RYA Membership - renew or cancel?

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BlueSkyNick

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I have found the membership card to be very useful over the past three months - as a scraper on evenings when I have got back to my car after work and found the windscreen frosted up.

Today, I gave the car its annual clear out and found that I had a proper scraper under the seat, so now I dont need the RYA card.

I'm not sure what other benefits I get from being a member, versus a non member. On the lobbying front, the outcome is the same either way.


In fairness I signed up at EXcel in January because the marketing girl had lovely eyes, the free navigator's bag gift was useful for all the brochures I brought home and threw away. The main benefit was full access to the documentation and process for selling a boat privately - that was a great help.... once.

I think I will put the funds towards my mooring fees /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
I will be interested in any replies as my ICC is due for renewal and the fee is the same as RYA membership and a free renewal.
Not sure if the membership is the way to go.
 
I have exactly the same thought. Now I know the RYA does a fair bit of lobbying on our behalf ( but do you really think anyone actually listens?)and raises the profile of the the sport, racing etc. I am however beginning to think I might be better served by the Cruising Association??

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Thats my view too....

I see a great deal of the RYA's effort going into Dinghy racing, especially Olympics preperation, and not towards the cruising community.... the two biggest recent issues, red diesel and vat evidence have not really been what you'd describe as major successes.....
 
And why do I have to renew my ICC (which I haven't got yet) - what is wrong with a one-off? Apart from giving an income to an organisation I don't want to join, even if it is for the same amount?
 
Must admit I agree too. I cancelled my subs about 3 years ago after about 6 years membership. I really just was not getting any added value from it, and it is an all to easy aditional direct debit coming out of the bank, that all add up at the end of the year, without you really thinking about it.

Must admit that the blue eyed girl is always seems to be a feature of sign ups at the boat show, and the free gift helps too!

The one use I had for my membership over the years is the free issuing of Int Cert of Comp and also they provide a free wall mountable certificate of other awards you may have, eg Day Skip or Yachtmaster.....how exciting!
 
I attend meetings of: Harbour Authorities, Local Authorities, RNLI, Coastguard etc.

As an amateur yottie I often find myself in agreement with the RYA rep. He speaks up for: yottie rights of navigation, local control of jetskis, and against compulsary regs, including lifejackets.

I'm not a direct member of RYA but my sailing organisation is.
 
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Now I know the RYA does a fair bit of lobbying on our behalf ( but do you really think anyone actually listens?)and raises the profile of the the sport, racing etc.



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I know (not just think) that government listens to the RYA as the voice of boating - and its the only voice for boating in most cases. To put it another way, do you think we would have all these bird reserves and rules without the RSPB. The same for the Ramblers Assn? So why should govt ignore only the RYA?

The problem is we dont support the RYA enough (including me!) and are happy to sit back and "let them get on with it". Bit like the club committee - we dont want to get involved other than to moan about what they do. Good example is the issue of pots - the feedback from boaters to the RYA about bad experiences getting tangled in pots was very limited indeed. So when govt asks what evidence the RYA has, the answer is sod all. So we still have pots with no sticks or flags and even with wire rope from pot to buoy!

I'm just as guilty as most people so I'm not pointing a finger at anyone.


P.S. As an ex member of the CA and one time involved on a number of cttees with it and the RYA, you are barking up the wrong tree in thinking it is an alternative . It isnt - and they will tell you that the lead representative for boating is the RYA. The CA is an excellent club for distance cruisers and also well worth supporting.
 
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As an amateur yottie I often find myself in agreement with the RYA rep. He speaks up for: yottie rights of navigation, local control of jetskis, and against compulsary regs, including lifejackets.



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Everyone on here probably agrees with the RYA, but still no one of any influence seems to take any notice of them - we still have problem jetskis and windfarms that will probably swallow up much of the yacht channels in the Thames Estuary and no pressure on Trinity House to maintain some yacht marks. (yes yes I know it costs money and we should fight having to pay light dues etc etc) But the point is the RYA seems to have no influence on Government, Local Authority, or any other quango type organsistion.

I would not disagree that they do a good job organising theory and practical training as this seems to be their one area of success in staving off compulsory certification.
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I believe that the RYA got the height of the wind farms increased so that the average yacht could sail underneath without damage! The same also applied to the exclusion zones the builders wanted to bring in. They were asked what emergency support they would provide to vessels having problems. At present I will carry on supporting the RYA to try and keep legislation at bay; but if that changes .....
 
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Everyone on here probably agrees with the RYA

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Not on their ill conceived schemes against compulsory lifejackets. Sorry, but I've pulled out too many bodies without jackets on to support them on that one

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I would not disagree that they do a good job organising theory and practical training as this seems to be their one area of success in staving off compulsory certification.

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Which they do as a commercial operation and therefore do not need subsidising by membership fees.

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and no pressure on Trinity House to maintain some yacht marks. (yes yes I know it costs money and we should fight having to pay light dues etc

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As an aside, er, why? Leisure craft make far more use of buoyage than commercial traffic, which is either pilot guided or operating with electronic navigation.

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But the point is the RYA seems to have no influence on Government, Local Authority, or any other quango type organsistion.

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Nor does anyone else in this country when the Government scents either money, potential to regulate, or potential to emply more civil servants. Just remember the road pricing petition - over 1.5 million responded to with a large two fingers. Maybe the RYA could buy a few peerages and influence things that way?
 
This argument appears about once a year either here on other sections of the forum.
The conclusion I have reached is that there are two camps with opposing views on the subject. There are those who are unable to see any direct benefits to their membership and therefore are ready to resign it, and there are those who are more far sighted and see many of the good works which the RYA does on their behalf without trumpeting them too loudly.
You do have to dig a little deeper than just saying that your membership card was useful for scraping off the frost from your car windscreen before making a balanced judgement about whether to continue your membership or not.
 
I have been a member for many years & often consider whether I should continue,but the legal dept did help me considerably a couple of years ago & they have just written to me reminding me to renew my ICC(they are the certifying body & I don't think they get all the money)
Although a cruiser now I used to race dinghies & yachts & when I see how well we do at Olympic & World level we would not do it without the RYA.
I am as much to blame as anyone else in that I do not involve myself in the RYA & just pay my subs.I think they do a good job with training etc & overall I support them.Just my two pennyworth.
 
The trouble with any organisation is that when they get past a critical size, start doing things you don't want them to. The RSPA and National Trust stand on the hunting ban being an example.

I can see the arguement that dinghy racing has no interest to me, the same for Olympics etc so why bother, but they do do a bit to protect the cruising sailor from compulsion which I wouldn't expect the dinghy racers to be interested in.

However, if they changed their stance on lifejackets, for instance, I would have to reconsider membership as I did the two previously mentioned organisations.

And the card is useful as a scraper.
 
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There are those who are unable to see any direct benefits to their membership and therefore are ready to resign it, and there are those who are more far sighted and see many of the good works which the RYA does on their behalf without trumpeting them too loudly.


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1. Bit strong, isn't it? Are you calling those of us not member short-sighted?
2. If I were the RYA I would trumpet about my achievements a bit more loudly. If indeed there are any.

From where I'm sitting the RYA's main concern is the RYA.
 
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You do have to dig a little deeper than just saying that your membership card was useful for scraping off the frost from your car windscreen before making a balanced judgement about whether to continue your membership or not.

[/ QUOTE ]I am sure you are right Cornishman.

(Oh for a tongue-in-cheek smiley /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
There is a third group! I am completely frustrated by the RYA's failure to show any bottle whatsoever. 2 examples. A sailor was seen sailing at Wraysbury Lake when no safety boat was present and put a prohibition notice on the Club. Did the RYA organise a "sail in " to defy the official and get him/her promoted out of the way? Oh, No! They produce a "Code of Practice" for Sailing Clubs and now all inland sailing Clubs are looking over their shoulder to make certain they don't break the code. What about organising a boycot of Salcombe harbour by Crusiers and Dinghies to try and get their astronomic charges reduced? Take on the Crown Estates? Daren't-the Princess Royal is the President!
Just once they threatened legal action against the Civil Service and lo and behold they got success!!! More action and less jaw jaw required.
 
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