2009 Cactus Navy Reorganization

[desert boat]

As the year comes to an end, we find ourselves in need of a major refitting. We need to realign our organization structure and plans for operations for CY 2009. Mike K and I would like to hear from our associates as to their desires starting with an organization meeting for planning purposes. If none are proposed by 20 December, we will go about the decision making and notify everyone. We need to meet the first week of January 2009!

[stevel14]

I see three things:

1. We

I see three things:

1. We need to be a little better organized. There have been several instances where we did not know where the meeting would be (or if we were even going to have one) until the day of or day before the meeting, for example. I know that in part this is because people have been slow in responding to messages asking where everyone wanted to hold the next meeting.

2. We need to get better about doing some of the things that we have discussed. There have been times when we talked about doing something, but nothing happened. There were also a few times where possible new members attended a meeting or two, heard the talk but saw no action, and then never came back.

3. We need to actually run the boats that are working. In three years, we have never as a group got anything wet. From what I have heard, everyone in the group is interested in working models, not just static ones. I know that there we have only a few operating boats, but in my experience, seeing a boat (of any kind) run, only gets people more motivated to finish the ones that they are working on because they do not want to watch someone else have all of the fun.

I am not saying these things to be critical of the past or of anyone, but intend them as suggestions that would lead to changes. I will freely admit that I am guilty of these things.

Steve L.
#2442

[warpatroller]

I haven't really even looked

I haven't really even looked at this forum in three months. My time has recently been occupied by producing CGI visual effects of a VIIC U-boat for an upcoming independent movie.

My finances (lack of them) and living arrangement in the past couple years has been a contributor to my lack of contributing to the group. Hopefully that will be changing soon..

I agree with what Steve L. said. I realize my attendence has been sporatic and rare at the meetings, but in the times that I have attended, the ONLY rc boat I have ever personally seen get wet and run in a body of water was the Walmart Gator toy submarine that I brought to Adam's house last February. I have yet to see a hobby grade RC submarine run in person anywhere.. It is like they are mythical in the Phoenix area, sort of like trying to observe the Loch Ness Monster in its element.

The best meeting for me was the one that Steve L. had actually brought a D&E WTC("Subdriver") along with him that I was able to physically look at and examine.

Another problem I see, that Steve did not mention, is finding a body of water that is actually somewhat clean to even run a submarine in (other than a swimming pool). The few little lakes that are around the Phoenix area that I have been to are very murky and full of algae. I ran my Walmart sub in some of them, but I would be more than hesitant to run something with a price tag along the lines of an OTW boat in them (even if I could afford one).

Steve, at one of the early meetings in 2006 you mentioned having a 32nd Parallel XXIII. Do you still have this kit? Did you ever assemble it or do anything with it?

Steve S.

[stevel14]

I still have the Type

I still have the Type XXIII. It has sat untouched for quite some time, and is mostly in brand new condition. I have considered selling it, but have never taken the time to do look into doing so.

I agree with the lousy condition of the lakes around here. The murky water is bad enough, but even worse is all of the junk that has been thrown into the lakes and is sitting on the bottom for a boat to get caught in. It has become Russian Roulette to try and run a boat.

Steve L.
#2442

[steve charboneau]

Sorry guys with work my

Sorry guys with work my schedule next year and more headaches that go along with it. I will be bowing we out of the retro fit for the group and put subs on hold for a while.

[stevel14]

So, has anything been decided

So, has anything been decided upon?

Steve L.
#2442

[warpatroller]

Yeah, our input was asked

Yeah, our input was asked for, we gave it, and then no responses in turn..

For SubRonSW to continue existing I think the following two things need to happen:

1) A location (body of water) needs to be found to actually run subs in as a group.

2) At least a couple people in the group need to have a running submarine to actually put in that body of water.

Without these two things becoming reality, I don't see how the group can continue on without evaporating into nothingness. After all, it is suppose to be an RC submarine group, not just a social group.

Steve S.