Family Friendly Clubs - Hamble/ Solent

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jac

jac

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So Boat Purchase has now been signed off by SWMBO so moving to the end game and hopefully all be in place by Easter.

However one of the key things that we're keen to sort is a decent club.

Looking for something that has a range of activities suitable for families with children of 7&5 -
So ideally some child friendly events, plenty of members with youngish children themselves, range of rallies including to kiddy friendly destinations.

Live about an hour from the Hamble up the M3 - would go further afield for the right club if mooring nearby but don't want to have to spend 2 hours driving to the boat to then spend an hour getting the boat to where she can be sailed

What we're not looking for is clubs that expect Parents to "NEED" to attend new members evenings to be accepted as new members as if we're both going to be out we'll be needing a baby sitter. Also keen to avoid club where all the events are based on Racing or a late night in a pub/ restaurant or a real DIY club where compulsory club work is a requirement of membership. With work and kids I want to spend spare time sailing, not painting a club house!!

Anybody know/ can recommend clubs that meet some/ all of this?

Have heard good things about RAFYC - does this describe them????
 
Depends on whether you're hoping for a mooring with the membership. Unlikely in most Hamble/Solent clubs, where either a waiting list or ballot. Marchwood Yacht Club I think has mid-stream moorings available, although it is really a DIY club, which you seem to have an aversion to, but I would say don't discount those. I'm not a member of the club, but know members and all decent fellows to a man/woman! Some communal mucking-in required I believe, but I don't get the impression it is excessive and equally advantages to that communality if you encounter sailing problems (as you will from time to time) :)

The 3 main clubs on the Hamble are the Royal Southern, The RAFYC and Warsash Sailing Club. Pretty sure none of those would have moorings for new members, but are all good clubs in their way, tho slightly different approaches/institutions. The most expensive is the RSYC, but although it may have a reputation of being stand-offish or a little snooty, I genuinely think that is unwarranted. When we first started sailing on the Hamble, we were shown around by a member and the facilities were excellent, good cruising and non-racing strands to club life and eveyone we met was very welcoming to a family of not at all well-heeled tyros. Was only the fact that in the end we felt the need for a walk-on mooring and this was up at the top end of the river, so couldn't then justify (or afford!) the additional cost of club membership. Can say very similar things for the RAFYC, which is somewhat less expensive and I would equally have been happy to have been a member there. We didn't then look at Warsash SC, but I get a good impression from fellow sailors who are members and it gets a lot of favourable mentions on here. I would guess the cost of membership would be significantly less than the W bank clubs. I think the thing all clubs have in common is a desire to have active and engaged members, althought the level of involvment is usually left up to the individual. What they are generally not keen on are people who just want to join simply for access to an annual berthing facility and leave it at that!
 
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Only been there as a visitor but Hardway Sailing Club in Portsmouth Harbour seemed to have a very large junior membership also lots of small kids having a good time! Lots of dinghy sailing activity. Good large clubhouse drinking, eating and pontoon facilities. Always welcoming and friendly but I do not know about membership, waiting lists or moorings.
 
Topcat47 said:
+1 for Hardway club. Portchester sailing club is also well known as a good familly club.
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If Hardway is the one which DJE of this parish is a member (I think it is) then that would be ideal. Not that I know anything about sailing clubs mind you.
 
The Royal Southern is one of your best bets. During the summer holidays they organise a family week call SPLASH where all children up to about 21 years old are given a full week of sailing from Oppi's, Lasers to X and up to SB3 they also do cinema, bowling etc etc. Most summers include a cruiser race designed for families with yachts and it varies from the west country to all along the French Coast. There are great opportunities for your children to joint other boats as crew when they get older. It is not a stuffy club, that is just the way it is perceived from the outside.
 
If you are not looking for a mooring Warsash SC is really very good for what you seem to want. All very friendly and a full programme for the children. Recently they have had a junior disco, bonfire night, evening meals cooked by the children for their parents (under supervision of course), and other things I have forgotten.

They even run a cracking youth sailing scheme for ages 6 -18 if that is of interest start in an Oppy and go from there all fantastic fun as well as learning.

Warsash do have moorings but they are limited.

If you go elsewhere it may well still be worth seeing what Warsash can offer even though you keep your boat at another location
 
Thanks for all the suggestions

Just to clarify a couple of points.

Not looking for mooring. To my mind, Moorings should be reserved for those that have been longest in the club, loyalty bonus if you like!!

As for the DIY bit - more than happy to take a role in helping to organise rallies, events etc that can be done in the evening from home. Where I struggle with time is at the weekend to get down and actually sail or do odd jobs on the boat. So a club that kept the fees down by requiring all members to do a few weekends of duties around the club would be less attractive than one where the fees were slightly higher but where I could sail!

I want to join a club to meet like minded people and go sailing with them, not to maintain moorings whilst I never get to go sailing!!!!
 
I have just thought of Marchwood. They are on Southampton water and I was recently there helping a mate pick up a boat . They are a DIY club and everyone I met was nice, helpful and keen. I'm not sure about the "familly" aspect of the club, but if I were looking for another one, I'd give them a call. I'm happy in Hornet though.
 
Jac.
As a follow-on from TM's comments about Warsash;as a member of some 42 years I can confirm that information. The club employs two bosuns who deal with all day to day works; our members assistance in running events are mainly called for to run the various duties during the Warsash Spring Series regatta run over 6 weekends from March/April; we get about 100 members participating in what has become a prestigious sponsored event,from which a large income to the club is generated annually. Duties here range from assisting running of the bar, buoy marking launches and the results services to mention a few. This involvement helps keep the membership fees to a moderate level with increases balanced to inflation.
Membership fees are in several categories,Single Adult ;Husband and wife; Family ;Junior and Cadet memberships,and certain reduced memberships. There is a joining fee equal to one years membership ,but the first year subscription is pro-rata for joining late in the season.
Moorings are allocated on seniority of membership and availability,none are maintained by the Club,this is a sub-contracted task.

However, as in all good clubs the members who volunteer to run Saturday Supper evenings, film shows or lectures,or other interesting topics are welcomed with open arms.

The Bar Duty roster is one of only two permanent and voluntary duties,the other is the Security Roster manned by local resident members usually.

Tender and dinghy storage is on a first come first served basis 6 monthly; about 250 of these are stored in either of the two compounds, for which application has to be made in August and February.
Loading and unloading is via the Shore House jetty and floating pontoons,but extended berthing time is only permitted by previous application to the Office.

Membership forms are obtainable from Charon Baggely, Club Administrator, on 01489 583575.
A personal visit is necessary to apply for membership initially and a 1 month wait on the proposed members list displayed on the Club noticeboard.

I hope this information will also will help.


ianat182
 
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galadriel said:
If Hardway is the one which DJE of this parish is a member (I think it is) then that would be ideal. Not that I know anything about sailing clubs mind you.
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Sorry to correct you but I am a member at Hill Head Sailing Club. There is a very active cadet section with lots of things going on for families but very much geared to dinghy sailing. There are not may kids in our cruiser fleet these days I'm afraid. Also we are a DIY club and expect members to assist with running of sailing and/or social events.
 
My brother is a member of RAFYC and we've been down a couple of times from Scotland to impose our family on them. Found them to be great and my kids, now 2 and 9 were very well accomodated - they have a TV and DVD player in an ante room which is stocked with kids DVD's; they have a big lawn to run around on and cater well for kids limited diets. Their tender is large and child friendly. As a visitor with small children I couldn't complain, little brother reckons they are family friendly without being demanding of members.
 
I've just applied for membership of Hardway Sailing Club and I believe that you are expected to do duties and you have to have an interview as well.

Otherwise seems a really good, active club and rather handily is 50 metres from my mooring. Good mixture of dinghies, cruising and racing yachts with something to suit all ages. I used to be a member of the Royal Southern and I would say that Hardway is definitely more child friendly, which is important when you have 3 * 3.5 year old daughters - they don't tend to go unnoticed:)

From my days on the Hamble, HRSC seemed to have the most active child related sailling.
 
Rafyc

RAFYC is a good club, we have 3 children and dog which are all welcome!
As was said nice lawn to run around on and launches are easy to use. Computer and tv in lounge keeps most children happy but mine are normally out and about. A lot on the club calander and a link with a local club for children to learn to sail.
There is a famous Hamble Scramble which seems to be fun, normally on a Saturday and I can't get there but this year will be different.
I think the memberships fees reasonable, must be otherwise SWMBO would put a stop to it, she is a non boater but still likes going there.
Everybody is friendly and relaxed, can't say much more.
What with weather and dodgy trailer I did not launch last year but had lots of fun with a dingy and a few trips on others boats.
What sort of boat are you getting?
 
DJE said:
Sorry to correct you but I am a member at Hill Head Sailing Club. There is a very active cadet section with lots of things going on for families but very much geared to dinghy sailing. There are not may kids in our cruiser fleet these days I'm afraid. Also we are a DIY club and expect members to assist with running of sailing and/or social events.
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I knew it started with an H.;)
 
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