Membership

The Victoria Sailing Co-op is accepting new members. 

How to becoming a Victoria Sailing Co-op Member:

  • Step 1: Send an email to info@VictoriaSailingCoop.ca expressing your interest in joining the co-op and maybe tell us a bit about yourself and any sailing experience, if any. You will receive a reply with some more information on the co-op and suggestions on when to meet in person.
  • Step 2: Meet with someone from the co-op at the Oak Bay Marina and have a tour of the boats and maybe have a coffee and chat with some of the other co-op members. This is the chance to get all your questions answered and decide if the co-op is really for you and if so what sort of membership would be best for you.
  • Step 3: If you decide that you would like to join the co-op  then you will be provided with a membership form and waiver to fill out and sign.
  • Step 4: After we have received your membership form and waiver you will then need to pay your membership dues, preferably with an e-transfer but we will also accept cheques and cash. Membership starts on the day the application and waiver forms are signed and approved by the board, and the joining fee and annual membership fee has been received.

The goal of of the co-op is to provide a minimum of 150 hours of day sailing and cruising for members during the prime sailing season April-September while keeping the costs to a minimum by sharing the ownership, upkeep, and expenses of the boats.

 

Members are free to use the boats throughout the year and there is no extra cost if you sail more than 150 hours.

There are three different types of membership:

  • Regular Membership: A single person who, after being checked out, is eligible to sign out boats.
  • Family Membership: A couple living at the same address who will be primarily sailing together may join as a family. Ether member, after being checked out, may sign out a boat. Refer to the SOP for more details.
  • Crew Membership: A single person who is not eligible to sign out boats but may go out on the boats as crew/guest an unlimited number of times.
  • All members are expected to assist in the running of the co-op and maintenance of the boats. Members should plan on contributing 20 hours of work to the co-op over the year. This work can be in the form of working on the boats or performing any of the other administrative work required to run the co-op.
  • Members who would prefer not to take part in the boat maintenance or otherwise contribute their time to the running of the co-op can opt out of the work requirement by paying an addition yearly fee of $200 (10 hours @ $20/hr).

Fees:

  • Annual regular membership: $800
  • Annual family membership: $1,100
  • Annual crew membership: $300
  • One time joining fee for regular and family membership: $400
  • One time joining fee for crew membership: $100

Someone with a crew membership may upgrade to a regular membership at any time at which time the difference in the joining fees will also be due.

 

$800 comes to less than $70/month, you are probably paying more than that for your cell phone!
(And there are no roaming charges.)

 

There is a more extended description of how this co-op works under "About Us".