How to build a Fleet?

[Guest]

I'm faced with trying to stir up interest in the Day Sailer class here in the Houston/Galveston area. Our active fleet is very small right now and there is not much interest in small sail boats, except catamarans. Most interest is in boats like J-22's and larger, or in very small boats, like the Sunfish.

There are a few Day Sailers for sale in the area and I'd like to find people to sail them actively. I'd be interested in hearing some thoughts from the Day Sailers out there on how to find new owners for the boats who will be enthusiastic about owning and using them, and how to get people who are interested in sailing onto the Day Sailer class boat. Basically, I'm searching for ideas on how to build a fleet.
our thoughts on why sail a Day Sailer when there are other boats out there would also be appreciated.
I've got a few thoughts in my head right now and I'd like to hear your thoughts. - thanks

Bob Hunkins (rhunkins-at-pdq.net)

[Guest]

Bob, Here's a copy of a plan used by the Seattle Thistle fleet and recently circulated by Jim Skeen to DS Fleet 89. There may be some ideas you van use.
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Subj: [ODCC List] Fleet Building
Date: 00-11-06 16:03:07 EST
From: Keith_Graham@msn.com (Keith Graham)
Sender: odcclist-request@ussailing.org
To: odcclist@ussailing.org

I have read, with some dismay, the concern, panic, and anger associated with folks who are into one-design sailing and are seeing their fleet base eroding.

I can understand the concern when a fleet that used to have 20 boats in it now has only 8, but one suggestion that I have seen a number of times now isto force companies to stop killing old classes by making new ones!

You want boat manufacturers to stop making boats? Stop making money? Volunteer to go out of business? Really?

If you truly want to grow your fleet, you must ask yourself why did the fleet go from 20 to 8? What can I do to grow the fleet from 8 to 20?

If the fleet is shrinking, the first step is easy. Ask the folks who left why they left. Then correct those problems! Not enough dock space? Then do something about it! 2-day regattas are too long? Then shorten them! Not enough boats to sail against? Buy (or borrow) some used ones and charter them out! Not enough experienced crew pool members? Train them!

The next step is even easier, albeit more expensive. Advertise! Why do you think boat manufacturers are able to sell boats? Because they build them,
and keep them behind locked gates and tell no one that they are there? Not on your life! But that's what all local sailboat fleets do. Our marina islocked, the races take place in the evenings a mile out into the water.How's anyone supposed to know who's out there and what they are doing?

We doubled the size of the Seattle Thistle Fleet in one year (18 to 36 boats) by merely putting a poster on the marina gate that showed pictures of Thistles, boat specs, and a local contact phone number. Cost? $10. Effort? 1 hour.

Next came a flyer-sized version of the same poster, placed in realtor "Take One" boxes placed at sailing venues around the city. Cost $100 Effort? 10 hours.

Next we invited the public at large to a demo day. We had new and used boats on trailers, and we rigged them over and over again. We let people sit in them in the parking lot. We took 18 people out for rides and let them take the tiller. We had handouts available that listed sailing schedules, fleet members, available boats, new and used, a brochure from the Thistle Class
Association and the latest copy of the Thistle Class Magazine the "Bagpipe." Everyone who came got a free ride, got to meet some fleet members and boat owners and 25 pounds worth of advertising material. Just like being at a car dealership. Cost? $250 and 10 people's Saturday.

So, for less than $400 and 80 hours of time, we "sold" 18 Thistles. To do that same trick, boat manufacturers would have to place very expensive ads in very expensive (and dwindling) sailing magazines. They could offer no demo rides, no personal contact with enthusiastic fleet members, no "starter" used boats for sale, no rides on race night. Nothing but the
opportunity to buy a brand new boat.

Spend some time, spend some money and sell "the experience" that comes with your fleet. That's a far more powerful hook than a glossy picture anytime.

Keith Graham
Growth and Promotion Chairman
Seattle Thistle Fleet 61

Bob Torson DS 4000 (safehbr-at-pioneer.net)

[Guest]

.....and concider starting an Explorer Scouts post. What better way ti introduce kids to sailing. Contact Boy Scouts of America for info and some start up help. Explorer posts are usually intrest specific and can be of mixed ages and co-ed. Used to be a "Sea Scouts" post in Glen Cove / Sea Cliff, NY
Enjoy!

MAKurtis (Emak41-at-excite.com)

[texaspsdx]

Bob, where & when do you meet? I just bought a 1975 DS II and would like to learn more. My only problem is I live other side of town in Katy. Let me hear from you.

[Bob Hunkins]

Hi Ron,

I live in the Clear Lake Area, Feel free to call me at 281-216-4082 or 281-559-2167, and we'll chat. Glad to hear from you!
-Bob

[Peter McMinn]

Keith, your activist approach is infectious. Another owner and I are the only active DSrs in our club, but two boats isn't enough for our own start. There are three other DS's in moorage that seem never to get sailed. I'm going to follow your lead and see if these owners might be willing to "charter" these boats out to ready racers. I also like the idea of promoting the boat on club advertising and with the local one-design dealer. Thanks for the tips, and hopefully next summer, we'll be able to report a rise in DaySailers in Portland, OR

[psness]

There are about six DS's trailer-stored at my small lake. I'd love to orgnaize a club, but we're all recreational and some don't look like they've been sailed all summer.

[Bob Hunkins]

See if you can meet the owners. if they use their boats, I expect they will be interested in getting to know others. if the boats are just sitting there and you feel up to it you could help try to find new owners for those boats who will use them. (That's a lot of work, but some folks do it successfully)

[Roger]

one of the nearby yacht clubs here, purchases older day boats (eg flying scot, laser, invitation) for a song, then 'rents' them to boatless club members to sail for the summer. The 'renters' pay their club and ramp/slip fees, take care of the boat for the season in return for sailing it, and sometimes buy them over time. I thought this was a novel way to get boatless members involved, and encourage people into sailing. They also use the rental boats for lessons. I suspect that they acquire a boat in this manner ever couple of years or so.

If your club had enough spare cash to purchase a project boat, then restore it to condition over the winter, then 'rent' it out, you could acquire a third daysailer and have the start of your fleet.

Unfortunately, the yacht club mentioned above does not have any DS II's other than me when I visit. The lake I am on (two hours north of the above yacht club) unfortunately only has two DS II's on it, and one has been for sale for the past year, so I have a ways to go yet to register a fleet.

[Bob Hunkins]

I've got couple of old DS I's I've picked up - They all need work and I'm trying to do just that. Winter is coming so I'll have no excuses (except sheer laziness) for not working on them now...