Double gold medallist in Tornado and elected to the FFVoile Board of Directors in 2013, Nicolas Hénard, 52, runs an insurance brokerage company. He is now a candidate for the presidency of the federation against Jean-Luc Denéchau for the election of 25 March 2017. He answers Boatindustry.fr's questions about his project, especially for professionals. The remaining trade is available on Bateaux.com.
Sailing clubs have many employees. What do you offer for these sailing professionals?
There is a need for continuing education for club executives. When they reach the age of 40, many of them are physically and mentally tired and feel stuck in their jobs. We need to rethink professional mobility and show that another life is possible. To this end, the federation has a role in oxygenating neurons, by offering gateways to other sectors.
But beyond this conversion, it is necessary to improve the working conditions of sailing club employees. The health of monitors depends on equipment and information. There is a need to raise awareness of the risks, including sun exposure to the skin, and to disseminate the right actions to avoid injuries and skin cancer risks. The FFVoile must also work on the ergonomics of boats and handling tools, thinking about the means to make available to clubs, rather than promotional kits.
What actions do you want to take with the French nautical industries?
Today, it is necessary to create a real ecosystem between the FFV Sailing and the nautical industry, as well as all the actors of the sea. Contacts have already been made with major players, such as the French Navy or industrialists, to launch regular meetings. We must take advantage of each other in the best sense of the word. Here are already some areas of work to propose to professionals.
By proposing offshore racing at the Olympic Games, with, for example, a tour of Corsica from Marseille, if the bid for Paris 2024 is selected, the entire French industry is promoted.
I would also like to rethink a collective boat with the French sailmakers, like the First Class 8 in its day. Easy to access, with a variable rigging to adapt to all levels, a large transom to open up to the disabled, it would promote our sport and would be an opportunity for the industry in France and abroad.
Safety boats have not evolved in years. Thinking about a clean propulsion, a lighter boat, are objectives in line with the times and the health of sailing club executives.
The licensing system is now being challenged by some clubs. What are your proposals?
Today, the goal is for people to push the clubs' doors open. For this reason, they should not be slaughtered immediately with a licence. It will come naturally in a second time. You have to be smart, talk first, the license comes next. By enhancing the club's role in supporting and securing sailing, creating friendliness and offering different licensing methods, we can increase the number of members. Of the 3.5 million sailors today, 500,000 are members of clubs and 300,000 are licensed. The objective is to reach 1 million in clubs and 500,000 members by 2020.
You wish to reform the mode of election . What are your proposals?
I am completely reforming it. It is now opaque and complex. The electors chosen in league elections are not required to vote and clubs lose interest because they feel they cannot make their voices heard.
I therefore propose a direct vote of the clubs, with a weight pro-rated on the number of members, in a list vote, in order to obtain a coherent team, elected on a programme.
In addition to this, I propose a consultation of licensees in a referendum mode for the main orientations of the FFVoile.
First of all, for these elections, I want to tell people: go vote, be present in the leagues, so that everyone can give their opinion.
