EYES ON THE HORIZON

By Mike Benjamin, SV Exodus, President SDSA

Over the past year, I’ve written quite a bit about how the Salty Dawg Sailing Association continues to evolve.  We’ve expanded our educational offerings, improved our rallies, enhanced our technology with our mobile app, increased visibility, dramatically increased our membership renewal rate and strengthened the connections that make this organization so special.  All of that progress is important.  But at some point, you have to pause, look ahead, and ask a more fundamental question.  Or to put it in terms we can all relate to, from time to time we need to lift our eyes from the chart plotter and look out toward the horizon and ask:  Where are we really headed?

To begin answering that question, I have launched two new initiatives: a Strategic Planning Committee and a Community Service Committee.  Both are now actively meeting, and both are focused on shaping what the Salty Dawgs will look like over the next five years.

Why Now?

Successful organizations like ours don’t stand still.  They either evolve or they slowly lose relevance.  One of the themes that quickly emerged in our first strategic planning discussion was the concept of stagnation.  Not dramatic failure, just a gradual settling into familiar patterns.  Repeating the same rallies.  Relying on the same volunteers. Continuing to do what has worked in the past, without fully adapting to what is changing around us, and change is happening.

Both the world and the sailing community are changing.  Technology is advancing rapidly, from onboard systems to communications to the increasing role of artificial intelligence in navigation, troubleshooting, and decision support.  Weather patterns are becoming less predictable and more intense.  Costs, regulations, and access to cruising destinations continue to evolve.  Perhaps most notably, the profile of the cruising sailor is changing.  More sailors are working remotely from their boats, blending cruising with career rather than waiting for retirement.  At the same time, the composition of the fleet itself is shifting, with catamarans now representing a significant and growing percentage of cruising vessels.  Against that backdrop, it is worth asking whether doing more of the same is enough.

Strategic Planning: Taking a Hard Look Forward

The Strategic Planning Committee has been tasked with developing a clear, actionable five-year plan for the organization.  That includes taking an honest look at what we do well, where we fall short, and what opportunities lie ahead.

We know what our strengths are.  We run high-quality rallies.  We provide valuable education.  We connect sailors.  We foster camaraderie and a sense of community that keeps people coming back.  Those are not small things.

But we also know there is room to improve.  Membership retention, developing new leaders, and converting engagement into long-term participation are all areas that deserve attention.

More importantly, we are asking bigger questions.  What should we be known for in 2030?  Should our rally formats evolve?  Should we run more local (non-ocean passage) rallies?  Should we expand year-round programming?  How do we grow without losing the culture that defines us?

One idea that generated immediate interest was the concept of more regional rendezvous and local rallies.  Years ago, we ran the Delmarva Rally, a circumnavigation that included Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  It was not an offshore passage, and we ultimately moved away from it in favor of blue water rallies.  In hindsight, that may have been a mistake.  Perhaps we should revisit regional rallies in the Chesapeake, Long Island Sound, Penobscot Bay, and beyond.  There is real value in creating opportunities for members to gather regionally, particularly for those who are building experience or who may not yet be ready for offshore passages.  Thoughtfully structured regional events, with both educational and social components, could become an important complement to our offshore rallies and a powerful way to strengthen connections within the membership.

These are exactly the kinds of ideas we will be exploring in the months ahead. 

Community Service: Expanding Our Impact

At the same time, I have formed a Community Service Committee to focus on another important question: how do we give back more meaningfully to the places we visit? 

We have already done some of this.  Our efforts in places like Dominica and Antigua have made a difference. But those efforts have been somewhat episodic. The opportunity now is to become more intentional and more consistent.

The discussion begins with identity.  What do we want to be known for?  “Sailors Helping Sailors” has always been our guiding principle.  The question now is whether we can thoughtfully expand that to include the communities that host us.  Perhaps it is as simple as “Sailors Helping Communities,” or perhaps it is better expressed as a commitment to leave each place better than we found it.

From there, the practical questions follow.  Should we focus on a few locations or many?  Should we develop ongoing relationships rather than one-time projects?  What types of initiatives align with our skills and resources?  Environmental efforts, educational outreach, and targeted infrastructure support have all been discussed.  So has the importance of partnering with local organizations to ensure continuity and real impact.  Perhaps we should do one thing, do it well, and do it consistently.  Several ideas emerged from our first meeting, including exploring a potential partnership with Hope Fleet or becoming known for a particular type of project and then replicating that project across the places we visit.

Like the strategic planning effort, this initiative is just beginning.  But the level of engagement and thoughtfulness already evident in these discussions is encouraging.

An Invitation

Both of these initiatives are, by design, inclusive.  The best ideas rarely come from a single conversation or a single group.  They come from a community.

If you have thoughts about where the Salty Dawgs should be headed, or if you are interested in participating in these efforts, I encourage you to reach out.  You can send your ideas or express your interest at [email protected] or review my original call to action email.  

We have built something special together over the years.  Now we have an opportunity to shape what it becomes next.

I, for one, am very excited about where this is heading.

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