the class fee's cover most of the cost. The boat storage provides about one third of the income. As to the boats, all five Waves, and six Hobie 16's were donated, or purchased with donated money. Some of our seven safety boats were donated. The rest of the Opti's, Laser's, 420's, Hunter 140's and FJ's were capital expenditure, and some donations.
Okay, but how do you get so many people to take the classes? Is it because you have a water location adjacent to a major city? Lots of people. And how do you let those people know about the sailing program and attract them to it? And how do you get people to donate boats?
The Sailing Center has to pay the instructors, which can't be a lot of money, so they are probably kids themselves. But somebody has to pay their expenses to take the US Sailing certification programs. And instructors have to keep turning over regularly as they go to college or get out of college and get "real" jobs.
I think all of us would like to know how to create a program as successful as the one you people enjoy in Seattle.