Dear readers,

The world of sailing is a village, you might think. An island of bliss? Not quite. Russian warships in the home waters, rising sea levels, exploding costs - even the most beautiful pastime in the world is not spared the crises of our time.

And so the next challenge that is already looming on the horizon is hardly surprising: demographic change. A topic that will certainly occupy me as a reporter more often in the coming years. Because yes, it's hard to believe - even sailors are getting older. And at some point, too old to sail.

Karsten Stahlhut, Managing Director of the German Maritime Industries Association, recently gave me some figures that made me sit up and take notice. The average sailor is 62 years old, two years older than in 2015, and retires at the age of 75.

This is primarily a problem from an economic point of view. Fewer sailors means less demand. While some people may be happy about more space in harbours or cheaper used boats, this means tangible problems for the industry.

To prevent the sailing world from shrinking, there needs to be a replacement - one newcomer for every dropout. However, a look at the birth rates of recent decades shows that this calculation does not work out. If the entry rate remains the same, the curve points steeply downwards.

Nevertheless, the sport of sailing is not alone in its concerns about young talent. Political parties, training organisations, cultural institutions, media companies - the same picture everywhere. An entire society is racking its brains, so far in vain.

So what to do? One possible answer is to keep it simple. Get people on the water. The fascination will come naturally. But it's not quite that easy. When it comes to sailing, the barriers to entry are high. If you don't have access to people in your family or circle of friends, it becomes even more difficult.

Your own boat? Quickly goes beyond the financial framework. Which licence is the right one? Many people's heads are spinning with these thoughts before they have even set foot on board.

Consumer behaviour has also changed. Free time used to revolve around the boat - its maintenance and a trip to the Danish South Seas. Today, people want to be flexible: To Mallorca in winter, hiking in Italy in spring and travelling to Norway in a camper van in summer. The boat? No longer fits into the programme. Too much effort, too little time, too expensive anyway.

But there are also answers to this. Keyword: sharing models. And I don't just mean charter companies. The traditional sailing clubs have been doing nothing else for decades.

From schoolchildren to pensioners, they get everyone out on the water without anyone needing their own boat. The winter work? Spread over many hands. And it also creates a sense of community. A sense of togetherness as a bonus, so to speak. Sailing is better together anyway.

The prejudice that sailing clubs are only for elite circles is long gone. Sure, they still exist, the exclusive clubs. But there is also a colourful landscape of clubs: youth clubs, academic clubs, senior citizens' clubs. Ice sailors, cruising sailors, traditional boating. There is something for every preference and every budget - you just have to find the right one.

And for those who are struggling with social or physical barriers, the offer is constantly growing. The Turning Point Foundation promotes inclusion through sailing. It brings people with and without disabilities together and helps clubs to develop appropriate programmes. It is just one example of many.

Those who shy away from membership fees or club membership can find alternatives at the countless sailing schools in the country. A week of taster sailing, skipper training, training cruises - the table is generously laid. Both in and out of the harbour: Where there is water, there is also a sailing school or a club.

I think that when we talk about demographic change, it is precisely these players who need to be at the table. The offer is there. You just have to show it. Make interested people aware of the many paths that already lead into the world of sailing.

It is pleasing to see that this is already happening. At boot Düsseldorf, industry representatives came together to put the topic on the agenda. A good step. We need more of this. Not in ten years' time, when the current generation has left the boat, but now.

In times of overwhelming crises, I have hope for the world of sailing. The solutions are ready, we just need to utilise and develop them.

Fabian Boerger

YACHT editor

P.S.: Finally, I would like to know how you got into sailing. (Please select the most appropriate answer)

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