March 24, 2026

Last week I received an email about a new initiative from Performance Sailcraft that aims to tackle one of the biggest barriers in grassroots sailing: the upfront cost of dinghy ownership.

The company has launched “Magic”, a new financing program designed to make dinghy racing more affordable for sailors and clubs. The model allows customers to acquire a new boat with a 30% initial payment followed by 24 interest-free instalments, with the option to buy, trade up, or return the boat at the end of the term.

The programme has been developed by Nick Ogden, Chairman of Performance Marine Group, and it is designed to help clubs modernise fleets while making participation more accessible from club sailors through to Olympic competition.

Magic also includes free insurance via Navigators & General and structured resale pathways designed to support fleet refresh and long-term value retention.

The professional sales people in our business know that for many buyers, the monthly payment is the “price” – not the total. And, this plan goes further to allow a few options for trading up or even returning the boat at the end of the contract.

The actual price may not be any less expensive but it gets the boat out there and helps clubs to get young people sailing, probably with instruction.

The program also reduces the size of the commitment if owners can return the boat after the 24 payments have been made in the event that they don’t like sailing, are not good at it, or whatever.

I see a similar situation with the boat rental organizations – for a comparatively modest investment, a new boater can try it out, enjoy a nice, new boat that would have been a hundred-thousand-dollar commitment otherwise and generally, the rental organization also offers boat handling and boating safety education.

So, there are creative solutions to the cost of boating and we certainly should promote these pathways with more enthusiasm. They are clearly a way to promote boating at more affordable prices.

Andy Adams – Editor