Meet & Greet With Gary Jobson: The Future of Sailing
Friday, 26 February 2010 00:00
US SAILING President Gary Jobson met with Long Island Sound commodores, fleet captains and race officials to talk about the future of sailing this past month. The event was sponsored by the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound (YRA of LIS) and hosted by Manhasset Bay YC and Stamford YC/Indian Harbor YC and attracted just about 200 interested participants.
Using information collected from his listening tour with 60 groups during the past year and responding to over 900 emails, Jobson focused on how to improve our sport’s governing body and strengthen its partnership with yacht clubs and YRAs. Gary’s long-range plans for US SAILING and the YRA of LIS provided insight on how he sees the future of sailing on Long Island Sound. He suggested using the YRA as a collection point for information and a conduit for communication to the sailing community.
Speaking about yacht clubs, Jobson highlighted the importance of yacht clubs, the role of the club manager, issues facing clubs such as aging membership, declining participation on the water and budget deficit. He mentioned the need for clubs to have a signature event, and the importance of communication, hosting charity events and club-owned fleets. He offered suggestions for growing club membership.
Jobson’s plans for US SAILING included visibility and promotion, the need to re-engage yacht clubs (a yacht club summit is planned for early 2011) and making sailing easy.
At the conclusion of Jobson’s prepared remarks was a Q&A that brought forth concerns ranging from sponsorship opportunities for clubs, junior sailing programs, and the cost of sailing.
For a summary of his presentation and to review Jobson’s long range planning for both US SAILING and yacht clubs, please visit www.yralis.org,
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
The Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound has been serving local racing sailors for over 100 years. From organizing championships to rating boats using the latest handicap standards, YRALIS is dedicated to promoting safe, fair and challenging sailboat racing throughout Western Long Island Sound. Today, there are over 65 member clubs and nearly one thousand individual members. Member clubs and class associations provide inshore one-design competition and support learn-to-sail programs for sailors new to the sport. Many of the member clubs also provide learn to sail and racing programs for young sailors. For more information, see www.yralis.org.
