Twenty years from now

I really envy people who know/knew what they wanted to be in life, I just muddled through mine with as much of an emphasis on going out to play and selling toys for those of like minds to do that, never did I dream it might have turned int a proper business but it did lucky for me.

Leads on to perhaps another thread entirely.  But Sailing can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be.  I am 33 years old, have a good job, house, 2 kids and a wife with a particular taste for handbags.  I have two hobbies now, cycling and sailing.  I never went to Uni and our club was so far off the beaten track i never heard of squad sailing.  However I did stop sailing at around 16-22  I found beer, girls, lads holidays, girls, cars, girls so much more interesting.  Once i had met my now wife and we had our first child i settled back down and started again.  I had no money to start with and sailed a £250 solo as things became better i upgraded.  I have spent years now travelling around the country in various classes having a great time with like minded people.  However its been at the sacrifice of family time, something which as my kids grow older and less interested in me I cherish.  The only reason i got back into sailing was my brother and mate still did it.  If they had also of left there is no way I would of come back.  As a sport i find it similar in cost to cycling.  But that i guess is down to me.  One thing i was amazed with recently was the cost of Abersoch Dinghy week, something i used to go to every year religiously.  My wife and kids got bored of sitting on the beach especially after a year of constant rain.  That i agreed to take them abroad the following year.  We now spend 10 days in somewhere hot, all inclusive at a significantly cheaper prices than would could stay in abersoch.  We looked at going backthis year but frankly the mind boggles as to the pricing!!!  I cant see us going back any time soon now.  We worked out that with food, house rental, entry fee etc. we would see no change from £2000 for the week!  

Mmm...perhaps a bit 'smug' there James? 

James, not that hard if you are bright enough to get a Masters and driven enough to work that hard. Most of us (me included) are not, and don't get that much holiday, so we have to lower our sights a little. Doesn't mean we can't have fun sailing though - subsitute weekends camping at the club with the kids for sailing abroad, reduce the original cost of the boats, and off you go.
Agree a decent crew can get a large chunk of his sailing for free, even if not being flown round the world.

Originally posted by patj 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.