Changing the boating population

Anybody with a small board with a hydrofoil under it and a bow-up sail to hold in their hands, can experience a very exciting form of sporty pass-time on the water. Wing Sailing is growing in popularity. Less sporty people can enjoy a relaxing rowing trip on the water. Boating does not have to be expensive or exclusive for the healthy and wealthy. Yet, the boating population does not reflect the diversity that occurs in society. Initiatives to change this and provide access for all to boating, have not yet resulted in groups of people from a variation of minorities participating in the yacht clubs and strolling the piers. A growing number of industry leaders is convinced, however, that opening up the yachting world to a more diverse audience is crucial for the future of the industry.

Credibility

“If sail racing remains as white a generation from now as it is today, the sport will be in trouble,” says CEO Victoria Low of the Magenta Project. The Magenta Project is a foundation that supports inclusion of minority groups into the sport of sailing, from small boats to big boats competing in ocean races. In the sport of sail racing, its governing associations as well as in its every training on the water, the structures do not yet exist that could give everyone, regardless of gender, background, or identity, a fair chance to participate, progress, and be protected. Our data proves it. And their absence has real, measurable consequences, not just for the women who experience discrimination or violence, but for the sport itself, which loses talent, credibility, and commercial value every time it fails to act.”

Under-represented

Along with the sport of sail racing, the whole marine industry shows a lack of minority representation. A study by Icomia, the international council of leisure marine industry national business associations, revealed in 2024 that only one third of staff in boating and yachting companies (including specialised suppliers) is female, while even less of the senior staff is female: 28% and only five percent of executive staff is of the female gender. Nobody in the survey by the international organisation checked the box ‘other’ in the choice of gender options beside male or female. The industry providing the boats and yachts for this sector, shows to be quite traditional.

Kings and Counts

The roots of the perhaps somewhat conservative population in leisure boating can be found in the history of yachting. Boating as a leisure pass-time evolved from the days where the ruling class was the only group of people who could afford to have a boat. In the PhD study “Onderscheid moet er zijn” (distinction must be) by Dutch sailor Eerde Beulakker, the history of boating and yachting is told in great detail. Sailing for pleasure originated when kings and counts started to have boats built. From these early beginnings, the boats they built were already called ‘yachts’. Yachts from Royalty and throughout the past century yachts owned by industry executives, have dominated the sector. A far greater extent of luxury has been built into yachts, in comparison with working boats and transport ships, ever since. Today, super yachts dominate the luxury yachting sector. Billionaires have their floating palaces built to demonstrate their wealth in the most extravagant places. Not so much has changed.

The European ruling class, some four hundred years ago, consisted of white men of wealth. The class of superyacht-owning billionaires today, predominantly exhibits the same profile. Will boating be for all?

Working class boating

Again, looking to the history of boating shows that also a group of sailors that enjoy racing and going about in small sailing boats sprouted from the working class. Skippers of Dutch transport barges, who sailed their boats professionally and earned a working man’s wage, used to participate in sail races that were organised by Inn-keepers along the water. As harsh as the barge skipper’s life might have been, the sailing was enjoyed. Prize money could be a welcome extra for the family income. Whole families lived in tiny cabins at the aft end of the transport barges. Additionally, farmers that used boats to transport their crop and cattle to the markets, would also enjoy the trip. During the rare days off work, sailing trips could be done for leisure. But leisure boating really took off in the second half of the twentieth century, when democracies with a social character brought wealth to working classes and cheap materials like glass fibre reinforced polyester were introduced. Boating became available for everyday people. Small open boats were available for day trips, equipped with outboard engines of sails. With an oversee-able period of saving money, a factory labourer could be able to afford a small cabin yacht. The holidays that social democracies created, allowed for sailing holidays on the water.

Past century

Looking at the audience in marinas, observing the visitor profile of boat shows, one must conclude that the people who started boating in the previous century are still the ones owning boats today. And looking at the segment of medium sized cabin yachts, from 30 up to 50 foot of overall length, the skippers are still predominantly men, over 50 years of age, having professions like doctor, lawyer or manager. Some of these avid boaters have passed their passion over to a next generation. Being their offspring, this next generation belongs to a privileged group.

Performance

Awareness grows that boating and the marine industry needs to change.  “Studies have shown that diverse and inclusive companies perform better,” writes Heidi Heseltine of the Diversity Study Group of the Global Maritime Forum. “Industries, including the marine industry, are ramping up efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workforce and reap the rewards – both for the employees and the companies themselves.” Besides the Magenta project, numerous initiatives can be named. In the United States, there are Community Sailing and Community Boating projects in a lot of waterborne towns and cities. These initiatives often rely on individuals that show a lot of stamina in putting together a fleet of boats that become available for young people from groups in society that are often not involved in boating.

Breakfast & Panel

During the upcoming edition of Metstrade, these issues and the positive initiatives will be presented and discussed during the Women in Marine Industry Industry breakfast & panel. In partnership with British Marine, Soundings Trade Only, Marine Industry News and Metstrade, The Women in the Marine Industry International Breakfast offers industry insight, lived experiences and fresh perspectives, brought to life by a panel of female leaders from across the marine industry worldwide. Registration is open.