Hi Mark,

I agree with Mary 100% (or at least 99%). I have been the rear commodore at Mattituck Yacht Club (You raced there at least once, if I remember correctly) for the last 2 years and have been a member for 12 or so. It's gotten pretty bad. Most parents drop their kids off for the sailing program as if it were a daycare center or summer camp (and why not? it's only $500 for 5 days-a-week, for 8 weeks - try to find a camp for that price!). The adults just want to throw parties and have barbecues - nothing wrong with that, but we only run one race a year (albeit, with 120 sailors) and when I ask abour running another race, I don't usually get very positive feedback, and only one or two volunteers.
I hope to start my own sailing program (from a beach that a local marina said I could use). I hope to start the summer with a 5 day, all-day program (like The Rick White seminars - which was one of the best experiences of my sailing life - but I doubt I'll come even close to the job Rick & Mary do). I'll use a weeks vacation for that, and the rest of the summer will have to be in the evenings 1 or 2 times a week (4-6pm?). Kind of like little league, with a different parent for each week to help me. It will be limited to 6 or 7 "families" and their children, and hopefully very low cost (The only expense I see is insurance).
I think I may be done with the yacht club thing. Too many politics and non-sailors. I may have to join just so my kids can show up and race someplace, as I believe it is a requirement to race at other yacht clubs

Steve
Hobie FX-1, Sail #211