But had lifetime 'seats' at 4 prior gigs and was vetted for each. All 'yacht clubs'are the same in that respect.
Vetting Yacht Club Members
- Thread starter Parsons
- Start date
I'll take another bite of this apple ... perhaps prompted by the last few comments. If you do make a decision to allow, or not allow, membership, what are the criteria? Do you state the criteria, or is it that "cut of the jib" / "our kind of people" thing? I know that many clubs (not just yacht clubs) have used blackballing or vague negative comments to keep out all sorts of folks.
What past activity could you find out about me that would make you uncomfortable having me dock my boat next to yours, or have me buying drinks at the same clubhouse?
What past activity could you find out about me that would make you uncomfortable having me dock my boat next to yours, or have me buying drinks at the same clubhouse?
Most clubs have a 'culture'; a style and matter and transcends race, creed, sex, or income. Having someone give a 'high sign' to a potential member helps maintain that. Done correctly, it works. As you point out, it can be abused. But who would want to be a member of a club that didn't want you as a member? This is all supposed to be fun.
We do but very few are refused. You would not want a drug dealer or the like as a neighbor. We also require a sponsor however a member of the membership committee may sponsor a potential member who does not know any members.
I can't imagine not doing a background check on someone wanting to join.
I can't imagine not doing a background check on someone wanting to join.
I have grave reservations about any club that would accept me as a member.
Rick,
We visited your club just before Labor Day while we were on vacation at Destin. I think we spoke to your Commodore's wife and met him as well. You have a nice facility down there.
We visited your club just before Labor Day while we were on vacation at Destin. I think we spoke to your Commodore's wife and met him as well. You have a nice facility down there.
Can you clarify "background check" - do you mean a criminal background check, or something more informal like Google searches or looking in a State sexual abuser database? I would think that something formal would require the prospective member to give you all sorts of information like Social Security Numbers or birth dates. Does your club do these, and if so, how? Should you also periodically update the background check on existing members?
That you are a Yankee fan trying to join a Boston area YC?
People tend to join groups that have shared interests and each club will have a culture and shared interests. It is not so much that potential members should be vetted, more the club should be vetted by the potential member. Why would someone want to join a club and spend time with people that didn't have at least some of the same interests? While I have some shared interests with the members of @Jackdaw 's club, their intense interest in racing is not one that I share. I think I'd get bored sitting at the bar and listening to endless tales about the wind shift that screwed someone just as they were about to finish.
Some clubs run everything on a charge basis, no cash and you get a monthly bill. In those clubs a credit check would seem be a good idea.
Denying membership to anyone based on vetting might well open the club to charges of discriminatory practices, while even if legal, are not good for the support. We'd all benefit from reducing the perception of sailing and yacht clubs as being elitist organizations.
Beg to differ. Many have been at our club until death do us part!
The charter of our yacht club was to promote boating/sailing. The program for the kids sailing is top notch, one design adult sailing is solid, and even a few PHRF races make it work well. However, like most clubs, we have more members looking for a private eating and drinking place. Beautiful view, talented chef, and nice group of people. I get it. No vetting, but I think an interest in boating, sailing, or fishing should be encouraged. Boaters spend hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and share their skills/boats/advice, with fellow members, volunteer to help kids, committee boat, and during regattas. Maybe the next dues increase should be for non-boat owners? Or a discount for boat owners? Thoughts?
Based on my experience as a member in an "exclusive" sportsman's club that requires a sponsor, a surprising number of people!
Our yacht club has a $5k "initiation" fee plus a required minimum spend on food. These 2 items can be very steep at some clubs.
We do not vet beyond the interview. We have actually rejected a couple of people who where obviously not quite right. One seemed mentally ill and the other had left the club a few years earlier under bad circumstances.
Augusta National has no waiting list. It is by Invitation Only. That way "Vetting...We don't need no stinking Vetting".
Yes, we have a contract with a company that does criminal and financial checks on potential employees as well as potential members. The application is then posted with the social security number and privacy stuff redacted after the first read by the Board of Directors. If a members knows something untoward about the individual they have until the next meeting to notify the board. There have been a few that have applied that were rejected and thankfully so.
We do not recheck members but this is such a small community that if or when one of our members is arrested it gets around pretty fast. There are also a few people with nothing in there lives more interesting than checking up on those who actually have lives.
We do criminal background checks, and we may do credit checks but I'm not sure my memory is correct. (I guess I can't technically say "we", as we resigned from our club this quarter.) You need to be sponsored, and there is an interview. You also need to attend one board meeting and one general membership meeting before being officially voted in. It may seem like a lot, but as an applicant, I liked the process. It gave both "sides" multiple chances to meet each other.
We also had a reasonable initiation fee, around $300 IIRC. The fee was waived if you joined the club while in one of our twice-yearly sailing schools, which I thought was pretty cool.
We also had a reasonable initiation fee, around $300 IIRC. The fee was waived if you joined the club while in one of our twice-yearly sailing schools, which I thought was pretty cool.
Both sailing clubs I belong to are paper clubs. A check gets you in for one. The other you need nomination and endorsement by two members. No bar, no pool, "I ain't go no Cigarettes." Neither costs over $100 /year. We've had little problems in either with unruliness. Drunkeness? Not really. But most members of both enjoy adult beverages - rarely to excess. But we are older.
Not me. I'm not sure I'd want to be a member of a club that wants me to be a member. I'm not really a club guy. It's nice to have a home base. I'll agree. But talk talk talk about nothing, and gossip just doesn't suit me.