Some interesting statistics on Snowmobiling

[Doug]

https://www.snowmobile.org/snowmobiling-statistics-and-facts.html

[Sled_Hed]

$26 billion annually economic impact in the US is nothing to sneeze at.  I Especially like the $3 million for charity as well.

[mnstang]

20 hours ago, Sled_Hed said:

$26 billion annually economic impact in the US is nothing to sneeze at.  I Especially like the $3 million for charity as well.

That's like what, 10-20% of a super corrupt proxy "war" that we should not be involved in?

 

[Doug]

What I don't like is the average age of 54.  Need some younger blood coming in

[Sled_Hed]

5 minutes ago, Doug said:

What I don't like is the average age of 54.  Need some younger blood coming in

Yep. I'd almost wage that the average age of the guys maintaining the trails is higher than that as well.

[mnstang]

1 hour ago, Doug said:

What I don't like is the average age of 54.  Need some younger blood coming in

I think it goes up a year every year, if that tells you anything 

[800renegaderider]

2 hours ago, Doug said:

What I don't like is the average age of 54.  Need some younger blood coming in

It be interesting to see if the age is as high in the atv/sxs/dirtbike market. I feel it’s likely much lower than 54. Snowmobiling is a very hard sport to justify the cost. 

[Not greg b]

2 hours ago, Doug said:

What I don't like is the average age of 54.  Need some younger blood coming in

The fact that only 55,000 snowmobiles were sold in the us. That is a low number

[yamadan700]

I'm the young guy in our club at 55. Most are mid 60's to mid 70's. Even on big volunteer call outs for a bridge replacements, tree removal after storms, etc, most of the time I'm the young guy. Most of the other clubs in the area are in the same boat. Our groomer operators are all in their 60's. Most of our executive board are wearing multiple hats.

 

Went to the OFSC AGM last year and the average age was probably in the 60's.

 

I foresee another 5-10 good years and then I think the system will fall apart without some young people getting involved. Sad after all the effort we all have put in for years.

[Doug]

10 hours ago, yamadan700 said:

I'm the young guy in our club at 55. Most are mid 60's to mid 70's. Even on big volunteer call outs for a bridge replacements, tree removal after storms, etc, most of the time I'm the young guy. Most of the other clubs in the area are in the same boat. Our groomer operators are all in their 60's. Most of our executive board are wearing multiple hats.

 

Went to the OFSC AGM last year and the average age was probably in the 60's.

 

I foresee another 5-10 good years and then I think the system will fall apart without some young people getting involved. Sad after all the effort we all have put in for years.

About the same in our local club.  If we would get rideable snow every year that would help.

The club in Northern Wisconsin that I'm in seems to have a younger average age but also gets rideable snow every year.  Not very involved with the function of that club.  Take care of the trees down and brushing on a 10 mile section by our place.

[p51mstg]

When I was a volunteer firefighter, we'd go through phases - full roster, plus people waiting in the wings, then a couple years would go by and suddenly we didn't have enough people to make calls.  It would take a few calls where we had to call for mutual aid, and then members would start to panic.  Everyone saw it coming, but nobody would do anything.  Finally, when it's almost too late, all members started to panic and there'd be a rush to recruit.  Within a few months, we'd be back at a full roster.

All volunteer organizations I've been a part of fall into the same trap - ALL members need to be AGGRESSIVELY recruiting ALL the time, and they need to recruit anything with a heartbeat.  When some members sit on their hands or only recruit the "good prospects", then membership will always go down.  This is where my snowmobile club is right now - people see that we need more active members, but they're not yet panicking about it.  They need to start to panic, only then will anything get done.

I have my own ideas about how to recruit, but it boils down to when people start to panic.  And, people won't start to panic until it's almost too late, when the system is very close to collapsing.  Only then will they get desperate enough to do what they need to do.

 

[ckf]

2 hours ago, SlugsOnSleds said:

Here's one snowmobile statistic I haven't figured out yet.........Who's more Fucked Up.........Corporate Polaris or the Dumbasses who actually buy their sleds...........No doubt the most RECALLS by any sled oem since the turn of the century when you add in the FUSION debacle...Carry On...

BTW...Another recall today...Fire Hazzard...Fuel Leak...2023 Boost...

We have plenty of places to bash until you can't bash anymore. We are trying to keep this a discussion forum with no bashing. Please keep this kind of post out of the no bashing sections.
Thanks

[yamadan700]

Doug

We get good snow here pretty much every year so that is not a real issue for us.

 

P51mstg

We are always recruiting but nobody wants to get too involved, ie executive board. We get decent turnouts, average 7-10 people but different faces each time, on volunteer call outs but it's hard to get anybody to commit to the amount of hours needed to operate the day to day activities of the club. Hard to be "aggressive" for volunteer positions that involve a strong time commitment and the responsibility that comes with it Open to suggestions tho!

[Bontz]

On 8/9/2023 at 7:40 PM, mnstang said:

I think it goes up a year every year, if that tells you anything 

I agree, 100%   Doesn't seem like it was that long ago and the average age was 45.

On 8/9/2023 at 8:49 PM, yamadan700 said:

I'm the young guy in our club at 55. Most are mid 60's to mid 70's. Even on big volunteer call outs for a bridge replacements, tree removal after storms, etc, most of the time I'm the young guy. Most of the other clubs in the area are in the same boat. Our groomer operators are all in their 60's. Most of our executive board are wearing multiple hats.

Our club has done a good job of not only gaining some younger membership, but actually getting younger members who volunteer.  I'd say over the past 10 years or so, we've added close to 20 new members who are 40 or younger?  The best part is, a handful of these guys are old school hard workers and know how to fix shit.  Granted, we still have a fair share of 60+ aged members who are very active too, but we at least have the ability to spread the wealth a little bit now.  I'm hoping we can continue to pull in some of the younger folks as I know a couple of our key members who are 60+ won't be doing it much longer.  A couple of the other area clubs we're near, they aren't as fortunate - so it's nice to know we have a good group, and a future.

Maintaining land owners who are willing to provide trail access?  I think that's a bigger problem as new owners come into the mix, and they aren't always "pro snowmobile" access.

[Palu49]

The biggest problem with EVERY snowmobile club is that they’re good old boy clubs. They bitch about not having help but don’t want the help that’s offered unless it’s their buddies. The “trail boss” for the local club I’m a part of  is a perfect example, he’ll bitch all year long about no help clearing and signing trails then when it’s time to do the work and a volunteer weekend is brought up he wants to be selective and only have the 4 guys he’s known since he was 12 go out and help him and drink beer and bullshit all day.

[Bontz]

9 minutes ago, Palu49 said:

The biggest problem with EVERY snowmobile club is that they’re good old boy clubs. They bitch about not having help but don’t want the help that’s offered unless it’s their buddies. The “trail boss” for the local club I’m a part of  is a perfect example, he’ll bitch all year long about no help clearing and signing trails then when it’s time to do the work and a volunteer weekend is brought up he wants to be selective and only have the 4 guys he’s known since he was 12 go out and help him and drink beer and bullshit all day.

EVERY is a strong word.  I do agree it's way more common than it should be, and I know for a fact one of the local clubs I used to be a member of operates that way.  Our club is NOT that way, thankfully.  Granted, our trail coordinator started out that way when I first joined 20 years ago but we've gotten him to recognize he needs to work with and appreciate everyone's input.  Those types of clubs are in the position they're in because they're not willing to change - not necessarily because they lack people wanting to help.

[ICG]

16 hours ago, yamadan700 said:

Doug

We get good snow here pretty much every year so that is not a real issue for us.

 

P51mstg

We are always recruiting but nobody wants to get too involved, ie executive board. We get decent turnouts, average 7-10 people but different faces each time, on volunteer call outs but it's hard to get anybody to commit to the amount of hours needed to operate the day to day activities of the club. Hard to be "aggressive" for volunteer positions that involve a strong time commitment and the responsibility that comes with it Open to suggestions tho!

 

Seeing  7 - 10  new faces at an event is a good sign....

[Sled_Hed]

7 hours ago, Bontz said:

EVERY is a strong word.  I do agree it's way more common than it should be, and I know for a fact one of the local clubs I used to be a member of operates that way.  Our club is NOT that way, thankfully.  Granted, our trail coordinator started out that way when I first joined 20 years ago but we've gotten him to recognize he needs to work with and appreciate everyone's input.  Those types of clubs are in the position they're in because they're not willing to change - not necessarily because they lack people wanting to help.

Sounds like you guys are doing alright. I try not to paint other clubs with a broad brush considering how things went with my local club. I'm hoping to possibly get involved in another local club eventually but maybe not as heavily as I was with the Driftskippers. 

[mnstang]

19 hours ago, yamadan700 said:

Doug

We get good snow here pretty much every year so that is not a real issue for us.

 

P51mstg

We are always recruiting but nobody wants to get too involved, ie executive board. We get decent turnouts, average 7-10 people but different faces each time, on volunteer call outs but it's hard to get anybody to commit to the amount of hours needed to operate the day to day activities of the club. Hard to be "aggressive" for volunteer positions that involve a strong time commitment and the responsibility that comes with it Open to suggestions tho!

I think the club being active on Facebook and posting updates often would be the best way to get new involvement.

[Sled_Hed]

27 minutes ago, mnstang said:

I think the club being active on Facebook and posting updates often would be the best way to get new involvement.

I started a Facebook page when I joined the Driftskippers and I'm not really sure it did anything to bring in new members. Members wasn't the issue, it's "active" members that are needed.

[Bontz]

Facebook certainly doesn't hurt.  It helps more from a publicity thing and getting the word out for events (like for us, we do monthly Bingo and Meat Raffle events).  The reminders about trail work and meetings helps too, but I use email for that mostly.

[Palu49]

10 hours ago, Bontz said:

EVERY is a strong word.  I do agree it's way more common than it should be, and I know for a fact one of the local clubs I used to be a member of operates that way.  Our club is NOT that way, thankfully.  Granted, our trail coordinator started out that way when I first joined 20 years ago but we've gotten him to recognize he needs to work with and appreciate everyone's input.  Those types of clubs are in the position they're in because they're not willing to change - not necessarily because they lack people wanting to help.

It sure seems like all of them around here. The club I was a part of until I moved was always like that and now I can go up there and ride and actually talk to someone friendly in the clubhouse if I stop which is a nice change of pace.
 

I tried helping a few other clubs who’s trails I generally ride from home last year after some big storms when they’re asking for help and you reach out with nothing in return then read the comments on the post of 30 other people that tried and were ignored. My fiancé runs the club I’m a part of because nobody else wanted to and that’s how all the positions there are, they don’t want to do it but they don’t want some eager outsider in there doing it either.

[Bontz]

I wish you were around here @Palu49 - we're more than happy if someone offers to join us when it comes to volunteering.

[mnstang]

1 hour ago, Sled_Hed said:

I started a Facebook page when I joined the Driftskippers and I'm not really sure it did anything to bring in new members. Members wasn't the issue, it's "active" members that are needed.

Right but if the club posts pictures of the work they're doing and maintenance and trail damage etc, people will appreciate the efforts more and be more likely to help when the next opportunity to help happens.  If they don't see it, it's out of sight out of mind and taken more for granted.  I feel like it works well for the clubs I follow anyway, they're pretty active with it.

[Sled_Hed]

1 hour ago, mnstang said:

Right but if the club posts pictures of the work they're doing and maintenance and trail damage etc, people will appreciate the efforts more and be more likely to help when the next opportunity to help happens.  If they don't see it, it's out of sight out of mind and taken more for granted.  I feel like it works well for the clubs I follow anyway, they're pretty active with it.

Yep. I tried to post pics every time we were out clearing trees, packing swamps and for sure grooming. It was definitely well received by people that ride our trails but didn't boost membership.