Twenty years from now

You can get snowboarding holidays for around £500 a week - not my cup of tea personally, but they are out there - Andorra, Bulgaria, Italy etc. Crystal can get you to Morzine for not much more, and meals out consist of a baguette with some jambon and Brie...... Booze out is trickier, so preload with cheap plonk bought up by seasonnaires from lower altitude supermarkets.

I wouldn't say Switzerland would be so cheap right now though....

Sailing events - fuel, accommodation, entry fees, new sails and you turn up and there's no fecking wind or some dick protests you because you put too much halyard on and the head plate is over the black band.... snowsports. in season, much safer bet.....

The governing body and most clubs are so busy pumping money into youth sailing that they are missing out on a generation that is the backbone of clubs - the silver sailors.
The majority of our new members aren't youngsters but fifty somethings starting a new hobby or returning to sailing after a dabble in their childhood. As older members leave, these are the ones who take on club responsibilities and a high proportion will have come to sailing later in life. They aren't aiming for championships or travelling, just pleasant sailing and good company and being able to take the grandchildren out occasionally.

I am in the 25-40 age bracket.
I own a house (or at least 60% of a house, the other 40% is owned by NatWest) I saved for a deposit, I bought a house that needed some work, it is probably worth 120k more than I paid for it and I only bought it 3.5 years ago.
I went to uni and walked out with a masters and minimal debt.
I have 7 weeks holiday pencilled in this year (excluding the annoying mandatory days off for xmas) 4 days are in Dublin for some quality time with the missus (conveniently when England are playing Ireland in the six nations) and the rest is on championships. 4 of which are abroad.
I did not inherit money, nor borrow any from parent. I worked hard and made good decisions and a lot of sacrifices. I knew when I was young that the Olympic dream wouldn't happen for me. I was a good sailor, a 'nearly-man', but I knew that some dreams are best left as dreams. Instead I worked hard to put myself in a comfortable position so I can put together sailing campaigns, so I can spend a week in garda racing and not worry too much about it.
I don't have kids....yet. but it is achievable to sail, go away, own a house and live a life, all with some hard work and self discipline.
As for expensive international events....pfft! airbnb, and double stackers! it is cheaper than my mates going skiing!
Oh and there is always the crewing route! There are plenty of people willing to fly a half decent young sailor across the atlantic, to race for a week all expenses paid, especially if you are a finn sailor or 50kg girl!
Just saying, its not that hard

Rupert, granted, but I was never bright, I was never wealthy, I didn't s**t a golden egg, I just knew early on what where I wanted to be in life and worked for it.
I am not saying you don't have as much fun with your kids on the beach, hell, I can't wait for that day to come. I guess the point is, we all have different ideas on sailing and indeed life.

Cool, can we have a smug and conceited competition- I've got some corker one-liners if we are?