There's something for everyone – so keep an eye out for a Focus Area that piques your interest, and volunteer to be part of the team!

 BOAT GRANT PROGRAM & EXPANSION

We continue to invest in our award-winning Boat Grant program, which serves as a magnet for emerging young sailing talent. The program’s goal is to replace the fleet every nine years (one boat every three years), and sails every two years. These boats then cycle into the Pipeline Program (see below).

Importantly, we’ll invest funds to expand the existing Boat Grant program to local fleets and districts. The Limbaugh Committee has already started work on a “how-to playbook” to establish and grow the use of Club grant boats, such as has been done with great success at Buffalo Canoe Club and Metedeconk. And we will expand the work of the Limbaugh and U32 funds to add programs that help young sailors get into and stay in the Lightning Class.

 CALL TO ACTION: Raise your hand if you are interested in volunteering in any capacity for this effort. 

PIPELINE PROGRAM

A team is being formed to facilitate the movement of used boats via leasing, grants and other programs to find, assess and resell boats, matching the boat condition with the prospective owner’s needs – are they looking to pay less and put some effort into the boat, or do they want to pay for a race-ready top of the line used boat? We need to be a market-maker for new and used boats to help maintain a consistent order flow for new boats, and maintain the appropriate balance of availability and cost between new and old boats.

 CALL TO ACTION: Let us know if you have some interest in helping to assess and mentor prospective buyers, etc. 

NEW MOLDS/FLOW OF NEW BOATS

Working closely with Tom Allen, we’ve identified that the Class needs a new set of molds for manufacturing in North America, as his current molds are nearing end-of-life. This involves creation of plugs, then creation of the molds, then building, testing and certifying boats made from said new molds. Details are tbd, but we anticipate eventual Class control of the molds, again as advised by Tom.

 Included in this Focus Area is the continued support and development of international fleets – defraying costs of shipping containers of boats, assessing the viability of manufacturing outside North America, etc.

 CALL TO ACTION: This is a dynamic, multi-faceted area that needs international support.

MARKETING/MARKET RESEARCH

In order to successfully retain existing members, and attract sailors from outside the Class, we need to understand what it is that sailors really want, and what they don’t. We need to answer questions such as “What do you like about our Class?” and “What do you think of the Lightning?” We propose hiring an industry-appropriate professional firm to conduct critical market research, both inside and especially outside the Class, to provide data on which we can build.

Additionally, we need to develop a cohesive brand and message that we will continually build on through 2038 and beyond. With this message we can create and execute on an innovative marketing plan - including social media – to attract and retain sailors, and focus on those currently outside the Class to drive growth.

 CALL TO ACTION: If you have marketing experience, or you know of an industry-appropriate firm we should contact, or you have an interest in helping build the brand/message, please raise your hand!

CLASS HISTORY PRESERVATION

Preserving our past is important for building our future. Exciting work has been done to make past issues of Flashes searchable online; additional investment is required to digitize the many boxes of boat files residing in the Class Office. And best of all, the Finger Lakes Boat Museum has announced plans to create a Lightning Class Hall of Fame, which will highlight and celebrate the Lightning sailors, boat builders, sailmakers and individuals or organizations who have been instrumental in supporting and strengthening the Class since 1938.

 CALL TO ACTION: If history is your thing, this is the team for you. Join in the history-preserving efforts!