The changing dynamics of sailing clubs

[Jackdaw]

Holy Crap Jackdaw, 120+ boats on a Thursday evening. I can't even imagine the logistics to get that set up. Our club has a fairly robust racing fleet, though it is mainly made up of about 15 boats, non-one design. Though I have also noticed that there is more less frequent racers than before. The other boat clubs around also have been having a reduction in committed racers. I do totally agree that you need a world class racing executive to get membership up, I do really like the race commitment reduction of club membership.. I'm going to try to get that one passed on our annual meeting next week.. Who knows, maybe they'll go for it...

Clubs need a REASON to exist. With the advent of social media and things like meetup.com and this forum, if you just want to talk sailing or occasionally raft up or go crusising, you DON'T NEED a club. You just go.

Racing provides the perfect raison d'être for sailing club. Racing requires multiple boats, available crew, and organized management. Get that right and all the organizational structure falls better into place.

120 boats in 7 fleets, on two primary courses, 15 marks in the water. 3 boats, a PRO and 8 race staff. And the party after every race is even better (and just as well organized!)

From the water it looks like this.

 

[cb32863]

I can speak firsthand to what Jackdaw said, WYC is the best deal in sailing. When I bought my first boat, O'Day 25, I was just cruising around the lake but, we met up on said lake and the next season I was racing. Well, a very poor example of racing... Anyway, I sold the O'Day at the end of the following season and now I have my First 235. Much more fun! I sail in the PHRF non-spinnaker fleet. The people, one designers and PHRF'ers, at WYC are great. Lot's of experience and everyone is willing to help out the new guy. Everyone wants you do be competitive and do well. I am a better sailor for it and I enjoy the sport an order of magnitude more.

Here is what we look like from the air during one of our typical Thursday night races.

And when the sun starts to set early in the evening, we do our races in the bay.... same number of boats and yes, it does get tight... There's a reason it's called "Bumper Boats in the Bay".

 

[Jackdaw]

Lot's of experience and everyone is willing to help out the new guy. Everyone wants you do be competitive and do well. I am a better sailor for it and I enjoy the sport an order of magnitude more.

The importance of this behavior cannot be over-stated.

At WYC we have a concept called 'Share your fast'. It's the notion that everyone is better when everyone is faster. It means that you can walk up to an Olympic gold medalist or a current world champion and ask them a question about your boat, or how they do something. They are likely to talk to you for 20 minutes, or offer to sail with you sometime to see and try and first hand.

It's key to keep a club's sailing IQ growing, and keep people racing. Nobody likes to get creamed every race. Even people who finish last in a race feel OK if they see their performance improving. Helping them get better helps everyone. I'm the the PHRF 1 fleet captain, and I watch early season results closely, and ask any boat that seem to be struggling if they need any help, advice, or crew assistance.

Share your fast.

 

[williamtl]

Sounds like WYC has it going on. It appears WYC started with a vision of what they wanted to achieve. I expect some of the readers here will be in leadership positions in their clubs and can influence that vision for their club. Some of the vision is giving back (e.g. Share your fast). I've seen some things in the news that are really cool and giving back to kids that might otherwise never get on the water. It's boat building. Do a search for "youth boat building" and you'll find programs like this: http://tacomaboatbuilders.org/ (I originally heard of one on the east coast and was surprised to see so many when I did the search). Maybe a goal like getting youth onto boats they have built could be the uniting force in revamping some of the clubs. I bet it would change the old salts as well.

 

[Bob J.]

On any given evening, we will have 120 boats racing. That for a typical ordinary Thursday night race.

That is pretty cool, must make for some great picture taking.

For me personally, that many boats in one place would stress me right out. I always enjoyed going for a relaxing sail while some bastard keeps yelling starboard at me

 

[Brian D]

Unfortunately, I see in my Yacht Club only racers and socialites. Rather disappointing to say the least.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I started sailing by racing. I loved racing when I was younger but now I really don't like day sailing. I like having a destination, at least for 1 night, hopefully more.

Racing is fun and if you have the right group of people it is awesome. A good crew can tear up the race course and the party after! Fun times! I sometimes miss it but it is a pretty high level of commitment at some levels too.

It doesn't matter if you race or cruise...you are a sailor first. I tell new sailors to race for a while because they will learn from experienced people about sail trim and other boat things.

 

[rpwillia]

I do both racing and cruising and I like them both. For the past 3 years after doing my stint as Commodore I have been the Racing Rear Commodore for my club. Racing and boating in general are both falling off.

For the general decline in boating a big part of it is the economy. Our marina had a waiting list for many years to get in. For the past five years under the Obama recovery we have had empty slips and instant gratification if you were looking for a slip. This current year the marina started accepting civilians which used to be heresy.

For racing, my observation is based on my dealings with clubs up and down the Potomac River and racing my boat. Since I have a 310, it is essentially a Winnebago on the river where many times I am racing with 22' boat who are stripped down and employing racing sails and full crews. If the wind is up and we have a little chop I am having a good day; on a light air day I get my lunch stolen. The main issue is the hyper competitor.

The problem as I see it is that we have many racers that that is all they do, and unless they take home a trophy they had a bad day. A lot of these racers like to push the envelope and are more than happy to jack someone up and then quote an obscure rule that justified what they did. Many times when we get new racers they are just trying to figure out the starting sequence and the rules. In one race I had just cleared a mark and was on starboard tack and on a collision course with a boat on port tack. I yelled starboard and got no reaction. So, abandoning my right I maneuvered to pass astern of them, and then they tacked and t-boned me. Post race they came to check on the damage, and I found out the whole story. A boat on their other side wanted room and tacked down on them which forced them down on me. They did not know to tell the other boat to hold (or even to acknowledge me). Not sure if that is my last race or not, but my wife did turn to me that night and ask "So, how do you feel about people taking their piece of crap boat and running it into our during racing?" All I am going to say is it ruined the mood.

So the real problem is a mixed bag. Hyper competitive racers (I did not mention having to modify sailing instructions to cut down on cheating), and the economy (a boat is a big investment).

 

[Jackdaw]

The main issue is the hyper competitor.

The problem as I see it is that we have many racers that that is all they do, and unless they take home a trophy they had a bad day. A lot of these racers like to push the envelope and are more than happy to jack someone up and then quote an obscure rule that justified what they did. Many times when we get new racers they are just trying to figure out the starting sequence and the rules. In one race I had just cleared a mark and was on starboard tack and on a collision course with a boat on port tack. I yelled starboard and got no reaction. So, abandoning my right I maneuvered to pass astern of them, and then they tacked and t-boned me. Post race they came to check on the damage, and I found out the whole story. A boat on their other side wanted room and tacked down on them which forced them down on me. They did not know to tell the other boat to hold (or even to acknowledge me). Not sure if that is my last race or not, but my wife did turn to me that night and ask "So, how do you feel about people taking their piece of crap boat and running it into our during racing?" All I am going to say is it ruined the mood.

So the real problem is a mixed bag. Hyper competitive racers (I did not mention having to modify sailing instructions to cut down on cheating), and the economy (a boat is a big investment).

This can be hard. It sounds cultural, and cultural problems take years to create, and years to break. Your RC could work to try and break fleets into bands that have close ratings, spin usage, and competitive outlook. Having a C310 race against a hard-core J35 is not a great idea, and hopefully for reasons that nothing to do with anything but sailing.

Making sure that competitors follow the rules is CLUB issue. You have to have a culture, rules and processes that help make competitors do the right thing. Have a rules seminar, make sure people know its OK to protest. Help EVERYONE know right from wrong on the water.

Oh:
There is no such thing as an 'obscure' rule in the RRS. Its either a rule, or it is not.
Why would you ever call another sailors boat a piece of crap?
I don't think the current administration has anything to do with your club's problems.

 

[Kings Gambit]

The simple answer is to recognize that the demographic peak of the boomer generation has passed, or is passing, through the yacht ownership phase of the recreational lives of those who comprise it. For the next "generation" there are a lot of new, fun toys now that did not exist in the '70s when many of us were first attracted to yachting and to boating generally. Just take SeaDoos as one example; then there are the various kayaks, paddle boards, and sailboards, and etc. In the past few years I've seen more than a few examples of quadragenarians buying their first boat, comparatively large (expensive) ones in the 36-42 ft range; not small race boats, which was my first boat. They may race those boats for a while in PHRF until they discover how "unfair" it is; but, in reality they're probably racing against a few "duffers" sailing since youth who they could never beat, even in one-design boats racing in class. Few can afford to maintain a competitive race boat and cruise too, etc. Yacht clubs appear more welcoming to non-boat-owning members than perhaps ever before. However, they're not going to sustain cruising or racing fleets in that membership area. I was at Santa Cruz Island on two different days this year when a local yacht club was having its annual visit to that anchorage; weather good. The first had two boats in the group; the second, I think, eight. Ten to twelve years ago we'd see 35-40 boats on our cruises; now typically in the 20's or fewer.

 

[njlarry]

Gambit, your points are very well taken. However from a kids perspective I wonder if kayaks, paddle boards, and sailboards can provide the independence, excitement, learning, social opportunity and sense of wonder that a club sailing program provides. How did we boomers not expose our children and grand children to sailing?

 

[Kings Gambit]

Gambit, your points are very well taken. However from a kids perspective I wonder if kayaks, paddle boards, and sailboards can provide the independence, excitement, learning, social opportunity and sense of wonder that a club sailing program provides. How did we boomers not expose our children and grand children to sailing?

That's a question the answer to which I've been pondering myself. I wonder, for instance, how many yacht clubs have many trans-generational members even if the kids were exposed? I know some do; others do not, or they are few relative to the number of members. People want to point to the expense of boat ownership. Costs of houses near the water are also a very high % of family income; so, you have to pick. YC membership like boomers mom and dad plus the cost of boats and their upkeep, or something else--camping, team sports (as spectator), virtual reality games, or the purchase of those other toys I mentioned. But is that the whole story? I don't know, not being a parent myself.

 

[Jackdaw]

However from a kids perspective I wonder if kayaks, paddle boards, and sailboards can provide the independence, excitement, learning, social opportunity and sense of wonder that a club sailing program provides. How did we boomers not expose our children and grand children to sailing?

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Sailing was a HUGE fad that WAY more people participated in in the 70s and 80s than it could ever realistically maintain. Kind of like the tennis boom of the same time in the 70s. How many here remember 100s of municipal courses they built, all with waiting lines on the weekends? Me.

Anyway both my kids (both now around 20) sailed with me for years. My ex-was not a HUGE fan, which hurt the process. But in the end they chose their own favorite interests. They still come out with me on occasion, but are not passionate about it.

So the trick is to channel that passion and energy to pass on skills to anyone interested.

Our club runs the local Community Sailing Center, which runs Opti and 420 classes for 1000s of kids in the summer, as well as hosting the local High Schools and U of Minnesota racing programs with our fleet of 20 420 boats. Its a great crew feeder. Live in the Twin Cities and know a kids who wants to sail? Send them over!

http://www.wayzatasailing.org/

 

[Rick D]

Here's a part one of what will be a two part story on point regarding yacht clubs:
http://www.thelog.com/Newsletter/Article/Changing-of-the-Tide

 

[Maine Sail]

That's a question the answer to which I've been pondering myself. I wonder, for instance, how many yacht clubs have many trans-generational members even if the kids were exposed? I know some do; others do not, or they are few relative to the number of members. People want to point to the expense of boat ownership. Costs of houses near the water are also a very high % of family income; so, you have to pick. YC membership like boomers mom and dad plus the cost of boats and their upkeep, or something else--camping, team sports (as spectator), virtual reality games, or the purchase of those other toys I mentioned. But is that the whole story? I don't know, not being a parent myself.

A good chunk of my friends at the club grew up there and now they are members and their kids are getting to grow up there too. We actually have multiple families with three generations of member ship!

My daughter loves the race program and has been doing it since age six. She also Kayaks and paddle boards too but these are not club programs.

At our club we take very seriously our junior sailing program and just expanded it from racing only to a new "adventure sailing" program which includes cruising, camping out on remote islands and doing such things as learning to anchor and navigate the old school way. Kids are LOVING IT! Adventure sailing actually had a wait list last year as does the race program every year despite our fleet growing by leaps and bounds each year.. We also host some big events too. This year we hosted the J-24 Nationals and it was a great event...

At Monday nights board meeting we were advised by the membership officer that we are now pushing a 3.5 year wait list. Our club is not shrinking in any manner, only growing, but the types of boats and their use is different than it was in the 70's & 80's.

She was already pretty good by the age of seven!! That bow wave means she was helming that little Opti pretty well for the wind..

 

[Mark Maulden]

This very eye opening. Our "yacht club has several hundred members. We have a nice clubhouse. We have a social event at least once/wk even though it might just be that the door is open and the bar is serving. We have big time racers and we have cruisers both sail and power. A lot of racers cruise and a lot cruisers race. Power guys provide committee boats and other support boats. Our club is ALL volunteer and we pay nobody. Racing is big in the PNW and is inter club. We have organized cruises spring-fall. We heavily support the high school teams which are very well organized. Google "NWISA". We all get along and have fun. Im 62 and i do notice a very markedly decrease of the "younger" crowd owning boats. I think the younger generation has a harder time getting through school and paying for it than my "generation". The digital age doesnt help either in the younger crowd.....i think this pretty std for clubs in the NW.

 

[Monterey385]

A number of clubs we know of are all grappling with the "demographic challenge" that has been intensified by the recent economy. After several college visits where my son has indicated an interest in the sailing club ... I have realized we should be arranging relationships with local colleges to help support the pipeline. I'd be interested in those who may have tried this already, what worked, and what didn't work.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Such as this? Monmouth is in our backyard. Pricey tuition, I think.
http://outlook.monmouth.edu/index.php/sports/1203-sailing-team-continues-to-grow-and-improve

 

[Monterey385]

Such as this? Monmouth is in our backyard. Pricey tuition, I think.
http://outlook.monmouth.edu/index.php/sports/1203-sailing-team-continues-to-grow-and-improve

Scott: Exactly. The University of Maryland has their base on the Severn River right across from the Naval Academy, the University of Wisconsin competes throughout the Midwest. I just wonder whether those of us who are lamenting the lack of youth involvement in our clubs would be well served to network with the educational institutions around us.

KO

 

[KZW]

There are lots of things going on with Sailing club memberships. In my area it is clear the sailor demographic is increasing in age. For the last two years there have been empty slips in the local marina. In the previous two decades there were never any empty slips and the waiting list could run two to three years. There are simply a lot of different things for folks to do and younger folks tend not have available the huge investment of time and money to go sailing. Many younger folks cannot afford sailing. Sailing takes time. Younger folks with children don’t have the time. Yes, they could get the kids interested in sailing, but then that takes the time away from Scouting, Soccer (a year round sport and God help you if your children are on a traveling team – I had two children on different traveling teams), Baseball/softball, etc. I had a Holder 14 for 20 years while my children grew up. They simply were not much interested. My son did learn to sail and did crew, when he was asked, in desperation, for his college intermural team. He isn’t pursing it now and I have no expectation he will do so in the future.

Sailing is facing the same problem that Golf faces. Younger people are not participating in the numbers that they did previously.

I sailed the Holder, and its replacement, a Hunter 18, in the local small boat races. We have three active high school teams in the area. That being said, many times there were only two or three small boats showing up for racing the past two seasons.

My local Sailing club has cruisers and racers. The racing schedule is active, but the median age of the skippers is well above 60. I crewed for 25 years on a very competitive C-30. That took buy-in from the Admiral because I was gone an entire day every other weekend. Lots of folks can’t support the time investment. I stopped crewing when time and finances permitted buying my own boat. The deal with the Admiral was a cruising boat – she isn’t going out if the boat is going to “lean”. I participate in the Wednesday night “fun” races, low key, and it is a good time to get out on the water with a fleet. However, I cannot come anywhere close to sailing my C-310 up to its rating. On any long race (round the bay or single handed) I get my clock cleaned. I don’t care, but others do care – a lot. It is just nice to get out with a bunch of boats on a nice day. I can’t do the week-long cruises with the cruiser fleet because I need to keep my job to support the boat.