Future of Sailing Clubs...

Thanks for sharing that good news.

Originally posted by Oinks We're weed free old chap.

Good to hear. Was the reason I left Burghfield, was some time ago.

On a good night at my club you can get a decent post sail meal and pint for £5-6, and watch the sunset over the estuary. The downside is that once a year you have to cook it!

Originally posted by Oinks Having read a lot of the above, I'd say (admittedly biased a bit) Burghfield SC near Reading ticks a lot of those boxes!

How's the weed these days?

Originally posted by turnturtle Originally posted by RS400atC Seems to me that a lot of the dissatisfaction with the way sailing is is related to the crapitude of living inland. Well there's a thing.... well there's a lot of truth in that - I have to admit my opinions on sailing clubs have slided somewhat since growing up at coastal or river clubs where the social was as important as the sailing.  A quick flick through the Facebook page of one of my old sea clubs and you'd be mistaken for thinking it was a gastro pub with all the foodie posts.....  a long way from the scampi and chips I remember.   Naturally that'll get sneered at by some quarters, but you know what, they've moved with the times to fend off competition for other leisure spend and retained their traditions to boot.  They're also sitting on a lot of expensive real estate, and if I believe the general vibe around the place, have a very healthy balance sheet for a members organisation.  If I lived there, I'd certainly still be a member and enjoy whatever sailing came around as a result.... and there was always lots on offer, from all sorts of dinghies through to crewing on powerboat cruises if that's what got your rocks off.   Inland - well it's a different kettle of fish, and yes, maybe a sailing centre charging a market rate, would suit a lot of folks better.  Who knows though.... it's not like any club is going to try anytime soon; and if they did, it would probably be 'cos they were on their uppers and by which time it would be too late to succeed anyway.

If you're by the sea you will be far more inclined to sit awhile and perhaps peruse a menu and have a few drinks and something nice to eat and, well perhpas a couple more drinks etc...

If you're miles inland and looking at some equally bored cows, or a building or the other side of the resevoir, you probably just want to go home and watch TV.

I don't like being asked for circa £15 for 'fish and chips' and a pint of Doom Bar in sailing clubs by the sea (or why other stuff like curries and italian food has crept onto the same menu at the same time) but do I see why they do this sh*t, there is demand and they are rarely empty, gone are the days of cheap beer and pasty and chips for a few quid it seems