Page 6 - Yachter Winter 2019

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FROM THE BRIDGE
FROM THE BRIDGE
It has been said that “more of the same will give you more of the same”! In this fast-changing world, this may not be the best strategy if a Royal Yacht Club is to be successful and relevant to future generations of yachters.The challenge for a Royal Yacht Club is how to honour and respect the needs, wants and expected traditions and values for long-serving older members whilst being relevant and attractive to both new and prospective members.
A good starting point is to consider what both may have in common and build upon that. Quality of service, a warm welcome to the Club, a positive can-do – nothing
is too much trouble attitude, good food
and beverages offering great value, a great location, maintaining some more formal traditions like Trafalgar Night dinners, offering added value like access to a fleet of dinghies and canoes all of which the RSYC has and does; this is on top of great racing, cruising and social programmes.
Children are our future and the visit of our Admiral HRH Prince Michael of Kent earlier this year gave us the opportunity to showcase our work in this area.We are also very lucky to have a grassy outside space alongside the Beaulieu River for recreation and enjoyment from crab fishing to swing ball and petanque or just taking an al fresco meal with stunning views. Easy launching of dinghies and canoes suitable for all ages and a large walk-ashore pontoon all add to the unbeatable proposition.
Many clubs, and the RSYC was no exception, labour under substantial operating costs of expensive, and often underutilised, buildings inherited from long-gone predecessors that were right for a bygone and more affluent age but which today consume ever more of the finances of a club and the attention of its officers, often taking their focus away from the needs of members. Large debts to service investments also place
a drag on a club’s finances and inevitably are reflected in its fees to members which are ever-increasing.We took the difficult decision to reduce these problems to regain focus on our members and to get better value.The RSYC owns its Clubhouse,
it has no debts, it does not need to trade commercially with non-boating parties to make ends meet and it has been able to substantially reduce the membership fees.
OUR STRATEGY IS FOR THE RSYC TO BE THE ‘GOTO’ROYALYACHT CLUB INTHE SOLENTAREA