UK's Most Expensive Sailing Club

HISC is in a stunning location and certainly the best dinghy club I've ever been to: and I've been to quite a few. I've done a lot of opens there: great facilities, great sailing water inside and outside the harbour and invariably well-run events. I also used to crew regularly for someone at HISC and if there had been an affordable crewing membership I'd have joined: funnily enough I never did. That was well before the new building: it was always an expensive club. That said, the old clubhouse was falling down and the new one has to be paid for somehow.

For those who want smaller and/or cheaper clubs, well there are half a dozen alternatives around Chichester Harbour.

that new club house building is like a hotel! It's incredible. I'm making the most of doing FED week so that I can make the most of all the facilities at very little cost! Of all the other clubs in chichester and langstone harbour it's the only one where you can launch at all states of the tide though i think i'm right in saying. I was a member at Langstone SC for years but you could only sail for a couple of hours either side of high tide which was a bit annoying.

You can get good racing though at clubs on the sea that cost less than £100 to join, as the racing is a result of the enthusiasm of the members. As for the water, it's naturally occurring so doesn't cost anything to maintain, bar a small amount to keep the slipways in good condition etc.

If you compare the cost of it to some of the bigger inland clubs, it is still way higher, and the inland clubs have to pay significant amounts of rent to the water board.

But if there are enough people willing to pay that much, why should the club charge less......

Ever been there Ian? Ever been on Hayling during a southerly or south-easterly gale? If you have, think about why the site, clubhouse and access road, totally exposed to the elements, are unlikely to cost only a "small amount" to maintain.

I've never belonged to HISC but I've belonged to other clubs in the area and I don't know any charging only £100 for membership. Something more like three times that for an adult single membership will be more average. The annual fee is pretty similar to other clubs like Itchenor or CYC: it's the entrance fee that is steep.

They also have a professional secretariat and, I think, a full-time bosun. Whether you think these are worth paying for depends on your earnings and how much free time you have, but it doesn't surprise me that plenty of people are prepared to pay for it.

 

Originally posted by Stefan Lloyd Ever been there Ian? Ever been on Hayling during a southerly or south-easterly gale? If you have, think about why the site, clubhouse and access road, totally exposed to the elements, are unlikely to cost only a "small amount" to maintain. I've never belonged to HISC but I've belonged to other clubs in the area and I don't know any charging only £100 for membership. Something more like three times that for an adult single membership will be more average. The annual fee is pretty similar to other clubs like Itchenor or CYC: it's the entrance fee that is steep.

I'd agree that the clubhouse is very expensive to maintain, mainly due to its size. The site is basically a load of sand and shingle which probably moves around a bit in a storm, but doesn't really need much maintenance.

People must have too much money down there though, try moving far east or far west and you'll easily find sea sailing under £100....

Single Membership Fees:

Brightlingsea - £89

Isle of Sheppey - £96

Great Yarmouth & Gorleston - £95

Porthpean - £70

 

Edited by Ian99