What prevents people from joining our sport?

   Hi, as part of a Uni research project, i need to find out what prevents more people from starting to sail and what could be done to increase the popularity of the sport. 
Please let me know what you as sailors think, any idea's no matter how broad they may be will be acknowledged.

Thanks,
Sam Watson

GP14 13710 

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sam43001 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 09 Jan 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote sam43001 Report Post Quote Reply Topic: What prevents people from joining our sport? Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 3:24pm
	Hi, as part of a Uni research project, i need to find out what prevents more people from starting to sail and what could be done to increase the popularity of the sport. Please let me know what you as sailors think, any idea's no matter how broad they may be will be acknowledged. Thanks, Sam Watson GP14 13710

kevg Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Posting king Joined: 13 Dec 05 Location: Wrexham Online Status: Offline Posts: 120	Post Options Post Reply Quote kevg Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:02pm
	Some perceive sailing as expensive and elitist. Some think sailing is not actually exercise! Some are put of by the need to have special kit which might be expensive. Some put off by the need to buy a boat, which is further expense. The need to join a club and have to do duties. There is a learning curve and these day most people pay to do a learn to sail course (again more expense). After learning to sail, another course to learn to racing and then its a "black art".

andybury Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 02 Dec 07 Location: Bolton Online Status: Offline Posts: 101	Post Options Post Reply Quote andybury Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:11pm
	Hi Sam I Would be really interested in your findings when you have finished. Just working on a marketing campaign for the GP14's at the moment. One of the areas we are looking at is people buying there first boats and how we can help them get started. Regards Andy B

kingdacks Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 04 Oct 11 Location: Poole Online Status: Offline Posts: 148	Post Options Post Reply Quote kingdacks Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:35pm
	Not all clubs have structures in place to allow new members who actually want sail frequently to join easily ?

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:41pm
	Sailing is not instant; you can't just buy a boat and go out in it (well, you could, but it could be disastrous) so you have to give up time to a) learn the basics b) learn a bit more, c) then think about racing. So the first cost is TIME. After that you realise that actually trainers and jogging bottoms and an anorka won't really cut it long term, so the next cost is KIT. Then of course it's a BOAT - if you can't hire you have to buy and there is a myriad of confusing choices and pitfalls. Once all that's done you're back to where you started: unless you're really lucky you have to drive to the club, rig the boat, get changed, sail, get changed, pack up, drive home. More TIME, and often perceived as more time-hungry than other sports. We should be going back to the good old days where people started by crewing, learned the basics, picked up kit from friends, eventually, having acquired the knowledge, maybe buy a boat from a club with the security of knowing how to sail it and having lots of back up, then find the next beginner to crew for us.... Edited by winging it - 06 Dec 12 at 4:44pm
	the same, but different...

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Online Posts: 6032	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:52pm
	Elitist Inaccessible To difficult/cold/boring to bother with anyway. That about sums it up. We commissioned a survey in the windsurfing Industry some years ago and they came up with that (without the boring bit) which pretty much sums up folks opinions about sailing, then you have one of I think it was No 3 or 4 in peoples greatest fears which was deep water and the fact that half the population can't swim and the other half don't like getting their hair wet or windblown and it's a wonder anyone sails at all really isn't it?

johnreekie1980 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Groupie Joined: 11 Jun 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 91	Post Options Post Reply Quote johnreekie1980 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 4:57pm
	Maybe people prefer to do other things. Its a bugger that free will.

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 5:06pm
	that's it really, so many more cheaper, accessible, affordable things to do.
	the same, but different...

transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 5:43pm
	Sam, Although I think this a worthy topic for investigation, I don't think a sailing forum is the best place to ask the questions........You may get the usual rehearsed answers like "it's perceived as elitist" but you will not get any deeper understanding......Most folk here don't understand what there is to dislike about sailing. I suggest you ask people who don't like sailing (or don't sail) to see why they don't.

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Dec 12 at 5:55pm
	cobblers. I spend an awful lot of my time researching how to get more people into sailing - but to be able to do that you have to understand your marketplace - as any good market researcher will tell. you. Just because we enjoy sailing doesn't mean we don't know - or understand - people who don't. Asking people who don't sail why thyey don't is ok, but it'stoo broad a sample - you might just as well be asking them why they don't like ice dancing or licorice. At least those of us who do sail are likely to have encoutnered attitudes towards our sport.
	the same, but different...