In our area, the yacht clubs are expensive and exclusive. Even the Eastport Yacht Club, which is probably the most down to Earth and multi-friendly has a waiting list and sponsor requirements. There are probably other options, but in 'Nap-town those are the "scene". It takes money, time, and brown-nosing. I think cat-sailors would rather just go sail. In Galesville, there is the West River Sailing Club, who started out as "Our Own Damn Yacht Club" in defiance of the blue blazers. Now, they are among those who don't care for us joining, with all the usual "too much storage space, blah, blah, blah". Beach cat sailors thrive when they have a venue that is friendly to the beach cat style - a place for mast up storage, push the boat in water, and no dress requirements for the club house if you have one at all.

I suspect this is the same all over. The more exclusive clubs have no need for us, unless the only sailors in the area are multi sailors (ah, Heaven...). So, if we belong to clubs, they are the ones that are more down-to-Earth and value sailing and friendship above all.

Here's a true story - I was recently in San Diego for the first time. Loved it! Being as the LV Cup is under way, I figured I'd go over to the San Diego Yacht Club. Maybe given the Cup history, they had some sort of club tour for those interested in visiting. I was stopped at the gate. I said I was a sailor from the East and interested in seeing one of the important places of sailing. No dice. The only way I could get on premises was if I was a member or a guest of a member. Or, if I was a card-carrying member of the Annapolis Yacht Club they'd let me in. In other words, if I had a membership in another club as expensive as theirs they'd let me in. For fun I asked if being a member of the WRCRA would count - I guess he wasn't impressed by a small multihull racing outfit from Galesville. He seemed pained that I even mentioned it, but that was my point for mentioning it in the first place. Anyway, who needs that crap? Is that anyway to grow interest in the sport? Is that anyway to break down the barriers that people see when they view sailing as the sport of the rich? Of course not, but these clubs don't care and will have no interest in changing until there are no people with big checks lining up. So, beach cat sailors will join the clubs with a more grass-roots emphasis or they'll just go sailing wherever they find a launch spot.
Rant mode off.


Anyhow, Art Stephens told us we should be joining these clubs and taking them over from the inside. I agree to the notion, but I'm not sure it's that easy.