We are in a boat in the middle of Dianshan Lake, a vast stretch of water 45 minutes drive from downtown Shanghai, when all of a sudden the engine cuts out and we begin drifting gently along into a dead calm.

 

 

The waters sparkle in the afternoon sun. Two sailing enthusiasts enjoy the tranquil moment in the middle of the Dianshan Lake.

 

"Listen," says skipper Alistair Skinner, "can you hear that? No traffic, no horns, no noise of the city anywhere -- this is what sailing is really about: pure tranquility."

 

His eyes twinkle in thought as he surveys the silent horizon far ahead. The waters sparkle in the afternoon sun. Nothing more needs to be said.

 

Moments like these lie at the very core of what makes the Shanghai Boat and Yacht Club (SBYC) unique. It is a non-profit organization, founded in 2001 by a small group of sailing enthusiasts who found themselves landlocked in the city, yet wishing for open water. 

 

Their mission was simple: to create a community of sailors living in the city and to promote the activity of sailing to newcomers. In doing so, they also happened to create a club with no commercial or political motive, and soon found themselves surrounded by eager people from all walks of life who wished to try out their sea legs -- many for the very first time.

 

"We are one of a kind," says Rick Bland, the commodore for the SBYC. "Other companies just want to make money and hire out their yachts. What we want to do is bring people together who love sailing and to encourage new people to get involved."

 

And by getting involved, Bland doesn't just mean turning up on Sunday morning, when the club members regularly meet, and then taking a leisurely coach ride out to the Dianshan Lake, the 76 square kilometers freshwater lake in the Qingpu District of the city. Far from it.

 

The SBYC wants people to become passionate about sailing, to get stuck in with the chores on maintenance days, to learn the ropes of sail racing, to understand the necessity of safety, and to meet up for their monthly pub evenings and membership dinners.

 

Since its inception, the SBYC now has members from many different backgrounds, and rotating positions are offered within the club, from social secretaries and bosons (those responsible for a fleet of boats) to trainers and PR representatives.

 

"We encourage interaction," Bland said. "We have English members, Chinese members, French, German and Italian members. We have young and old, families and singles. Everybody is welcome and everybody can take part. And just think, 10 minutes from now, when we get out on the water, all your troubles will be forgotten, all your stress will disappear, and you'll find yourself in a different world. What other activity in Shanghai can guarantee that?"

 

What other, indeed.

 

A genuine spirit of camaraderie exists at the club that seems distinctly absent from other sports-related social clubs. There is a warm generosity in the air as the members gather at the Shanghai Water Sports Center, opened by the government in 1983, for sloppy sausage sandwiches and foul-tasting coffee, and there is also a visible affection between the sailors. Perhaps this spirit exists because, for all its thrills and exhilarating pleasures, sailing remains a risky sport.

 

 

Rick Bland (right), the commodore for the Shanghai Boat and Yacht Club, is sailing on the Dianshan Lake near Shanghai.

 

The SBYC, which is affiliated with the International Sailing Federation, is always aware of the dangers.

 

"The weather is everything to a sailor," says Peter Schlienkemp, an experienced seaman who sails his catamaran on most weekends. "You can get lost on the Dianshan Lake, and capsize, and then how long can you remain in the water? One hour? Two hours at most? So safety is everything."

 

Nobody is allowed to climb aboard any of the club's 20 dinghies or racing boats without first being provided with a personal flotation device, or lifejacket. And seasoned sailors are never out of sight.

 

When presented with the argument that sailing, and yachting in particular, is seen by most of the public as a "gentleman's sport", and an expensive one at that, Bland is keen to dispel the myths.

 

"There is some truth that it is an exclusive sport," he admits, "but you certainly do not need to be rich to enjoy sailing. Our club works out to be very inexpensive because it is run entirely by volunteers and we strive to keep the fees down as much as possible."

 

The fees, to be fair, seem honest and affordable. Considering the SBYC is a non-profit enterprise, there is a joining fee of 500 yuan (US$65), which goes into the general upkeep of the boats and facilities. A single annual membership is 2,000 yuan (US$260), while a family membership is 3,000 yuan (US$390) for up to four people. Students can also get a 1,000 yuan (US$130) discount with a valid ID card.

 

The club is eager to encourage more Chinese people to join in. "The expatriate community can be quite transient in a city like Shanghai," explains Bland, who has lived and worked in Asia for many years, "but we hope that Chinese people will take up at least 20 percent of our membership within the next five years." 

 

Although recreational sailing in Shanghai dates back to the 19th century, modern sailing has become an attractive leisure activity in China over the past decade.

 

The recent 2007 Shanghai Boat Show demonstrated that the demand for yachts, as well as sailing equipment and ocean know-how, has grown steadily across the Chinese mainland's seaboards. There has been much talk about growing the Yangtze Delta Region into a world-class marina, with Shanghai as its central hub.

 

"In some cases, people have the wrong impression that China is only interested in the luxury end of the market," says Bland, who recently registered the SBYC in Hong Kong as a legal entity. "However, with this interest comes all kinds of support and development from many different levels of sailing, from the 41-meter motor yachts to the 6-meter dinghy. It will be the consumer that decides how the market evolves."

 

The SBYC is convinced that sailing will grow in China, and especially in Shanghai. The questions are, how and when?

 

"Ten years ago, people would never have imagined that China would be hosting the Olympic Games in 2008, therefore the only thing we can be sure of is that change is in the air for sailing."

 

Experience of the water is what it's all about. As skipper Skinner starts up the engine again and heads for land, he recalls a magical memory. "Sometimes," he says, "you can be out here at night on the open waters, miles away from anywhere, and above your head will be a sky of glittering stars." He draws slowly on his cigarette, then turns the wheel with a single word: "Perfection."

 

By Jake Hamilton

 

(China Daily May 22, 2007)