It cost me about $30 to join the Royal Yachting Assn. back in about 1996, then when I rented a boat, I also paid about $30 for that, they threw in a wetsuit for free! After a day of racing with them, they bought me beer at their -on site- pub!

They know how to do it RIGHT!

The RYA probably gets some Government support $$, you'd have to ask one of the Brits about that.

I'd gladly pay $100/yr. or more, if I could then walk up to the US Sailing Center in Seattle, or San Diego, or Miami, or Sarasota, show them my card, throw them $30, rig up a Hobie 16 or a Laser, and go sailing. I tried doing that some years ago at the Martin County Sailing Center (Stuart, FL area). They had a couple Hobie 16 sitting there, unused. I asked if I could take one out for an hour or so...

They said not NO, but HELL NO! "First, you have to join the Club, then you have to take a learn to sail course, to be certified, then you can only sail on the days when we have a chase boat available..."

Yeah, right, see ya.