Yacht Club Membership Fees

[UK-WOOZY]

most of the fees for having a yacht at our club goes to the Port London Authority for moorings, £500 pa, club fees are £290pa, i do often struggle month to month financially though

 

[lw395]

I’m not sure about (3). A Club is its present members, who owe a duty to its past members and its future membership.

To illustrate, I am a member of the Hong Kong Club. Some years ago we, the living members, passed a resolution and amended the Articles of Association of the Club so that, if the club is ever wound up, any surplus must be applied to forming a new club in the same place with the same objects. This was done to stop us, the living members, pocketing the proceeds (and they would be huge!) of the hard work of our forebears, and to ensure that future generations still have a club.

I can stand in the Orwell Room of the RHYC and admire a pair of bronze starting cannons, on which you can just make out the words «*Presented to the RHYC by Peter S Bruff, Chairman of Committees*». Who was he? He was the son of Nelson’s sailing master, and he himself was «*the Brunel of the Eastern Counties*», building Ipswich Wet Dock, the railway from Colchester to Norwich, the Chappel viaduct, and so on, and an extremely keen yachtsman who, in fact, died on his boat, but who spent years doing all the unglamorous stuff involved in running a Club that was, in those days, both extremely «*snotty*» and chronically short of money! Who would I be to put an end to his legacy?

A good point.
I've been a member of a few clubs as I've moved around the country.
I think all were founded before I was born, by amateurs.
Some post war, some pre-war, one pre WW1.

I can remember much of the 'clubs have to change' noise from when boardsailing was on the up, and dinghy clubs were being urged to change to accommodate board sailing. Luckily few others were seduced down that dead end.
People have been worrying about the 'demographic' since before it was common word.
My current club is pretty healthy. But it's a club that knows what it's there for, and that's primarily racing.
Which includes training kids and getting them racing.

 

[maby]

I’m not sure about (3). A Club is its present members, who owe a duty to its past members and its future membership.

To illustrate, I am a member of the Hong Kong Club. Some years ago we, the living members, passed a resolution and amended the Articles of Association of the Club so that, if the club is ever wound up, any surplus must be applied to forming a new club in the same place with the same objects. This was done to stop us, the living members, pocketing the proceeds (and they would be huge!) of the hard work of our forebears, and to ensure that future generations still have a club.

I can stand in the Orwell Room of the RHYC and admire a pair of bronze starting cannons, on which you can just make out the words «*Presented to the RHYC by Peter S Bruff, Chairman of Committees*». Who was he? He was the son of Nelson’s sailing master, and he himself was «*the Brunel of the Eastern Counties*», building Ipswich Wet Dock, the railway from Colchester to Norwich, the Chappel viaduct, and so on, and an extremely keen yachtsman who, in fact, died on his boat, but who spent years doing all the unglamorous stuff involved in running a Club that was, in those days, both extremely «*snotty*» and chronically short of money! Who would I be to put an end to his legacy?

I think that this rather depends on the nature of the club. I would agree that by, for example, buying a historic boat, you are taking on a responsibility for an object of historic significance which should be preserved as far as possible for future generations. The same may be true of membership of some clubs with a long and important history, but I don't think you can apply it to the majority of yacht clubs. In most cases, they are private pubs that have a few swinging moorings available for members and organise a few races on summer afternoons. I will be a member so long as the club meets a need for me but as soon as it stops delivering value for money, I will vote with my feet.

Various contributors above have referred to a conflict between the existing, older generation membership and the changes that are perceived to be necessary to attract new members. I have not personally come across cases where the old guard block changes that are recommended by the comittee, but I'm sure that it does happen. I'm definitely within the demographic that wants the bar and restaurant to be close to silent so that I can enjoy a quiet pint with a few friends, able to hold a conversation without having to shout. I guess that the perception is that this is incompatible with attracting younger members - if I were a member of a club that went down that path, I would not grumble or try to block it, I would cancel my membership. That is where most clubs will come to a difficult decision - can they attract sufficient new members by making a change of that type to replace the existing members who will resign?

 

[Walther]

My biggest problem is those members who are forever moaning that ‘the club’ is not doing enough or is not run well, but challenge them to stand for election to the committee so they can do something about it and for some reason or another they are too busy.

^^^^This^^^^

There really are only three reasons to join a yacht club :

1) to become eligible for a club owned mooring
2) to gain access to the racing calendar
3) to gain access to the club bar

Those are your reasons. Which is fine, but you should not assume or suggest that they are universally shared. For many members, joining (and belonging) to a yacht club is more than a mere commercial transaction.

The above list is akin to suggesting that there are really only three reasons to join the armed forces:

1) to become eligible for a pension at a relatively young age
2) to gain access to generous annual leave
3) to gain access to cheap housing in barracks or aboard ship

I think that these reasons are very negative... and I think if you look at the reasons people join the successful inland clubs and get involved In sailing, is that they want to meet people, do something fun, and gain a sense of community and belonging which is missing from so much of modern life.... It’s about community and belonging, clubs can offer that. That’s the big selling point.

Well said! :encouragement:

 

[Walther]

I will be a member so long as the club meets a need for me but as soon as it stops delivering value for money, I will vote with my feet.

I was under the impression that you already ‘cast that ballot’ some time ago.