Club motto

And splice the mainbrace!

Originally posted by turnturtle This is probably not what people want to read, but personally I think this is all symptomatic of there being far too many sailing clubs offering the same damn thing.... processional handicap racing.   Back in the day we used to change clubs if we fancied a change in class- this at least gave points of difference between local clubs and provided a decent quality of racing in largely suitable boats for any given water.   You could then all come together for annual regattas where handicap racing served a wonderful purpose of uniting the clans and throwing a good craic on the water and off it.   There simply isn't the critical mass left to justify the vast number of sailing clubs imho....  I think we will see consolidation when the baby boomers hang up their hikers and their simply isn't the voluntary resource to keep clubs sustainable.   What would be better for the sport would be a managed process rather than decimation by a thousand cuts.  In fact with a programme of closures and mergers, dinghy sailing might actually reverse the effective churn we are likely to see.  This is especially likely if those clubs that are left, don't offer a quality of racing acceptable to the new generation coming through.  Today's joe average has experienced wonderful racing in the youth and university scenes, even if they never got out the bottom third of the fleet- if local racing wants to compete for their attention, then frankly it needs to up its game somewhat from what a lot clubs seems to offer.

Edited by ttc546 - 28 Jun 17 at 9:49am

I think the important word here is "Club" :- "an association dedicated to a particular interest or activity". If the club mentioned above can maintain it's existence, pay it's expenses and provide those four members with something they value then I'd say good luck to them. Most sailors will have clubs with active Laser, Solo, Merlin, RS400 or WHY fleets within striking distance. My current club was formed by the merger of my old club (in my teens I was a member of Leigh SC) and the adjacent club, Lowton SC both sharing the same water. When a club's membership falls below critical mass the club will be forced to close or merge with another if that doesn't happen I don't see a way that any outside organisation could excerpt any influence.

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 28 Jun 17 at 12:01pm

I have no issues with clubs that are struggling for members, people are obviously enjoying sailing there. I wouldn't think elite sailors from University squad's would join small struggling clubs anyway, their are plenty of successful large clubs with decent water, plenty of these within an hour of me.

Edited by 423zero - 28 Jun 17 at 5:42pm

No, valid point, lots of events have been cancelled due to insurance,all manner of sports and pastimes, perhaps this will end small clubs.