Extract from Scuttlebutt from a letter written by Derek Wilkes:

The decline in sailing numbers seems to be world wide phenomena felt by all clubs. Here are a few personal insights into the reasons from a South African perspective:

1. The increasing number of new dinghies on the market dilutes the already dwindling numbers as the sailor spread themselves across all the differing classes.
2. The rock stars jump from class to class to win the different local class champs, which disheartens budding sailors within those classes.
3. The media concentrate on only the "Big Boat" which gives the impression of a very expensive sport.
4. We have too many boat owners and not enough yachties.
5. Prospective boat owners fall in love with the "mystique of sailing" and then buy boats beyond their experience.
6. The Boat owners, due to lack of experience, look for "qualified crew" to compliment their short comings, as they are not competent to show the new crew the ropes nor are they willing to learn together.
7. When qualified crew is hard to come by they lean back and say I cannot find crew.
8. Their expensive boats become floating status symbols at best or floating unkept caravans at worse.
9. Sailing is seen as recreational past time and not as a dedicated sport "so why bother reading the rules".
10. In racing boat owners look for a handicap that takes into account their short coming, rather than looking at the boat's handicap and sailing to that - win or lose.

On the positive side, it is extremely easy to sail, and to find crew is equally as easy. When you hear someone say, "I'd love to go sailing", invite them. We have a few rules on by boat:

1. If we (Owner, skipper and crew) like you we'll invite you again!
2. If you don't like us then don't say "yes" the second time we ask you!
3. The crew is involved in the running and maintenance of the boat, sailing is not only putting up sails and moving through the water, but everything else from motors to servicing ropes. This is the "mystique of sailing"
4. Then we sail, sail, sail, sail and sail some more, and the strange thing about sailing is, the more you sail the more you and your crew learn. Funny we have had the same crew for three years now

Kind Regards
Derek Wilkes