Bembridge Yacht club

Rocksteadee

Rocksteadee

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Joined
25 Jul 2011
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Top of the Hamble
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Had the pleasure of visiting Bembridge last night, very warm welcome from the HM at Duvers.
Then took tender over to the Yacht club.
Most welcoming, same Harbour master made the effort to come over and say hello, introduced us to the girl doing food. One member asked us if we would like to join a team for their quiz, which we did.
Lovely place where we forced ourselves to drink a copious quantity of alcohol
Definatly worth a visit
 
Rocksteadee said:
Don’t know. The one in between Bembridge marina and Fisherman’s Marina with the flag pole outside
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Brading Haven Yacht Club is located next to St Helen's Marina at the top of the harbour. There is a flag mast in front of the club house

There was a quiz night there last night

Their website is https://www.bhyc.org.uk/

Bembridge Sailing Club is located near the Bembridge end of Embankment Road and is nearer the harbour entrance. There is a flag mast beside the road.

My browser will not let me visit their website https://www.bembridgesailingclub.org/
 
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VicS said:
Brading Haven Yacht Club is located next to St Helen's Marina at the top of the harbour. There is a flag mast in front of the club house

There was a quiz night there last night

Their website is https://www.bhyc.org.uk/

Bembridge Sailing Club is located near the Bembridge end of Embankment Road and is nearer the harbour entrance. There is a flag mast beside the road.

My browser will not let me visit their website https://www.bembridgesailingclub.org/
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In that case it was Brading Haven
 
Brading Haven Yacht club at the west end of the harbour, in my experience over the last 10 years or so is always a delight to visit, welcoming and hospitable when open. Bembridge sailing club is not quite so down to earth, however I have been in as a visitor on several occasions and enjoyed a drink or 2 there so would recommend trying it and reporting back. The pub behind it the Pilot boat has usually been very good for food in our experience.
 
seumask said:
Brading Haven Yacht club at the west end of the harbour, in my experience over the last 10 years or so is always a delight to visit, welcoming and hospitable when open. Bembridge sailing club is not quite so down to earth, however I have been in as a visitor on several occasions and enjoyed a drink or 2 there so would recommend trying it and reporting back. The pub behind it the Pilot boat has usually been very good for food in our experience.
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I wasn't sure whether Bembridge SC was open to visitors, I don't recall there being a notice advertising that fact when walking past and one of my pilot books stated it was by invitation only.

However the Bembridge Harbour website says that they are welcome.
 
Little Grebe said:
I wasn't sure whether Bembridge SC was open to visitors, I don't recall there being a notice advertising that fact when walking past and one of my pilot books stated it was by invitation only.

However the Bembridge Harbour website says that they are welcome.
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I walked past the SC from the beach side a couple of weeks ago and was deterred from entering by menacing signs about it being strictly private.....get lost if you're not a member sort of thing. I like to avoid snotty places anyway.
 
Sea-Fever said:
I walked past the SC from the beach side a couple of weeks ago and was deterred from entering by menacing signs about it being strictly private.....get lost if you're not a member sort of thing. I like to avoid snotty places anyway.
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Strictly all yacht clubs are members only as they are private clubs. Usually for sailing / yacht clubs they allow visiting sailors, members of other clubs in as well and are invariably fine. I can imagine that somewhere like BSC where there maybe several grockles walking past have to be more clear that any old member of the public can't walk in otherwise they would be overrun to the detriment of their members who pay each year.


Personally i'd have gone on and asked at the bar. Invariably they will ask you to sign in as a visitor and that's it.
 
seumask said:
Brading Haven Yacht club at the west end of the harbour, in my experience over the last 10 years or so is always a delight to visit, welcoming and hospitable when open. Bembridge sailing club is not quite so down to earth, however I have been in as a visitor on several occasions and enjoyed a drink or 2 there so would recommend trying it and reporting back. The pub behind it the Pilot boat has usually been very good for food in our experience.
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On our newer boat ferry trip we walked round to Brading H Y C and found it most welcoming. I went past Bembridge YC on way to chandlers after being dropped by water taxi and it seemed very unwelcoming with private signs etc etc. Liked the Pilot House pub though
 
That isn't strictly true if talking about the clubhouse.
Our club is a private club but the clubhouse is open to the general public which creates a revenue to allow us to keep fees down for our members.
 
SteveA said:
That isn't strictly true if talking about the clubhouse.
Our club is a private club but the clubhouse is open to the general public which creates a revenue to allow us to keep fees down for our members.
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Which is fine if the licencing authorities are happy, however many clubs don't (can't?) get that such a licence.
 
jac said:
Strictly all yacht clubs are members only as they are private clubs. Usually for sailing / yacht clubs they allow visiting sailors, members of other clubs in as well and are invariably fine. I can imagine that somewhere like BSC where there maybe several grockles walking past have to be more clear that any old member of the public can't walk in otherwise they would be overrun to the detriment of their members who pay each year.


Personally i'd have gone on and asked at the bar. Invariably they will ask you to sign in as a visitor and that's it.
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Unfortunately not generally true in the Solent area.
Some clubs have reciprocal arrangements, some are open to any member of another YC, some are simply 'members only'.
Some frequently have functions which make them 'members only'.
Some have compromise rules such as 'visiting yachtsment welcome, provided they've arrived by yacht from beyond the Solent'.

I think the reality is clubs need to balance being open to visitors against crowding out their own members at peak times.
 
chrishscorp said:
Fair point, however why would i or anyone else insist on fighting your way to the bar if its heaving, you go to a friendly hostelry
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Why would you pay a fair chunk to be a member of a club, only yo get crowded out of it by non-paying, non-members?
I've been to Bembridge SC many times and it's nice club in a great location. It would appear to be a sound business model as it's been successful for a lifetime. Unlike the nearby pub, which has been closed in my sailing career.
The pubs, clubs and cafes have different markets and purposes.
Why do people feel entitled to criticise a private club which is none of their business? You might as well see some people having a drink at their home and expect them to invite you in.
 
Aberaeron Yacht Club in general with other clubs around the West Wales coast, has always had a policy of welcoming visitors from other yacht clubs weather they have arrived by boat or car, and hold several functions each year that are open to all, locals and holiday makers. Non-members are also welcomed provided they are signed in as guests by a member. As an RYA associated club our members often find a general welcome from other clubs when they visit. However, we are in a relatively quiet boating area, the density of boats and visitors along the more popular areas such as the South and East coasts may cause difficulties for clubs to operate the open policies that operate here, but surely doesn’t warrant active deterence of visitors from other clubs.
 
lw395 said:
Why would you pay a fair chunk to be a member of a club, only yo get crowded out of it by non-paying, non-members?.......
I've been to Bembridge SC many times and it's nice club in a great location. It would appear to be a sound business model as it's been successful for a lifetime.
Why do people feel entitled to criticise a private club which is none of their business? ......
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Always when sailing round the coast I have made a point of visiting, and signing in as guest into any accessible sailing club. I presumed they were all RYA affiliated etc. Always I have had a warm welcome and often tips and hints for local waters. It seems sad if any sailing club doesn't extend the same welcome. I know that house prices, marina costs and average boat size/costs are much much greater in the Solent Area, but even at Cowes in an ancient craft many years ago I was made to feel part of the fraternity
 
oldmanofthehills said:
Always when sailing round the coast I have made a point of visiting, and signing in as guest into any accessible sailing club. I presumed they were all RYA affiliated etc. Always I have had a warm welcome and often tips and hints for local waters. It seems sad if any sailing club doesn't extend the same welcome. I know that house prices, marina costs and average boat size/costs are much much greater in the Solent Area, but even at Cowes in an ancient craft many years ago I was made to feel part of the fraternity
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Very similar experience here, but it just wouldn't work in the Solent if you could join the cheapest club and use the facilities of all the others.
As a travelling yachtsman, when a club offers hospitality, I see that as their generosity, not my right.
There are also issues with licensing.
 
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