Lots of Clubs and Fleets will be using WhatsApp’s Groups facility to organise and especially encourage sailing turn-outs. I admit I hadn’t seen this little tool before.

It’s so easy to use, it’s embarrasing. It takes about 15 seconds to set up a poll in the group.

To set one up in your fleet:-

Any member can set up the poll. It doesn’t need the administrator.

1/ Look at your WhatsApp Group screen

2/ There is a + sign on the screen … press that. A list of options appears.

3/ Select the “Poll” option

4/ Type in your question … Tip : to get used to it at the outset, select a question wording that can accept answers of “Yes” “No”or “Maybe”. (You could also try different dates as options perhaps?)

5/ In the row that says “Alternative Answers” type “Yes” in the first row, “No” in the second row, then another new row will open up – type “Maybe” in there

6/ Press “Send”

Amazing – you get pretty fast feedback !!