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Arresting the Decline and Fall of our Sport. |
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KazRob
Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Oct 16 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 245 |
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Topic: Arresting the Decline and Fall of our Sport. Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 12:14pm |
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Ours are here, but it's still in the very early stages. We're planning a initial meeting early December to kick ideas around
Edited by KazRob - 12 Nov 19 at 12:43pm |
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OK 2249
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ChrisI
Posting king Joined: 09 Aug 10 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 143 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 1:29pm | |
Thanks for posting. This is a really excellent article by Ian Walker which summarises as well as anything I've seen what the problems are.
I would only add one more thing.... the extent to which the voluntary structure of clubs (compared to commercially constituted centres) is either hindering or helping change. (And just to record.... that it was a stunningly beautiful morning sailing this Sunday on the Thames at Hammersmith, and with an excellent fleet out, albeit of mostly single handers!). |
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KazRob
Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Oct 16 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 245 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 2:13pm | |
I think you have to play with what you’ve got. The
commercial model of big clubs doesn’t work in Scotland as even our biggest
dinghy clubs are small in comparisons to Grafham, Queen Mary etc but that doesn’t
mean there aren’t lessons to be learned
from them. The pay-and-play model is possible using club boats once a person is
a member. Membership can be spread into monthly fees using apps like GoCardless,
WebCollect etc which means joining can be near painless (£10/month is much more
palatable than being asked for £120 in one lump) and continuing membership is
likely, just the same as gyms get you to join and then bank on you forgetting
to cancel. Clubs can diversify into SUPs, coastal rowing and the like and then
hope to bring those new people into the sailing side of things. In the long
term we have no option but to work together and try to find new approaches till
we find something that works for our clubs. Otherwise they will inevitably
close sooner or later. Bottom line for me is we have to do it for ourselves and not expect some perfect solution to be handed down from on high from the RYa – “We’re from the Government and we’re here to help you” as they say in the US |
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iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 3:20pm | |
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tink
Really should get out more Joined: 23 Jan 16 Location: North Hants Online Status: Offline Posts: 788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 6:26pm | |
Pay to play has a few issues of its own The payees must be a minimum of RYA Level 2, no one wants some damaging either the club boat or members boat - demands on instructors The boats have to be maintained - demands on members
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Tink
https://tinkboats.com http://proasail.blogspot.com |
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KazRob
Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Oct 16 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 245 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 8:02pm | |
Tink that is true but if a club wants to bring new people into the sport they need to find reasons to try things and not reasons not to try things. I know the club boats (from Oppies up to L2000s) get used every week at ASYC. They don’t pay for their way as such but they do bring new people into the club and get them sailing very cheaply so they are investments in the future rather than a profit centre (and they have to join to be able to use them). The L2000s are really good in getting adult friends and colleagues out sailing for the first time and we even have a few students at the local Unis who get to keep sailing while they are away from their own club. It’s not a silver bullet but it can be made to work even for a small club like ASYC
It won’t suit every club of course so they’ll need to find other ways. Edit - ASYC club boat list is at https://asyc.org.uk/club-information/ (if anybody cares ). I understand the biggest problem with breakages is bits like bungs and blocks go missing from Lasers and Toppers which is a pain but the club is working on making them less desirable to nick! Edited by KazRob - 12 Nov 19 at 8:50pm |
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tink
Really should get out more Joined: 23 Jan 16 Location: North Hants Online Status: Offline Posts: 788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 8:36pm | |
There are many models and what works at one club won’t necessarily work at another.
With many sailors time poor and choosing minimal maintenance boats it would be hard to find someone willing to put the effort in to revive the fleet of old wayfarers. Obviously there are plastic boats but that requires investment and choose the right boats for the potential sailors is a tough choice. |
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Tink
https://tinkboats.com http://proasail.blogspot.com |
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ian.r.mcdonald
Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 440 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 8:45pm | |
The downside of easy access is that exit is also easy.
Getting someone to join with a boat is harder, but their commitment is likely to keep them involved when the colder weather arrives rather than just moving on to the next "fad" |
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eric_c
Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Jan 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 382 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 8:53pm | |
Maybe mass participation is not the only or best measure of success? Maybe it doesn't matter if only half as many people go sailing compared to 10 years ago, so long as those that do go sailing get affordable quality sport? I've lived at a few places on the coast, and TBH I'm bored of hearing about the disaster of not every nasty little lake in the hinterland being able to support a drifting club. Face the facts, it isn't 1965 any more, when every DIY chap wanted to build a plywood boat and learn to sail. Stop comparing now with then and think about what the 200k (total guess) people who actually want to sail, actually want. We don't need to convert everyone, we're not a church or a politcal party. I have a work colleague who shoots pistols seriously competitively. In that sport, they keep themselves to themselves, don't ask for handouts, don't seek to drag half the public in, they just get on with it. Off their own bat. Likewise people in amateur motorcycle sport. Some of these people also realise the world don't end at Dover... |
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423zero
Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3406 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 19 at 9:13pm | |
What ? Theirs something over the water ! Watch you don't fall off.
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Robert
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