Torch Lake Sail School Annual Report 2016

Sailing School Committee:  Amy Keller-Chair; Pete Comfort- Board Liaison,  Sallie Foley- Board support; KC Babb- online registration/forms/communication;  Jennifer Fenton- instruction/planning

Program Outline:    2-week Sailing Camp June 27-July 9 (no class on July 4).   9 full days of instruction with 4 classes offered daily

KinderOpti – age 4-6- 1 hour class.    9:00am-10:00am

Youth Learn To Sail / Teen and Adult Learn to Sail  2 hour class   10:15am-12:15pm

Lunch Break/Planning:  12:15-1:00

Butterfly Race Team- 2 hour class  1:00-3:00

Program fees

KinderOpti:  $60 per week

Youth LTS / Adult & Teen LTS:  $100 per week

Race Team:  $100 per week

Volunteers:

Thanks in large part to appropriate paid staffing and a few key volunteers, very little parent involvement was needed.   Parents assisted as needed upon request.   1 Full-Time Volunteer (Phil Drick).

Donations:

Butterfly and BIC on loan from Art and Cathy Brereton

BIC on loan from Foley/Lorimer families

Coach’s boat on loan for 2-weeks from Tripp Benyon

Butterfly Hull and sail donated by Lath and Whitney Keller

Butterfly hull donated by Kara and Ely Thompson

Butterfly, sail, and cover donated by Arlene Lueck Family

Knot Boards- Bill Christensen

Certificate Art-  Annie and Sharron Lerew

2016 Registration/Participation:  

35 Participants  (Down from previous year due to increase in tuition and calendar/scheduling; No adults)

13 participated in 1 week; 22 participated in 2 weeks  

Registration Breakdown:

KinderOpti:  9

Youth LTS:    14

Teen/Adult LTS:       3

Race Team:              9

History of participation:

2011-  50  youth and adult registrants over 1 month

2012-  27 youth registrants over 2 weeks

2013-    45  students registered   (some students attended more than 1 class per day, participant numbers below reflect the # of students in each class after adjustments were made on day 1-3)

2014-   48 Total –  41 Youth; 7 Adults

2015-  45 Total;  41 youth, 4 adults

2016-  35 Total Youth and Teens

2016 Financials:

 

Annual starting budget:             $1,500

Boat Replacement                      $8,000

Registration Income:                  $5180   

 

Expenses:                             Payroll:  $3146

                                                Boats:  $4,750

    *Equipment $1183 (includes marine radios, boat tack/hardware)

                                                Class materials/Misc:  $250

• Equipment expense total to be updated upon receipt of final purchases/invoices

Anticipated costs over next 5 years:

Replacement of 6 Optis at $2500/each

Maintaining Club Butterflies/adding dollies:  $4,000 over next 5 years.

Wages:  $4,000-$6,000 annually (club members are requesting more sail school offerings throughout the summer).

Operating expenses, fuel, safety boats, safety equipment:  $2,000 annually.

Inflatable Coach’s Boat is needed for safety (currently borrowing a member’s boat)   $5,000 for a used boat.

Adding Open BICs:  $4,000 each  (BIC is in HIGH demand, discussion continues re: how many club should own.  Currently own 2 with 2 additional on loan).

Income Options:  

Registration income $5,000-$6,000 annually.  (Income down in 2016 due to tuition increase lowering participation).

Options for increasing income include raising membership dues to allow for additional club support; raising tuition (show to decrease participation); member donations.
With these projections, the program will run an average shortfall of $7000/ year or $35000 for the next 5 years.

Based upon discussion, comments, and questions we have received from membership over the past month, the committee is recommending that we explore the possibility of organizing our sailing school as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in order to increase income to Sail School without raising membership dues while encouraging increased participation and community outreach. 

Equipment Update

Opti:  TLYCC owns 8 Optis (7 on-site; 1 used fiberglass Opti in excellent condition to be delivered fall 2016) Optis are used primarily for clinic; very little Opti use for fun sailing- kids are choosing BICs.

Splash:   3 Splash to be donated to HWH or sold by Fall 2016

Club Bfly:   Club owns 3 working Bfly + 1 damaged hull (to be disposed of).  Club Bflys are used in clinic and racing and fun sailing almost daily.

BIC:  Club owns 2 Open BIC- both BICS plus 2 on-loan have seen daily use (approx 2-3 hours of use each day; some days have seen over a dozen youth out sailing for fun)

Travel Trailer:  The club travel trailer was used for Bfly Nationals and will make the trip to WMYA.  Club trailer will store all club Bflys over the winter.   Trailer spent the winter in the Rand/Keller pole-barn.

What’s Next

Look for a way to continue offering the paid position of Sailing Mentor during the prime sailing weeks. This position was funded this year through a 1 time grant.    Sailing Mentors duties included:  maintaining club sailboats, assisting adults and youth with rigging and launching of boats, encouraging sailing participation in club races and fun sailing, safety staff assistance, coaching and teaching sailing, race management assistance.

• Continue to increase participationin all club sailing activities. We are currently enjoying growth in all club racing fleets with strong interest in adding Laser, BIC, and Opti racing.  Women’s Fleet has returned with  11 ladies taking to the water, many for the very first time.   FUN sailing is stronger than ever.  We have seen as many as 13 youth and teens out playing in the BICS in one day.

A committee has been formed in order to explore ways in which we can sustain and responsibly grow our program with the mission of continuing to increase overall participation in all club sailing activities.    This committee includes the following members:     Art Brereton, Pete Comfort, Dan Crites, Phil Drick, Amy Keller, Dan Lorimer, Stacy Truesdell, Barb VanPelt, and Commodore Sallie Foley 

An information meeting has been scheduled on Friday August 19^th.  Our guest speaker will be Doug McNeil.  Doug is an attorney and a lifelong member at WLYC.  Doug has extensive experience with setting up 501(c)3 Sail Schools for WMYA yacht clubs and he is volunteering his time to assist us.    We invite the club membership to attend the meeting.  Members are also encouraged to share comments and questions with members of the committee in person or via e-mail.