So this might just be my perception or it might be a localized thing, but I've noticed that the catsailing community doesnt belong to a yacth club.
I've been invited to sail at a couple of clubs -Bristol, American YC, Westport YC and I think this is the prefered way to go sailing. Usually they have mast up storage, and they have nice facilites, showers, buffet dinner after the regatta, Westport has keg on tap for the members.
Mast up storage is great…. If you live within an hour or two of the club
A Marina with mast up storage is equally fine… The essential factor is what is the club about… Racing or cruising/beach parties. The most important factor is How many people in the area support that racing activity and show up for the club events. If but a handful of people share the same commitment to racing … you are probably better off with your boat on wheels traveling to events where you can pull from a large geographical area of sailors who want to go racing.. You get to critical mass on the race course this way.
By comparison most cat regattas are off a beach, and you have to show up early, set up, race and usually camp out or go to a hotel
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1) That is the key point… the place you are traveling to… IS A REGATTA… People are going there to GO RACING… They will gladly trade… hassle factor (set up and tear down) for competing against a bunch of committed racers. The key is critical mass on the race course… NOT a Fleet of boats on the beach with their mast’s up.
Since the regatta sites move around in the geographical area… everyone is traveling ... wait a bit and in three weeks …. It will be in your back yard.
2) Camping is a lifestyle choice lots of dingy sailors (albacores, comets, hamptons stars) don’t camp at all (hotels or stay with friends in the area) Personally, I like the camping… it’s a cheap way to enjoy the weekend outdoors.
3) An overlooked fact is that people get BORED sailing in the same place… Packing up and going to a different location adds to the interest factor…. New restauraunts, new scenery, A key point is that if everyone traveled… they hang around together and socialize… If its your home club… You can wash the boat off… grab a beer and go home to the honey do list… kids… TV whatever… but you are not socializing with your sailing buddies after 6 PM.
4) Lastly… cat sailors… whether it’s a A class or a Hobie 16 share something in common… We don’t share much with the monohull sailors on laser’s and 505’s or Albacores and Penguins. … Certainly, the Opti fleet is irrelevant. So… a party after a multiclass regatta…segregates… your 10 boat A class race… at the multiclass regatta is now a party of 10 old guys… The Hobie Multihull structure will give you a party with sailors from 50 boats who share a common bond.
So my question is - Why don’t catsailors belong to yacht clubs and organize races at the club?
1) Size of the event…. Take an average Div 11 hobie regatta… three classes.. 16, 17 and 18’s…. they get 40 to 50 boats on trailers with tow vehicles.. Even if the club could accommodate the regatta… the Rest of the club members will have their nose out of joint….. (couldn’t get my parking spot… No parking…. too many people using the shower… Why are we putting up with this crap….my boat is blocked in… I have heard it all).
2) Race Committee Duty and service to the club
When you have property… you have to maintain it… AND… the more you race… the more RC Work you have to put in. When you count up the time you can be sailing… The required RC Work, club service counts against your sailing time budget. Mind you… this is the point of view of a selfish competitor who does not have to make an event happen…. and rarely puts in more then a handful of hours making the racing happen.
3) Location, on the western shore of the Chesapeake… the power boat traffic is deadly… If you want to sail small boats in the summer… you are FAR BETTER OFF driving over the bridge and racing on the eastern shore or going south. Spring and Fall are great when the majority of boats are gone.
Is this a case of the have's and the have not's?
1) Actually, many of the New Jersey Yacht Clubs have LOST their standing Hobie and Nacra cat fleets through lack of interest. . I don’t think that the cost of the club is that much more then the cost of putting the boat in a marina/storage yard. So, I think its other factors.
Why dont YC'’s have cats?
Do the rich kids grow up at the YC and graduate from Opti's to dighny's to big boats and never experience anything else?
1) Cat’s are two person boats… Many of the CBYRA clubs can’t get kids to stay with a 420 program. Fishing Bay YC wil provide a team with a 420 for a regatta and then don’t have any takers. 10 boats will sit on the beach! Two person boats add to the parents headache… PLUS the power of a Hobie 16, requires older kids and those kids are off doing other things at that age…. so the pool of sailors is smaller. I tried to give kids a boat for junior event at Miles River YC. …. I only got two teams interested and they backed out at the last minute.
Do the catsailors think clubs are too stuffy and expensive?
1) Stuffy … no… But like any organization… change is slow… When cats sailors join… the culture shock to the old members and the new cat sailors is high…
Do YC's think cats take up too much room?
1) Sure… a 20 foot spin boat requires at least 9 and ½ feet and a LONG parking space. West River opened up… when they could not fill the place with active dinghy’s. Property is expensive and scarce.
Is it because they need a ramp?
1) Maintaining the ramp from erosion and slime is a PIA. A sandy Beach will require someone to clean them weekly and then dispose of the crap. PIA. Clubs hate this…. Docks require less effort. Floating docks a bit more effort. Beach…. PIA. CATS hate hoists… OK with ramps… Like sandy beach with grass on top.
The only exceptions that I know of are Bristol YC - Acats and Roton Point YC has a bunch of cats including Patient Lady
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Hmm… you were at Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association for the F18HT races. Standing Hobie 16 and 18 fleet.
West River Sailing Club has a standing A class, Nacra 20 fleet and hosted the NA’s
West River Catamarna Racing has a standing open fleet with mast up…. No facilities.
Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club has 150 cats at the club with mast up storage, racing program etc. Hopactong YC has a standing A cat fleet.
I think Spray Beach and Shore Acres YC have a small standing hobie fleet of 16’s.
Now… when you actually have to organize and run an event… THEN you appreciate a yacht club. The infrastructure (RC Boats, marks, Flags) Seniors… who don’t race anymore but like to contribute on RC are IRREPLACEABLE. I think joining YC’s is the ONLY hope for our future… BUT… we have to manage the issues that I point out above.
I think the West Coast sailors are far far ahead of us on the east coast. I agree completely with Dan Delave... I think the future will be secured when we join and take over clubs.... WHILE managaging our socioloogy issues.
If you pull out the mast up storage costs... the YC dues probably cost you 200 bucks a year to maintain the RC gear..
I think that's reasonable... You have NO IDEA what it takes to round up a venue (Just ask the CRAM guys about Muskegon) volunteers, powerboats, food, gear, etc etc to pull of an event on a beach every three or 4 weeks.
IMO, we need to join yacht clubs, Contribue to the running of the club, work out a racing program that keeps critical mass of racers on the water and ensures that our events will continue well into the future. Some of the events we attend have been running for 70 years... I can't see us pulling off regattas on our own at state parks too much longer.
