Declining age?

[dgadee]

Staff member on Caledonian said she has noticed younger sailors transiting over the past couple of years. My club has younger members over the same period.

Are things changing? The average age was going up all the time.

There is certainly interest in being on the water. I kayaked the canal solo 20 years ago and there was no-one else around. Now, jeez, there are dozens in canoes, kayaks and paddle boards.

 

[LittleSister]

Staff member on Caledonian said she has noticed younger sailors transiting over the past couple of years. My club has younger members over the same period.

Are things changing? The average age was going up all the time.

So, they're getting younger, just like policemen!

Could it just be that the observers are getting older?

 

[dgadee]

Could it just be that the observers are getting older?

No, she was less than half my age.

 

[Boathook]

No, she was less than half my age.

So 55 then

 

[Mister E]

So 55 then

Quite young then.

 

[dunedin]

Staff member on Caledonian said she has noticed younger sailors transiting over the past couple of years. My club has younger members over the same period.

Are things changing? The average age was going up all the time.

There is certainly interest in being on the water. I kayaked the canal solo 20 years ago and there was no-one else around. Now, jeez, there are dozens in canoes, kayaks and paddle boards.

I would like to hope that the demographics of sailing are getting younger. But I don’t personally see any evidence to support this.

The Crinan and Cally canals are not very representative though. Lots of aging boat owners tend to rope in children and grandchildren for a trip through the canals. I nearly did that myself through the Crinan last month - but with depth restrictions etc the aging skipper slipped unseen back round the Mull of Kintyre as usual.

 

[dgadee]

You lot are such a bunch of Doubting Thomases.

My glass is half fuller than yours.

 

[Poignard]

I wish my age was declining!

 

[Biggles Wader]

I wish my age was declining!

Didn't you swallow the anchor recently? That should have knocked about ten years off the average age of UK boaters.

 

[Poignard]

Didn't you swallow the anchor recently? That should have knocked about ten years off the average age of UK boaters.

People can be so cruel!

 

[ylop]

Staff member on Caledonian said she has noticed younger sailors transiting over the past couple of years.

She was subtly telling you that you were getting on a bit!

My club has younger members over the same period.

Are things changing? The average age was going up all the time.

When all the really old ones die off the average comes down!

There is certainly interest in being on the water. I kayaked the canal solo 20 years ago and there was no-one else around. Now, jeez, there are dozens in canoes, kayaks and paddle boards.

I think you are probably right, and love it or loath it YouTube:Instagram probably means more younger sailors are coming to Scotland. I think there may also have been a shift that people worked until they retired then got a windfall which they used to buy a boat and do a round Britain or round the world. Younger people may now fear they never get to retire and still be fit enough for that so find a way to do it earlier?

 

[LittleSister]

People can be so cruel!

Perhaps they'll grow out of it.