Sailing at Silver Wing Sailing Club
What better way to spend a weekend than on the water? We take a look at local sailing clubs for you to get involved in.
Twickenham Yacht Club
The only sailing club in Twickenham and Richmond, Twickenham Yacht Club offers dry berths and wet moorings. The club sails 3 classes of dinghy - Enterprise, Solo and National 12 and welcomes both beginners and those with experience. The summer season lasts from March until October, with races between Eel Pie Island and Marble Hill Park on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Winter racing takes place on Sunday mornings. Various special events and trips are organised throughout the year including a trip to Keyhaven for Twickenham Week.
Applicants must to be proposed and seconded by full members.
Entrance fee = £42.50 (adult) or £65 (family). Annual subscriptions = £85, £130.
Hampton Sailing Club
Hampton Sailing Club prides itself on being a family club and operates from an island in the middle of the Thames situated between Hampton Village and Hurst Park. Unusually, it is only accessible by hand operated chain ferry! The summer season runs from March to October and the Winter season runs from October to December. Berthing space on the island is at a premium and therefore priority is given to boats that regularly sail.
Entrance fee = £25. Annual Subscription fee = £90 (adult) £20 (junior). See website for full details.
Tamesis Sailing Club
The Tamesis Sailing Club is situated in Teddington on a non-tidal reach of the River Thames between Kingston Bridge and Teddington Lock. The club offers racing for five different dinghy classes every Sunday throughout the year and handicap races on Thursday evenings in the summer. Sail training is offered to children and adults on Saturdays from May to September and Race training is available for adults and children who have completed a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sail training course. There is an extensive social programme including quiz nights and a midsummer ball.
In addition to full membership, the club offers a six-week trial membership and a half-year membership option to members of other clubs.
Entrance Fee = £52 (adult), £26 (under 21/student). Annual subscription = £186 (adult), £326 (family), £93 (under 21/student). See website for full details.
Queen Mary Sailing Club
The Queen Mary Sailing Club is located on the Queen Mary Reservoir in Ashford. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday between October and March and everyday between April to September. Fleet racing and handicap racing is available every Sunday morning and handicap racing every Wednesday evening from April to September. The club offers a wide range of training courses and tuition in dinghy sailing, windsurfing and powerboating. There are several social events and trips for members and their families throughout the year, in 2011 the club went to Dahab for a week.
There is no entrance fee. Annual subscription = £135 (adult), £199 (family), £69 (under 25, student). Day membership is available for those with their own equipment who want to use the facilities (from £6). See the website for full details.
Thames Young Mariners
Thames Young Mariners is based on a lake alongside the river between Richmond and Kingston. It offers a number of Royal Yachting Association accredited courses for 8–16 year olds. They have a fleet of more than 45 boats providing groups and individuals with the opportunity to experience various types of sailing dinghies. They also run adult only courses, weekend courses and holiday courses.
See website for full details.
surreycc.gov.uk/outdoorlearning
Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club
Island Barn in West Moseley is based on a 122-acre raised reservoir and offers beginner sailing courses for adults and juniors. It is a Royal Yachting Association training centre so provides tuition and qualifications in sailing and powerboating. The club is open for sailing throughout the year with Sunday being the main sailing day.
See website for full membership details.
Desborough Sailing Club
The Desborough Sailing Club is located on the River Thames at Shepperton. There is racing from March to December and leisure sailing all year round. The club has a thriving social scene, with events including a Halloween party and barbeques.
There is no entrance fee. Annual Subscription fee = £147 (adult), £194 (family). £73 (under 25).
Staines Sailing Club
Staines Sailing Club is a small family club on the Thames. Club racing takes place on Sunday and bank holiday Monday afternoons from April to October and casual sailing takes place on Wednesday evenings during the summer months. The club hosts a ‘have a go day’ once a year where anybody can attend and try out sailing for the first time. It does not offer official sailing courses.
There is no entrance fee. Annual Subscription fee = £66 (adults), £99 (family), £22 (juniors).
Albany Park Canoe and Sailing Centre
The Albany Park Canoe and Sailing Centre is based in Kingston Upon Thames. The centre offers a range of courses from school holiday to adult weekend courses. A range of activities are on offer, including canoeing, powerboating, sailing and kayaking.
See website for details.
kingston.gov.uk/info/200252/albany_park_canoe_and_sailing_centre
Thames Sailing Club
Claiming to be the country’s oldest river sailing club, the Thames Sailing Club is located between Kingston and Surbiton. The club offers racing on Sundays and Tuesdays between April and October, and Sunday sailing until Christmas. During the summer there is fun sailing on Friday evenings. The Thames Sailing Club also races Thames A-Raters, which were developed in the Victorian era for river racing - some are nearly 100 years old! The club welcomes all new members, no matter their experience.
Annual subscription = £150 (adult), £250 (family), £30 (student, junior)
See website for details.
Silver Wing Sailing Club
Silver Wing is a small, family club located in Wraysbury and boasts a 60-acre lake, fit for members of all levels and ages. The club is open on Sundays all year round and on Tuesdays (racing) and Thursdays (training) during the summer season. Silver Wing is a recognised RYA training centre.
Annual Subscription (includes Associate Membership of British Airways Club London) = £138 (adult), £158 (family), £98 (junior).
Frensham Pond Sailing Club
Enjoy sailing on the lovely setting of Frensham Pond near Farnham. Racing takes place every weekend throughout the year as well as on Wednesday evenings in the summer. The lake is open for general sailing every day during daylight hours. The club offers a range of classes for members to sail and runs training and RYA courses for adults and children. Training for children takes place on Saturday mornings. The club welcomes members of all levels and ages.
Entry fee = £100 (students exempt) Annual subscription = £185 (family), £130 (adult), £47 (student).
See website for full details.
Aqua Sports
Aqua Sports is located at Mercers Country Park in Merstham and is a great place for lovers of watersports. The centre runs courses in watersports such as sailing, paddlesports and windsurfing. The centre is open 7 days a week all year round.
For those with their own equipment, membership is available to partake in weekly races and social events. Membership includes free use of the lake and clubhouse facilities. Hire membership is available for those without their own equipment.
Entry fee = £45. See website for full membership options.
Channel Sailing Club
The Channel Sailing Club is based in Epsom but its members’ boats are located at various places in the Solent with the majority being in the harbours at Portsmouth and Chichester. The club exists of novice members as well as very experienced ones and thus, members can draw on the extensive knowledge of others in a friendly, sociable atmosphere. The Channel Sailing Club is a RYA training centre and welcome members of all levels. Club members meet on Tuesday evening at the Epsom Sports Club for the weekly social. They organise a wide range of events throughout the year, from Solent cruises, trips across the Channel, and an on-the-water treasure hunt.
Annual Subscription: £25 per single member.
