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Lean to sail program ends

Gibsons Yacht Club

For many years, the Gibsons Yacht Club has run a Learn-to-Sail program (LTS) during the summer.

It has given a host of youngsters the opportunity to mess around in boats and learn how to sail, and it has also provided a daily spectacle for everyone as the colourful dinghies whiz enthusiastically around outside the breakwater, occasionally dumping their occupants in the water.

Maintaining the program has meant many hours of volunteer time on the part of club members and a preparedness of the club to stand behind the endeavour financially.

“Unfortunately, the last two years of the LTS program have been a financial disaster, with the club footing the bill to the tune of around $30,000,” said Tim Anderson, commodore of the Gibsons Yacht Club. “This is not something we are prepared to continue, nor can we afford to.”

In common with other clubs on the Coast, the Yacht Club is experiencing a demographic shift where new members are the recently-retired rather than younger people and families.

“We have been very reliant on volunteers, but frankly, we can no longer get our members to put in the enormous amount of hours required to run a successful program,” Anderson said.

At its last board meeting, the club decided to abandon the 2015 program and place the equipment in storage.

“This is an interim step. The intention is to dispose of the assets — preferably to be used on the Coast for a similar program or, failing that, to sell the equipment to other sail training programs in B.C.,” Anderson said.

The LTS assets include 19 dinghies (Optimist, Pico, Laser and Laser 2s) with extra sails and spars, five inflatable tenders (three with outboard engines), four custom floats, trailer, racks and many ancillary items.

Anyone interested in acquiring the LTS assets can contact Tim Anderson directly at timanderson@dccnet.com.