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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: RYA Wokebomb
    Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 12:35pm
Still loads of people interested in volunteering, but in a far more individualistic way from years ago. People want to give time when they can, not when they are told ("work party") and want to feel they are gaining from it too. Clubs can easily adjust how they operate to attract volunteers, but it takes effort (usually from other volunteers...)
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davidyacht View Drop Down
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 12:25pm
^ maybe volunteers is a very 20th Century offering?
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6661 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 12:05pm
Originally posted by NickM99

but the "offer" from the current commercial owners of the reservoir is interesting. 

Its a very 21st Century offering for the money rich time poor and the bucket list mentality. People who do a lot of sports, but, frankly, do them all very badly. But if they aren't competitive sports the fact is that it hardly matters that the participants are only marginally competent.
But it is also expensive. The traditional sailing club run on volunteers is a far cheaper way of running things. Centrally owned and 'professionally' maintained craft, paid staff, it all consumes money in bucketloads compared to the traditional sailing club. Which in turn means its only for the affluent executive class. But then the dilettante has always had to be wealthy.


Edited by JimC - 06 Apr 21 at 12:06pm
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 11:21am
Jeffers, your club is going in the direction in which I'd like ours to go. We are starting to make progress, I think.
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NickM99 View Drop Down
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Posts: 145 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NickM99 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 10:58am
I was sorry when Bewl Valley SC folded a couple of years ago but the "offer" from the current commercial owners of the reservoir is interesting.  You can sail, canoe, SUP, swim, row, and fish,  all for separate fees which aren't particularly cheap, and there are loads of other things to amuse families and small children including cycle hire and an aqua park.  There is camping on site.  To race you pay only £20+ more  on top of the other fees to join the BV Sailing Association. 

In other words something for all the family and potentially a really good day out without ongoing commitments.  As it is "open to the public" it has that sort of feel to it and you see people from many backgrounds there.  If you were starting out as a sailing/water sports family, why would you join a cliquey sailing club which is focussed on racing if such an alternative was available?
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jeffers View Drop Down
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Posts: 3048 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jeffers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 10:39am
Originally posted by Sussex Lad

zero, have you ever noticed cliques forming at the club?  Sub groups? Imagine being permanently on the outside of all of them.

I live close to one of the premier inland sailing clubs in the country. I know a lot of people there but I still do not feel welcome when I visit there.

Originally posted by Rupert

Evening committee meetings, rambling on till late, are partly to blame. Possibly the migration to online meetings will help on this.

We have found that having online meetings and keeping things focused has improved meeting attendance and reduced the length of the meeting considerably. We also have a number of ladies on the main committee now and several on the sailing committee. Getting their input has been great.

The club also has a thriving Ladies (and silver sailors) group. Some of them are now thinking about making the transition to come at the weekends and the club has plans to address the difference in changing rooms sizes.
Paul
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davidyacht View Drop Down
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 10:26am
I do wonder whether part of the issue is that Clubs, Training and Racing are not a perfect fit.  Modern training centres such as WPNSA appear to be very busy and diverse when I have attended events there ... why?  Probably because they have professional staff running the show and are well resourced with the right kit.  Dragon boat racing etc. etc. it looks a lot of fun.
Whereas most clubs have minimal and probably overpressed staff, rely on untrained volunteers to provide training in tired boats, in tired premises, often fitted around racing.
If clubs get grant money, the chances are that this will be directed toward facilities that offer the most immediate benefit to its members.
So as an outsider, where male, female, black or white, what incentive is there to walk through the door.
I occasionally think about learning to play golf ... the reason why I don't is that I am intimidated in walking into a golf club and in making a fool of myself ... and they have an employed pro ... so what chance to sailing clubs have with no "pro".
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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 10:00am
Originally posted by patj

Most men can start understanding the issues by asking yourself "Why doesn't my wife/partner come sailing with me?" What puts them off?. Do ask them, as the answers could be interesting.Sailing clubs are gender biased - just compare the size of the changing rooms. Very few have equal size for ladies and gents and those are usually the newer, biggest clubs and centres. It advertises that women aren't as welcome as men and they don't want as many.
Sailing clothing isn't much better for equality. Anyone who isn't a teenage or young fit woman's size is forced into men's clothing which compresses the chest area excessively. I know women who won't wear wetsuits because of the fit so will only sail when it is warmer.And do the women get chance to sail without hubby/partner in the boat telling them what to do? It's like learning to drive - never learn with partner - and parents can be as bad!The Women on the Water groups are great for building confidence and getting women out in boats. We need more of them because if clubs get women involved, they will bring families, children and grandchildren and benefit sailing for the future.


This is spot on. Talking to the daughter yesterday, we realised the last female Commodore at our club was when I was Vice, over 15 years ago. Evening committee meetings, rambling on till late, are partly to blame. Possibly the migration to online meetings will help on this.
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3400 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 9:37am
Originally posted by Do Different

I'm not arguing with you Sam or anyone else for that matter. And it does vary hugely with the wide range of venues. On the very small inland waters perhaps there is little other than racing to hold interest but on larger lakes Clubs can have a role as a focal point for those people who are happy to potter or simply blatt about for an hour of fun. SUP is gaining popularity and largely uncompetitive,  although some will happily throw in and go many nowadays like a few facilities which clubs can provide and once through the door.............?

Agreed, but the problem is that to go racing you need organisation, to go sailing you need none, it is true that large lake and costal clubs often have a cruising section but, like windsurfers, sailors (as opposed to 'sailboat racers') aren't naturally predisposed to join things, mostly they do what they do to get away from organisation and regulation.

WRT wives sailing, my wife doesn't come simply because she doesn't like sailing, she's tried it a few times for my benefit but it's not for her. If she did like it the fact of small changing rooms or WHY would not put her off...


Edited by Sam.Spoons - 06 Apr 21 at 9:38am
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Guests View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Apr 21 at 9:32am
Originally posted by 423zero

We only have two women members, shocking really.

Sorry, but your club sounds horrific. No non-white members, only two women, an inaccessible clubhouse... and tiny, decreasing membership. I wonder why?!
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