Membership of the S.O.I.A. is world-wide but with the majority of members living and sailing in the U.K. Sailing and social programmes are organised throughout the year, while for members in more isolated areas, the Facebook group serves as a lively means of communication. Highlights of the S.O.I.A. calendar are several meetings and cruises which take place in different parts of the country. See the Facebook group or Journal for information of what is currently planned. 

Note that cruises are organised by members themselves and the S.O.I.A. accepts no responsibility for the organisation or running of cruises. It is a member’s responsibility to ensure they hold the correct levels of insurance required and take whatever steps would reasonably be required to ensure safe participation.

The association is managed by a committee of about ten members elected at the Annual General Meeting. It is chaired by the Commodore and includes the Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Editor. There are usually two meetings a year as well as the Annual General Meeting.

Unfortunately there are no Silhouettes being built commercially today, and so the nature of the association is somewhat different to what it was in the nineteen seventies, when there were a thousand or so members, many of whom had just acquired new boats and were enjoying the companionship of the S.O.I.A. both on the water and through the journal.

Today, there is a balance of interest between sailing the boats and maintaining, restoring and improving them and again, the association serves to communicate the experiences of members and to keep the spirit of Silhouetting alive. 
 

Click to see a great video of SII Joanna in action!