Sailing is for posh people

20-40 is a fairly time poor age all things being considered. Well, less so the earlier 20s unless you get serious about career unusually early. Starting families is time intensive. Luxury time heavy activities (sailing) will take the hit.
I think that there is no harm in this gate separating the wheat from the chaff - the real sailors from the fair weather sailors.

I honestly dont think that disposable income is the reason for the lack of 20-40yr olds buying into sailing, certainly not the lack of disposable income anyway.

I suspect as has probably been posted somewhere in the depths of this thread, that the issue is that 20-40yr olds are tending to dip in and out of activities for short periods rather than commiting to one sport. In fact I'd go further and suggest its one of the reasons teenagers also dont tend to flock to the sport. As parents those of us with kids want to give our children as many life experiences as we can afford. We get into a habit of encouraging this as our children hear what their friends are doing. How many of you have had kids come home from school asking if they can start ballet, swimming club, cheerleading, rollerskating, rugby etc. and how many have begrudgingly gone along with it in the hope that your little one might find the sport/pastime that they want to stick at forever. I suspect during the rather good financial bubble that we have been living in, in recent history that this behaviour has become more prevalent. I propose that the issue now is one of a continuation of this behaviour. 20-40 somethings are continuing to dabble with new activities as suggested by friends they meet, but still never settling down with one sport.
It is this behaviour that means Nessa's initiatives have been successful at her club, but while it may be good for maintaining club memberships, is it good for the actual sport? Are these people actively taking part in dinghy racing or do they just sail around for a few months and then disappear.
As is usual I think getting these nomadic folk to commit to racing in a regular manner is the key if we want dinghy racing to continue to thrive around the country, otherwise I think we'll end up with lots of cruising/pottering about clubs, with only a few dedicated racing venues.
Perhaps this is an acceptable future and one we should not fight, but I for one dont like the idea of it. That said most of my initiatives to get beginners into racing have failed so perhaps I have just prematurely aged and become a dinosaur.

Edited by craiggo - 11 Dec 13 at 9:12pm

Originally posted by davidyacht A serious point, the way to encourage dinghy sailing for between mid twenties and mid forties is through club owned boats, and subsidised subscriptions for this age group.  There are too many demands on this age groups disposable income for the capital outlay for decent racing boats, or many club subscriptions

At last a sensible post. Discounts for students always seems to me to be a bit unfair. They probably have more disposable income than most of the 20-40 age group.
Having said that I didn't sail in those years because I was to busy following my dream and running a dairy farm which gives you no time at for playing.

Originally posted by davidyacht A serious point, the way to encourage dinghy sailing for between mid twenties and mid forties is through club owned boats, and subsidised subscriptions for this age group.  There are too many demands on this age groups disposable income for the capital outlay for decent racing boats, or many club subscriptions

A serious point, the way to encourage dinghy sailing for between mid twenties and mid forties is through club owned boats, and subsidised subscriptions for this age group.  There are too many demands on this age groups disposable income for the capital outlay for decent racing boats, or many club subscriptions