UBC Sailing Club

What UBC Sailing Club does

UBC Sailing Club is a not-for-profit membership organization operating from Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded circa 1960. It is the largest not-for-profit sailing club in Canada and the largest club at the Jericho Sailing Centre facility, serving both UBC students and non-student community members. The club provides instructional programs and unlimited member access to sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) across a fleet of over 80 vessels including F18 and Hobie 16 catamarans, RS Quest and RS500 dinghies, Lasers, kayaks, windsurfing boards, and SUP boards.

The core product is a unified membership program granting unlimited access to the fleet, supplemented by tiered instructional courses ranging from beginner sailing ($185 for four sessions) through advanced windsurfing foiling, catamaran racing, and Paddle Canada-aligned kayaking certification. Add-on revenue streams include private lessons, proficiency assessments, a peer mentoring program, merchandise sales (wetsuits and apparel at wholesale member prices), and recurring community events such as Toolbox Thursdays and Full Moon paddles. The entire operation runs on Wild Apricot membership management software, with member communication handled through Discord and an email newsletter. Marketing is community-led, relying on the website, events calendar, and word-of-mouth within the Jericho Sailing Centre community.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues (subscription) and transactional lesson and merchandise fees. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via online registration through the Wild Apricot platform, with all activity occurring at the single Jericho Sailing Centre facility. Dual membership in both UBC Sailing Club and the Jericho Sailing Centre Association (JSCA) is required, creating a structural gating mechanism. The organization is independently governed by its membership and steering committee, with no parent company, venture capital, or holding entity.

Name

UBC Sailing Club

Legal name

UBC Sailing Club

Website

https://ubcsailing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UBC Sailing Club is a not-for-profit sailing club in Vancouver, BC, offering affordable lessons and unlimited member access to sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding across an 80+ vessel fleet at Jericho Sailing Centre. It serves UBC students and community members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing & Water Sports Club Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Marinas (71393)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater & Paddle Sports Centers (Rafting, Kayak, SUP, Canoe) (THAAAKAF), Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK)

Keywords

• Sailing lessons
• Windsurfing instruction
• Boating club membership
• Kayaking courses
• Stand up paddleboarding

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual/seasonal membership fees providing unlimited access to 80+ boats, kayaks, and boards for members. Both student and non-student memberships available.
2. Lesson Fees: Fee-based instructional courses including Beginner Sailing ($185), Advanced Sailing A1 ($120), Catamaran courses, Windsurfing, Kayaking, and SUP lessons. Format varies from single sessions to multi-weekend courses.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of club merchandise including wetsuits, shirts, hats, and lanyards at wholesale prices for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UBC Sailing Club is a not-for-profit community sailing club that provides members with structured lessons and unlimited access to sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding at Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver. The offering centers on an annual/seasonal membership (paired with required JSCA membership) granting access to a fleet of 80+ boats and boards, supplemented by fee-based instructional courses from beginner through advanced levels and member-priced merchandise.

Product overview

UBC Sailing Club is a not-for-profit community organization operating from Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver, BC. The club offers a unified membership program providing unlimited access to over 80 boats, kayaks, and boards for sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. The core instructional offerings include progressive lesson programs across all water sports (Sailing with levels from Beginner through Advanced including catamaran and skiff sailing; Windsurfing from L1 to L3 including racing and foiling; Kayaking from beginner to intermediate/tripping; and SUP orientation). These are complemented by add-on services including private lessons, mentoring, proficiency assessments, Toolbox Thursday maintenance sessions, and organized community events including Full Moon paddles, regattas, and overnight expeditions. The club also sells merchandise including wetsuits and apparel at wholesale member prices. The entire operation is powered by Wild Apricot membership software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual/seasonal membership providing members with unlimited access to 80+ sailboats, catamarans, kayaks, windsurfing boards, and stand-up paddleboards at Jericho Sailing Centre. Both student and non-student tiers are offered; JSCA membership is also required.
• Sailing Lessons

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Jericho Sailing Centre Association (JSCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club operates as the largest club at Jericho Sailing Centre. Both UBCSC membership and JSCA membership are required for participation. The facility is located on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Kitsilano Yacht Club: Vancouver sailing club offering dinghy and keelboat instruction, racing, and member boat access. Directly comparable to UBC Sailing Club in target market, member base, and instructional offerings along the Vancouver waterfront.
• Vancouver Kayak Club: Vancouver-based kayak paddling club offering instruction, trips, and member access. Directly comparable to UBC Sailing Club's kayak program in target market and instructional structure, and competes for the same Lower Mainland paddler demographic.
• Royal Vancouver Yacht Club: Established Vancouver-area yacht and sailing club offering sailing instruction, racing, and reciprocal club access. Directly comparable to UBC Sailing Club as a membership-based sailing organization serving the same Vancouver market with overlapping lesson and racing programs.
• False Creek Yacht Club: Vancouver-based sailing and yacht club providing sailing instruction, racing leagues, and member access programs. Comparable in mission and structure to UBC Sailing Club as another Lower Mainland sailing membership organization.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Canadian Yacht Club: Large, established Canadian yacht club with full-service sailing instruction, racing, and member facilities in Toronto. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering sailing education and member access, though operating in a different geography and at a larger scale than UBC Sailing Club.

Regional players

• Squamish Windsports Society: BC-based windsurfing and kiteboarding organization near Squamish offering instruction and member access. Comparable to UBC Sailing Club's windsurfing program in discipline and BC regional market, but serves a different primary geographic area.

Others

• Jericho Sailing Centre Association (JSCA): The host facility at which UBC Sailing Club operates and a required secondary membership for UBCSC members. Comparable as the operating ecosystem (other clubs at JSCA serve overlapping sailing/windsurfing instruction segments) and as a strategic dependency rather than direct competitor.
• Sail Canada: National governing body for sailing in Canada that certifies instructors and defines curriculum standards. Comparable as the overarching ecosystem for sailing instruction that UBC Sailing Club operates within and aligns its certification pathways to.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ubcsailing
• Facebookfacebook.com/ubcsailing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UBC Sailing Club