Social boating as identity, challenges and future
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Social boating as identity, challenges and future
José Antonio Morillo-Velarde del Peso, Head of Legal Advisory of State Ports
Alberto Pons, Manager of Club Náutico Can Picafort
Antonio Estades, President of the Balearic Association of Yacht Clubs
Carlos Carmona Gil, President of Real Club Náutico Torrevieja
One of the hottest topics in the sector was put on the table: can traditional yacht clubs survive against the economic power of private marinas?
The economic battle (that clubs cannot win)
Alberto Pons, manager of Club Náutico Can Picafort, went straight to the point with a devastating presentation of numbers that leave no room for doubt: economically, yacht clubs have no chance against marinas.
The data is overwhelming. A club that invoices 1 million euros, with the same berths managed by a private marina, would generate 5 million. And when we talk about larger clubs, the differences skyrocket: where a club invoices 13 million, a marina would reach 41 million.
Why such a brutal difference? Basically because clubs have “heart” expenses:
- Sports: a club should invest at least 10% in sports activity (100,000€ in a 1 million budget). A marina can put in 1 million without breaking a sweat.
- Personnel: clubs maintain 25-30% of expenses in personnel, marinas barely 5%.
- Social commitment: social events, activities, training… it all adds up.
Pons was blunt: “If we move on economic issues, we’re dead. The only way to protect clubs is through the law”.
The concepts we’ve given away
Alberto emphasized three fundamental concepts that clubs have lost or are about to lose:
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Non-profit: it’s not that they shouldn’t make money, but their goal is not economic profit but social and sports service.
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Roots: “We’ve been here for 100 years contributing to society, and now a Finnish fund comes along?” Clubs put down roots, built community, trained athletes. That value has been diluted before the free market Europe.
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Gentrification of the sea: in the Balearics it’s clearly being seen how Balearic citizens are being displaced by foreigners with greater purchasing power. “All for the money”.
The response from the Administration
José Antonio Morillo-Velarde, head of Legal Advisory of State Ports, acknowledged the situation and announced that there is legislative movement:
Four proposals in progress (although pending parliamentary approval):
- Eliminate the valuation of “additional amounts” in competitions where there are traditional sports docks.
- Allow direct granting without competition for entities declared of public utility.
- Avoid the obligation to go to competition when there are more than two competing entities and a yacht club is involved.
- Enhance adjudication criteria that favor social boating and activities of general interest.
But Morillo-Velarde also issued a warning: “Clubs have to dedicate themselves to what they have to dedicate themselves to”. If they’re just a restaurant with some parties and berth rental, they have no justification for being on public domain.
And here comes the key: the declaration of public utility. It’s not enough to be “non-profit”, you have to prove it with:
- More than two years of existence
- Active sports plan
- Annual governance report
- Non-discriminatory access
- Transparency
The reality from the trenches
Carlos Carmona, president of Real Club Náutico de Torrevieja, provided the harshest dose of reality: “I’ve been 20 years without knowing what the Administration wants”.
His club is an example of what social boating should be:
- 560 berths, 1,700 members, 4,000 users
- All fourth-grade children in the municipality spend a week a year at the club
- More than 30% of the budget goes to sports (not the recommended 10%, 30%!)
- Activities with disabled people, local associations, international sports events…
But he’s been requesting renewal or extension of his concession since 2007. He lives in total precariousness, unable to make necessary investments, while two nearby marinas have much better facilities.
His reflection was heartbreaking: “When they tell me here that social boating is super important… I leave with the feeling that they’re making fun of me”.
The Balearic case: laboratory of the future
Antonio Estades, president of the Balearic Association of Yacht Clubs, provided revealing data:
- Yacht clubs manage 80% of boats under 10 meters in the Balearics.
- They are “the guarantors of recreational boating for Balearic residents”.
- They guarantee sustainable berth prices against speculation.
The Balearics are working on a modification of their ports law that will include the concept of public utility, with demanding but clear criteria. And there are dramatic examples of what’s at stake: the Porto Andratx Sailing Club is about to disappear. “It’s going to be a tragedy for Andratx”, Pons stated.
The conclusions (and what lies ahead)
Several things became clear from the debate:
✅ Yacht clubs cannot compete economically with marinas, nor should they try.
✅ The defense must be political and moral: scrupulously fulfill the social and sports function, communicate it well, and pressure for the law to protect that model.
✅ The declaration of public utility is the way, but you have to earn it with real work and transparency.
✅ Communication is key: society (and politicians) must be told everything clubs do.
✅ Local support is fundamental: municipalities and regional governments must be allies because they feel the direct social impact.
✅ Social statutes matter: they must be reviewed to truly reflect the commitment to sports and social function.
As Pons said: “We are a village, not a housing development. And I have nothing against housing developments, but they are two different concepts”.
The challenge is to get the laws to recognize that difference before it’s too late.
Presentation given at the VI Symposium of Yacht Clubs of Spain organized by CEACNA
Participants:
- Alberto Pons, Manager Club Náutico Can Picafort
- José Antonio Morillo-Velarde del Peso, Head of Legal Advisory State Ports
- Antonio Estades, President Balearic Association of Yacht Clubs
- Carlos Carmona Gil, President Real Club Náutico Torrevieja