What is Happening to Sailing in Vancouver?

I do not have the scientific data to back this up nor do I have the long-term personal experience to back this up but we all know it in our guts sailing is declining in Vancouver. Over the past 5 years I have been racing in BC I have seen it. When I talk to some of the older sailors they have seen it too. In fact the industry as a whole has been declining.
What do I mean sailing is declining? Participation in racing events has been going down for the most part across the board. Racing divisions are declining. Races are folding with no new ones to take there place. Why is this?

There are many theories I have heard of and to be sure some of them have more merit than others:

No moorage – there is no room for new sailors to get into the area with the marinas choked with derelicts and powerboats.

Inadequate training programs – were not starting enough of them young.

Aging populations – As the baby-boomers get older they give up racing and switch to cruising or worse…power boats.

Immigration of people without a culture of sailing – people coming to the area with no initial desire to sail.

Aggressive racing culture – everyone wants to be an America’s Cup sailor and there is no room for the peasants.

Expense of owning a boat - $$$ sailing just isn’t a sport many people can afford anymore.

No Moorage:

Is it moorage? Well from what I have heard even in the hay-days of the 1970s moorage was tight. This is still a barrier to getting into sailing today. Basically you have to look to the North Shore or points further if you want anything like immediate moorage. In False Creek the average wait time for an under 30’ slip is 3 years. For a 36’ slip it is 7 years. Even the yacht clubs have long waiting lists. This is an obvious deterrent but for some one motivated enough to get into the sport not an impossible barrier. I found that before I bought a boat I knew this would be a problem and got on the lists 2 years before I became a boat owner. So if you got friends thinking of getting in get them on the lists.

Inadequate Training Programs:One only has to look to the Australian Yacht Clubs to see a perfect model for growing the next generation of sailors. They have an aggressive model that takes kids from suckling babies in Optis to the Sydney-Hobart and beyond. This type of model is sadly lacking in the Vancouver area. West Vancouver Yacht Club (WVYC) probably has the strongest program but there is precious little in the Vancouver area to introduce young people into sailing. There are a few private sailing schools such as Mac Sailing which provide summer camps. Perhaps yacht clubs that are at capacity do not see the need to introduce more people into the clubs this way.

Expense of Owning a Boat:

Is this a problem? Yes and No. It can be a huge expense or a moderate expense. To operate my boat I have kept the costs down to no more than owning another vehicle. In reality it costs me more because I want to buy upgrades for it but the necessities are not as costly as many believe. Of course I only have a 27 foot 30 year old cruiser/racer and obviously the costs go up from there as you get more competitive with your sailing. Very few people are likely to get into sailing by moving into more competitive boats initially with the huge costs if they are not sure if they will even like it. People are more likely to start off with modest crafts which are more accessible in terms of price. Cost will prohibit some but not many.

Aging Populations:

As our population ages many sailors are trading in there sail boats for power boats or dedicated cruising sail boats. This does not account however for the large glut of baby boomers that have more disposable income as they retire and time to take up sailing. However the older edge of the baby boomers may feel they are getting too old for this type of activity and rather relax on their boats cruising. This is a difficult issue to gauge; what is obvious even in our own club is that an older generation that raced in the 70s and 80s is fading away.

Immigration and the Changing Face of Vancouver:

In the first large waves of Canadian immigration were the people coming to Canada from countries with huge maritime traditions. Most immigrants came to Canada from the UK, France, and other European countries that were utterly dependant on the sea for their success. The Royal Navy is almost a sacred institution in the UK.

In the last 60 years we have seen immigration shift from Europe to Asia (mainly China and India in the case of BC). While these populations of course have taken to the seas for millennia large segments have lived isolated from the sea inland or in some cases view sailing as merely a utilitarian enterprise. The Indian province of Punjab supplies the lower mainland with most of its large South Asian population which is utterly land locked. Even my affluent friends whose parents came from Hong Kong, a maritime hub where you think sailing would be a natural fit, quipped that “sailing was for peasants (fishermen)”.

Does this mean that the potential sailing population of Vancouver is being displaced by newcomers? Of course not. Despite an initial cultural predisposition not to sail for sport one only has to go to a ski hills to look at the ethnic diversity participating in a sport that is not naturally enjoyed by many of the new comers to our country. Even still those long time Canadian residence should provide and adequate base for the sport. This is likely only to be a very small contributor to the decline of sailing in the Vancouver area.

Aggressive Racing Culture:
Racing can be intimidating; but it is a competition and it is only natural that there is an element of aggressiveness in this sport. There is probably a balance to be struck and a need to have an entry point for racers. I know of several boat neighbours of mine in my marina that are too intimidated to go racing. I found the best way to gain the confidence is a mixture of research and a lot of time spent crewing on various boats.

In the past there have been divisions that were entry points for new racers. Cruising divisions, VARC division 6 & 7, and No Flying Sails divisions and so on. There were also less intense courses setups to ease people in. Most racing in the Bay follows the windward-leeward racing style with less point to point racing or reachy courses. Of course the faster divisions with dedicated racing boats are being well served by the current model. Much of the racing considerations taking place today in yacht clubs and governing bodies are centred on these prestigious fleets. This however leaves the needs of these slower entry level divisions out of mind and there has been the anticipated withering of these divisions.

There are issues too with the mindset of those participating in these faster divisions, one only has to look at the snide comments posted on popular racing sites like sailing anarchy about 4 knot shit boxes (4KSB) to see that in most cases the slower divisions and boats are not only not welcome but openly ridiculed. These attitudes discourage sailors with 4KSB from participating. Sadly many people with 4KSB boats go on to buy more competitive boats later on if they get into the sport and later in life become that next generation of “elite skippers”. I have not known many people who have said “I think I will get into sailing, hmm I’ll get that Melges 32.”

Of course one could argue successfully that there are numerous competitive boats that are an entry level into racing like the venerable Martin 242 or the Olson 30. This of course supposes that most potential racers merely want to race. Living in the most beautiful areas for sailing in the world most sailors want to take advantage of this by cruising. Most of the entry level sailors out there are likely to be buying older dual purpose boats like Catalina 27s, C&C 27s, San Juan 24s, and so on. In many healthy sailing communities around the world these fleets of 4KSB sailboats make up the overwhelming majority of the racing fleet and act as a feeder pool for the more competitive divisions. This sounds like a solid reason for the decline of sailing in Vancouver; so where have all the 4KSB gone?

They still do exist, most of them are tied up at our local marinas and you see them putting around between anchorages in the Gulf Islands in the summer. To be sure a significant number of them are being clung onto by those to old or no longer wanting to sail them. There they sit rotting at their moorings. But it is not the case that they have simply faded away and the potential does exist. And many new sailors are acquiring these vessels.

Okay how do we fix it?

Well as identified above there are many problems ranging from inadequate youth training programs, aging populations, and the neglect of the entry-level divisions. Some issues we have more control of than others, and some have more of an impact than others. For example there are is little one can do about attracting new arrivals to Canada into yachting. What can be controlled, and what will have the biggest impact on racing in Vancouver is developing multiple channels to attract people to the sport. We need to think globally and act locally, by this I mean think of the larger issues but work within our clubs, and marinas to change things. Here is what we have to do:

Start’em young – get your kids into sailing, like eating vegetables it is good for them.

Get the 4 knot shit boxes back – these entry level divisions need to be revived to keep the sport alive and healthy.

Make racing fun – we need to make sure that we are asking how can we make this fun. This will strengthen our retention of racers.

Yacht clubs attract the next generation – there appears to be a generation gap; and we need to get the young skippers out.

Improved slow boat racing programs – we need to ensure that 4KSB are considered in race planning.

Improved web presence for the sport in the Vancouver area – yes they have this new-fangled thing that all the kids are using called the inter-web.

Act Locally – okay what am I going to do about it?

Start’em Young:

How do we get the young into sailing? This comes down to the Yacht Clubs establishing sail training programs. Kids in Optis, teens in Lasers and so on. Opening these programs beyond the membership of the specific clubs would go a long way to expanding the participation and future membership base but this is a decision the Clubs would have to make.

Feeder fleets of small keelboats for teens and young adults have been used by other yacht clubs to keep them interested as they grow. A small fleet of martins, J24s or another small boat could go a long way in keeping young skippers and crews going through there early years where they lack the resources for their own vessels. Yacht club mentoring programs with established competitive boats would be an asset also. These young people will form a cadre of the next generation of sailors in our city.

Get the 4 Knot Shit Boxes Back:

We need to get the 4 knot shit boxes back. To do this we need to ensure that local area races have courses designed for these boats. That the yacht clubs have mentoring programs to encourage these boats to get out. In my yacht club we have informally had members volunteer to help out people (even non-members) get there boats out for the first time and walk them through it. This type of mentoring setup in a formal way would help dissuade any intimidation.
Attracting these boats maybe more difficult for the brick and mortar yacht clubs. This is where some of the virtual yacht clubs such as Tiddly Cove (TCYC), Stamp’s Landing (SLYC) can step in. This is a good affordable home that can provide support and encouragement to new 4KSB skippers.

Make Racing Fun:

Racing needs to be fun. We need to have a blast not just racing but everything to do around racing. I remember attending one local Yacht Clubs winter series and afterwards we went to the club and found it a ghost town and were made unwelcome; while some clubs have this down a little better than others (Vancouver Rowing Club’s Polar Bear Series has this and it is why I do this series). Having a warm welcoming after race gathering is essential for building community and camaraderie. Races such as the Silva Bay Layover, while facing recent challenges, had this down. Sail to a destination, party, and race. Whidbey Island Race week was known for this too. Events that are almost equally centred around the social aspect of sailing as they are around the sailing itself have made it solidly onto my racing calendar and I often have too many crew wanting to attend and have to pick and choose.

Attract the Next Generation:

I am almost certain that in VARC there only 2 under 30 skippers and I may even go as far to say there are only 2 under 40! This generational gap is a problem, and while Clubs can begin rebuilding the next-next generation the gap needs to be addressed. There are 20/30 something skippers out there and they are not participating in racing. I am a firm believer that Yacht Clubs are the institutions that these people belong in. Without the support of my club my sailing progression would be markedly slower.

While in the end I am very happy with my Yacht Club it is a non-traditional one, TCYC. The traditional brick and mortar yacht clubs need to ensure that they too are attracting the skippers out there in the 20/30 something bracket. The cost for a younger person that did not grow up into a yacht club is often prohibitive. In my case I could have either afforded to join a traditional Yacht Club or buy a boat. While many of the local Clubs have large membership bases, young active sailors should be of particular interest and targeted membership drives and even sales should be attempted to plug the generational gap. Of course this is something each Yacht Club will have to consider themselves.

Improved Slow Boat Racing Programs:

Thought needs to be given to 4KSB courses when races are being planned. So far this year I have actually seen the VRC do a good job of this with their Polar Bear series Division 2. Reachy courses and point to point would answer. I know however that there are those who would have better ideas of how to do this since this wheel has already been invented and would look to them for advice.

Improved Web Presence for the Sport in Vancouver:

When attracting the next generation of sailors in Vancouver the first place they turn to is the web. A solid web presence that is constantly updated, provides useful information, and is a venue for sailing discussion is sorely needed. Without exception the Yacht Club websites have been stuck in the late 1990s. Even VARC’s website has a very stale quality. This is a challenge as most Yacht Clubs do not have a suitably trained advocate with the time to keep a site up as a hub for a vibrant sailing community. TCYC has been making strides at doing this with its blog, calendars, and especially its forum. The need for something like this is evidenced by the meteoric success of Sailing Anarchy. Unfortunately since I don’t own a Melges 32, Flying Tiger or Transpac 52 I feel there is little on it of relevance to most sailors, although it is a fun site.

Act Locally:

Well it is easy to sit back and point out the problems and point out things others could do about making sailing a better sport in Vancouver but I think one needs to look at the simple things they can do locally to make a difference. Here is what I am going to do:
Talk to other 4KSB skippers and encourage them to join my Yacht Club and go racing.
Ensure that my Yacht Club is taking into consideration the needs of the slow boats in racing while serving the needs of the fast boats.
Make sure that our races are fun and social events in addition to being competitions.
Help develop a web presence in my yacht club and contribute to the online community.

In conclusion this is only one young skipper’s opinion and I am sure that others have valuable incites. I would hope that this is a jumping off point for a discussion which will improve the sport.