Hardway Sailing Club Gosport

[john_morris_uk]

Are any Forumites members of Hardway? I would be interested to hear from anyone. (Our new mooring is nearby and I’m wondering about joining...)

 

[Stemar]

We've been members for over 10 years. We've found it to be a friendly and helpful place. You'll dry out alongside the pontoon safely, even with a big fin. Food in the galley is pub grub at greasy spoon prices and the bar is probably the cheapest on the South Coast.

I won't tell you how much we pay for our club mooring (dead men's shoes, so don't hold your breath) 'cos I don't like to distress less fortunate people

 

[RobbieW]

AIUI there's a waiting list for membership - about 2 years ?

 

[chrishscorp]

AIUI there's a waiting list for membership - about 2 years ?

I believe that is correct.

We are members, just joined some 3 weeks ago, a nice friendly club. Application form can be got from the club if passing or from the website.

 

[Stemar]

Not normally two years, but membership is limited to, so the number of new members in any year equals the number of those who leave. Get an application in now and you'll be pretty sure of getting in at the next intake, around March 2019. Wait till January and it's unlikely.

 

[Seajet]

I had a mooring nearby, at Spider Lake via Gosport Boatyard. Hardway are well known for being a spectularlary friendly lot ! :encouragement:

 

[Bobc]

You should definitely join. It's an excellent club.

 

[roblpm]

They let my dad in so they aren't that fussy about prospective members.....

 

[Robin]

It has been a great many years but a visit to Hardway over a bank holiday was always one of the most popular club rallies that our then yacht clubs in Poole ran. We bought our W33 ketch from a member there too way back in 1988 or thereabouts. There may still be evidence on the pontoon of the gear shift cable detachment whereby reverse did not engage when asked as a brake when the then owner came alongside after our sea trial..

 

[Iain C]

Great club, cheap as chips, really friendly and a big social scene fuelled by the "are you sure you've not undercharged me" bar prices.

I've been a member for about 8 years...my only minor gripes were the dated clubhouse/bar, which was extended and modernised last year along with an extended glass-walled balcony, and the loos and showers, which were also in desperate need of refurbishment. This has now been done and they look fantastic...with a huge amount of volunteer work by the commodore and a group of members. It's a proper, friendly, welcoming, buzzing little club...can't recommend highly enough.

 

[Topcat47]

I briefly had a mooring only accessible from Hardway. The club were always welcoming, although I never did join. Everyone I met was lovely. It's nice to know the bar and bogs have been done up as they were a bit sad even then, but the beer was good and I was never turned away for want of someone to sign me in.

 

[Stemar]

They let my dad in so they aren't that fussy about prospective members.....

As the saying goes, everyone brings joy. Some when they arrive, others when they leave...

You do have to pass an interview before you're allowed to join, but apparently they've only ever refused one person. As the guy who told me this said, the fact that there's an interview process selects out the ones who are only after a cheap bar - they just don't turn up.

 

[Robin]

As the saying goes, everyone brings joy. Some when they arrive, others when they leave...

You do have to pass an interview before you're allowed to join, but apparently they've only ever refused one person. As the guy who told me this said, the fact that there's an interview process selects out the ones who are only after a cheap bar - they just don't turn up.

YEARS AGO I jointly interviewed and rejected an applicant who told me he wanted to join for a cheap mooring but lived too far away to volunteer for mooring party weekend duty in winter, but would consider paying somebody else to do his 'shift'. Bugger didn't even bother to wear a jacket and tie.:disgust: