Looking for yacht club within 1.5h drive from London

[grumpy_o_g]

If you can manage to get yourself well enough organised then the South Cost has a huge advantage in that you can jump on a train and be there in 2 hours or less - Lymington clubs are a few minutes from walk the station, Poole and Southampton are longer but a reasonable taxi ride.

Trouble is you lose the ability to just chuck everything in the car and the trains are packed during rush hour - but that's when the traffic is worst too of course. In the summer a Friday evening drive from Clapham to Poole could easily be 4 hours whereas even a crowded train is only 2 hours (it just feels like 4) - trains get better after about 7pm but the traffic will still be bad on a Friday till late very often - I usually drive past miles of stationery traffic (on the other carriageway) when I go up to London to see my Son at the weekend in the summer months. It won't be as bad if you head for Chichester, Portsmouth or Southampton (2 to 3 hours worst case) and you should probably add another 30 mins for Lymington.

For the East Coast - Google Maps has Burnham-on-Crouch as needing 1hr 30m if you leave now (4am Sunday morning) but adds another hour or so if you leave at 6pm Friday.

 

[Gedimin]

Fair point about travelling by train vs car. Shall consider it.
At the moment, after all I heard, I'm inclined to look for a club in Solent, but for weekends only. Don't think it viable to be there during the week. Midweek sail would be in dinghies on Thames then - South bank or Westminster sailing clubs.

 

[xyachtdave]

I know MYC very well and would be happy to show you around one weekend. Wednesday evening cruiser racing during the summer, one design racing on Saturday's (Dragon, Squib, Sonata, Wayfarers) and Sunday cruiser racing, cadet sailing and Wayfarers having their second outing of the weekend.

There is a reasonably active cruising fleet, lots of social events, although if I'm completely honest these are popular with the older crowd, paid steward, galley and bosun team, travel hoist, scrubbing etc, everything you need. The club does have boats, Wayfarer, Topper, Feva etc but if you're expecting a matched fleet of J-70's like the RSYC you'll be disappointed.

I work in East Dulwich and keep our boat in Chatham MDL Marina so know this commute well. I prefer the yacht club to the marina but need walk on walk off access to the boat at the moment. I've over wintered in various East Coast ports, I'd forget going over the Thames if you're driving, the A2 and Dartford Bridge on a Friday eve....add 2 hours and a lot of stress to your travelling time.

The charm and attraction of the East Coast for many is it isn't completely overrun with huge new boats and crews wearing all the latest kit with a hat and top on claiming attendance at some race or the other, it's a little more down to earth.

 

[weustace]

If you're after dinghy sailing clubs in London, I can recommend Queen Mary Reservoir—there is an active sailing club with a reasonable rental fleet. I sailed there for some years before moving on to yachts. Have only ever sailed on the Thames while doing a course at the Lensbury Club (just above Teddington Lock), which was mostly sailing round in triangles—so hard to say what it would be like for anything else. Think I would rather go to QM in many ways—lots of room to blast around in! When I was last there, they were in the process of removing the berm that runs about half way across the middle of the reservoir—this will give even more sea-room! Obviously a bit more of a trek from Clapham than the Thames, but maybe not as much as you'd think; certainly worth considering.

 

[maby]

If you're after dinghy sailing clubs in London, I can recommend Queen Mary Reservoir—there is an active sailing club with a reasonable rental fleet. I sailed there for some years before moving on to yachts. Have only ever sailed on the Thames while doing a course at the Lensbury Club (just above Teddington Lock), which was mostly sailing round in triangles—so hard to say what it would be like for anything else. Think I would rather go to QM in many ways—lots of room to blast around in! When I was last there, they were in the process of removing the berm that runs about half way across the middle of the reservoir—this will give even more sea-room! Obviously a bit more of a trek from Clapham than the Thames, but maybe not as much as you'd think; certainly worth considering.

I'll second that! Queen Mary is definitely fun for dinghy sailing - and reasonably decent facilities for post-sailing socialising.

 

[Solent Sailor]

To be honest, if you want the most racing/crusing opportunities, the Solent is best, and the Hamble is the centre of it.

I can strongly recommend the Royal Southern. I, along with my young family, are at the younger end of the age-spectrum. We feel very much at home and there is lots going on all the time - some of it doesn't suit everyone - I couldn't care less about Bridge or a Wine Tasting evening, but I respect the fact that in a club of 1800 members, some will enjoy those things.

There's quite a fashion for some to criticize the Southern and other "posh" clubs. The Southern comes in for more than its fair share because it is more accessible than many (such as the Squadron) and lots of people attend events there that aren't members. Being candid, there is an "old guard" in the membership, many of whom are no longer sailing and use it as a social club. Nothing wrong with that, but their focus is away from on-water activities and more keen on shoreside events, dinners, bridge etc. You'd find the same in pretty much any large club. These folk can be somewhat outspoken and a pain in the arse, if truth be told (don't get some of them started on children at the bar or dogs in the clubhouse) - but just leave them to it, they're not nearly as influential as they think they are and the management/flag officers are on the whole a good bunch.

The above posts are also wrong - the club does have to J80s to hire.

Aside from certain dinners, there is no general dress code that you should be worried about. If you wear lots of ripped denim and don't like wearing a top in the sunshine, that's a different matter - it's a yacht club not a bar in Ibiza, so I don't think this is the wrong approach.

The whole mess dress thing is neither here nor there - its again a bit of an old school thing that a very few of the older members (and flag officers at that) subscribe to, but at any event you'd find those wearing mess dress in the minority by a proportion of 20:1. As for joining requirements - just become a temp member to start with and get to know some folks. Providing you've been seen by a member or two a few times (enough for you to feel you could ask them to sign your form) it is a formality.

As for club membership figures declining - the Southern will always be glad to welcome new members. But, it's far from desperate. There was a membership drive last year which has resulted in a membership of well over 1800 now (its largest ever) so sailing and club membership is thriving here.

If you ever come down and fancy a tour, give me a shout. I'm just waiting delivery of a new boat, so not spending so much time there at the moment, but am pretty local.

 

[Blue Sunray]

To be honest, if you want the most racing/crusing opportunities, the Solent is best, and the Hamble is the centre of it.

I can strongly recommend the Royal Southern. I, along with my young family, are at the younger end of the age-spectrum. We feel very much at home and there is lots going on all the time - some of it doesn't suit everyone - I couldn't care less about Bridge or a Wine Tasting evening, but I respect the fact that in a club of 1800 members, some will enjoy those things.

There's quite a fashion for some to criticize the Southern and other "posh" clubs. The Southern comes in for more than its fair share because it is more accessible than many (such as the Squadron) and lots of people attend events there that aren't members. Being candid, there is an "old guard" in the membership, many of whom are no longer sailing and use it as a social club. Nothing wrong with that, but their focus is away from on-water activities and more keen on shoreside events, dinners, bridge etc. You'd find the same in pretty much any large club. These folk can be somewhat outspoken and a pain in the arse, if truth be told (don't get some of them started on children at the bar or dogs in the clubhouse) - but just leave them to it, they're not nearly as influential as they think they are and the management/flag officers are on the whole a good bunch.

The above posts are also wrong - the club does have to J80s to hire.

Aside from certain dinners, there is no general dress code that you should be worried about. If you wear lots of ripped denim and don't like wearing a top in the sunshine, that's a different matter - it's a yacht club not a bar in Ibiza, so I don't think this is the wrong approach.

The whole mess dress thing is neither here nor there - its again a bit of an old school thing that a very few of the older members (and flag officers at that) subscribe to, but at any event you'd find those wearing mess dress in the minority by a proportion of 20:1. As for joining requirements - just become a temp member to start with and get to know some folks. Providing you've been seen by a member or two a few times (enough for you to feel you could ask them to sign your form) it is a formality.

As for club membership figures declining - the Southern will always be glad to welcome new members. But, it's far from desperate. There was a membership drive last year which has resulted in a membership of well over 1800 now (its largest ever) so sailing and club membership is thriving here.

If you ever come down and fancy a tour, give me a shout. I'm just waiting delivery of a new boat, so not spending so much time there at the moment, but am pretty local.

That chimes with of the impression that I've gained of the Royal Southern as an outside observer and is I dare say rather more rounded than the comment I replied to earlier and I'd add that those of their members that I've (knowingly) met have been very pleasant.

 

[Gedimin]

That's fantastic to hear opinion of someone from within clubs, this topic becomes more and more informative! @Solent Sailor I have sent you PM to get some more details.

 

[maby]

I would agree that the Solent area is the best overall combination of sailing in Britain, but it is very expensive! We moved from an MDL marina on the east coast to a (less well equipped) MDL marina in the Southampton area and our mooring fees doubled. Admittedly the OP does not talk about having his own boat, but I'm assuming that he either does, or intends to get one soon - in which case he will find the prices down south eyewatering!

 

[Solent Sailor]

True to a point, I agree Maby.

Two thoughts though: Firstly, you're paying in part at least for convenience and choice/frequency of racing events. Even the east coast (and I acknolwedge that there is great racing to be had there) hasn't got the same number or choice of events within easy reach, nor the size of classes in each.

Secondly, there are cheaper options than the much derided MDL marinas. Certainly for a small sportsboat like a J80 I wouldn't think of putting it there. Our club has quite a number of dry sailing spaces for sportsboats, for instance. Other (cheaper) yards do too - its a question of shopping around. For larger boats, there are options like the Council's mid-river moorings (even on a sub-let basis, so you don't have to wait on the waiting list for years), club walk-ashore moorings (again, like ours - half the price of MDL) and even the possiblity of takign a sub-let of a long term lease in one of the marinas. I did that and saved more than 50% - just don't buy the MDL crap that the lease holders are only allowed to deduct the VAT - that is contrary to EU competition law and MDL knows it.

 

[maby]

True to a point, I agree Maby.

Two thoughts though: Firstly, you're paying in part at least for convenience and choice/frequency of racing events. Even the east coast (and I acknolwedge that there is great racing to be had there) hasn't got the same number or choice of events within easy reach, nor the size of classes in each.

Secondly, there are cheaper options than the much derided MDL marinas. Certainly for a small sportsboat like a J80 I wouldn't think of putting it there. Our club has quite a number of dry sailing spaces for sportsboats, for instance. Other (cheaper) yards do too - its a question of shopping around. For larger boats, there are options like the Council's mid-river moorings (even on a sub-let basis, so you don't have to wait on the waiting list for years), club walk-ashore moorings (again, like ours - half the price of MDL) and even the possiblity of takign a sub-let of a long term lease in one of the marinas. I did that and saved more than 50% - just don't buy the MDL crap that the lease holders are only allowed to deduct the VAT - that is contrary to EU competition law and MDL knows it.

Certainly so - but the same considerations apply anywhere in the country - whatever you pay for in the Solent, you can get for 50% of the price, if not less, elsewhere round the country. Don't get me wrong - we have been on the Solent for several years now and will stay until we can no longer afford it - but a sailor coming from the far north is going to have quite a shock when he sees what he gets for his money!

 

[Solent Sailor]

I don't necessarily agree, but I also don't think that any marina offers good value for money.

In isolation, yes, the marina berth and facilities probably aren't any better than marinas elsewhere in the country. However, the location (both in terms of

As to 50% cheaper elsewhere - that's a bit of an exaggeration. Conwy marina, for instance - £430 m/pa. Deacons £495.

I was talking to an owner at Holyhead recently (yes, his boat sank) and their swinging moorings are an atrocious price to my mind - so going north is not a guarantee of value.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Mines £540/m / year in Chichester. Would be less is if was < 12m.