Diversity on Deck

In the popular imagination, boating is a pastime by and for upper class white men. Their wives might be aboard, but they are seldom at the helm. Minorities are nowhere to be found. While this image may be more accurate than many would like to admit, the tide is turning and boating is diversifying. In our last issue, we profiled increasing female participation (“Women at the Helm”). Here, through the first-person accounts of two member-officers of the Black Boaters Club of America, we take a look at personal stories of minorities who discovered a love of boating.















Raymond Blue

Born and raised on the north side of Omaha, Nebraska, I developed a fascination with water at an early age. Coming from a large family of five brothers and six sisters, there was little money for recreational activities so we turned to the area lakes as a means for recreation for the whole family. I clearly remember the trips to the lake where my brother Richard and I walked 10 miles (one-way) to spend 10 to 12 hours fishing and watching the boats pass by, wishing that we could own our own boat someday. That was the time when I committed myself to being on the water—not just near it.

During the 1960s, few financial opportunities were available to African-Americans, creating an environment where a young impressionable African-American male easily could slide into a life of crime, drugs and despair. I would definitely say that being on the lake had a profound effect on my life in that being around the water gave me an outlet to escape the destructive influences that appeared to be all around me during that time. Upon reaching the age of 18 and having limited support, I joined the army as a means to break what I viewed as a vicious cycle and to escape a questionable future.

After serving three years in the U.S. Army and one tour in Vietnam, I became employed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As I rose through the ranks and experienced many relocations with the FAA, I had the opportunity to frequent waterways from the Great Lakes to the Florida Coast, meeting all types of wonderful people involved in boating and fishing. Also, I purchased my first boat, an 18-foot Bayliner. However, it was very noticeable that few minorities, especially African-Americans, were involved in boating. I wondered why. Following extensive research, it became apparent that these were latent effects of past conditions that made it difficult for African-Americans and other minorities to identify with the typical recreational boater.

In 2007, the opportunity to redress this misperception presented itself when fellow African-American boaters Wanda Wallace, Janice and David Tillery and I decided to organize the Black Boaters Club of America (BBCA). Along with the support of MarineMax, Aqualand and Holiday Marinas, we have had unbelievable results in exposing African-Americans and other minorities to the awesome world of boating.

Janis Tillery

My husband David and I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Growing up African-American in the ’50s and ’60s we never knew anyone who owned a boat. We went swimming occasionally and went to the beach from time to time, but that was the extent of our water experience and we certainly never thought we would own a boat ourselves.

In June of 1980, David, our new baby son David II and I moved to Strongsville, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Due to the city’s location on the shore of Lake Erie, we began daydreaming about owning a boat. But because we were newly married with a young son and we were just starting our careers, owning a boat was certainly many years away. Even so, we would walk along the lakefront and admire the beautiful boats and say, “Some day.”

Years later, Cleveland redeveloped an area of the lakefront with restaurants and nightclubs called The Flats. There were water taxis and pleasure craft ferrying people to and from the restaurants and clubs. There were also some restaurants that allowed private cruisers and yachts to tie up in front of their establishments and come ashore. Everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives. But by then we were preparing to send two children to college. We vacationed at the beach and went on cruises. My husband and son became certified scuba divers and we all would Jet Ski, swim, snorkel and enjoy other water sports.

In May of 2005, with both of our children out of college and finally finding ourselves empty nesters, we moved to Georgia. While waiting for some paperwork to be completed on our new home, we met someone who casually mentioned that he spent most of the summer on his houseboat at Lake Lanier. It was even suggested we go to lunch at a restaurant on the lake. When we arrived, we couldn’t believe our eyes. There were boats of all shapes and sizes everywhere. After lunch, we drove around and saw marina after marina filled with houseboats, yachts, cruisers and sailboats.

That was when we got the bug. Soon after, in January of 2006, we went to the Atlanta Boat Show and walked out as the proud owners of a brand new SanPan pontoon. We took delivery in March and decided to slip it at Aqualand, the largest inland marina in the United States. Within days we had made friends and were enjoying every free weekend on the lake. Our relatives and friends enjoyed spending time on the lake as well. We learned a lot from veteran boaters and quickly realized that we were ready to move up to a cabin cruiser. In June of that same year, we traded in the pontoon for a 27-foot Bayliner. In October, we traded that in for a 32-foot Bayliner. This is when we realized that you really need to be educated about what you want to get out of boating so you can make the right choice first. Ultimately, in April of 2008, we sold the 32-footer and purchased our water cottage, our lake house, a Carver 396 Motor Yacht. It has all of the comforts of home. It is December as I write this, and I am reclining on the sofa in the salon with the TV on and a hot cup of tea on the end table.

Boating has become the perfect pastime for us. We have found something that we both enjoy and can do well into retirement.

I know that many more men would buy boats if their wives and families realized how much fun it is and how many of the conveniences of home can be found aboard these vessels. As a woman, the whole boating experience can be intimidating, but the more time I spend on the boat, the more comfortable I have become. We cook out, tie up with other boats, fish and swim.

Boating is a great way to make friends that share a like interest. We have become part of a community. Our boat truly is like a second home.

In my experience growing up as an African-American, swimming, fishing and spending time around water were not things we generally did. A lot of Caucasian boaters we have met grew up boating and hence became boaters as adults. Also, the cost of boating can be a possible deterrent. However, I believe that more minorities with disposable income (if educated about and exposed to the world of boating) would be open to possible boat ownership. Our first three watercraft were new, but we have found that buying a pre-owned vessel can be the way to get into boating at an affordable price.

Part of the Black Boaters Club of America’s mission is to expose and educate adults, as well as young people, about boating. We work with one of the club’s sponsors to provide water-safety and boater-education classes. And it is not mandatory that you own a boat to be a member of the club. We feel that the more people we expose to boating in a fun and safe environment, the more future boaters there will be.

Depending on where you live, you can boat year round. Even though we now live in northern Virginia, we keep our boat in Georgia where you can boat all year. I feel that I am on vacation every time I come to the lake.

blackboatersclubofamerica.com