Is the F In Fun going to be lacking in the future?

My club doesn't have cheaper crew membership......

Originally posted by Oli grf get the club a pay as go phone to share around the club officers (generally retired ones) as a duty, no excuse not to answer a daytime call, except during countdown or gardeners question time.

What about during Star Trek?

True, our club at Hythe is a bit savage to teach folk at and ironically I was having this very discussion last Saturday when I visited the Redoubt to move some boats around and I was greeted with a heart warming scene of loads of folk on the water on a sunny spring day, mainly kids in Toppers and Oppis and all the regulars turning to to help (Not sure why they didn't ask me could be not wanting to expose children to bad habits).

We at Hythe tend to send newcomers to the commercial centre at Dover with whom we have a relationship and loan them boats now and again as we had on this instance loaned a Vision to Redoubt, the hope is they get their level 1 & 2 then return to the sea to be taught to Race, not that that many turn up,but we do have these youngsters that seem keen and I'm trying to encourage to join the lake where the sail racing standard is generally higher and there's more to learn than the inevitable baptism of shore break fire and slow procession watching the fast boats disappear onto the horizon that the sea presents newcomers.

They at Redoubt however send their kids to Downs which is a club similar to Hythe but with probably more resources, certainly more kids and probably a broader range of competitive skills, at Hythe you have inevitably to be at a standard or you won't get off the beach and my question was why there was not greater co operation between the two clubs, they also could probably do with more newcomers and it appears to be some sort of historical fallout eons before I got involved with sailing, fact is though, if we worked closer together as clubs it would benefit us both but it doesn't seem to happen presumably because of some previous personality clashes, I've no idea, but it illustrates once more that without a commercial incentive which tends to brush aside petty political issues in the name of pursuing the main goal it's unlikely to happen to any extent that would provide the fresh input we all so badly need.

Edited by iGRF - 03 May 17 at 10:51am

Originally posted by iGRF Is there even a central phone number somewhere giving advice and details of clubs, I haven't looked not really being that bothered, why would I, what's my incentive?

Edited by turnturtle - 03 May 17 at 9:54am

Sailing as a holiday activity, why not? I walk coast paths and the like when on holiday, but don't go walking every weekend, which seems similar.

However, without people who live for walking, who climb mountains, walk from one end of the country to another, access to land, the state of footpaths, the quality of kit, would be far worse. But without those of us who are irregular walkers, the industry would lack the volume to support development. Same goes for sailing. So complaining about people who do courses, or sail on holiday but not at home, is a little silly. However, providing a route from there to regular sailing for those who want it needs to be the responsibility of both centre and club, working together. For this, we need the RYA to be proactive. This weekend, I'll be working at a centre for push the boat out. All the local clubs will be there, too. So, if the will is there, it can be done.
It just isn't, very often, and the success stories need to be shared.