South East Sailing Club
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12901
Printed Date: 04 Jul 25 at 3:01am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: South East Sailing Club
Posted By: patitifa
Subject: South East Sailing Club
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 12:28pm
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Hi guys,
I'm relocating to the south east. Bewl Water is close by, but much rather sail on the sea. Hastings/Eastbourne area, Rye or Seahaven at a push.
Any recommendations for a good club? Looking at single handing, and prefer close racing. Equally, I'd rather something a little more up to date than a laser - I'd rather not hike upwind so much! 80Kg chap. Reasonable club level sailing/racing experience.
Two small children, so looking at getting them involved in few years time.
Where should I be looking, and what classes?
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Replies:
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 12:34pm
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The big caveat with coastal clubs in that area is launching. Many of them are straight onto exposed beaches, shingle at higher tide states. Some folks don't mind, or even like it, I did it once and vowed never again!
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 12:38pm
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In terms of classes you are likely to be needing a second boat for the kids. Something like a Mirror is probably suitable for that aspect and you can get one in reasonable nick for about £300 or so.
In terms of something that requires less hiking than a Laser you are probably best to steer away from most of the usual suspects (D-Zero, Aero, Solo et all) as they all require hiking. Possibly something like a Blaze might be suitable as you can perch on the racks quite effectively if you dont feel like hiking. The other option is the trapeze route so RS600 or Contender (or Farr 3.7).
As for clubs I cannot help there, middle England pondie here!
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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 12:48pm
There used to be a good club scene at Hastings but you don't hear much these days, Bexhill? are they still going strong. Eastbourne has a Laser thing going on PRAT racing or did, don't hear much about them either.
There's a new effort to get dinghy racing going on at the Varne which is the only thing near(ish) to Rye
As for boats that you don't hike the Contender would be my advice if you are big enough, lots of Kent coastal clubs are getting them, or the Blaze, but they are very nosey in the sort of wave length we get on the south coast and you still hike them and not on the most comfortable of scaffold pole. If you are handy then an MPS can bring excitement to the party but you will inevitably trash something on the way in or out however good you are, the Contender is so much better suited to getting on and off the beach.
Then there's our place at Hythe which is a bit of a trek from Bewl if that is where you are based, we have had Bewl members but they tend to be living in the M20 corridor, we have a couple of Contenders a bunch of Lasers and other odds and sods, it's an OK club, the sailing bit, it can be a bit cliquey because we've opened pandoras box to all manner of sports, bikes, SUPs as well as wind and kitesurfers, but there is a good vibe as far as pulling together to get all the boats launched and recovered, plus we have some up to date race management stuff.
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Posted By: H2
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 12:51pm
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I found a club with a decent Cadet squad because the kids much prefer to go off and sail with other kids. I also purchased an old Laser 2 so we could sail together but this soon got too small and was quickly replaced with a RS400 which was fun to race with one of them as crew. Now they are growing up so I am back to sailing a singlehander and got a Hadron H2 - I used to race Lasers but am too heavy and the H2 was a great surprise and I love sailing again.
As to clubs....I would sail at Bewl personally as its big enough!
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Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 1:06pm
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What about the Medway? I gather Wilsonian is quite an active club.
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Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 1:41pm
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I thought most people from Bewl moved to Bough Beech? I wouldnt join Bewl, I think it is near dead after the landlord troubles last year.
Whats your definition of close racing? In my opinion you dont get close racing on the sea, everything spreads out too much and only comes together at marks, pick a small lake if you want close racing. If you must have sea then Eastbourne and Bexhill are the best clubs to meet your needs.....
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Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 2:04pm
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Eastbourne's worth a look. They have a very active Wed evening series, with up to 40 boats out this season I believe - mostly Lasers, racing on personal handicaps. A larger range of classes at the weekend - Lasers, Contenders, RS600s, Musto Skiffs and Moths for adult single handers.
Probably also worth checking out Pevensey Bay and Bexhill.
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Peter
Ex Cont 707
Ex Laser 189635
DY 59
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Posted By: rich96
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 2:07pm
Sail at Bough Beech
Sailing all year round
Laser and Solo classes plus handicap that ranges from Toppers to Trapeze boats.
Good standard and friendly.
Good turn outs and great kids sailing section
Best racing in the area
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Posted By: Pierre
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 2:14pm
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Or try Weir Wood SC. Lovely place, good racing and family oriented. www.wwsc.org.uk
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Posted By: bicrider
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 2:39pm
Just to point out there is a sailing club at Rye. Rye harbour sailing club is a small but friendly club, we don't have the biggest fleet of dinghies on the south coast but the racing is normally close and fun and the big advantage we have over the other coast based clubs is that we launch into the river on a concrete slip so can race in the river when the sea is to rough. The fleet is mostly Lasers and a few different craft. We have a few club boats that are free to members Laser, Pico, Wayfarer and a Wanderer, Feel free to pop down the dates for the winter series are on the clubs website http://www.rhsc.org.uk/ sales pitch over :)
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Dart 18 5054 "Willy Flipit"
Finn K333
Yellow (faded) Pico "Willy Tipit"
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Posted By: Gordon 1430
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 3:12pm
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Downs Sailing Club in Deal has some Phantoms which would be worth talking to. Chris Shelton local guy who does the open meetings. Really friendly club, protected beach from South West so easier launching, just the odd sledges to play with.
Is it to far South east?
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Gordon
Phantom 1430
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Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 3:23pm
If it's close racing and getting the kids involved then there is always our little lake redoubt sailing club. Inland but close to coast so we always get sea breeze if it's dead. Nice no frills club and good competition.
Www.redoubtsc.org.uk
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(Redoubt Sc)
Miracle 4040
GP14 13407
Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 4:29pm
Can't advise on clubs (North West inland and North Wales costal sailor here) but Topaz is a great kids/small adults boat for not a lot of money and A Blaze for you own jollies. Brilliant boat for the sea, bought one last November and sailed it in everything from drifting conditions inland over the winter to F6+ in Holyhead Bay last week. GRF is right, it will sometimes try to go down the mine in biggish waves/swell if you steer into the back of a big one, I've had green water over the foredeck on a few occasions, but it just seems to slow down and pop up again with a minimum of drama. When it's gets really hairy you can just dump the mainsheet and it'll sit there calmly waiting for you to decide what to do next. This summer has been the best sailing I've had for many years, and the Blaze probably the best boat I've ever owned.
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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"
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Posted By: patitifa
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 5:36pm
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Thanks for all the input. I'm going to be nosing around over he next few weeks, see whats going on. Look to get a new boat over the winter. Interesting to see so many plugs for the Blaze - hadn't really thought about it before, but I will have a closer look. Hastings looks good for laser numbers, Eastbourne for handicap. Cmmmmmmm.
birider - will have a look at Rye for sure. Size is no indicator of quality......
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Posted By: transient
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 5:47pm
Prevailing south westerlies produce some big dumps in that area. Those in the lee of beachy head seem better.
Take a day and visit them all between Eastbourne and Hastings, 4 in total. They are only 30 mins apart. Check out the dump at highish tide if there is a SWer. Also check out at low tide as there are exposed reefs at a couple of them.
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Posted By: patitifa
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 6:04pm
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Thanks Transient, good advice.
Apologies for typos- small children playing hide and seek in study.Trying to keep within an hour of home, which means between Rye and Seaford if it is to be the sea.
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Posted By: transient
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 6:59pm
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I'll message you some finer details. I don't really want to put a warts 'n' all appraisal on a public forum.
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 8:38pm
Is Wilsonian close enough? They have a decent fleet of Blazes and seem like a nice bunch (see the Foxwells Youtube vids). It's an estuary not open sea but the sailing area is big enough....
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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 8:45pm
It's a funny county Kent or Kent & E.Sussex, whilst at one end you can set from one end to the other in under an hour, yet West to East can take twice as long for the same distance, so depending where patititfa is going to live and by the sounds of it it's on the A21 as bad a road as ever there was, he'll be limited to that part of the coast and communications with that are pretty dire.
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Posted By: patitifa
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 9:24pm
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iGRF nailed it - I'm on the A21! Been to the county a couple of times and the idiosyncrasies of the road network are clear. I suspect I will be limited to that patch of coast. I think Medway will sadly be too far.
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Posted By: gary145
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 9:52pm
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sailing-at-eastbourne.co.uk no reefs, no rocks, good racing any state of tide, single handers inc- lasers, contenders, moths, musto skiffs, 600s, A class cats or when nothing else is out the dart16! Pratt racing-Personal handicap wed evening series. Come and try...
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Posted By: NickM99
Date Posted: 01 Nov 17 at 10:37pm
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When you have your new boat, come and do the Icicle at Bough Beech which is a really well supported (100 entries +) handicap series in January and February. I'm sure you can get there quickly now the A21 Pembry bypass is open Then you will be all trained up and ready for your new sea club when their summer season opens... or you might just decide to stay at Bough Beech!
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Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 02 Nov 17 at 11:14am
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I am biased but I would consider Chipstead Sailing Club, the kids sailing thing is every weekend (Bough Beech is once a month I believe), it is nearer the A21, its a smaller lake so plenty of close racing, you will get good class racing in a variety of classes. In your shoes I would join the 15-20 Solo's sailing every saturday and also get a Graduate to join the 10-15 of them sailing each sunday with the kids. Take a look at the results section on the website to get an idea of fleet sizes.
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