ICOYC News
May 2021 Survey Results: How ICOYC Clubs Use Fleets
In May 2021, we surveyed ICOYC Member Clubs regarding what types of boats their clubs own and how they use them. We received 17 responses from Members Clubs around the world, representing a wider variety of boat type and fleet size. Two Clubs reported owning a total over 80 boats.
What type of boat does your Club own?
There were 27 different hulls reported. The most common is the J/22—five clubs have them in their fleets.
Below is the full list of boats and the number of ICOYC Clubs that own one:
| J/22 | 5 |
| Sonars | 3 |
| Catalina 37 | 2 |
| Soling | 2 |
| Optis | 2 |
| Lasers | 2 |
| J/70 | 2 |
| Ideal 18s | 2 |
| Vanguard 15 | 2 |
| 420s | 1 |
| 470s | 1 |
| 29er | 1 |
| 49er | 1 |
| Dragon | 1 |
| 2.4mR | 1 |
| SV/14 | 1 |
| Lavranos 26 | 1 |
| Colgate | 1 |
| Eliot 7 | 1 |
| MRX | 1 |
| Phantoms | 1 |
| Far East 28R | 1 |
| Pacer 27 | 1 |
| Tom 28 | 1 |
| Sea Ray 35 | 1 |
| Duffy | 1 |
| RS Feva | 1 |
What are the boats used for?
Every Club reported using their boats for racing, and 15 of 17 Clubs say they also deploy their fleet for Learn to Sail and Women’s Sailing programmes. Family/Casual Use was a common use, and only one Club uses their boats for cruising.
When can members charter a boat?
Within racing, there was a blend of match and team racing reported. Almost all clubs make their boats available for local charter.
How much do you charge members to charter boats?
Charter fees varied from club to club and could be broken down as follows:
- For clubs charging a per-use fee, the rate ranged from $30 (€25) to $200 (€165) per use.
- For clubs utilizing an annual fee model, the range was from $200 (€165) to $3,600 (€3,000) with one club limiting use to 30 periods and others offering unlimited use.
- Two clubs do not allow charters because their boats are exclusively used for racing or training.
- Only one club doesn’t charge members to use their boat (a Vanguard 15), but their J/22s are $30 (€25) per day.
Why these boats?
When questioned on why these fleets were selected, the most common motivators were:
- to meet regatta requirements
- to match Olympic classes
- popularity
- ease of availability
- durability
- suitability for multiple uses
Three clubs said they received them for free or as donations.
It’s notable that, while all clubs are dedicated to racing, most are finding ways to make their boats available for more varied and casual use. It’s likely these vessels are seeing lots of hours on the water and are crucial to delivering value to members.