Looking for an RYA Member Referral

[Karlisa Genrty]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been lurking here for and reading posts a while and wanted to say thanks, as someone currently without any "real-life" sailing friends to bother for advice, this forum has been an great asset of insights while I find my sea legs.

As I start my practical sailing journey I'm planning join the RYA, and I’m looking to use their "Refer a Friend" scheme. Since I don't have a local crew to ask yet, I figured I’d see if anyone here would like to do the honors?

The deal:
- For me: I get a discount off my first year’s membership.
- For you: The RYA sends you a "thank you" gift (I believe it’s usually smth like a dry bag or a water bottle).
If you’re a current member and fancy a free bit of kit, please drop me a Private Message (PM). I just need to give you my name and email so the RYA can send the link over.

Thanks again for the help so far!

 

[Mark-1]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been lurking here for and reading posts a while and wanted to say thanks, as someone currently without any "real-life" sailing friends to bother for advice, this forum has been an great asset of insights while I find my sea legs.

As I start my practical sailing journey I'm planning join the RYA, and I’m looking to use their "Refer a Friend" scheme. Since I don't have a local crew to ask yet, I figured I’d see if anyone here would like to do the honors?

The deal:
- For me: I get a discount off my first year’s membership.
- For you: The RYA sends you a "thank you" gift (I believe it’s usually smth like a dry bag or a water bottle).
If you’re a current member and fancy a free bit of kit, please drop me a Private Message (PM). I just need to give you my name and email so the RYA can send the link over.

Thanks again for the help so far!

I suspect as a new member of the forum you can't be PMd or maybe you've turned off the ability to PM.

If you can find a way to get your details to me I'll do it.

 

[pretzel_logic]

And as a backup if that doesn't work out, then I've just joined the RYA so I can assist. (It was the cheapest way to get an ICC).

 

[Mark-1]

And as a backup if that doesn't work out, then I've just joined the RYA so I can assist. (It was the cheapest way to get an ICC).

That's why I rejoined this year after the best part of 40 years. If you take out instructors who have to be members and ICC renewals I wonder what their *real* membership is.

I also wonder how many people would be willing to volunteer as instructors if it weren't for the overheads.

 

[st599]

That's why I rejoined this year after the best part of 40 years. If you take out instructors who have to be members and ICC renewals I wonder what their *real* membership is.

I also wonder how many people would be willing to volunteer as instructors if it weren't for the overheads.

Don't forget the racing fraternity. The racing rules require the skipper or owner to either belong to an affiliated club or to be a personal member.

 

[Mark-1]

Don't forget the racing fraternity. The racing rules require the skipper or owner to either belong to an affiliated club or to be a personal member.

Got that wrong.

Well that was a shock. The only club I've ever been involved in where we discussed affiliation, the fee was under £200, so I've always thought affiliation was cheap as chips. Your post just lead me to google and it turns out the fees for larger clubs are eye watering. Even worse they're based on membership income not total "spare cash". So turnover rather than profits in company terms. And if you're a member of multiple clubs you're getting stung several times.

 

[ylop]

Well that was a shock. The only club I've ever been involved in where we discussed affiliation, the fee was under £200, so I've always thought affiliation was cheap as chips. Your post just lead me to google and it turns out the fees for larger clubs are eye watering. Even worse they're based on membership income not total "spare cash". So turnover rather than profits in company terms. And if you're a member of multiple clubs you're getting stung several times. Bastards. Boils my piss.

It’s only charged on “full memberships” - hence why many clubs have “out of town” discounts, non-sailing members, and students / children are excluded too. It’s also why some clubs split out dinghy storage fees etc. Seems reasonable to me that club who bring in £200K of membership fees pay considerably more than one bringing in £5k. I think if your club is making hundreds of thousands in membership fees from adults who actively sail you can afford single digit thousands for RYA affiliation. The question should probably be why is it not a fixed sum per member or a % of membership - both of which might be fairer for smaller clubs? Ultimately in any case it’s likely cheaper than public liability insurance bought on the open market.

 

[Mark-1]

It’s only charged on “full memberships” - hence why many clubs have “out of town” discounts, non-sailing members, and students / children are excluded too. It’s also why some clubs split out dinghy storage fees etc. Seems reasonable to me that club who bring in £200K of membership fees pay considerably more than one bringing in £5k. I think if your club is making hundreds of thousands in membership fees from adults who actively sail you can afford single digit thousands for RYA affiliation. The question should probably be why is it not a fixed sum per member or a % of membership - both of which might be fairer for smaller clubs? Ultimately in any case it’s likely cheaper than public liability insurance bought on the open market.

Actually yeah, stand down. I mistakenly added an additional zero in my head. It's not too bad for any of the clubs I'm in.

 

[oldbloke]

Don't forget the racing fraternity. The racing rules require the skipper or owner to either belong to an affiliated club or to be a personal member.

Just being an RYA member really only applies to people who only do Open Meetings, regattas etc. Its cheaper than being a club member and there's no commitment to race officer, safety boat , etc duties

 

[Biggles Wader]

Fed up with boring old anchor threads are we?
Agenda item two it is then.

 

[wonkywinch]

And as a backup if that doesn't work out, then I've just joined the RYA so I can assist. (It was the cheapest way to get an ICC).

That's kind of you. You asked a similar question about the Cruising Association a couple of weeks ago and I replied both on the thread and by PM offering to donate my referral reward to Hamble Lifeboat magnified by Gift Aid but never heard back from you.

It must be a forum thing.

P

Thread 'Cruising Association'

27 Mar 2026

Hi.

Apologies if this is in the wrong place. I'm thinking of joining the Cruising Association and it seems existing members can supply a discount code and they get a £20 voucher in return. If anyone is prepared to do this then I'd be grateful for a code.

Thanks.

• pretzel_logic
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Yachting Monthly's Scuttlebutt