RYA Wokebomb

I've got to say I find it difficult to actually take offence at anything written above, OP or subsequent posts and I tend to agree with Paramedic in his suggestion of reasons for push back.

But none of this adresses the issues, which are that sailing is in decline, whatever ethnic group you consider and some may have not even got going.

Many years ago when windsurfing turned the corner into decline we hired all manner of consultants to find out why and what they came up with pretty much is still as relevant today as it was for us back then. Some of the facts that arose and I'll bet probably even more relevant in some ethnic groups more than others, but listed on peoples greatest fears, deep water was right up there. The number of people just being able to swim, never mind swim in the deep end, it was ridiculously low for an island nation and I doubt the recent influx from overseas has done much to exacerbate that. Then there were the three big ones, Elitist, Inaccessible and Too difficult to bother with anyway.

We can be as woke as we like but they are the obstacles that need addressing, not any misguided lack of diversity or inclusion.

Edited by iGRF - 27 Mar 21 at 2:01pm

Elitist and accessibility are easy to address, free membership for new members, free club boats for new members (first year).
Too difficult is the clincher, I haven't got a answer, needs the training bods to sort this out.

All good points and ones I agree with iGRF. 

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 27 Mar 21 at 6:02pm

Originally posted by 423zero My club would welcome ideas on how we can encourage people to sail, ANY people, our membership is in decline year on year.

The thing is, it's a grown up person with a few responsibilitys, or their kids sort of sport, hell I didn't even consider it until I was sixty and in our household, the four daughters of darkness have dated every kind of ethnic types that are available down the years and I've tried to teach all of them the path of true righteousness mostly to no avail, save one who took up kitesurfing before he moved back home to Oman and now offers cruisng catamaran trips to tourists.

I've got a future father of my grandkids, he's a fishbotherer/golfer, I'm even considering going back to a double hander to try and get him on board, but it's not even remotely on his radar, you can see, he's being polite, "yes love to" he says, whist inwardly groaning at what he's having to do to plcate the father inlaw.

The other one is a German based power trader, the time I took him out in the club Vision with my thirds boyfriend of the moment, they both put their wetsuits on back to front, then demonstrated how they can't even change the wheel on my van later that night, they're snowflakes, all of them, it's nothing to do with diversity something in the way they've been exposed to life has changed and they don't seem to crave the same sense or need for actual adventure rather than the onscreen version, we did.

Our best bet to attract new members is to appeal to those of our age and demographic that haven't tried sailboat racing. Mature Empty nesters, they've got the cash,and the time, it just needs a bit of marketing to get them to give it a try. Sell it as three dimensional chess that would change their lives. Hold a six week course, better still sell them a course which includes a boat in the price then they're committed.

Edited by iGRF - 28 Mar 21 at 3:39pm