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01.30.2008
The Swan Owners Association Newsletter - January 2008
The Swan Owners Association in America is being re-vitalized with new leadership and dedication to Swan owners. Think about the last time you were busy at work and your assistant interrupted a meeting to give you a message that someone on the phone wanted to speak with you about your boat! While we all lead busy lives, Swan owners seem to take time to engage in discussions about their boats and sailing passion. We hope you will make the same effort by stopping what you are engaged in to find out how the Swan Owners Association in America is committed to serving you - and your Swan.
Ray Peterson recently announced, he is passing the baton to me, Bob Scribner, a Swan owner and volunteer from Charleston, SC. John Santa and Hank Schmitt are assisting with the initial re-organization and will serve on the Board as will Ray as treasurer.
Having owned a Swan for the past three years and a relative newcomer to the Swan fleet, I felt we needed to get our Swan Owners Association re-vitalized. A few of us met recently and decided that with a team effort we could re-new and re-connect with Swan owners in America. We will be activating the popular discussion forum on the web site where owners can share issues, solve problems and sell used gear, along with initiating communications about planned Swan events. Our web site, which has been dormant, has been redesigned in a new more exciting format and more robust than before, and will evolve over time into an ever more informative and active site.
Two events early in the year are sponsored by Nautor Swan and are open to all Swan owners, namely Acura Key West Race Week ( completed last week –see info on the web site) and the 6th Annual Swan Rendezvous at the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda, BVI. The SOA is donating a handsome trophy for the coveted “Best Maintained Swan” award which will be presented at the final awards ceremony of the Bitter End Rendezvous. The Swan Owners Association plans to support events that Nautor- Swan sponsors and organizes with the goal of maximizing participation which makes the events more fun for everyone. Diana McConnell is helping to manage both Key West and the Rendezvous for Nautor-Swan. For more information on these events, please contact Diana at 203-834-0246 or 203-762-8888 or gemmarketing@earthlink.net. These events do not require membership in the SOA to participate.
Hank Schmitt, Swan Owners Association director, will attend the Bitter-End Rendezvous and encourages others to join the event scheduled for February 18th to the 23rd/. Other events proposed by the SOA for this year are the Swan Owners Dinner in Bermuda following the Bermuda Race in June, an American Swan Owners Party in Sardinia at the Swan Cup in September, a cocktail party at the Annapolis Boat Show in October, and a special Swan Division in the North American Rally to the Caribbean in the fall.
The first order of business is to enroll all American Swan owners in the program.
We ask all Swan owners and Swan owner partners to join the Association by filling out the Owner Information form on the web site and then filling out the enclosed form, enclosing a check for $100 dues for the next two years, 08 and 09, and mailing it to:
Swan Owners Association
Attn: Ray Peterson
17 Oyster Point
Warren, RI 02885
We look forward to hearing from you and actively supporting the American Swan Owners Association in representing our mutual interests, building camaraderie and sharing common issues and advice about our boats. It is our goal to work closely with Nautor- Swan USA in Newport as well as the Swan office in Italy to invite them to participate in our events as well as have our SOA participate in any events or services they initiate.
Regards,
Bob Scribner
Commodore Swan Owners Association
info@swanowners.com
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