Sailing Clubs Can Help Float Your Boat

Most people have heard the lament "a sailboat's a hole in the water into which you throw money." It's not just the cost of buying a boat, it's the maintenance: slip fees, bottom paint, blister repairs, sails, new lines and rigging, engine repairs, insurance, boat towing, the list goes on and on.

You can, however, enjoy many of the benefits of a sailboat without sinking your bank account by joining one of the area clubs that maintain a fleet of vessels.

One such organization, the Downtown Sailing Center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, is a nonprofit group whose boats are all donated. Annual fees range from $450 to $650 for access to day sailers and $750 to $800 for larger overnight sailboats, or cruisers. Members are expected to donate elbow grease to help fix and maintain the boats. The club also has an outreach program targeting inner-city youths as well as disabled sailors, which can be a huge plus for more-advanced sailors who want to combine an interest in sailing with community service.

For those who simply want to pay and sail, the Getaway Sailing Club, also in the Inner Harbor, might be a better option. Since the club doesn't receive free labor from its members, it charges a good deal more for day sailing and for cruisers. But it's still a deal considering that the annual cost for full access to the club's four cruisers -- $4,920 -- is about what you would pay just to keep and insure a boat in the Inner Harbor for a year.

If you like to fly first class, you should check out J/Port Sailing Club in Annapolis. The club's sailing fleet is made up exclusively of J/Boats, high-end, well-crafted vessels designed for racing. J/Port fees, however, are more expensive: Day sailers cost $2,665 a year and cruisers, $5,840.

In addition to the larger clubs, there are a number of grass-roots sailing clubs in the area. Many are hard to locate and contact since they're generally volunteer-based and don't have an office. The plus side is that they're often the least expensive option, since their fleet size and services are limited. One example is the Sailing Club of Washington, located at the Washington Sailing Marina just south of Reagan National Airport. The club has four 19-foot day sailboats and three cruisers. Annual costs are $135 to $195, depending on size of boat.

All of the clubs offer lessons, and all require a test before they allow unsupervised sailing. Whichever club you choose, you're sure to spend a lot less than if you had bought a boat. And if you're just getting started, clubs are the way to go. You'll discover whether you really like sailing, and you'll have a much better idea of the kind of boat that suits your needs.

If you're trying to decide whether to join a club or purchase a boat, it might help to consider another proverb: "The two greatest days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it."

The sailing season is April through October, but these clubs make a small number of boats available to members during the winter months.

DOWNTOWN SAILING CENTER 1425 Key Hwy., Suite 110, Baltimore. 410-727-0722.http://www.downtownsailing.orgorsailing@downtownsailing.org.

GETAWAY SAILING 2700 Lighthouse Point, Suite 905, Baltimore. 410-342-3110.http://www.getawaysailing.comorinfo@getawaysailing.com.

J/PORT SAILING CLUB 213 Eastern Ave., Annapolis. 410-280-2038.http://www.jportannapolis.com/j_clubhttp://orinfo@jportannapolis.com.

SAILING CLUB OF WASHINGTON Washington Sailing Marina, Alexandria.http://www.scow.orgorinfo@scow.org.