Is there a protocol for visiting a yacht/sailing club?

[Jungle Jim]

As I'm only crew I am not a member of any yacht or sailing club. I've sailed with my usual skipper to visit Seaview and the Royal Victoria where he has intimated that they have affiliations with his club (which shall remain anonymous) so we can go in. I suppose as we've paid for mooring we're also temporary day members sort of thing.

I've visited the RSYC in Ocean Village when we raced a keelboat in their winter series once. However when a fellow course attendee and myself wanted to take our Day Skipper instructor out for a thank you pint I rang the RSYC and asked if we could come in although not members and was told no, members only. As I travel round the country a fair amount but not always by boat, I would like to take the opportunity to pop into clubs and frequent their establishments rather than the boozer nearest the b&b.

So what's the protocol? Do I rock up boatless and knock on the door? Am I likely to be let in or escorted from the premises?

 

[prv]

I'm not a regular frequenter of yacht clubs, but I get the impression that ones in busy areas are focused on keeping people out (I don't mean they're actively hostile, just that they care about things like affiliation, membership elsewhere, turning up by boat, being signed in, etc) whereas ones in less busy places are more interested in attracting people in. Not surprising really.

Pete

 

[lw395]

It varies.
Many clubs are flexible.
Solent clubs often only allow visitors who have arrived by yacht, or have a club agreement.
Further West, most clubs will serve a member of any other RYA affiliated club, if you are nice to them!
Some will want to sell you a temporary membership.
For license reasons, it is better if you say you are a visiting yotsperson, rather than a random member of the public.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I've always walked in, said that I'm a non-member (usually to bar staff) and asked if I can stay and if I need to be signed in by a member. If yes, someone with their elbow on the bar is normally happy to do it. Only one been told no, and that was in the Royal Southern, when Edward Heath was in the bar.

 

[TheEcho]

Our club, as do many on the East Coast, has a sign saying "Members only, visiting yachtsmen welcome". I occasionally mutter a bit when walking past the sign because although it isn't a sexist club as far as I've experienced, the sign suggests it might be!

In practice the club is relaxed about membership.

 

[SigmaJon]

So what's the protocol? Do I rock up boatless and knock on the door? Am I likely to be let in or escorted from the premises?

I always put on a sailing jacket and carry a lifejacket over the shoulder. The last time was visiting Burnham where the locals signed me in and insisted on buying the first pint.

 

[Babylon]

...Only once been told no, and that was in the Royal Southern, when Edward Heath was in the bar.

Were you already too old for him?

 

[johnalison]

Yacht clubs usually sell drinks at below pub prices and often have a problem with non-sailing drinkers who want to take advantage of them. I would not expect non-sailors to enter my sailing club any more than I would expect to be welcome myself at a golf club. Active sailors who don't belong to a club may be something of a grey area, but the answer would be for that person to join a club. Clubs only require that the applicant is involved with sailing or boating, not that he or she should own a boat.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I am not a member of any club - sailing or otherwise.
My experience when sailing round Britain this year was invariably "welcome, come in", and often "what are you drinking?" But I accept that I didn't visit a club on every one of my 50+ nights in harbour(s).

I do think I I may have transgressed the rules at the RN&SYC in Lowestoft, but nobody said anything and for three evenings I was made to feel most welcome.

 

[l'escargot]

If you are a member of an RYA affiliated club, which is most of them, just sign yourself into the visitors book of any other RYA affiliated club. How you arrive doesn't matter. If you're not a member of any club, you would need to be signed in as a guest of a member, just the same as any other type of club they cannot be open to the public for licensing purposes.

 

[Robin]

If you are a member of an RYA affiliated club, which is most of them, just sign yourself into the visitors book of any other RYA affiliated club. How you arrive doesn't matter. If you're not a member of any club, you would need to be signed in as a guest of a member, just the same as any other type of club they cannot be open to the public for licensing purposes.

Quite correct. no class divide or snobbishness, just how it is.:encouragement:

 

[Judders]

I like to visit a club rather than a pub sometimes, especially if I've arrived by boat. Being a member of half a dozen different clubs at different levels, I do have a lot of the reciprocals covered but no list is exhaustive. My own view is that reciprocal agreements or a requirement to be a member of an affiliated club is more of a way of kicking out oiks rather than stopping folk coming in.

From Helford River Sailing Club to Royal Harwich on the Orwell, I don't recall being asked to sign in more than twice and have only received an unfriendly welcome twice (Bosham SC and Chichester YC). So when I hear of other people having a less than successful experience, I wonder what I do differently. Is it because I talk nicely and look people in the eye? Is it because I talk a bit posh and have a side parting? (or did)?

As for Royal Southampton specifically, I'm not a member but have raced in many of their series and visited Ginns Farm more than my fair share of times. I've always found it to be a really very friendly club with fantastic staff.

 

[Daydream believer]

Were you already too old for him?

Careful!
Has not been proven
Yet

 

[doris]

I've visited the RSYC in Ocean Village when we raced a keelboat in their winter series once. However when a fellow course attendee and myself wanted to take our Day Skipper instructor out for a thank you pint I rang the RSYC and asked if we could come in although not members and was told no, members only. As I travel round the country a fair amount but not always by boat, I would like to take the opportunity to pop into clubs and frequent their establishments rather than the boozer nearest the b&b.

QUOTE]

I am amazed that the RSYC turned you away. You must have misunderstood or something cos they have always been very welcoming to any visiting yachtsmen in my experience.

 

[Blue Drifter]

Don't bother (I didn't) with the Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina, although they have relaxed the jacket and ties after 1930 hrs rule. Extract from their website below.

ON ARRIVAL

Whether you arrive by land or sea, you must contact the Club Office, or outside normal office hours, the Club Bar, where you will be asked to produce your current, recognised ,Yacht Club Membership card. You may be issued with a swipe card to enable you to access some of the Club facilities, including the Marinas, showers and car park. The Club reserves the right to refuse admission or privileges to any person.

 

[Jungle Jim]

Thanks everyone, that makes it a lot easier for me to understand what the rules are likely to be.

Just to make it clear, the RSYC didn't turn me away as such, I rang them beforehand and the lady on the phone said members only (which I now understand from this thread is the rule of their licence). I think she did mention that I could be signed in by a member but as I don't know anyone it was a non-starter. I've been in a couple of times with our crew after racing and the bar was full of friendly people so I've nothing against them at all :encouragement:

 

[l'escargot]

Don't bother (I didn't) with the Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina, although they have relaxed the jacket and ties after 1930 hrs rule. Extract from their website below.

ON ARRIVAL

Whether you arrive by land or sea, you must contact the Club Office, or outside normal office hours, the Club Bar, where you will be asked to produce your current, recognised ,Yacht Club Membership card. You may be issued with a swipe card to enable you to access some of the Club facilities, including the Marinas, showers and car park. The Club reserves the right to refuse admission or privileges to any person.

Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[Daedelus]

I don't think the Royal Yacht Squadron is affiliated although I did enjoy the incident of a couple of Australians who mistook it for a hotel and tried to get a beer.

I don't think eyebrows could have gone any higher.

SWMBO and I were once visiting Cowes and showed up at the Island Sailing Club where we were made welcome and SWMBO asked the steward how they could tell people were off a boat. He looked her up and down and said, "The clothes, madam, the clothes" Fortuantely SWMBO understood what he was getting at.

Finally I think you have to sign the book to satisfy the legal requirements of the clubs drinks licence. Unlikely they would be raided or checked, but if they were it would be nice not to have dropped them in it.

 

[SigmaJon]

"The clothes, madam, the clothes" Fortuantely SWMBO understood what he was getting at
.

What was he getting at? Blazer and tie, ubiquitous quartered rugby style shirt or tide marks in salt on the trouser?

 

[l'escargot]

What was he getting at? Blazer and tie, ubiquitous quartered rugby style shirt or tide marks in salt on the trouser?

That sounds like Ivor, he'd work you out with a glance whatever you were wearing - just don't walk in wearing your cap or on a mobile phone...