Use it or lose your space

[Goodge]

The sailing club where I keep my Laser has just introduced a new policy for the coming year.

Use your boat at least 5 times for either racing or cruising during 2005 or you won’t be offered a place in 2006.

The club is a very active racing club with a good membership and yes it is Solent based.

The problem is an overcrowded dinghy park and with a full membership and a waiting list the decision to was taken at the recent AGM

So regular sailors will continue unhindered but those who just leave their boats will be weeded out.

So if space is becoming a premium at dinghy level, how long before this starts to filter through to marinas and other moorings for larger boats?

Is this the thin end of the wedge?

 

[StephenSails]

I think this is becoming quite common for sailing clubs. There is a 2 year waiting list to join ours and the dinghy park is rammed full of boats. I had a struggle to get my boat in last year but I they saw the light thank god. What annoys me is all the boats that just get dumped there with grass growing up through the centreboard casing. The anount of waste that goes on is silly.

 

[Goodge]

I suppose it is only fair that the preference should be given to those who actually use their boats and join in club activities.

I've got no problem with it and for those who don't use their boat much, well they have to take them home or sell them.

I was just wondering if yacht clubs and marinas adopt this policy what the effects will be.

I think some of the older lesser used yachts will be moved and / or sold.

 

[lockwood]

I supposr the situation will only get worse with the interest in sailing set to rise.

Until boatyards are built to accomodate these rising numbers, I think it only fair that those boats used more often should be guaranteed space.

 

[claymore]

I'm not sure about this but I'm fairly certain that to impose this would affect the constitution of the Club?
If this is the case then presumably it has gone before the AGM and received the approval of the members so one has to presume that the majority are in favour?
I cannot think of single boat park in the land that doesn't have unused boats on it but it seems a bit draconian....harrummph - No Good will come of it mark my words

 

[steve_cronin]

Don\'t be misled though.....

Initial minor diversion:- I certainly think that member owned sailing clubs should take a view on this but commercial marinas? What are you going to do? Impose Blairite "Equality & Social Engineering"?

Now, re:- "Don't be misled though....."

For the seven years that we had a berth at Port Hamble two boats near to us were never seen out by us from one weekend to the next. Then I paid an untypical visit mid-week to discover both off their respective berths. Turned out that one was owned by a publican and the other by a shift worker so neither used their boats at weekends, forced and no doubt preferring, to sail in the quieter mid-week period.

You live and learn.

Steve Cronin

 

[snowleopard]

[ QUOTE ]
If this is the case then presumably it has gone before the AGM and received the approval of the members so one has to presume that the majority are in favour?

[/ QUOTE ]

bet none of the members with rotting dinghies turn up for AGMs!

 

[claymore]

No - they wouldn't - apparently they asked some old lad at our yacht club if he fancied shifting his dinghy and he'd forgotten he owned one.

 

[graham]

Its a good policy but I would hope that exceptions would be made in certain circumstances such as serious illness.

I used to belong to a club that sent letters to owners telling them to remove unused neglected boats by November the fifth each year.

 

[aitchw]

It's an inevitable course of action at dinghy level. Mine is a small club with about 130 boat spaces. Over the last 2 years we have had to try to track down owners, obtain proper legal rights to dispose and cajole members generally not to take up space with boats that now never or rarely get sailed. Last year several potential new members could not be offered spaces and a number of the spaces we have are v. difficult to get dinghies in and out of. Fortunately, our landlord, Yorkshire Water,has agreed in principle to an extension of the dinghy park but the pressure on space will still be there.

I can't see it affecting marinas. If they get there rent they don't care. Clubs with there own pontoon berths, moorings and hard standing may well have to act, though.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Our club's constitution requires payment of fees by a set date, or collection of the boat..... 6 weeks later we have an auction for remaining unpaid boats, with income partly donated to RNLI, and partly returned to owner.... inevitably, every year we also have a terrific bonfire in May /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We have circa 1500 boats in the park, with perhaps 100 - 150 used very regularly (all year round) and 400 used summer onl..... fortunately, not too limited on space for more..... but makes me wonder why people pay their £200-£300 membership and then leave them to cultivate algae and grass....

 

[ianwright]

There is never any shortage of people who are willing to tell others what to do and how often to do it,,,,,,,,
I only sailed my boat, not a dinghy, once last year. I left in April and returned in September. Under the rules of your club I'd get asked to leave I suppose.

IanW

 

[jerryat]

Yep! A similar situation exists with my little club. We have very restricted storage areas and it does make sense to utilise this to the best advantage of the club and it's members. We too had several dinghies that hadn't been moved for years (what a dreadful waste!) and had to bring in what were initially perceived as draconian rules to get them removed. Those that use their boats (and they don't have to race) get preference for places.

A similar restriction is placed on those using our moorings, to encourage active participation in the Club and it's activities. Over the last few years since this policy was adopted, both the dinghy and cruisers sections have seen numbers and activity increase to the benefit of all.

 

[aitchw]

We, too, are benefitting from the higher numbers of involved members and the whole place has a much better, livelier atmosphere. If applied with sensitivity there are few problems.

 

[snowleopard]

down here in the SW we have the same problem with houses. those with the money buy them and turn up to occupy them maybe 1 day in 10, often a lot less. it has two major effects- there is no room for locals with less money and whole areas turn into ghost villages. in the scillies almost half the houses are empty most of the time.

unfortunately we don't have the sort of options available in a dinghy park - we can't shove the emmets out into a shed behind the gas works if they don't turn up for a couple of months!