Thanks to the 42 people that completed the club survey, the results of which have been really useful and will form the basis for the club’s development for the next five years.
Below is a summary of your responses and we have selected a few of the many constructive comments. Thank you also to all those that have offered their time and skills in helping to run the club – we will be in touch with you individually.
Development
Which of the following areas do you feel that the club should develop over future years? Please rate in order of importance (1 is the lowest, 5 the highest). I have averaged out the results and listed in order of priority as follows;
- Junior and youth sailing: 4.3
- Securing the freehold of the club: 4.1
- Increasing opportunities for less experienced racers: 3.9
- General coaching: 3.8
- Race coaching: 3.7
- Short course racing: 3.6
- Developing links with local clubs: 3.6
- Promoting recreation sailing and cruising: 3.5
- Facility development: 3.5
- Promotion and publicity: 3.3
- Volunteer training: 3.3
- Developing opportunities for other watersports: 2.9
- Committee structure: 2.8
- Long distance racing: 2.4
Here are a few of the comments under ‘How could these aspects be developed?’
- A focus on racing can be intimidating to newbies. Perhaps something like the addition of a few club boats (a single handed, a ‘safe’ family boat, a boat that kids can hop in) would make the club more accessible and encourage those who just want to pop down for a bit of fun to join, or help existing members encourage their family to come down and have a go.
- Inviting local schools to use facilities, try to involve more community interest.
- I think the combined racing with Lancing has been very good (although I have failed to make quite a few). I guess I come from the viewpoint that the more people we can get out racing the better.
- I wonder whether it might be worth considering approaching the Brighton universities. I know when we moved to Brighton a few years back, we looked at joining Brighton Sailing Club but it was mostly cats and students sailing cats there. Perhaps if either uni has a sailing team offering them free boat storage and reduced membership might entice them over, which in turn might see them continue as fully fledged members post-graduation.
- Identify individuals with the time and energy to lead and come up with ideas
- Get people together over a BBQ one evening. Use this to explain the results of this survey. Might have to offer two different BBQ evenings. Spotlight what the committee wants to prioritise and get people interested.
Comments under ‘What other areas could be developed within the club?’
- Closer ties with SYC
- The bar area could do with being updated
- Possibly a liaison with an inland club to foster their sea sailing and possibly our members winter sailing
- Laser coaching
- I’d like to see plan for training room and storage expansion.
- Advanced training
- In recent years the social side of the club appears to have reduced,
- The website is good and easy to navigate – but it needs to stay at that level because it is often the first thing any visitor will look at.
- Develop ways to provide safety cover for cruising members, maybe through coordination with other local clubs
- New main gate and signage
- An online way of finding crew spaces
Communication
Which of the following do you use to find out about news from the club;
- Website: 40
- Membership emails: 36
- Facebook: 11
- Twitter: 6
- Other: Word of mouth (x2), noticeboard
How would you like to hear about club news;
- Website: 35
- Membership emails: 32
- Facebook: 9
- Twitter: 4
- Noticeboard: 8
- Targetted emails: 10
- Other: Publish the committee meeting minutes to enable members to keep abreast of developments and ideas
Comments under ‘Do you have any other thoughts about communication…’;
- Continue and encourage one evening per month dinner after racing, and may be also one Saturday/Sunday event.
- More signs around the club reminding people to LOCK the Gates and Club House
- A new members pack