On the Bay
Written by Andrea Watson Friday, 05 March 2010 00:00
This column has championed sailing as a family sport for a long time. Recent news has highlighted this very notion that families can have a lot of fun together when they spend a day or two out on the water. Everyone in the sailing community knows at least one family who has left behind their sport of choice to take up family-friendly sailing when their children started arriving. Think about it…. What other sport allows you to bring along all your offspring, from babes in arms to teenagers?
The recent Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound (YRA of LIS) Meet and Greet with Gary Jobson, the new president of US SAILING, highlighted the family aspect of sailing. In his seminars at both Manhasset Bay YC and Stamford YC/Indian Harbor YC last month, Jobson’s take on the future of sailing is dependent on getting kids involved in sailing. That translates to kids and parents supporting junior sailing programs at local yacht clubs and community sailing centers. Jobson suggested that yacht clubs host family oriented events like a father/daughter luncheon or a mother/son event, which he said are happening at some clubs around the country. At the national level, US SAILING is working to make the gateway open to sailing schools and community sailing centers to promote sailing for juniors and their parents.
Jobson’s role as president of US SAILING has given him a forum to promote sailing as family-friendly and he is using his pulpit to spread the message. US SAILING’s 2010 National Sailing Program Symposium (NSPS) held in League City, Texas invited Nicholas Hayes, the author of Saving Sailing, to weigh in. When asked if sailing is the ultimate family sport if organized and run the right way, Hayes responded: “I do, and I know many sailors who concur. It’s hard to imagine a grandma, son and grandson all playing soccer together, but it’s easy to find them playing together on a sailboat. There are many examples of this happening now all over the country. Some might suggest that I am suggesting a ‘cultural shift’ – a change in the way that Americans and American families think and interact. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. When a mom, dad and 6-year-old daughter sail together, they are doing it as the result of having made some fairly simple, but very important choices and commitments. As they keep doing it, they influence and include others. Over time, their choices add up to something bigger – better friendships, more open communication, a stronger family dynamic – and we can start to see the sparks of a cultural shift started at the grassroots. I can’t think of a better place for this to begin than on a sailboat, where problem solving, cooperation, concern for others and fun are there in ample supply. And the cost of entry is so low and the support networks (like the folks at NSPS) are so strong.”
Hayes continues with his reaction to attending the NSPS: “The group at NSPS was energetic, creative and thoughtful. I was hoping to witness the sharing of new ideas for teaching and retention with sound foundations and practical plans. I was especially excited to hear about both fledgling and fully-formed inter-generational sailing programs popping up in various parts of the country, some in partnership with other mentor-led organizations like the Scouts, and others in a homegrown model. It was also fun to hear observations that clubs are starting to see grandparents and parents step in and sail with their kids.” And the breakout sessions added even more credence that family sailing is taking hold in the U.S. Hayes said, “In the breakout, programmers from all over shared their plans to put parents and younger kids on the water together. I must say, ideas were abundant, attendees were generous in sharing experiences with their peers, and their peers seemed genuinely interested in adopting and adapting what was discussed in their own waters. The breakout was the highlight of my time at NSPS, and I think it will result in some great new sailing opportunities next season.” And finally, when US SAILING asked Hayes how we can ensure that sailing remains a life-long sport at a recreational level, when kids who participate in so many activities can’t truly develop enough skills in one to be “great,” Hayes replied, “The first lesson should be that kids are not lazy, but they are consumed and overcommitted, and that it is a parent’s job to prevent this from happening. Second, the data doesn’t show a shortage of skill in sailing by kids – juniors programs are great skills-training machines – instead, it shows that we have come to view sailing just like we view soccer: something we might try and master as kids, but not something important enough to continue and pass on.”
Hayes continued, “I believe there are two groups that need to take action: parents and programmers. If we want sailing to last beyond childhood and become part of a parenting life: Parents must realize that sailing is accessible and available as a family-based activity, and give it a shot. Programmers need to be ready. We have overlapping needs, and therefore, I propose overlapping actions…. Parents should: never pit sailing against soccer (sailing is much better, because it can be shared), start early so family time becomes a habit (need to break the must-be eight paradigm), deliberately recover lost time whenever possible (especially when kids become teens), and select programs that are designed for all ages and create new ones if they aren’t available. Programmers should: never pit sailing against soccer, start early so family time becomes a habit, design for active intergenerational participation, and measure lifecycle and leadership skills – not wins.”
One last comment from Hayes that certainly could change the face of sailing right here on Manhasset Bay: “Perhaps the most significant impact of the book to date is that clubs that used to think that they were competing are coming together to cooperate to rebuild a common base. The opposite of fragmentation is coalescence, and it’s generally easy to do when one is motivated.” Wouldn’t it be grand if the yacht clubs on Manhasset Bay pooled their resources and promoted sailing as a family sport and included a community sailing component? The possibilities are endless and the reward great! What say you, sailors of Manhasset Bay?
Doyle Sailmakers’ Winter Week Night Sailing Series has rescheduled Strategy and Tactics around the Racecourse for next Tuesday, March 9 at 8 p.m. Paul-Jon Patin, who has been to Manhasset Bay many times with the frostbite group, is the presenter and is a master of large fleet racing. He will give the audience ways to look at the course and competition making it clear and easy to choose default tactics for given situations. Please RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . There will be a keg from the Blue Point Brewery and it is suggested that you bring a $10 donation, your sailing friends and crewmembers, a chair if you would like to sit, and some dinner or snacks. Doyle Sailmakers Long Island is located at 1345 New York Ave., Suite 2 in Huntington Station. For more information, call 631-673-5055 or visit the website www.doylesails.com.
