The best inland sailing club in the UK Commodore’s Report to the Annual General Meeting John Fothergill 26 March 2017
New Club Manager: Matthew Lea • Matt started at the end of February • Nick Clarke stepped into the breach as interim manager and will support Matt for another week – thanks! • Rigorous selection process with a strong field of candidates • Four years’ experience as Head of Centre at the Mepal Outdoor Centre • Sails a Foiling Moth The best inland sailing club in the UK
Planning The best inland sailing club in the UK
Planning and taking stock: Background • RYA research • an RYA Vital Signs Survey • an RYA Club Member Survey (Pilot - 52 clubs invited to take part across England) • the Annual RYA Club Membership Census • Meetings with RYA • Gareth Brookes (Regional Representative) • RYA Affiliated Clubs’ Conference (Midlands) • RYA Race Officials’ Conference • Rutland Sailing Club Council Planning Day (11th March 2017) The best inland sailing club in the UK
Planning Day, 11th March • Aims • To identify and prioritise the aims of the Club for this year and for the next three years. • Publish findings to members, discuss at Council, etc. for guiding our strategy • Important areas for consideration • Membership • Improving Quality • Resources • Invitees • Members of Council and Sailing Committee (to include Fleet Captains) • Other representatives of members of the Club • Senior Club staff • RYA Regional Representatives: Gareth Brookes The best inland sailing club in the UK
Planning Day • Agenda • RYA Club member survey (Gareth Brookes) • Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats • Members (Fiona Tylecote) • Quality and Resources (Flag Officers) • Conclusions • Some “headlines” follow …. The best inland sailing club in the UK
How long have you been a member of this club? 25 21.2 20 18.5 16.6 13.9 13.9 15 12.6 10 5 3.3 0 Less than a 1 to 3 years 4 to 6 years 7 to 10 years 11 to 15 years 16 to 20 years More than 20 year years The best inland sailing club in the UK
What is the main boating activity you take part in at your club? 40 35.1 35 30 24.5 23.2 25 20 15 10 6.6 5.3 4.6 5 0.7 0 Dinghy sailing Dinghy racing Yacht sailing Yacht racing Windsurfing RIBs/Sports Other - Please Boats give details The best inland sailing club in the UK
The best inland sailing club in the UK
Planning Day: Management - Governance Key Points Possible responses • Council works hard on behalf of • New Council members asked to the Club. join to represent • Younger • A lot of focus has been on • more diverse “keeping the Club going” • member interests (necessary) and on racing. • Need to develop and focus more on “members”
Planning Day: Communications Key Points Possible responses • Better communications • New website launched • Website • New focus on Facebook media • use of social media • Developing informal guidelines • “Mail - chimp” for use of mail-chimp
Planning Day: Friendliness Key Points Possible responses • Focus on wants of new members and • Club can be rather unfriendly – pathway to engagement especially if you’re not active in • Ensure all members can feel part of a group a fleet or group. • Empower fleet/group captains to be more inclusive and act as Club representatives • Can be “racing” focussed even • Re-introduce programme of social activities at Club level. Could include non-sailing (e.g. though most members don’t walks and cycling in winter), talks and courses (e.g. Day Skipper) race • Make better/more appropriate use of volunteers • Misc.: e.g. consider layout of dry bar seating
Planning Day: Cost and membership Key Points Possible responses • Sailing should appeal to all ages • Ensure we have appropriate “products” for each group (especially by age) – e.g. pay and and abilities – we should be play for young adults (25 – 35 years) inclusive. • Need to particularly focus on retention of new members. • Costs are particularly off putting • Need to ensure a seamless pathway from for young adults – likely to get Sailing School to membership • Encourage members to bring in new members worse in near future • Look at Club facilities for kids/teens • Threats of members moving to • Communicate social sailing activities better other clubs if we don’t ensure • Consider ways of sweating our assets to we are value for money increase income
Planning Day: Resources Key Points Possible responses • The water is seen as a huge • Address niggles – e.g. Club Wi-Fi asset for the Club. – site drainage, etc. • We have good on-site facilities • Plan for better use of IT and support services • We need to bring some of our processes and systems up-to- date
Planning Day: Sailing/Racing/Training Key Points Possible responses • Ensure a pathway (perhaps with • Sailing School well praised for assistance of Sailing School) from quality. non-sailing all the way to high- performance sailing. • Production of Club racing results • No cheap “have a go” options is slow • Low numbers of racers, is Sunday • Few boats available for Club racing offering correct? members to use (especially for • Need some ‘rookie’ racing – or ways in for new racers older teenagers/post university) • Better support/training for CROs • Lots of minor useful comments
Planning Day: Catering Key Points Possible responses • Efficiency – especially during • Better communication between busy events management and catering • Mixed feelings about quality • Consider new opportunities (e.g. Sunday lunches) • Need for more flexibility • Need more off-the-shelf standard deals for large events
Planning Day: Open Meetings Key Points Possible responses • Recognised as prestigious venue • Encourage members to join in for open meetings and good for open meetings Club reputation (e.g. with RYA) • Methods to reduce impact on • Busy-ness puts strain on Club catering, seating areas, etc. members (parking, changing • Have (another) look at parking, rooms, launching, Clubhouse) etc
Club Sailing The best inland sailing club in the UK
Club Sailing • Great variety – but perhaps not well communicated • Good junior programme • Social Sailing (and “Sail Pro”) • Ladies That Launch • Saturday Social Sailing • Informal Sailing on Fridays • Sailability, etc. • Club Racing • Thursdays – popular with good post sailing social • Sundays – less popular • New Saturday racing for keelboats/cruisers The best inland sailing club in the UK
Open Events The best inland sailing club in the UK
Open Events • Proud to be recognised as an excellent place for national and international events • Can be enjoyable for volunteers • Highlights include: • Tiger Trophy (cold but a great start to the season) • RS Sprints (busy – with around 100 starts during the weekend) • Eric Twiname (busy again – great to see so many young people out on the water) • Cats, Comets, Solos, Squibs, RS’s, Lasers and others • We held about 25 open regattas and competitions attracting about 1400 sailors to the Club – often with parents and helpers – all of which make a significant financial contribution to the Club. • In addition to these competitive events, the Sailing Club hosted about a dozen external training events both on the water (e.g. Topper training) and off the water (e.g. the RYA Instructors’ Conference) The best inland sailing club in the UK
Website The best inland sailing club in the UK
New Club Website www.rutlandsailingclub.co.uk The old website address will soon divert to the new website. The best inland sailing club in the UK
Clubhouse, grounds and boats The best inland sailing club in the UK
Clubhouse, grounds and boats • RSC boat trailers all been rebuilt using RSC labour and a few materials bought in. • East field boat park – cleared and rationalised • Club house roof: • Has been leaking to a greater or lesser extent for years. • 40-year old roof which is at the end of its life, the tiles slowly breaking up. • Council has agreed to go ahead with a new roof subject to a reasonable cost. • As £20k is added to the sinking fund each year, this means that we are likely to only have to borrow c. £55k from our savings. • Cladding: Several problems have arisen with the clubhouse cladding, which was replaced last year. The fitters are gradually replacing this with guidance from the manufacturers. • West Creek moorings. Buoys inspected – appear in good shape • Racing Marks: maintenance by the boatswain. • Servery and catering: • Various refurbishments including freezer room • Catering service has been awarded the maximum of 5 stars by the environmental health service • New tractor The best inland sailing club in the UK
Chandlery The best inland sailing club in the UK
Chandlery • The Rutland Chandlery Ltd . (independent franchise) ceased to trade • Competition from on-line outlets makes an independent chandlery unviable • Chandlery – at least for “keeping your boat on the water” items – is considered vital for members and visitors • New Chandlery to be run through Sailing School at minimum on-cost The best inland sailing club in the UK
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