Quote Originally Posted by f_inscreenname View Post
This is what happens to me. Nothing, nothing, nothing, Oh crap that's next week?
To be honest I didn't even know we had a calendar here until just the other day. IMHO there should be a stick topic with a single post with the events and locations listed by date. Send a MOD/Admin a p/m telling of the event and they can update it that way it's all right there in the first post and not spread out over a long thread. Maybe a linked button (up by the Donate button) to a static page of events. I know topics will pop on the boards 2 weeks before the events but they are no help. It also wouldn't hurt if there was a "upcoming event" news line (or what ever they call it) in the header or top of page on the site.
I commend DMRS for trying to get grass roots gatherings together to build a stronger community. The last 6 years have been rough for the boating community with high gas prices, shrinking wallets and depreciating boat values. It would be easy to just let it all fade away. Nice to see some are trying to not let that happen.

The tyranny of the calendar is an obstacle, it bit us in the ass last year. Everything was tracking along and then we had a bunch of conflicting work/family events pop up. Agreed on setting up an annual sticky, maybe a single post with details per event so it doesn't get cluttered.

As far as expenses go, seems like these runs are a relative value compared to other boating vacations, especially when you factor in how much you get to run. The smiles per mile quotient is way up there, too. The dh crew has been spitballing a Bahamas trip for a few years now. Run from WPB to Abaco or Lucaya on a big center console, rent a condo, etc for 4 days. Even bringing & cooking our own meals and doing the crossing slow to conserve fuel we estimated at least 4x as much as a long weekend in Chatt.