Yacht club dress codes

I don't think they said black tie does, they were referring to dress codes on the premises I believe? Certainly that was what I responded to. I think black tie functions are very normal for youngsters, from school proms to college balls and onwards now.

It's funny that there is a kind of old fashioned snobbery in some codes where jeans and trainers are banned, when in real life those jeans and trainers could easily cost three times the price of the chinos and deck shoes that are approved :)
 
drakes drum said:
I'm all for a ban on women wearing jeans in the clubhouse. I cant think of a single female member of our club with an arse fit for display in tight jeans. I dont want to have to drink a pint with my eyes shut.
Click to expand...

LOL... :D

Bru said:
My favourite upon arriving at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk was being informed, with exquisite tact, that we were a little on the scruffy side for the restaurant but welcome to partake of a meal and drinks in the private members lounge!

(We were none too smart it must be said after ten days cruising on a 23 footer)
Click to expand...

I'm not sure but I think I might have been a little put off by that response... it's a little 19th century.... I would like to think that the definition of well dressed is to do more with manners and behaviours rather than what I'm wearing.... a case in point - last summer I was on a day cruise with a mate of mine and another friend, and we stopped off at Cowes for lunch - unexpectedly they trogged me into the Island Sailing Club for said lunch, and I was dressed as can only be compared to a slightly less tidy Compo out of Last of the Summer Wine - bless them, they raised not an eye brow... the lunch was delicious, and I knew that sartorially I had let the side down, but I won't do next time... "respect" as the young people say....
 
Fantasie 19 said:
...unexpectedly they trogged me into the Island Sailing Club for said lunch, and I was dressed as can only be compared to a slightly less tidy Compo out of Last of the Summer Wine - bless them, they raised not an eye brow... the lunch was delicious, and I knew that sartorially I had let the side down, but I won't do next time... "respect" as the young people say....
Click to expand...

You will get told off by Ivor the Steward if you keep your cap on or use your mobile phone though. ;) They also have formal events with black tie etc. but seem to strike a happy balance.
 
Elecglitch said:
Any person that thinks dress code takes priority over elementary good manners such as making guests welcome is not someone with whom I would wish to associate.
Click to expand...

I could not agree more..
And to be fair, the club whose dress code made my young crew smile, extended us a.warm welcome. That's why we like you Brits: reserved at first, quaint at times, but welcoming. :encouragement:
 
I fear this is just another manifestation of English aspirational middle class snobbery; golf clubs are by all account even worse.

Up until 3 years ago, when virtually all my sailing was on flotillas, I used to defend us against such accusations. Not since we got a boat in the UK though. For far too many English sailors in my (OK, limited) experience, having a 'yacht' is first and foremost a status symbol. And seemingly the more so the more modest the boat - you see it on YBW every day, sauced with a hefty dollop of bitterness.

Motorboaters, again in my experience are (i) as rich as many sailors wish us to think they are, and (ii) couldn't give a toss about 'image' and are much more interested in enjoying themselves. Mind you, this might be just that only the rich ones can afford to take their boats out!
 
As has been mentioned previously this sounds like an excuse not to join a club.
My motorboat club has a list of events which specify what most people "should" be wearing ie. Black tie at two of our really posh ones and blazer and greys/whites to most of the others.The rest are smart casual or fancy dress.
If you choose to wear something different ...good on you what a brave independant individual you are to be sure....just the sort of chap to put your name down to help run the club.
It is not usual,as the first of the dickie bow tie crowd arrrive in the evening to find the boiler suit brigade finishing their pints and heading home along with some repartee.
We recently had an application from a couple who went through all the application hoops and who were invited to join the club.
After some considerable prevarication they declined our offer as they always did everything with their doggies and hounds are not allowed in the clubhouse due to food and drink being served.
This did cause some mystification and amusement among our large mut owning crowd,also to a couple of members who take their pussy cats along on club cruises.
 
Last edited:
ohmaggie said:
I fear this is just another manifestation of English aspirational middle class snobbery; golf clubs are by all account even worse.

Up until 3 years ago, when virtually all my sailing was on flotillas, I used to defend us against such accusations. Not since we got a boat in the UK though. For far too many English sailors in my (OK, limited) experience, having a 'yacht' is first and foremost a status symbol. And seemingly the more so the more modest the boat - you see it on YBW every day, sauced with a hefty dollop of bitterness.

Motorboaters, again in my experience are (i) as rich as many sailors wish us to think they are, and (ii) couldn't give a toss about 'image' and are much more interested in enjoying themselves. Mind you, this might be just that only the rich ones can afford to take their boats out!
Click to expand...

Oh I don't know, don't many motorboaters look at their boats first and foremost as status symbols - many of them seem to think raggies are "jealous" of their possession - and isn't evening dress code Quba "sailing" jackets... ;)

In my experience there seems to be just as much reverse snobbery when talk gets round to sailing clubs, particularly by people who say they would never belong to one - and then very same people often complain about not having access to sailing clubs...
 
l'escargot said:
Oh I don't know, don't many motorboaters look at their boats first and foremost as status symbols - many of them seem to think raggies are "jealous" of their possession - and isn't evening dress code Quba "sailing" jackets... ;)

In my experience there seems to be just as much reverse snobbery when talk gets round to sailing clubs, particularly by people who say they would never belong to one - and then very same people often complain about not having access to sailing clubs...
Click to expand...

++1 :encouragement:
 
ohmaggie said:
Up until 3 years ago, when virtually all my sailing was on flotillas, I used to defend us against such accusations. Not since we got a boat in the UK though. For far too many English sailors in my (OK, limited) experience, having a 'yacht' is first and foremost a status symbol.
Click to expand...

You should come East. The Essex mud is a great leveller.
 
It is a leveller. I think the dress code at our club is that you won't be served if you are dripping wet (presumably being caught in the rain is OK, as it can be distinguished from Essex mud by the smell). Certainly I have seen the junior sailors being ordered to go away and get a towel before being allowed in the lunch queue.
 
A club I belonged to put dress "suggestions" on the notices. Such as; blazers, smart casual, come as you are, and on one occassion, "dress optional [but preferred] "
 
ohmaggie said:
I fear this is just another manifestation of English aspirational middle class snobbery; golf clubs are by all account even worse.
Click to expand...

I'm not a golfer (too busy sailing to whack a ball across fields), but a couple of summers ago I was invited to a posh golf club for Sunday lunch by one of its members. On arrival, my 14 year old son and I were taken aside by the head waiter and told that, whilst our attire was acceptable, we had to tuck our polo shirts into our trousers. We duly did.

About 30 minutes later, an elderly gentleman arrived. Immediately recognised and welcomed by the aforegoing head waiter. Evidently a regular. Almost certainly a member. Dressed in a remarkably similar way to my son and I, complete with polo shirt hanging down over his trousers. Was he told to tuck it in? Nope.

So their dress code is enforced, but only if you aren't a regular it would appear.
 
drakes drum said:
I'm all for a ban on women wearing jeans in the clubhouse. I cant think of a single female member of our club with an arse fit for display in tight jeans. I dont want to have to drink a pint with my eyes shut.
Click to expand...

You are trying to join the wrong club then. Come and join Haslar Yacht Club...where you'll find a selection of delectable and very nicely shaped female bums and a few male arses are OK too...well maybe that's pushing it:p
 
l'escargot said:
Oh I don't know, don't many motorboaters look at their boats first and foremost as status symbols - many of them seem to think raggies are "jealous" of their possession - and isn't evening dress code Quba "sailing" jackets... ;)

In my experience there seems to be just as much reverse snobbery when talk gets round to sailing clubs, particularly by people who say they would never belong to one - and then very same people often complain about not having access to sailing clubs...
Click to expand...

Do folk complain about not having access to one? And excuse my ignorance, but are not most sailing clubs, as opposed to yacht clubs, more dinghy focused? do dinghy sailors bother about dress codes?
 
steve yates said:
Do folk complain about not having access to one? And excuse my ignorance, but are not most sailing clubs, as opposed to yacht clubs, more dinghy focused? do dinghy sailors bother about dress codes?
Click to expand...

They do - there are numerous posts on here with people complaining about being refused entry to clubs because they aren't members, being told they must join after so many visits and would you believe, complaining about dress codes in clubs they would never even want to join...:D

"Sailing" or "Yacht" in the title doesn't really tell you anything - I belonged to a royal "Yacht" club which is more inclined towards dinghies with far more dress code events than the "Sailing" club I currently belong to that has very little involvement with dinghies. People actually do sail yachts as well as dinghies...:encouragement:
 
I am happy to report that my sailing club now has a rowing section, keelboat cruising and racing, dinghies, windsurfing, scuba and kayaking.

No dress code though. Can't say I can be worked up one way or the other.
 
l'escargot said:
They do - there are numerous posts on here with people complaining about being refused entry to clubs because they aren't members, being told they must join after so many visits and would you believe, complaining about dress codes in clubs they would never even want to join...:D

"Sailing" or "Yacht" in the title doesn't really tell you anything - I belonged to a royal "Yacht" club which is more inclined towards dinghies with far more dress code events than the "Sailing" club I currently belong to that has very little involvement with dinghies. People actually do sail yachts as well as dinghies...:encouragement:
Click to expand...

Ok, I thought you meant not having a club to join, which is a bit different from complaining about turning up at one if out cruising and being turned away. That's not very sociable, or friendly on the part of the club.

Being asked to join if constantly using the premises would certainly seem fair enough tho.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top