The Landings' Rhodes 19 Sailing Club Is a Model for Sailing on a Budget

Sailing on a budget has found a welcome home at The Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah,
Georgia. The purchase of a boat has traditionally meant the beginning of paying for storage, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, upgrades and repairs, insurance and other expenses. If you divide the annual expense by the number of times you actually sail, it can make you twice (or more) about taking that first step.

However, the sailors at The Landings have found the solution—the Rhodes 19 Sailing Club—and the result has enabled them to enjoy both recreational and competitive sailing with minimal expense for the past six years.

Getting Started
It all started in the fall of 2002 when Mike Rouzee, a Landings resident and long-time sailor, was serving as the Commodore of The Landings Yacht Club. He saw the pent up demand for inexpensive sailing and he put together a proposal and presented it to the community’s governing body, The Landings Association.

If they would purchase the boats he was sure that a number of residents would pay a monthly fee to use them, and that the monies collected would be sufficient to repay The Association. He estimated that 11 members would be the break-even point.

The Rhodes 19 Fits the Bill
The Association agreed, and appropriated $25,000 to purchase the boats. Mike had selected the keel model Rhodes 19 because of its stability, sail plan, and availability. Although the design is over 50 years old, the boats are still in new production and there is a lively used boat and equipment market.

By the summer of 2003 The Landings Rhodes 19 Sailing Club had acquired seven boats, keeping within the budget, and had approximately 30 dues paying members. The dues structure was critical, with five separate categories ranging from Student (at $20/month) to Resident (at $55/month). A seasonal rate was also initiated for those who summer elsewhere, and a Single Head of Household rate for those in that situation.

Every effort was made to lower the barriers to participation. Today there are still about 30 members, contributing almost $20,000 in annual dues. Even with the $9,000 annual expense budget, The Landings Association sees an excellent return on their investment.

An Active Calendar
And what about the sailing? Well, it’s been active and fun-filled. The Club organizes regularly scheduled races every weekend year round, alternating Saturdays and Sundays. Members indicate if they plan on participating that weekend and the coordinator assigns them to a crew and a hull for the day. Each week you are likely to see changes.

The races are run according to the Racing Rules of Sailing, but the protests are likely to be heard on the dock afterwards, beers in hand, amid loud “clarifications” of the rules. Good sailing and good comradeship. In addition, there is a recreational sail each Thursday for those who wish to practice their skills outside of competition, or who simply want to enjoy an outing on the water. Members are also invited to use the boats at any other time.

Membership in the Rhodes 19 Sailing Club is open to all residents of The Landings. You can get a better idea of the program by viewing the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIB657ROd8U or by going to the Landings Rhodes 19 website at http://home.comcast.net/~dhealy917/site/?/home/.

Or better yet, visit the community and sail. You will receive a warm welcome.

About The Landings
Located just 12 miles from historic Savannah on a 6,500-acre barrier island off Georgia’s emerald coast, The Landings on Skidaway Island is the recipient of the Urban Land Institute’s coveted Award for Excellence. Its extensive list of amenities includes two full-service marinas, six championship golf courses designed by masters like Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills and Willard Byrd, four swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and 40 miles of walking and biking trails.