Yachting New Zealand launches national review
Image courtesy of Yachting New Zealand
Yachting New Zealand, the governing body for the sport of sailing in New Zealand, is undertaking a review of its national membership model and club affiliation fee structure.
The review covers 106 affiliated clubs across New Zealand. It follows a commitment made at the organisation’s annual general meeting last year, where the work was identified as a priority for 2026.
“This is an important piece of work for the sport,” says Yachting New Zealand CEO Steve Armitage, who was appointed in 2025. “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 process will be overseen by a Membership and Affiliation Advisory Group. It will assess the current model and consider potential changes before submitting recommendations to the Yachting New Zealand board ahead of the 2026 annual general meeting.
Any changes approved at the 2026 annual general meeting would take effect the following year.
“We continue to see shifts in participation, pressures on volunteer capacity and changing expectations around how people engage with sport,” Armitage says. “This review is about making sure our systems are fair, transparent and financially sustainable while continuing to support grassroots clubs.”
Areas under review include the membership structure and classification system, the affiliation fee framework, participation outside formal competition, and existing digital and reporting systems. The group will also examine how values-based membership and contribution approaches could be applied.
The advisory group will consider wider factors affecting sailing and community sport participation, including youth pathways, patterns in non-competitive and social sailing, and demand for more flexible membership structures.
The group will be co-chaired by Armitage and Andrew Robertson, a senior manager working in conduct and compliance frameworks for large organisations and a former commodore of Milford Cruising Club. Other members include finance manager, Dave Smith; general manager for community and development, Raynor Haagh; and representatives from affiliated clubs.
Up to four members will be selected from small- to medium-sized clubs across different regions, up to two from larger clubs, and up to three places are reserved for members aged 16 to 30.
Appointments will be made by Armitage in consultation with the Yachting New Zealand board. External specialists may be engaged where required, including in community sport economics, membership systems and governance.
Armitage says the timetable for the review is compressed, with appointments expected by the end of March and work scheduled to begin immediately.
“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,” Armitage says. “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.”
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