What's happening?

[David11038]

I am not sure what is happening. The new hunterowners website is more user friendly than ever, but it looks like the number of 146/170 posts has gone down a lot this year? Where are all the new folks asking about the boat? Also there have not been any boat reviews added in the past year or so, and I think only one photo has been added. Is this a reflection of decreasing interest in the boat, new form of user groups (via myspace and facebook) or a reflection of overall decline in interest in sailing?
Recently went to a meeting for a sailing club I belong to where they said the membership is down about 20-25% in 5 years. This is in spite of the great deal the club offers (sailing lessons for all boats from daysailers to 30', free access to fleet of club Interlakes, and very affordable access to 28' and 30' boats - all for $200-300 per year!!).

 

[themacway]

david, even with the latest economic woes, and here in the oilpatch it's bad and will be going into 'catastrophic' within a year, we're actually 'up' in lake sailing attendance. i've been approached in the last month to re-start our once very active desert sailing group. we are two hours from anything even remotely like a pond in which to float a sailboat, much less sail it. i attribute this to a general slow-down of baby-boomers, like myself, who've done all the fast(er) living we could stand: classic rock concerts, classic cars and bikes, harleys, four-wheelers - all that nonsense. we're about done with it and looking either back to our youth for something a bit more sane to do with our leisure time, or we are looking forward to pastimes we never got to do in the first place. mainly quiet time with our families, which now include grandkids and our aging parents.
that said, our boats are diverse, and in many ways they are the classic heyday trailer sailors of the 70's / 80's. several of them are hunters (including our 18.5) and in pretty good shape. they are coming out of the woodwork from just about everywhere. since we are in a dry, desert climate they are in pretty good shape by and large, needing just basic tlc to go sailing in lakes.
i heard recently that new mexico is starting some college credit classes in sailing. Texas has some of those too, but they are mainly in central Texas.

jack b in midland, tx usa

 

[txjim]

I agree, it seems this forum used to have more traffic and information. I'm in the Dallas area and the lakes I sail on still have sailing schools. One thing I don't see, however, is much participation beyond this. Hobies used to be a common sight and smaller boats were also plentyfull.

Perhaps the cost of entry has hit some magic level that turns people away or maybe it's the sight of the larger boats that raises expectations. Don't know.

In any case, I'm about to head to the Dallas Boat Show. Perhaps there will be some space amongst the bass boats to see if there is any interest in the smaller sailboats.

 

[David11038]

strictly sail

I know what you mean about being able to see a couple of sail boats amongst the bass boats. Same thing up here in Mich, people love their loud, go-fast machines.
Went to the Strictly Sail show in Chicago this w/e. Lots of people there (and not a power boat to be seen).