Portsmouth Sailing Clubs

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Having sorted out my mooring in Portsmouth, I have realised it would be a good idea to consider getting involved in a local club, HSC seems to be a lovely place and quite close - but I am wondering if any forumites have any experience of the procedure when you don't live locally and don't know anyone from the club to second you? (I've emailed asking but had no reply so I'm guessing that like any busy volunteer organisation they are stacked with emails).

I can't imagine that every member lives just down the road - but at the risk of seeming naive - do sailing clubs take on remote members like us? I would imagine joining to get a mooring and do nothing else would be pretty rotten, but as I dont need that aspect and actually wanted to see if I could get more involved in a local scene - thought it might be nice to try it.
 
We live in the Midlands and are members at Langstone SC, we go down most weekends, which is more than many members that live on the doorstep, so distance is not a barrier for us but perhaps other clubs might be less willing to accept members from such a distance particularly without existing members to vouch or some demonstration that you will turn up for duties etc.

When we originally were looking for a friendly club on the South coast to join most didn't reply to my initial email. As an out of area person its often very difficult to get proposed and seconded so I took a letter of introduction from our local dinghy club where we had been members for several years, and, as a way of breaking the ice, did the rounds over a couple of weekends to meet people and get some introductions; I think this is a much softer way of approaching than email and is much more likely to be successful.
 
SiteSurfer said:
Having sorted out my mooring in Portsmouth, I have realised it would be a good idea to consider getting involved in a local club, HSC seems to be a lovely place and quite close - but I am wondering if any forumites have any experience of the procedure when you don't live locally and don't know anyone from the club to second you? (I've emailed asking but had no reply so I'm guessing that like any busy volunteer organisation they are stacked with emails).

I can't imagine that every member lives just down the road - but at the risk of seeming naive - do sailing clubs take on remote members like us? I would imagine joining to get a mooring and do nothing else would be pretty rotten, but as I dont need that aspect and actually wanted to see if I could get more involved in a local scene - thought it might be nice to try it.
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I used to be a member of Hardway Sailing Club many years ago. I live in London and knew nobody in HSC but had no difficulty becoming a member. I don't recall having to get a proposer and seconder.

It's a good club; friendly, no snobbery and good facilities. You had to do a couple of Duty Days each year or pay a forfeit if you didn't want to do them. Parking in the area around the club was in short supply.
 
There is only one 'Portsmouth Sailing Club' and it's not in Gosport.

Last time I was there, there was no waiting list. The only problem is parking.
 
I agree with Winsbury, I have to as we're fellow members of Langstone SC ! :)

Our club decided to bin the nonsense of ' proposers and seconders ' because as you say it's a barrier to newcomers who don't know anybody.

With the OP's attitude I think any sensible club would be glad to have him.

Remember the days of ' dead man's shoes ' waiting lists for moorings and clubs are gone; a lot of clubs in Chichester Harbour ( which includes Langstone SC as we have access to both harbours, my mooring is in Chichester ) - have ganged together to promote dinghy and cruiser sailing, holding joint events and open days, and it has worked very well indeed.

In Portsmouth, I have only actually been in Hardway a few times on club visits but was left with an extremely favourable impression - beware secure parking is a problem around there, as is traffic to and from the M27.

Portchester SC also has a very good reputation as a friendly club.
 
Thanks for the varied tips, I'll try to get over there and say hello over the weekend when I'm down doing maintenance.
 
Well if they let my late father in they will let anyone in. My info is 30 years out of date but i imagine buying a few beers at the bar would get you on the waiting list! My father was better at the bar hanging than the sailing.....
 
roblpm said:
Well if they let my late father in they will let anyone in. My info is 30 years out of date but i imagine buying a few beers at the bar would get you on the waiting list! My father was better at the bar hanging than the sailing.....
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To quote the esteemed Mr G. Marx:

"Some years ago, after considerable urging, I consented to join a prominent theatrical organization. By an odd coincidence, it was called the Delaney Club.... The first night I went there, I found thirty-two fellows playing gin rummy with marked cards, five members shooting loaded dice on a suspiciously bumpy carpet and four members in separate phone booths calling women who were other members' wives.
​

A few nights later the club had a banquet.... That particular night I was sitting next to a barber who had cut me many times., both socially and with a razor. At one point he looked slowly around the room, then turned to me and said, "Groucho, we're certainly getting a lousy batch of new members!"

I chose to ignore this remark and tried talking to him about Chaucer, Ruskin and Shakespeare, but he had switched to denouncing electric razors as a death blow to the tonsorial arts, so I dried up and resumed drinking, The following morning I sent the club a wire stating, "Please accept my resignation, I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.""
​

It seems a beautifully evocative description of a few sailing (and gliding) clubs I've visited (although I felt worrying at home in a couple of them).
 
Hardway SC
Very Friendly and Parsifal is quite correct.
We live just north of Newbury. The membership interview seemed to be aimed at satisfying two criteria
1 we actually sailed
2 we were not simply local residents looking to access the cheapest bar in town!
Even the working party days are fun for the younger members (those under 65!)
Dinghy training and cruiser races mid week.
Turn up when the bar is open gets better response than emails or phone calls.
 
Another for Langstone, I have a joined last year and its beem great, members all really friendly and helpful, great facilities and on site parking, I only live 15 minutes away and although there were closer clubs I just liked LSC big thanks to Seajet for inviting me down to have a look round in the first instance.
 
On the subject of duties, working parties, volunteering or whatever it gets called at your club, clubs which have these arrangements should be supported to the highest possible level by their members for a number of reasons:

a) it is bloody good fun and far more rewarding to put into a club rather than just pay for a service,
b) it is a brilliant way to meet other members and genuinely feel part of the group,
c) it helps the club financially and that reflects in lower fees and promotes the growth of sailing by lowering the entry cost for newbies,
d) less fees = more to spend on cruising enjoyment whether that be wine , rallies or berthing at destinations and, of course, an occasional bunch of flowers for the mrs to thank her for letting you have a boat in the first place !
 
As a lifetime member of Langstone SC and an occasional user of Hardway SC's scrubbing posts I can heartily recommend both clubs!

Both have very keen bar prices, membership fees and are friendly clubs. One costs slightly more than the other but it depends what you are looking for in a club. I'd recommend you visit both and spend a few hours at each. Saturday or Sunday lunchtime is probably the best time to visit.

Hardway seems to admit new members once a year but Langstone will accept them at any time of the year. Don't get hung up on the proposer or seconded thing: many applicants don't have them but the right people who participate in club activities will find themselves becoming members.

Bilge keels or lifting keel? Visit Langstone first. Fin keel? Try Hardway but you'll have to wait a couple of years for the right mooring to become available. Either way you will have found a great club.
 
Another club to consider is Tudor Sailing club on the Portsmouth side of Langstone Harbour. Prospective members can turn up on the monthly new members night. My son is a member having joined last year. Members are expected to do 20 hours (??) per year club duties.
Our boat is on a swinging mooring and our 0.9 m draft Jaguar floats for about plus or minus 3 hours each side of high water (dependent on the tide) for access in and out and you can get into the Solent in about 40 minutes from the moorings. Previous mooring in Chichester restricted us to plus or minus 2 hours.
Fees are relatively low and they have a well fenced hard standing area and usually launch in March and take the boats out in October using their own Wise 10ton tractor/hoist.
And the club is relaxed and friendly.
 
Topcat47 said:
Don't forget Portchester, located opposite Port Solent by the castle. A very active club with a good friendly atmosphere too.
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in the OP's position, largely looking at clubs in Portsmouth for social reasons, I'd think Portchester is the best bet; it has a very good reputation and while Hardway is a brilliant club, with Portchester one has more chance of coming out to find the wheels still on the car, and quite a few more minutes on one's clock not wasted in traffic...
 
grumpy_o_g said:
To quote the esteemed Mr G. Marx:

"Some years ago, after considerable urging, I consented to join a prominent theatrical organization. By an odd coincidence, it was called the Delaney Club.... The first night I went there, I found thirty-two fellows playing gin rummy with marked cards, five members shooting loaded dice on a suspiciously bumpy carpet and four members in separate phone booths calling women who were other members' wives.
​

A few nights later the club had a banquet.... That particular night I was sitting next to a barber who had cut me many times., both socially and with a razor. At one point he looked slowly around the room, then turned to me and said, "Groucho, we're certainly getting a lousy batch of new members!"

I chose to ignore this remark and tried talking to him about Chaucer, Ruskin and Shakespeare, but he had switched to denouncing electric razors as a death blow to the tonsorial arts, so I dried up and resumed drinking, The following morning I sent the club a wire stating, "Please accept my resignation, I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.""
​

It seems a beautifully evocative description of a few sailing (and gliding) clubs I've visited (although I felt worrying at home in a couple of them).
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Yes my dad's attitude completely. Its not always a great idea though. My take on it is that people who are happy in clubs are generally happier people!
 
My plans to visit today fell apart as I fell through a rotten cover on my boat mashing my thumb in the process, I think Hardway look best for us (closest to the mooring) - so will do my utmost to get along.
I like the idea of doing duties, i will be nice to use the safety boat and AI certs I have to help out.
 
Yeoman_24 said:
Is your or your partners job in any way connected with being in the Civil Service or are you a retired Civil Servant?
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No I'm afraid not, I am in the RNSA though (but not via employment). And I'm a little way off retirement (although getting closer every day!)
 
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