To register your Reservation Confirmation, Do This:

1. First, remember that if you are an AOL America OnLine user then you must NOT use the aol browser or nothing will work.  If you access the Internet using AOL, then Click Here for instructions on how to use Internet Explorer.
    
2. To register, first go to the Forum, or "Bulletin Board", to create a username & profile.
    
3. Click on "Register" in the top right corner.  Here is where you will create your profile.
    
4. Once you initially register, the site will automatically send you an email to verify and CONFIRM that the email address you entered is a valid, working address.
    
5. If you do not receive this email within a few minutes, check your JUNK/SPAM folder to make sure it isn't there.
    
6. Within the confirmation email is a link for you to click on. CLICK on this special link and it will confirm your email address is correct, and the forum administrator will approve your free membership. Only after you click on the special confirmation link, will your free membership be activated and you will be able to login to the Bella Vita Boat Club forums to read post messages with your photo.
    
7. If you have registered on the site, but are having trouble logging in, then you most likely have NOT replied to the automatic confirmation email which is the ONLY way to activate your membership.
    
8. After you've completed your registration process, be sure edit your profile by first logging into your account by entering your username and password.  Then clicking the "My Controls" link at the top of the page, then go to the "Personal Profile" section on the left hand side and click on "Edit Profile Information" and "Edit Avatar Settings", and put some details about yourself in your profile and upload a picture of yourself or your party group or even your boat, so people can see who is coming to the party.  Complete details for uploading a photo are below.
    
9. Then, click the Forum topic titled, "Post Your Confirmation Here For The Next Regatta", located at http://www.bellavitaboatclub.com/forums/index.php?showforum=6 then click the party month you are confirming for and then click "Post Reply".  (I know it sounds a bit confusing, but it's not, just follow these instructions step by step).  This is a very important step, as nobody will be allowed to raft up with us and get a party wristband that is not on this confirmation list.
    
10. To Upload A Photo To Your Profile, Do This:
    1. After you've registered on the website as described above and have your Username & Password, then scroll to the top of the page and click "My Controls".
        
    2. Then look at the "Personal Profile" section on the left hand side and click on "Edit Avatar Settings"
        
    3. Then scroll to the bottom of the "Edit Avatar Settings" page and look for where it says, "Upload a new image from your computer" and click the button to the right that says, "Browse".
        
    4. Then navigate to your photo on your computer that you want to upload to your profile and click on it.
        
    5. Then click "Submit" and it will upload your photo to your profile.
        
    6. Your photo can be no larger than 325 x 325 pixels.  If your photo is larger than that, then the forum software will automatically reduce it to the correct size when you click to upload it so don't worry about how large your avatar photo is.
        
11. After you've been to a party then you will click on the Forum topic titled, "Past Party-Goers Post Here" located at http://www.bellavitaboatclub.com/forums/index.php?showforum=4  to share with others what you thought of the parties.  This is VERY important so never forget to do this within a week after each regatta party you ever attend, otherwise you won't be invited back.
     
12. A Few VERY Important Tips

    1. Nobody wants to go running around to other websites to view your photos (because you say..."you can check me out on SDC").... If you want to get responses on the Bella Vita Boat Club site, you must post a photo with your profile on the Bella Vita forums site. This is for your benefit. After all.... if  everyone doesn't know what you look like, then people don't know who they are hearing from and are much less inclined to respond. It also helps when you come to the regatta. Other regatta swingers wanting to meet and welcome you will be able to recognize you right away from your posted photo.  Who knows what fun you might have!!!
        
    2. Make a nice, detailed, thoughtful posting telling people about you.  Are you new to the lifestyle, your experience in the lifestyle, your age group, what you like, what you're looking for, etc).  If you have a boat, what size and type, when are you planning to arrive at the regatta, and anything else you'd like to add to let everyone know you're fun and exciting and that you're looking forward to meeting everyone at Barbi's Totally Naked Boating Regatta and Sleep-Over Party!
        
    3. Your post in the Bella Vita forums only needs to be a few sentences long, but PLEASE, NO LAME POSTING that just says, "We're coming" or "We will be there", or "Need a ride". That is useless! It shows us you can't be bothered to take a few extra minutes to help us spread the word by making a thoughtful posting, as it does nothing to encourage other people to attend these parties. It tells us that you don't care enough about all the time and effort we've spent putting together these free parties for all of you to enjoy.  For complete details on the only types of postings acceptable, go to Definitions and read "Gotta Nada", "Lame Brain" and "Thoughtful Postings".
13. So to make sure your request for a party invitation is accepted and approved, Make a post like your attendance depends on it... because it does!