I go sailing and I am not really interested in organised racing, especially on longboards or formula. Most of the NSW clubs seem to be focussed on this, which is fair enough given our wind strengths (except for right now)

Brett is the man for these questions, but being a person who never knows when to butt out...

I understand you have to be a member of a club, which is affiliated to Windsurfing NSW. Club members are then covered by the 3rd party insurance policy.
From www.windsurfingnsw.com "The cover is not restricted to organised or sanctioned events. It is available to members 24 hours a day and, in some cases, covers sailing overseas."

I also understand that AWA and WindsurfingNSW are administrative bodies i.e. you cannot join them like a club, but I expect you would be welcomed if you wanted to assist with the admin work.

I futher understand that the 3rd party policy excludes member to member liability, it only protects 3rd parties. Ask your own insurer to provide you with a quote for 3rd party insurance, then you will see what incredible value it represents.

FormulaNova - the answer to that question would become obvious when you hit a bystander or swimmer. Some cover will always be better then none at all. Again, people could get their own insurance policies and request cover for damage to other participants. Windsurfers can judge and accept risk because we understand our own sport, 3rd parties may us in dangerous situations because they dont understand. That is why we need to protect ourselves from that situation, insurance does that.

In the future (hopefully never) if windsurfers were ever exposed to issues wrt liability (as the kitesurfers are finding now), we may expose ourselves to a situation like PWC's whereby we would have to apply for licences to operate our watercraft, and cary proof of insurance. We wouldnt want that would we?

TGIF
JB

Brett is there any sort of liability coverage for individuals who run an event under the banner of AWA or their state body???

Regards

Mobydisc said...

Do you join the AWA directly or join a club?

There aren't any clubs for the places I go sailing and I am not really interested in organised racing, especially on longboards or formula. Most of the NSW clubs seem to be focussed on this, which is fair enough given our wind strengths (except for right now)

The NSW association would really like to get something less oriented towards competition (we're running a cruising division at the Longboard Festival for example) but it's a matter of finding people to organise something.

If you were interested in helping to fire up the non-competitive side we'd love your help.

Hi Brett,
So if people have their own agenda to fill, they become committee members? ie Someone who does slalom and is a committee member just looks after slalom and doesn't promote and grow the sport across all disciplines?
If you want people who are intersted in the sport to become members/committee members, perhaps those who have no interest should give up their position and do something they are interested in.
It's fine if you want to label me a whinger without knowing what I do and have done for windsurfing over the years, I can live with that.
I still think its time for change for the better of the sport.
But you do look after insurance... for competitions.
Thanks,
Muzza

ka222 said...

Brett is there any sort of liability coverage for individuals who run an event under the banner of AWA or their state body???

Regards

all events should be run under the state body for insurance purposes

Hi Brett,
Thanks for your reply. It sounds like the association in NSW is in good shape. Maybe some of the other states are too.
I know the guys are doing a good job in SA with the speed/slalom series.
Unfortunately I haven't seen the passion from the association in SA to prevent the clubs/associations in SA from falling apart i.e. SAWSA.
I would also think that the AWA would keep in contact with the different state associations to at least know what was happening with the National Titles etc.If none of the states were planning on doing something then the AWA could put the call out to the states to nominate themselves for holding the Nationals. That way we would always have a 'next' National Titles and could plan, get sponsors in place etc, etc.
Finally, back to my original question, do you know when and/or where the National Wavesailing Titles are being held or are the titles now finished.

Thanks again,
Muzza