Looking for yacht club within 1.5h drive from London

[Gedimin]

Hi,

Moving to London and looking for a new yacht club. Would appreciate any recommendations. To describe what I am looking for, I'll just list what I have in my current club in Scotland (shame to leave it really).

My current club:
1. Integrated with marina and pontoons, so that members' boats are all in marina (at marina's normal price)
2. Accessible at all states of tide except LW +- 1h at springs
3. Has mix'n'match system helping owners to find crew and vice versa (I don't have a boat at the moment)
4. Informal in terms of dress code and no recommendations required when joining
5. Has 2 club keelboats to hire at a very attractive price - for training, day sailing or club racing
6. Busy racing/cruising schedule for those with boats and without: races and cruises twice a week from April to October
7. Small membership fee (however it is not an issue if the club really delivers)

Ideally to find it all within easy reach from central-south London (up to 1.5 hour drive).

So far I see 3 main areas:
- Solent: feels like an ultimate sailing center of the world, but a bit further away
- Medway: probably busiest place on East Coast (if not Burnham?), cheaper and closer to home, not sure about depth/tides and level of racing competition
- Brighton: close enough and nice city itself, easy to bring friends from London when I have a boat, but much quieter than other two

Choice looks too extensive, but when I dig deeper, most of clubs are failing in several criteria. Miserably failing in regards to club owned keelboats which I enjoyed the most. I would even consider to offer one of them to initiate such a scheme like we have in my current club

 

[Tranona]

Everything you want can be found in Poole at either Poole Yacht Club or Parkstone Yacht Club except the club keel boat. In Poole YC we do though have several classes of dinghy (including new Hartley 15s) owned by the club and our own class of keel boat (R19) which is modest to buy and run. Marina accessible at all states of the tide plus swinging moorings and good racing waters both in and out of the harbour. Modest membership costs, particularly in relation to the facilities.

Appreciate outside your 1.5 hours, but doubt you will get anything like it any closer in time. Suggest you pop down to Poole over the weekend of 8-10 June for the Poole Harbour Boat Show. The club is having open evenings at the same time for prospective new members. Have a look on the website www.pooleyc.org.uk You can book a place on an open evening by phone to the club office.

 

[Wansworth]

Chichester Sailing Club just by the Chichester marina as a visitor seemed very friendly and active

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Depends a lot on where in London you will live. It can take all of your travel budget simply to cross the city, so selecting either the club first, or your accommodation first, is needed, assuming that the 90 minute limit is to be met.

 

[Seven Spades]

The club which most closely matches your spec is probably the Royal Southern Yacht Club.

http://www.royal-southern.co.uk

 

[jamie N]

Easy Jet to Edinburgh?

 

[lw395]

Sunsail/Port Solent?

Seriously, several IoW clubs have keelboats for charter AIUI.

 

[Boathook]

As others have mentioned, where in London are you moving to.

 

[Seajet]

Though I'm not a member - and it depends a lot on what sort of boat you have - CYC Chichester Yacht Club - who also have a lot of saiing dinghies - seems about right for you; but you'd have to learn the backroads from Tangmere around Lavant / Apuldram to avoid the PITA Chichester bypass.

 

[Blue Sunray]

The club which most closely matches your spec is probably the Royal Southern Yacht Club.

http://www.royal-southern.co.uk

Apart from points 4, 5 and 7?

 

[Seven Spades]

No just point 5.

 

[maby]

The Medway Yacht Club is worth a look - we were members for several years and it was a friendly place with plenty of sailing activities and a decent social life.

 

[Gedimin]

Thanks for all replies so far!
I will be living close to Clapham Junction in London, so will have to go through half the city anyway. But at least not in the North

 

[Sticky Fingers]

OK. So travel-wise, Eastbourne, Brighton, Chichester, Portsmouth, Fareham and anywhere on the Hamble all look kinda-OK. Bradwell and Burnham a bit more but doable.

 

[Concerto]

The difference in costs between Edinburgh and the main South Coast places will be a huge shock to the OP.

The Medway is a good river to sail on. There are a number of yacht clubs on the river, but as previously mentioned the Medway Yacht Club would be your best choice as they do have dinghy sailing, keel boats and cruiser racing. http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/ The only thing they do not have is a marina, but they do have an all tide pontoon and deep water moorings with a launch service at weekends. (In the past I used to be a member, not currently.)

The Medway has a lot of racing from dinghies to cruisers, organised by many clubs and at many levels. The river has a fair rise of tide of up to 6 metres, but it never does over 2 knots as it is wide. The river is dredged for some commercial shipping, but this is fairly rare at weekends. The bends in the river make it a good tactical river to sail on with areas of little tide or beneficial back eddies. Down river from the Medway Yacht Club, there is little commercial use until you reach the container port at the mouth of the Medway, and that is little used. I have sailed on the river since 1965 and still enjoy sailing there. If you would like more information then have a look at http://msba.org.uk/ or send me a PM.

 

[Gedimin]

The difference in costs between Edinburgh and the main South Coast places will be a huge shock to the OP.

The Medway is a good river to sail on. There are a number of yacht clubs on the river, but as previously mentioned the Medway Yacht Club would be your best choice as they do have dinghy sailing, keel boats and cruiser racing. http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/ The only thing they do not have is a marina, but they do have an all tide pontoon and deep water moorings with a launch service at weekends. (In the past I used to be a member, not currently.)

The Medway has a lot of racing from dinghies to cruisers, organised by many clubs and at many levels. The river has a fair rise of tide of up to 6 metres, but it never does over 2 knots as it is wide. The river is dredged for some commercial shipping, but this is fairly rare at weekends. The bends in the river make it a good tactical river to sail on with areas of little tide or beneficial back eddies. Down river from the Medway Yacht Club, there is little commercial use until you reach the container port at the mouth of the Medway, and that is little used. I have sailed on the river since 1965 and still enjoy sailing there. If you would like more information then have a look at http://msba.org.uk/ or send me a PM.

Thanks for information! I guess Medway is one of the most common recommendations, I will seriously consider this. Probably just have to pay a visit to see how it all looks and how fast can I get there from my place. I might come back to you with some specific questions since you know this place so well.

 

[Blue Sunray]

No just point 5.

Well I'd get your website updated then as it currently says:

"The Process.

Traditionally Membership begins when existing Members of the Club propose and second your application. Each of these Members must have known you personally for at least six months, and must have been full Members of the Club for two years or more. They will need to write to the Secretary in support of your application, and complete the details on page four of the application form.

Don't know any Members?

Then you are welcome to apply for our provisional 'Temporary' Membership category. You will still be required to complete the application form but will not need supporting letters.

Temporary Membership.

This is available for up to one year. We hope that during your Temporary Membership period you will get to know other Club Members who will be able to support your permanent Membership application."

and

"Single Member 30 years and over. £567.00 annually plus £567.00 joining fee"

I'm not sure the photo gallery supports point 4 either; some members even appear go so far as to wear a made-up mess dress uniform.

 

[maby]

Thanks for information! I guess Medway is one of the most common recommendations, I will seriously consider this. Probably just have to pay a visit to see how it all looks and how fast can I get there from my place. I might come back to you with some specific questions since you know this place so well.

It is worth noting that the Medway Yacht Club is about 12 miles up river from the mouth of the Medway. This was the primary consideration that drove us away in the end, moving to the Solent. It's a couple of hours sail from the club to anything like open water - and that is the Thames estuary. We sailed there for several years, but eventually got fed up with four hours river sailing every day before we could get into open water and spread our wings.

 

[Babylon]

PS Also there isn't a yacht club anywhere in the country, certainly in your search area, that doesn't need fresh joiners and their money, so don't let that impede you in the slightest.

 

[Babylon]

Stupid site - deleted my original post instead of letting me edit it from my phone.

I said: suggest you visit a few on your shortlist, clubs as well as locations, and try to experience being on the water in each place if possible. The East and South coasts are quite different. You're unlikely to find all your criteria being met by any one place, but you'll know the right one for you when you're there. Also try sitting on the M25 versus the A3/M3/M27 on a Friday and Sunday afternoon...!