We had over 600 trainees (2751 training sessions) through the Sailing Academy between July 1 2020 and June 30 2021. This was in spite of a number of Covid lockdowns and the BW8’s being out of action until late November 2020. Head Coach Denis Jones and his team have worked very hard to make this happen.
We have a bigger and more comprehensive program commencing in August.
Approximately 50% of the trainees in the next 12 months will be adults which is a huge change from what we have traditionally done.
This reflects enquiry levels of approximately 50% coming from adults interested in learning to sail. Over the past 2 years we have acquired a range of different options that adults can learn to sail in to cater for the wide range of interests and potential in the 18 to 65 year old trainees that undertake our training.
You will notice the number 6417 as the Sailors Total. 6417 represents the total number of training sessions for individuals not the number of individuals.
The reason this number is being highlighted is that it represents 6417 opportunities to make these trainees feel welcome . We have had a few instances in the past 12 months where members have been intolerant of trainees if they got in the way through their inexperience.
The bottom line is we want More Members, More Bums in Boats!
We are not doing all this bloody training to get a medal, we are doing it to get More Members, More Bums in Boats.
At the end of each keelboat course we plan on running Keelboat training for fleets or divisions (and inviting course participants). The training could be in BW8, RS Quest or existing class/fleet. Our belief is the more time trainees spend with members the more confident they will be and the more friends they will make.
We need help from you the Members to convert these trainees into members and sailing in boats.
If you have the capacity to take trainees out on your boat and provide some form of mentoring that would be great.
Trainees will not become members if they don’t know anybody and their sailing/racing experience is crap.
Contact Caitlin: if you can help in any way
Alan Sharpe
Training & Develoment Chairman
