Strange attitude of yacht club to potential new members

[Jaguar 25]

Would it be a certain club in Langstone Harbour? - There are several but one in particular is so far up its own jacksy that it must be rated as one of the most unwelcoming clubs in the country - nay europe even.

Spot on. Not just my opinion then!

 

[Jaguar 25]

Dare one ask which position you have volunteered for in your particular club ?
There are folks in every club who tend to hold some very forthright and vocal views on club officials.
However their names are curiously absent when the list for nominations goes up each year.Either they are not prepared to stand up and suffer or nobody else wants them within a mile of the job.
Our club has a five year waiting list for moorings,you have no choice but to join club before going on list.Large numbers of our club members are in local boatyards/marinas awaiting a letter.

Obviously I stand corrected by your good self.

........However, when you ask someone a straight question with regard to a boat move of over 200 miles a straight answer would be most welcome. If a club cannot offer a mooring FCS just say so!

 

[VicS]

On the other hand, what if someone has both (a) a boat and (b) a desire to be involved in a club.

Depends on the club rules and current membership numbers.

If its a popular club with low cost facilities or moorings and (limited) space for boats ashore they could well be invited to join the waiting list for membership. They may need to be proposed and seconded by existing members who satisfy a minimum number of years membership criterion.
Once approved and elected as members they they may then be able to put their name on waiting lists for moorings and/or winter storage space and a place in the dinghy park for the tender.

They may have to agree to regular club duties. Eg bar, galley, general maintenance and attendance at working party weekends.

 

[JumbleDuck]

If its a popular club with low cost facilities or moorings and (limited) space for boats ashore they could well be invited to join the waiting list for membership. They may need to be proposed and seconded by existing members who satisfy a minimum number of years membership criterion.
Once approved and elected as members they they may then be able to put their name on waiting lists for moorings and/or winter storage space and a place in the dinghy park for the tender.

Which is absolutely fine, but why not say so? The OP seems to be thinking of moving to a new area where he has contacted a sailing club to ask "If I join, would I be able to keep my boat here" to which they have replied "Not telling." That's just daft. I suppose there may be some people who join sailing clubs because they like joining clubs, but most people join sailing clubs to sail, so the availability of sailing facilities would be crucial to a decision to apply.

In this case I would suspect that I was dealing with a club dominated by people who do not sail and are suspicious of people who want to sail. Wide berth time.

 

[bedouin]

There are mornings available on the Hamble and Beauleiu. Call Maggie in the office, she will get you sorted out.

That's all very well - but what do you do in the afternoons?

 

[VicS]

Here you are

but you'll still have to join before you get a space ashore for the winter

 

[JumbleDuck]

Is that Roobarb?

 

[Seajet]

My club is Langstone SC, and is very far from ' up their own jacksy '; I don't know if this is where you allude to but the mooring & berthing guy is particularly helpful, but he has recently told me we happen to have a record number of boats ashore this winter.

It is standard not to guarantee winter berths or summer moorings, as the club needs reassurance the applicant will join in - it's an all volunteer club - and is not just after a cheap spot.

I have never known anyone joining fail to get a winter spot or mooring, and I have introduced quite a few people.

I suggested the club to you a while ago but you didn't bother to reply, so maybe that is a sign of attitude; if this was where you applied, might have made sense to go via a long standing member !

Edit; I do know another club in Langstone Harbour for which your description of unhelpful etc may well fit, I had a poor experience when going to a lot of trouble helping them out, so maybe that's who you applied to.

 

[ripvan1]

Seajet, not referring to LSC which I can,t comment on but have heard good reports about.

 

[Lakesailor]

I've read through the thread and ,having looked at some Tripadvisor reports on cafes in the past few weeks, I see a similar pattern.
Some people have good experiences and some do not.

I get the impression it is to do with expectations and attitude.

Those who mention having to weigh-up prospective members are probably spot-on. They know the existing membership and have a good idea what sort will fit in. I'm not talking about a snobbish attitude.
We joined a small sailing club and were welcomed. We were later told that they were being careful not to get anyone similar to the existing Treasurer as he was not popular and they didn't wish to either strengthen his position or make the same mistake again.
I think most small membership clubs revolve more around politics than expanding the membership. Rather like a growing family as people marry in. You want it all to work well. Except in a club situation you have more control.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It is standard not to guarantee winter berths or summer moorings, as the club needs reassurance the applicant will join in - it's an all volunteer club - and is not just after a cheap spot.

The message that "You may not be able to keep your boat here but you can do unpaid work to the maintain facilities for those of us who can keep our boats here" is not a wholly welcoming one. I've no problem with clubs wanting to make sure that new members are active, but it's just daft to try to separate the sailing facilities from the other benefits of membership. It would be like saying "Join first, then we'll decide whether to let you into the bar".

 

[Seajet]

Jumbleduck,

I sort of agree, years ago though I had already been a member for years the then moorings bloke said he couldn't guarantee me a mooring so I said ' up yours then ' and went to Emsworth Marina.

When the club stalwarts learned how I had been treated they were not best pleased.

In fact there are spare moorings if one really asks, and I'm sure a winter space could be found.

One has to be willing to be a member first - which includes the odd bit of helping out like serving simple food in the galley at weekend lunchtimes - if a couple - or cutting brambles in the hedges; maybe if the OP came on as someone from far away just after a cheap slot he gave the idea he wouldn't contribute much if anything.

Moorings blokes - volunteers taking on a huge lot of hassle & responsibility - vary a lot, all I can say is LSC currently has an excellent bloke, couldn't be more approachable, who simply could not do a better job if he was paid £millions !

At most clubs, - I have tried a few around Chichester & Portsmouth and reckon LSC tops - one has to appear a willing member, and it helps hugely if going through a long standing member; if it was LSC the OP tried, he should have gone through myself or another bod, to explain the ropes.

Forgive me if that sounds stuffy, we're anything but ! Just like to show willing.

I'd reckon LSC among the friendliest clubs going, we don't get many visitors due to the necessity of drying out on the visitors' mooring ( near the road bridge towards the slip, Chichester side - not sure about Langstone Hr between the old rail bridge pillars & road bridge, but always spare moorings without tenders on - all half tide, say 2.5 hours +/1 HW with cruiser, 3.5 with tender to and fro ) - good facilities on Wenesday evenings or weekends but off Sunday evenings unless something is going on.

We often host regatta's etc with barbecues and sometimes round Hayling dinghy cruisers; if the club is unoccupied very nearby there are 2 good pubs serving food, a nature reserve and a good coastal walk to Emsworth.

 

[Daydream believer]

I've no problem with clubs wanting to make sure that new members are active, but it's just daft to try to separate the sailing facilities from the other benefits of membership. It would be like saying "Join first, then we'll decide whether to let you into the bar".

Use the bar & mix in with others & work to extending the social scene & you will be welcome .It is that which keeps clubs alive
On the other hand, Just dump some old wreck on our hard & P..ss off & not make an active contribution to the club & you can sling your hook

 

[JumbleDuck]

One has to be willing to be a member first ...

Of course. No problem there. The daftness is when clubs are happy to make sure the costs (in time and money) of membership but simply refuse to say what some of the benefits are.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Use the bar & mix in with others & work to extending the social scene & you will be welcome .It is that which keeps clubs alive

Well, yes, if you are happy to have a club which is all drinking members and no sailing members. Fine. No problem. But why not tell prospective members that you want people who will prop up the bar rather than people who will sail from your club.

 

[Seajet]

At Langstone SC our excellent bar / clubhouse, with views from the first floor over Chichester & Langstone Harbours, despite good cheap beer etc unlike lunchtimes is not usually very busy in the evenings just a few bods having a chat for a while about the next days' sailing prospects.

LSC has never been a drinkers's spot - I suppose there are the 2 nice old pubs across the road in Chichester Harbour inc a genuine Smugglers' place ( The Royal Oak ) and en route, the Ship Inn is just across the road and one can go alongside in a shallow draught yacht roughly +/- 1HW - used to be Langstone Wharf ( Chi' side of the bridge ) at HW if not drawing over 3'.

A tiny bit further along the shore walk - only navigable by shoreside to dinghies at HW ( 1' draught at best on HW Springs for a long way off over the mud so not a place to aim with racing dinghies unless for a precarious 30 minutes ) one walks inland via Langstone High Street - the Royal Oak still has rumours of tunnels and there definitely is a lane called ' Pooks Lane ' ( thought to be a corruption of ' Spooks' re the nocturnal goings on with the smugglers, and near Chichester there's also ' Brandyhole Lane ' ) - Pooks runs for miles inland, yes Hampshire into West Sussex not romantic Cornwall...

Both the Ship Inn and - a touch further on and out of immediate sight along the shoreline or at HW inland via Langstone Village road - the Royal Oak serve good meals and both are interesting old places.

 

[VicMallows]

Perhaps it just shows that some of us are simply not 'Club' types. For me, the efficiency of Chichester Hbr Conservancy (for moorings), and the convenience of a commercial facility (like Thornham (or other) Marina) when needed, is all that I require.

 

[VicMallows]

Both the Ship Inn and - a touch further on and out of immediate sight along the shoreline or at HW inland via Langstone Village road - the Royal Oak serve good meals and both are interesting old places.

You have been there recently I assume? I walked around from Emsworth a few weeks ago.. One or other of the pubs was a regular venue when I used to work at the original big establishment by the roundabout.

First time I had been back for years. I thought both pubs were a very sad reflection of their old selfs. The only real-ale the Royal Oak could offer was Speckled Hen; and the Ship gave off a feeling that you should only be there if you wanted to eat.

And no Emsworth cockles to be seen!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Perhaps it just shows that some of us are simply not 'Club' types. For me, the efficiency of Chichester Hbr Conservancy (for moorings), and the convenience of a commercial facility (like Thornham (or other) Marina) when needed, is all that I require.

True. You get some interesting examples of this in gliding clubs. By their nature, glider pilots are generally pretty solitary people, but it needs the infrastructure of a club - winches and drivers, tugs and pilots, retrieve tractors and drivers, launch marshalls and so on - to get the things into their air. Glider pilots therefore have to band together in clubs, but many of them have absolutely no interest in socialising and simply see the club as a working cooperative for launching aircraft. Some clubs have a lively social scene - the Yorkshire Club at Sutton Bank did, when I flew there - but many do not.

Gliding clubs would not last long if they were to insist that prospective new members had to join primarily for the social side and that they would learn after they joined whether they could fly, but that's the attitude shown by some sailing clubs, Probably the ones in which the committee are not terribly active on the water themselves, to put it mildly, but do like to prop up the bar. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but people interested in sailing should spot the signs and beware.

 

[Tintin]

Clubs can be a cheap and convenient way to get a mooring. They tend to be cheap because the members do a lot of unpaid work for the club, without which a lot more cost would be incurred, and prices would rise.

A club cannot thrive without this work so being able to lend a hand is key.

Using a club just for its cheap mooring or storage, without wishing to contribute, is really not on. It is not a commercial operation and if you treat it as such then be prepared to be treated in a similar way.

Most clubs with moorings require people to be accepted as a member before applying for a mooring or storage.

Why the OP thinks he does not have to abide by any of this speaks huge volumes.

If OP wants someone to help him then a change of twattitude is needed.