BOATS - Let's Get More On The Water! Blog
Boat Mentorship - By Bob Astrove
Do any of these scenario’s sound familiar?
Your fleet has some new people or crews potentially interested in moving up. You have some older boats in the area that could be available at low cost or no cost. Or you’ve got that old skipper who just needs a little help getting the boat back into sailing shape.
How can you help? Make it fun. You don’t have to be handy w’ tools, and it need not cost a lot of money.
It may help to make it a fleet or group project. It’s best that the beneficiary of the boat is a big part of it but encourage others to join in also. We do this virtually in the Classic Lighting group with internet, photos, and zooms. But it would be so much easier at the local fleet level where face to face and hands on is possible.
I find that most people are much more interested in a future for their old family Lightning than the money they might get for it. But these aren’t typically the boats that are advertised on the class website. They are the ones sitting on your club property unused or covered in former members’ back yards. Not really for sale, but if asked will often become available for nothing or little money. Especially if you explain you are trying to use the boat as a “fleet builder.” My own fleet has helped two 20 somethings get into low-cost competitive boats in the past few years. Both boats have won races this year... Read the Full Blog Post |