Day sailing or racing

   Yup, that is very poor. I know most clubs are run by volunteers, many of whom have day jobs and social lives outside the club but it shouldn't be beyond the wit of the committee to ensure somebody fields enquiries like yours.
Just a thought, have you posted on the various clubs facebook page? That often gets a response as the membership will see it rather than just the committee member responsible.

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3393	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jan 19 at 6:53pm
	Yup, that is very poor. I know most clubs are run by volunteers, many of whom have day jobs and social lives outside the club but it shouldn't be beyond the wit of the committee to ensure somebody fields enquiries like yours. Just a thought, have you posted on the various clubs facebook page? That often gets a response as the membership will see it rather than just the committee member responsible.
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Late starter Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 481	Post Options Post Reply Quote Late starter Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 12:39am
	Had a bit of a wry smile reading this thread. I'm semi retired from racing after 40 odd years sailing dinghies at club/open level, so the idea of not having to pay £200+ subs a year to sail maybe half a dozen times a year is attractive. I'd be well up for lobbing a few quid at a day ticket a few times a year myself. The problem is from the other side of the coin I spent way too may years on various committees trying to finance the club in an age of shrinking grass roots participation in the sport, so I know why the pay to play model is never going to happen at club level. Basically clubs financing works due to a critical mass of members paying their £200 a year (or whatever) subs, which pays for the rent, insurance, club maintenance, powerboat fuel and maintenance, training fleet repairs and replacement etc etc and all the various other costs that keep a club afloat. All those members who don't sail that often but still pay their subs are keeping the club going financially. Letting the less active members move to pay to play would be catastrophic, probably to the point of killing the club. It's a shame the clubs the OP approached didn't have the courtesy to explain the facts of life around club finance, but IMHO the only way pay to play works is with a very different business model to our traditional clubs. But hey, if you find a club that lets you join in with club racing when you feel like it in return for a day ticket let me know, if it's in my area I'd be interested myself. Think you'll have a longish wait though..

jasperthedog Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote jasperthedog Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 7:12am
	Hi,Late starter I can see your point and agree with most but my main disappointment was the lack of response. I know clubs are run by a lot of volunteers and this would not be top of the list but I would have thought a quick email would be possible. As for grass routes I have 3 grandchildren that love sailing and like most 8 year olds are competitive and would love to join in the racing, but being RAF family they never quite know where they will be. Are these not the next generation we need to support to keep the club's alive, else they will drift into football etc. which is so easily available. Also it brings money into the club, its not just the sailing fee there's also food drink purchased which all contributes, never mind a trip to the chandlry. This doesn't happen when you just cruise around as you tend to stay on your own. So this wasn't just a way to get cheap sailing, as I believe it works out more expensive in the long run, it was to bring a bit more variety into our sailing grounds and to give people ago who wouldn't normally think of sailing. Rutland water sailing club seems ok with this which is great, except I've sailed here for nearly 40 years and I just fancied a change.

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3399	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 7:22am
	Would be very surprised if any club in the country turned you down if you informed them about forces issue.

jasperthedog Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote jasperthedog Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 8:20am
	That,s just the thing Zero, I haven't been turned down as such, just ignored. Even sending money upfront didn't prompt a response.

PeterG Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 12 Jan 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 818	Post Options Post Reply Quote PeterG Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 9:34am
	Clearly, your lack of response is disappointing (as an ex club gen sec particularly so, but not entirely surprising - I remember clubs I struggled to get an answer from for club business). However, it's worth bearing in mind in your situation that a lot of clubs don't charge, or charge little, for cadet membership. They may require an adult to be a member though. Worth enquiring, if you can ever get through! But I also second the remarks about clubs being, rightly, very wary of opening up pay to sail options. Apart from likely loss of predictable revenue, the additional administration and difficulties of financial planning would be nightmarish in most cases.
	Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59

Late starter Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 481	Post Options Post Reply Quote Late starter Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 10:08am
	I agree with the comments about the lack of communication being disappointing. I used to do many duties when I was more active at the club, and used to meet lots of potential new members who had turned up and basically wanted a friendly chat with someone who could talk about the sport and the club. Sometimes I'd get a spare BA out of the car and take the prospective member out on the water and get them to help me with whatever duty I was doing for half an hour. It's amazingly effective, as for many people walking into a strange club (and sport perhaps) can be difficult so it's nice to be welcomed and "accepted". You will not believe the stories I've heard from all these prospective members who had already been to one or two other local SC's, and basically been ignored or made to feel they were in the way. I think we've got a lot more to do as a sport to be more welcoming to our newbs.

jasperthedog Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote jasperthedog Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 12:14pm
	Clubs definitely need to be more welcoming if they want new members, I don't think I've ever received a proper warm welcome when visiting other clubs, and the feedback I Get from non sailors is its a snooty closed door sport. I know this to be incorrect as I have met the nicest most helpfull people through sailing but if they can't get through the gate they will never see it. A shame really because everyone I have managed to get out on a boat have been hooked and still sailing, including 2 Rya instructors and a club Commodore. Plus I managed to sell a couple of my boats on so we both benefited.

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 1:48pm
	I'm surprised so many didn't respond. It is a bad time of year for contacting clubs, but I'd have expected a better hit rate than that. What I wouldn't do is judge clubs purely on that. Try Facebook, check when racing starts and go visit, chat to the regulars.
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

jasperthedog Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 24 Nov 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote jasperthedog Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jan 19 at 4:10pm
	Hi Rupert, Defiantly won't be judging the club's on this response at the end of the day I have a solution and we can all go sailing. What it has done is highlight how difficult it can be just to get a reply. I wonder how many complete newbies would still be interested after 4 weeks of no response.