Job description

As far as I can see the RYA have never had the remotest interest in the grass roots 

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 10 Jan 19 at 12:14pm

As a long time dinghy sailor, I have cruised the waterways, driven powerboats, sailed/raced windsurfers, paddled kayaks, owned and sailed a small keelboat and sailed and raced dinghies. All at the 'grass roots' of the sport. I'm sure that kind experience would be useful (personally I would say that some experience in, at least, a couple of areas would be essential) to someone attempting to plan 'strategy' for the development of the sport. If you have no experience of the 'grass roots' of a sport how can you possible build a meaningful 'strategy' for developing that sport?

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 10 Jan 19 at 1:09pm

I think the problems begin when you start applying business practices to organisations like the RYA. The 'make a profit for the shareholders' mindset goes contrary to the aims of such an organisation (and, as an unattractive side effect, you often also get a 'win at all costs' culture developing).  People running a, predominantly amateur, sport like sailing need to have an emotional investment in the sport itself, numbers on a spreadsheet just don't hack it. 

I looked at that job spec and thought, well I could do that, then I remembered the 'committee' nature anything to do with the RYA was like and I doubt it's changed much. It would be like wading through treacle trying to get anything like a sensible strategy approved and I think so much has happened to corporatise the place, so many paid jobsworths rather than the unpaid volunteers that used to hold sway. It's beyond the help of any one individual however talented or visionary.
The RYA is f**ked, proper f**ked to use the vernacula and that job would be mission impossible in todays climate.