Sailing Club Reviews
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3522
Printed Date: 18 Aug 25 at 6:33pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sailing Club Reviews
Posted By: ptcruiser
Subject: Sailing Club Reviews
Date Posted: 24 Oct 07 at 9:12pm
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As a newbie to sailing I have seen a couple of SCs reviewed - however what clubs have been reviewed in the past? I am particularly interested in the SCs around Herts, Beds and Bucks. Are there any recommendations? |
Replies:
Posted By: Ross
Date Posted: 24 Oct 07 at 9:24pm
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Stewartby sailing club ------------- Ross If you can't carry it, don't sail it! |
Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 24 Oct 07 at 9:50pm
Slightly further north, but right up the A1 - Grafham Water ! ------------- Wanna learn to Ski - PM me.. |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 8:53am
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Yeah...I like the look of Grafham... but a little too far for me to travel. Anyone here know about Welwyn Garden City SC, Aldenham SC, Broadwater SC, Herts County YC or Fishers Green? |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 9:25am
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If you use http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/clubs/ to find your area, you will see the information we hold for each club.
Seeing the latest photos, and latest reports, from a club, gives a good indication of what it gets up to. If we have reviewed a club in the magazine, there will be a link to the PDF at the bottom. |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 9:33am
| OK - thanks |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 9:36am
| Awww...none of the clubs I could go to are reviewed - do YandY normally review smaller SCs? |
Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 10:07am
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Stewartby?!?! I learnt there and haven't sailed there in years - that is a blast from the past. Does it still get bunged up with green weed in the summer, swans still attack you when windsurfing and the air smell like sulphur? Oh, happy days! ------------- |
Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 10:08am
Seriously though, in around Beds, Herts and Bucks - make the trip up to Grafham. Best lake around.....with the exception of Datchet of course ------------- |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 11:30am
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Wow - Datchet and Grafham look fantastic! However I just know that if it is too far, I will rarely get there - and I really want it to be a regular thing. It looks like Welwyn Garden City or Aldenham are the most realistic in travel times... If you are in a sailing club, do other clubs accept you if you are visiting the area? - sorry if this is a stupid question (i'm sure it won't be my last |
Posted By: Scooby_simon
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 11:37am
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I used to sail at Welwyn Garden City - very small lake with tress all aroud it.
Come to Grafham ! ------------- Wanna learn to Ski - PM me.. |
Posted By: ChrisJ
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 11:44am
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What boat are you trying to sail? That can make a big difference to how well you fit into a club. Look at the Y&Ying Clubs, and from there to the clubs web-site. Check the results of races to see how many people are regular sailors. Check to see if they do anything special on non-racing days. Check for junior training, especially if you have kids - as they will want to sail with other kids. Almost any club will welcome you in for a chat if you are thinking of joining. If you are not joining for the racing competition, you might want to go on a Saturday and a Sunday. I know our club gets different people on the 2 days. |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 11:58am
The editorial team have a big job ahead of them, to review as many clubs as possible, but I believe the smaller ones will be covered just the same as the biggies. |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 12:05pm
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I will hopefully be sailing a family size dinghy (Bahia, RS Vision or Wanderer...). I am not too worried about racing in a particular class. I love the SC reviews in Y&Ying (I am nosey) - keep up the good work. With regards to SCs welcoming - if you visit the coast and you are in another sailing club, do they welcome you as a visitor?
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 12:39pm
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With regarsds to the clubs you mentioned. Welwyn is tiny and surrounded by trees, you can see it from the train on the way down the East Coast Main Line. Fishers Green is a very active club (lots of good Fireballers come from there and Solo people too). Never been there but definitely worth a check. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 1:30pm
| You're right Welwyn Garden City lake is long and narrow. There is a very active fishing club going on there which narrows the lake even further (the boats have to sail 2 boat lengths from either side of the shore, so as not to upset them (a few of them are aggressive to the sailors). |
Posted By: Chew my RS
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 1:41pm
They might charge you a couple of pounds as a visitor fee, but most will gladly welcome you (but how you prove you're a member else where?). Of the clubs you've listed Fishers Green is the only one I've heard of, so would guess it has the most active racing. Even if you're not into racing, it may indicate that it has the best bit of water or the best facilities (but might also be the most expensive). ------------- http://www.sailns14.org - http://www.sailns14.org - The ultimate family raceboat now available in the UK |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 1:57pm
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I feel a trip to Fishers Green coming on... Thanks for all your help so far. With regards to proof of membership to a SC - do you not get a membership card? (told you I was a newbie |
Posted By: Chew my RS
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 2:20pm
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I guess it depends on your club, but most probably do. We have a nice yellow one this year. ------------- http://www.sailns14.org - http://www.sailns14.org - The ultimate family raceboat now available in the UK |
Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 2:22pm
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You should get a membership card. However, I'm pretty sure that Datchet will just welcome you as long as you pay a day membership. I think its roughly £10 - don't quote me though! ------------- |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 3:44pm
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Apparently, Aldenham SC has been going since 1920 - I'm amazed more isn't known about them...according to their website Ian Proctor was a member. I might check out their location too, as its the nearest (other than Welwyn) - I'll let you know how I get on. Mind you I am probably too late at this time of year... |
Posted By: HannahJ
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 4:59pm
Depending on where you are, come and visit us (Seahorse sc) in nw london, have a look at http://www.seahorsesc.co.uk - www.seahorsesc.co.uk or pm for details
------------- MIRROR 64799 "Dolphin" The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist hopes it will change; the realist adjusts the sail |
Posted By: Ross
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 6:54pm
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King George in north london is a brilliant club...not that i'm biased or anything... ------------- Ross If you can't carry it, don't sail it! |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 8:00pm
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I have seen somewhere that someone at King George SC was the recipient of the first Laser Bahia (one of the boats I'm interested in) How big is the lake? Is it comparible to Aldenham? |
Posted By: ChrisJ
Date Posted: 26 Oct 07 at 10:24am
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King George is a great size. Large resevoir up above the surrounding area. It had closed down for a couple of years while Thames Water drained it and re-sealed the edges. But it is now back up and flourishing. In no way will it be comparable to Aldenham! Much bigger and easier place to sail and race - but with less interesting edges!
Someone said earlier>>: "I've been to Aldenham and it seems quite nice. They race on the river which is about 10m from the sea, seperated by a high spit! They have an active junior fleet I believe" There is NO WAY that somewhere in NW London is 10m from the sea! You must mean Aldeburgh: which is a great place to sail and race, very interesting, great for a holiday, many places to visit up and down the river. But its not in NW London. |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 26 Oct 07 at 11:54am
| Oh dear, I appear to have made a balls up! Apologies, you're right - I was thinking of Aldeburgh, having recently been there. I meant 10 metres as well, not 10 miles. Sorry! |
Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 26 Oct 07 at 1:37pm
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Posted By: ptcruiser
Date Posted: 26 Oct 07 at 2:27pm
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Looks like no one has been to Aldenham then...shame as its one of the closest to me. I shall check out the others though... King George, Seahorse Fishers Green and King George. Another one near me is Broadwater SC - anyone heard of that one? |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 26 Oct 07 at 7:41pm
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Yes. Broadwater is a small gravel pit with a couple of islands in it. The sailing area is quite small but would be fine for the sort of boats you're looking at. They race on Sundays and also on Wednesdays in the summer. The club is very relaxed and informal and extremely welcoming. You can sail pretty much when you like ( though I wouldn't recommend unsupervised sailing if you're a complete beginner). They also have a very active social scene if that's important to you, and good stuff for kids. http://www.broadwatersc.org.uk/ - Have a look here. |