AOMCI registrations

[johnyrude200]

quote punchbug:

One last shot, this is a democratic club so why not put the two systems to a vote. Define the systems, post both and then have a vote, members only of course. I know it is the quickest way to piss off 49% of the membership but a decision needs to be made and who better to do that than the membership.

Yes but that’s assuming our E.C. Is in favor of voting on this 🙂

The only thing Ive observed being put to vote is in the outboarder magazine, and that’s for who gets the title to be on the council.

[fmanracer]

Guys the AOMCI was founded on the dates from 1866 to the time where the United States entered the second world war. Sometime later, and I’m guessing it was 1970 or 71 it was realized by the club that the motors made after the war up until 1950 were basically the same as the motors before the war so the date of antiquity was extended to include those motors. In the mid 1980’s the MOB Chapter petitioned the Club to add another category and call it the Classic category. This push was spearheaded by MOB member Harry R. Brinkman who won over 20 National Championships in his racing career and had very strong feelings that the Mercury’s he raced along with several other motors of the 1950’s and 60’s needed a place in the Club. The idea of having a running date of 30 years was so that the categories would not have to be continuously re-visited from time to time.
I’m not saying it should be, or shouldn’t be changed from what it is now. I was there as these changes happened so I wanted to put it out there for you to see.
Jay

[johnyrude200]

Thats good information on our club history Jay, thank you.

My reply is that times change and so should the club grow. The reason the dinosaurs went extinct is they didnt adapt. Well I hear constantly how membership contracts each year.

Respectively, what changes to the club ‘plan of action/business plan’ have been made to address attracting new members and retaining existing ones?

There was a survey put out last year which I responded to. What I got in return from a couple of council members was “if you dont think were doing a good enough job, do it yourself.”

Frankly that was a slap in a face to me. You put out a survey calling for constructive feedback and instead get defensive. I mean, why put out a survey asking for feedback if you dont want to change in the first place?

Theres not going to be a club in 20 years if it continues along the course its on now. 60% of the members will be gone through attrition. Sorry everyone if this is a sore subject but Id rather be called a jerk then watch it happen without speaking up! At least I tried!

Its a good club but proactive game planning is what keeps things current, viable, and growing. Relying on pure tradition only lasts as long as the people who were brought up on it are alive. The club is at a turning point and I would guess that 90% are above the age of 45. I can count on 1 hand how many members I know in our Yankee chapter are below this age. That is disporportionate. Perhaps its different in other chapters?

Of course, I may be wrong but without seeing some data on club demographics and numbers, how can anyone know or make a logical fact-based decision for a corrective action or opinion? The survey could easily have had questions asking age, gender, location. In fact why isnt this on a new member/renewal form for membership? Within 2 years there would be clear cut data on average age of a member to go with club numbers.

Without that critical info the anticipated membership number changes are being left to speculation. Impossible to predict or surmise growth or contrition trends.

Hope this helps.

[pm-t2]

I’ll type this in big letters just so its easier to see, not to accentuate any point I might have, or any other reason.

Its a hobby, not a for-profit business.

The difficulty is attracting new members has bugger-all to do with motor classes.

It has everything to do with what society as a whole is evolving into… generations where instant gratification with little or no effort is the expectation.

People are falling into water fountains in the mall because they can’t take their eyes off the cell phone. Computer hockey game tournaments for cash prizes are a thing. You can get rich by making some stupid videos and putting them on Youtube, where your only talent is getting your idiocy watched by other idiots. But I digress……

The members that do exist have to do more work to inspire other people to join, whether they are young, old, somewhere in the middle, what ever. How to do that? Share knowledge. Reach out to new members in your area. Get motors out there for people to see so they have an opportunity to generate interest. Get them on the water so they can be seen in action where they belong – on the back of a boat, pushing you around so you and your passengers can have fun and enjoy the ride. Check with a local service club and ask if they would allow you to put on a presentation. Get out to the antique tractor and steam engine shows and put on a display. Make themselves available at the meets they attend to help out others with problem motors. If they have motors that haven’t seen the light of day in 20 years, get them out to the shows or on a boat, or consider letting them go to other members who will. I think it would surprise you to find out how many AOMCI members do not do ANY of those things.

I don’t think the problem is the number of members who are in the club. I think the problem is the number of members in the club who don’t do any of the above, and are just along for the ride. They pay their dues, get the Outboarder and toss it if they don’t see their name or picture in it, go to meets only occasionally to try and find something they want, then take it home where it’s never seen again – or doll it up and put it on Ebay. They don’t help out in any way, shape, or form, and they’ll only call or show up if they want/need something. I have several nicknames for those folks, none of which are complimentary.

Average age of membership – its important to an extent. What’s more important is that the current club members be responsible for contributing to two things 1) have more live members than dead ones, and 2) don’t be one of the dead ones that don’t do jack schitt to promote the club, its goals, or its values.

So what if the majority of members are older than 45? If they’re 30-ish and not doing anything except take from the club what they can get without giving back in the way of promoting or participating, they’re not helping any. The better question would be "how many of those members over the age of 45 got involved in the hobby BEFORE they were 45?" No doubt many of those people are "lifers", but I bet there are more than you think who were closing in on middle age before they really got wind of what antique outboards are all about.

I’ve been in the club since 1991 and have heard the "this club will be gone in 20 years" complaint more times than I care to think about. Its a hobby club, and there’s going to be expansion and contraction. Interest will peak, then it will wane to a degree. Be that as it may, the AOMCI is way more stable than the stock market. When I joined I recall George Jacobs telling me there were about 2200 members. At one time I think we climbed up over 3000. Now its retracting to the point where its somewhere around 2500. It will probably contract some more. Do I worry about the club dying off because of it? Not really.

Remember the stated goals of the club. They’re right in our logo. Its "preservation and restoration". Of the two, my belief is that preservation is more important. That is what we should be working on. Create all the classes you want. If its in the interests of preservation of motors, knowledge, and pertinent information, I’m all for it.

If its to expand the number of awards given out, or because judging categories will be "easier or more clear", then I dunno about that.

If somebody wants to do it the politically correct way, and put an actual motion in front of the EC so it can get voted one (which is what you’re SUPPOSED to do, not expect them to put it to a vote just because it got posted on the Internet by some faceless/nameless entity – see what I mean about how too many are wanting instant gratification without doing the work?). One person has gone on the record of saying they asked the EC about the survey. Was he joined by anyone else? Numbers will get attention. Just sayin’….

Regarding the goals – you will always have a hard-core group who put the club and supporting its activities in the forefront. You’ll have those who are along for the ride. As long as the AOMCI has more of the former, and less of the latter, the club and its goals WILL survive.

Simply put, we, as a group need to do a better job of promoting antiques and older motors, (and not so much the newer ones) for the single reason that if we don’t, the interest in them WILL shrink to the point that it is going to be difficult to find homes for them when your time on this planet is over. I dread the day that somebody says "well I like your old Elto, but I got no room, I got my collection too full of 1980’s/90’s Mariners, Hondas, and Suzuki’s to buy it".

Somehow, we have to instill the belief that the preservation and enjoyment of old iron will bring a person more satisfaction than sitting on their ass playing on their phone or computer.

Hope this helps.

Best,
PM T2

[brook-n]

The passion from everyone is super! Pushing for growth of the younger generation is also a plus, I am sure there wil be an interest from the younger
Generation. At some level. But Unfortunately Chris’s last sentence speaks volumes. Unfortunately the millennial’s have different interests I know several
Members here in the north east that have kids that grew up around the club. Most if not all of them have their own interests that do not include playing
with motors. We can change the classes antiques/classics , do surveys & charts. But a the end of the day it will be the interest of the millennial’s that will
Ultimately drive the growth.

Respectfully,

[westwind]

For the record, I’m interested in finding old Honda outboards too…….

I was at some old Steam shows many years ago, there was one running steam engine, mostly old tractors. It seemed then that the people who remembered old steam engines being used had dropped to a point where there was little interest in taking on the task of maintaining and storing something as difficult as a huge steam engine. While I’m interested, I don’t think I could ever make an argument that I could convince myself, much less my wife, to get one. (Hence the interest in outboards) Still the old steam engines are chugging along, there are many still running at the steam shows. I think it’s a great idea to do displays there, I even have an old Oliver outboard that might catch some attention with the tractor guys.

So I agree with T2’s position, lets go out there and drum up some interest, I know he’s putting the effort in to do his part.

[johnyrude200]

I agree with most of the points you made T2, except there is a pretty major thing not mentioned.

Baby boomers. There is a reason why the attrition rate is going to be mich higher than typically, and respectfully to you I disagree with the idea that “what’s worked before is good enough.”

This isnt the same set of circumstances as 20 years ago. You have a natural attrition related to an anomaly in our country’s birth rate (baby boomers), and 20 years ago the internet was a novelty and the way you reached out to people was organic.

Again, the dinosaur became extinct because it didnt adapt.

Funding, from what the club grape vine seems to indicate, comes up alot as running low. Well club or not, the business and strategic plan used and how that is planned, prioritized, and executed directly impacts what happens with any organization.

I pose this question to our E.C.and more importantly our president: what is the plan in place?

My personal opinion is that

1. Membership dues are too little. If people refuse to pay $35.00, let alone mandatory $5.00/meet, thats just sad and folks need to stop being so cheap. And cheap isnt the wrong adjective to describe anyone balking at those prices.

2. Regardless of what a reader thinks of the outboarder, there should be an option to receive that electronically if desired. I guarantee that would reduce production costs IMMEDIATELY. I have been a member of plenty of other organizations, and I cant think of one that still produces hard copies. Just savings on postage alone would be significant let alone print costs for something in color!

3. There should be a more formal meet structure, simple as requiring name tags which shows whos paid and who hasnt. A portion of meet proceeds (if applicable) should go back to the main office for funding along with attendee contact info. How hard would it be for a monthly email to go out to everyone in the club discussing merts and hot topics. Emails cost $0.00. Time to compose yes, but not to send. Its 2018, not 1984. The club needs to evolve to the times.

4. There should be paid travel expenses for EC members to have an annual meeting, and once in the ‘black’ on the books, for individual chapter presidents or at the least a stipend to offset travel costs for an annual meeting. Do it at a national meet on a rotsting schedule to br more fair to folks from different regions. Chapter presidents (that is, the ones who care), are the supposed voice of their region, state, etc. how does the EC really know what members want right now other than occasional word of mouth?

6. EC members should receive an annal stipend. Volunteerism is great. But not many people have interest in full time charity work unless you hit the powerball. Time is money as they say.

7. Tranparency on strategic goals as to what the mission and vision statements for the club are. The mission statement may stay the same, but the vision statement is a living document. Any organization that does not maintain these will simply fail. That is 1 universal truth Ive seen over, and over, and over.

You brought up the point of voicing our opinion to the EC. Well what is the channel to do this? Certainly not our club homepage. So who do we write into and how is it reviewed?

My general point is without structure and a system followed by execution, which I certainly am not aware of any existing, basically from a principle standpoint this is akin to “flying by the seat of your pants.”

I spent 5 years working for free, averaging 60 hrs a week 50 weeks a year. I get the whole, “Im a volunteer kiss my butt if you dont like it” mentality. But at the end of the day folks dont need to work for free in a non-profit with a little application of organizational administration. I mean, SNHU (Soutnern NH University) is a top 500 revenue organization about 5 mins from me and they are non profit. Plenty getting done over there and nobody is working for free.

[Mumbles]

Gentlemen, let me remind you that the original question in this thread was ‘What is the difference between "antique" and "Classic" outboards?’ Please try and keep all replies related to the original question. If you wish to ask an outboard related question, start a new and separate thread here. If you want to rant or discuss a different matter, post it in Dockside Chat in the Members Only section. The Ask A Member section here is meant for outboard motor related questions and answers only.

[johnyrude200]

I was going to say, move thread over Mumbles to dockside chat?

[2fast4me]

Yup Twostroke I’m an antique also.

2Fast4Me

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