The most difficult time is practice week, as many off-island marshals don't come across until race week. By the same token, it is the busiest time for riders and their helpers... I know that wives and children can be runners getting bits from Padgetts or whatever, and just aren't available.
I think one of the things that needs looking at is perhaps contacting regular marshals, particularly local ones, to ask them to cover practice week rather than the races if they can only manage one or the other. This might be a strategy in the longer term.
Personally, I find practice more interesting as a marshal anyway, but that's just me. That week is also much harder work, with daily committment, and, if you are trying to work as well, it is a long long day. Also if you work in Douglas, you probably don't have the time to get up the mountain, for example, when that might be where the greatest need is.
Not much help there I'm afraid, but I think there needs to be some work this winter to look at the distribution, by time and geography, of the most dedicated and experienced marshals, so we can balance the books with less experienced people. Those of us who are regulars need to be willing to go wherever we are needed, rather than sticking to our favourite spot for 30 years (not that that's a fault... just we need flexibility right now.)
A lot of the problems are less about a shortage of bodies, and more about them not being in the right place sometimes.
We can NEVER have too many marshals anywhere and I get really pi**ed off when I hear all this rubbish about "There were dozens of marshals at QB, can't see the problem."
A... imagine a bike comes down at QB first lap, full tank, and is immediately followed by another which hits it... how many people will you need.. every single one you can get!
B... some people can only get that far after work, and some may be rookies... where better to learn.
We need YOU now, if you not already signed up... do it NOW!
Even if all you can do is man the phones that will free someone up to do something else.