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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/23/2014 : 13:56:01

We're looking into joining a local sailing club. We both attended a regular meeting the other week at the invite of a member that we met on the water in June.

Looks a pretty sizable club, I'm guessing around 140 members.

They get some pretty good speakers that give a talk after the regular meeting.

It's obvious they have a social network, youth sailing, club racing and cruising groups.

Fees are about $200 first year then $170 a year.

Any suggestions about what to look for in a good sailing club?

Paul

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2014 : 16:32:28

Join.
Is this actually a sailing SIG? A special interest group which meets at some convenient location or is this a boat club with a facility and closed docks with restricted access?
Our club has horrible "support" for members but wonderful facilities. The idea of regular meetings with speakers is way beyond our org. However we have over 120 sailboat only slips with free electricity and potable water. For us a sailing club means a club that puts the boats first hence our 6 ton hoist that is available to all members at any time for launching or maintenance, two pump out stations, multiple secured boat yards with spots for about 250 boats and an on site property manager full time 365 days a year.

http://ninnescah.org/

Edited by - pastmember on 06/23/2014 17:38:26

Arlington
Navigator

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USA
196 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2014 : 20:22:28

Paul, you will find that what you receive will most likely, be commensurate with what you contribute. At many clubs you do not have to make a decision on the spot. You can attend a few meetings, usually a social function, and sail (even if only as an observer) and get a better idea if you and your family are a good match.
I have been involved with two clubs, and have found them to be very rewarding, with great fellow sailors.
Doug

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2014 : 04:14:37

The club I belong to is very active. Races every Sunday after lunch and May thru Sep on Wednesday night. There is a social event once a month on Saturday. There a lot of great members that are extremely helpful with good advise and physical help when needed. All the members help out with the maintenance of the grounds and we take turns preparing lunch on Sunday and running the races. We are currently running the junior sailing camp this week. There are several special events coming up as well as some regattas. For me it is well worth the expense and effort.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2014 : 20:46:05

If the people and the activities look good, at that price it's a no-brainier. In this price category, what to look for is what you're seeing. You can always go elsewhere or do more than one... "Just do it!"

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2014 : 05:40:03

I guess you would call our club, Percy Priest Yacht Club, a "SIG" since we do not have our own facility, but operate out of the city parks department run marina called Hamilton Creek Marina. The marina has 160 wet slips and 40 dry storage boat parking spaces. We've been in operation since around 1970 and have a current membership of about 230. Our annual dues are $160, which includes a 9.25% sales tax. No initiation fee or membership cap at this time. We put on 5-6 regattas per year and run weekly club races spring through fall, as well as various social events throughout the year.

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2014 : 13:52:06

I belong to two clubs. One is $75/year, the other is $35/mo.

Between the two of them they put on almost all of the racing that goes on near my marina. Club membership supports the racing, and since I enjoy the racing I feel like I should be a club member.

The more expensive club has a more polished race program with multiple dedicated committee boats and the like. The cheaper one is more DIY with volunteer sailboats being the committee boat and using permanent buoys as the marks.

The more expensive club also has a nice club house with $5 dinners many evenings (after every race). They have frequent presentations on topics of interest to cruisers and sailors.

Both have been good ways for me to meet more sailors.

Neither has it's own marina. Both are more or less run out of Shilshole Marina, which is a huge public (city-owned) marina in Seattle with about 800-1000 sailboats.

The only thing that I'd like is if the more expensive club had a rental fleet of race dinghies to promote one design dinghy racing. They do have a fleet of Optis that they use to get youth into racing, but nothing for adults.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2014 : 20:51:54

I have the opportunity to join "Thursday Night Sail", a local club in our harbor that uses the local marina's picnic grounds and shelter to hold meetings. The boats all converge on Thursday Nights at 6:30 in the season and sail around the buoys and meet for picnics and other social purposes during the on and off season. Prices are reasonable for membership and the social events are either free for members, $25 a head for non members, and yearly membership is a $100. I've attended a few events. It's a great way to enjoy the social scene in the harbor.

Edited by - Voyager on 06/25/2014 20:57:20

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1773 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 21:04:15

All locations are different, but . . . . at that price and based on the input you provided it is to me a no-brainer: JOIN! What you want is a group of kindred spirits, active sailing and informational activities, and the potential for a good mooring/docking venue. In y neck of the woods any of the above would cost multiples of what your potential club is charging.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5353 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2014 : 20:35:30

It's interesting about the generation differences these days.
My parents' generation were all joiners, e.g.: VFW, Rotarians, Lions, Elks, etc.
Many of my generation (boomers) also were joiners, but to a lesser extent.
The X-ers are less likely to be so and the Millenials are pretty much all lone wolves.
Yes, they become members of social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram.
But, these are all virtual meetings, not physical meetings.
Even Meetup.com, that's intended to promote face-to-face encounters, really promotes virtual meetups.
So it's not surprising that sailing clubs, yacht clubs and other boating organizations are losing members, or have a majority of seniors. I don't think that this situation will change any time soon, and it's likely we will see the loss of large numbers of face-to-face social clubs. I know the U.S. Power Squadrons' numbers have dropped from over 100,000 in 1990 to less than 30,000 today. This trend appears to be continuing, so support your local sailing or yacht club!

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2014 : 18:21:16

Living pretty much in a Metro pol ... barely recognize the separation between cities. The issue here is 'can we participate in the club events'?

There's a club in miami that has a hetic social life, but getting there is over an hour away and parking is a major problem.

Locally there are really only two sailing clubs. We joined one several years ago but were unable to attend any more than the monthly meeting due to our schedules.

Peggy has retired since then, but now we are happily full time grandparents 3 days a week, so schedule creeps back into the equation.

I'm hoping to be able to reach out to some of the club members and sneak into the social and sailing events with the intent of finding how events work out and could fit into our schedule. I still have a full time job.

The other issue is that our C250WB is not the ideal boat to launch for the mid week coastal beer can races.

Treading carefully.

Paul

Edited by - on

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