National sailing body begins membership review
Yachting New Zealand has begun a review of its national membership model and club affiliation fee structure, signalling that the organisation wants to reassess how sailing clubs connect with the national body.
The review will examine whether the current system still reflects the realities facing the organisation’s 106 affiliated clubs across the country.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Armitage said the work comes at a time when many clubs are experiencing change in how people participate in sailing.
“This is an important piece of work for the sport,” Armitage said.
“The landscape for sailing and boating clubs is changing, and we want to ensure our membership and affiliation model reflects the realities clubs are facing while supporting the long term health of the sport.”
The commitment to conduct the review was confirmed at the organisation’s AGM late last year, where it was identified as a priority for 2026.
Advisory group to examine affiliation structure
The review will be guided by a Membership and Affiliation Advisory Group, which will assess the strengths and limitations of the current model before exploring possible alternatives.
Its findings will be presented to the Yachting New Zealand Board ahead of the 2026 AGM.
Should the Board and member clubs agree to any changes at that meeting, they would come into force the following year.
The advisory group will operate within a tight timeframe, meeting several times between now and the end of June.
Armitage said the aim is to ensure the structure remains workable for clubs while continuing to support the wider sailing community.
“We continue to see shifts in participation, pressures on volunteer capacity and changing expectations around how people engage with sport,” he said.
“This review is about making sure our systems are fair, transparent and financially sustainable while continuing to support grassroots clubs.”
Areas under examination
Several elements of the current system will be examined during the review.
These include how membership categories are defined, how club affiliation fees are structured, and how participation in sailing is recorded and reported nationally.
The advisory group will also consider the role of non racing participation, acknowledging that a significant amount of sailing activity now occurs outside formal competition.
Youth pathways, digital membership systems, and participation data will also form part of the work.
Together, these areas are intended to help Yachting New Zealand understand how people currently engage with sailing and how that engagement may continue to change in the future.
Advisory group membership
The review group will be co chaired by Steve Armitage and Andrew Robertson, who has served as commodore of Milford Cruising Club for the past five years and works professionally in the development and implementation of conduct and compliance frameworks.
They will be joined by Yachting New Zealand Finance Manager Dave Smith and General Manager Community and Development Raynor Haagh.
Additional members will be drawn from affiliated clubs to ensure a range of perspectives.
Up to four representatives will come from small to medium sized clubs, while larger clubs will have up to two representatives.
Two to three positions are also reserved for young sailors aged between 16 and 30, ensuring the review reflects the experiences of younger participants.
External specialists may also be consulted where relevant, particularly in areas such as membership systems, community sport economics and governance.
Clubs encouraged to contribute
Yachting New Zealand has invited people with relevant experience to apply to join the advisory group, with expressions of interest closing at 5pm on Wednesday 25 March 2026.
Armitage said the organisation hopes the review will benefit from strong input from clubs across the country.
“Even for those who aren’t ultimately appointed to the advisory group, there will still be opportunities to provide feedback and contribute to the review as it progresses,” he said.
“We’re keen to get a diverse range of voices involved, particularly from clubs themselves. The aim is to build a model that genuinely reflects participation in sailing and works for clubs of all sizes.”
Appointments to the advisory group are expected to be confirmed by the end of March, with work beginning immediately thereafter.
