League of Snooty S.C's

Hmmm its funny really if my home club Broadstairs Is so rubbish then how come the guy who has just bought my vareo (oh and he comes from hythe) wants to sail the rest of season here at the very club you are moaning about.Still at least some of the hythe sailors came along to support the event  unlike people from other clubs that are quite close to us

Well I can do both Rupert's "clubs that are good" and GRF's "clubs that hate you" categories.

Everywhere you go people tell you that Hayling is snooty and cliquey. I arrived there as a relative unknown 10 years ago having never been there before with a brand new 700 straight from chandlers ford. Within half an hour a couple of guys had offered to help unpack & rig it with me. Maybe it helped that I'd turned up with the growth class du jour but within a couple of weeks I felt part of the club. The staff are all really helpful and a good proportion of the fleet can be found in the bar afterwards discussing technique and tactics. I'm always surprised at the accusations of snobbery and wonder why it is that some people don't seem to feel welcome; are they intimidated? Is it the fact that sailing in the harbour requires a good year's worth of experience to know the marks and the tide? Who knows?

At the other end of the scale... A group of us had decided to try something different from our usual abersoch summer jaunt and decided to do Camel week instead. On the first evening we went to the club for a drink after racing to be told "I'm sorry but it's members only this evening". During their open summer regatta! Mental. Maybe they could tell we were from Wolverhampton but there was a real sense of being looked at down noses all week despite acquitting ourselves quite well on the water. Maybe it's moved on but it was very unwelcoming in 1997 and we didn't go back.

I know the club Roger refers to (I used to be a member there) but it's not on a moor and it's hardly a pond....otherwise his description is pretty much spot on I'm afraid. 

My list of great clubs is probably topped by Bala - I've had so much great sailing there, but more importantly, the people are really friendly and helpful.

I've always thought of myself as a temporary member of any club I have attended an open meeting at. Especially as I have paid an entry fee to use all of the facilities. If they are not available to me then I won't be going back and I will tell the CA of my disapproval.

Bring the Osprey, Pierre, and I'll get Roger D up with his Hornet, and we can make a party of it...