MTOA

[RobMcClain]

Before Mary and I towed Freedom eastward in 2014 to enjoy sections of the Great Loop (which was absolutely fabulous) we joined the America's Great Loop Cruisers Association (AGLCA). We found the membership to be worthwhile but since being back home we have let the membership lapse. I still enjoy reading the weekly Waterway Guide emails and at some point we may make another trip East.

One of the things AGLCA membership did not offer was the ability to use reciprocal privileges to stay at yacht clubs. If it had I may have kept my membership. I have noticed that membership in the Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA) does seem to include that aspect since MTOA is a member of the Yachting Club Association (YCA). Does anyone have experience with MTOA? Does their membership seem worthwhile? We plan to enjoy some West Coast cruising this summer and I am wondering if the membership might be at all useful.

Rob

 

[thataway]

Rob,
As you probably know MTOA started as "Marine Traders Owner's Association, and was centered about the many issues with Marine Trader boats--then expanded to boats built in Taiwan, then it became "Maine Trawlers" to enlarge the membership.

It is primarily a forum, about trawlers--mostly built in Taiwan. In some ways their gatherings are a competition or at least a poor man's Trawler Fest. There is a lot of good general boating information, and especially about trawlers, more specifically trawlers built in the far East..

Which brings us to Yachting Club of America. There are several classes of yacht clubs--sort of a tier system. The lowest on the tier is non property owning or paper yacht clubs. Next are the yacht clubs which have a building, but don't have a club marina, then clubs which have a building and marina, finally clubs which have buildings, marina and "out stations"--in the PNW there is the Seattle or Royal Vancouver Yacht club in the Top tier. In San Francisco, it is the St. Francis YC.

The very top tier clubs only give full reciprocity to those other in the top tier. Often clubs which have marinas, do not give full reciprocity to "Paper yacht clubs"
MTOA is even a bit below the low tier of the Yacht Clubs-in that they don't have a regular monthly meeting, races, cruises etc==more akin to the Great Loop Association, or Seven Seas Cruising Association.

In Florida, there is one major top tier organization: That is the Florida Council of Yacht clubs--a google search will show you which clubs are in this group. There are 36, and they do give full reciprocity to other members of Florida Council of Yacht clubs. Yachting clubs of America, is a register of clubs--who may or may not give reciprocity. As I recollect they give over 70 'yacht clubs" in Florida.
A member of a club which belongs to Florida Council, will get free moorage, can charge dinner drinks and often fuel to their home club's bill. You may or may not be allowed to dock at one of these clubs, and you probably will not get free dockage, unless you are a member of one of the FCYC.

I belonged to Pensacola YC for a number of years. Sometimes they let non FCYC (or Gulf Yachting Association--an other 33 member group of clubs along the Gulf Coast) have mooring, for a fee, if there was room, and on some occasions extended the use of the bar or food to non members--but not always....

It gets a bit more complicated, even if you are a member of a landed/marina club from some distance. I have belonged to both paper and landed/marina clubs in Calif. I have been refused admission to some Eastern clubs facilities, even though my California home club would have given reciprocity to their club. On the other hand, I have used the membership in a paper club to use the facilities of several of the well know yacht clubs on the East Coast. So you never know.

Summary, don't expect membership in MTOA to give you reciprocity--it might. If you want to participate in MTOA forums, it is a great resource. The gatherings are worthwhile. There are a great bunch of people.