If you do not like the meal that they are serving you are forced to buy it anyway.  I do not like BBQ, but to bring three people to the Nationals I must pay $225 for three meal packages plus the $85 dollar registration for a meal I would not eat anyway.  Add in the membership dues and this is the first $400 registration regatta in C scow history.  I predict a very low attendance in a down economy.  Even for a Junior sailor with three the regatta with meals is $275.00 plus membership.  Good luck attracting young sailors with this format.

If the issue is getting a head count ahead of time just publish that you must order your meals by such & such a date or you will not be served.

The second issue is having the host club plan every night at the regatta for you.  Part of the attraction of sailing at a regatta is getting a chance to spend some time in the area, by scheduling every night it takes away from the fun of the regatta.  We traditionally spend a night out away from the regatta crowd at the Nationals.

I do not know how many times now I have paid for meals in these packages now and not recieved any food!  This is not the way to go.

The Nationals was founded to be an alternative to the Inlands, which at the time had really reduced their regattas to huge cost, very little fun events.  The sailing was good, but the on shore was awful.  The Nationals has now just become a clone of that event.  Give sailors the freedom to decide what they want to do with their free time.  Clubs should not have to force charge to make huge profits for these events.  Very bad idea and planning on this one.