FAMOUS SAILING CLUBS
It is important to have a yacht but it does not end there. It equally important to belong to the right sailing club. And belonging to the right club isn’t always easy. There are so many yacht clubs out there to choose from and asides from that, each club has its own peculiarities which is important that you know before you get involved. For example, at the Yacht Club de Monaco, you must first be approved of by H.S.H. Prince Albert II to be granted membership. At the New York Yacht Club, you have be considered worthy of being listed among past members including Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Sounds like tough business, right? Well, it is not like that for every club so there is no cause for alarm. Below are the most famous sailing clubs in the world:
Royal Thames Yacht Club in London, United Kingdom
There seems to be a lot of royalty on this list. Well, that is because sailing was not for the common man until very recently. But most of the royal clubs are open to the public.
The Royal Thames is the oldest sailing club in the United Kingdom. The club was first formed in 1775. Members of the club initially met in coffee houses and the club owned various properties in London from 1857 moving into its present location at 60 Knightsbridge in 1923.
Traditionally the Commodore of the club has been a member of the royal family and today Club’s Commodore is HRH Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. The Patron of the Club is the HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and the Admiral is HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
Yacht Club de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco
Located at Port Hercules, the Yacht Club de Monaco is founded by Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1953. For unclear reasons, this sailing club is regarded as the hardest club to get into in the world. First you must be introduced by two sponsors, both of them society members of the YCM.
Next you need to fill out an admission form signed by the sponsors and the applicant, accompanied by a letter of introduction from the proposer, explaining the motives. Twice a year, HSH Prince Albert II, the President of the YCM, convenes a meeting to examine applications. In other words, royalty determines your fate.
There are over 900 members from over 44 countries. Monaco’s royalty are, of course, front and center. However, this should not prevent you from giving this exotic club a trial.
New York Sailing Club in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island
Founded in 1844 with headquarters in New York City, the club expanded to Newport in 1988. In 1865, when the club was incorporated it adopted the motto: “Nos agimur tumidis veils” which means “We go with swelling sails.”
The gorgeous Newport clubhouse was the former summer home of Commodore John Nicholas Brown. It remains one of the most difficult clubs to get into in the US. The reason for this is not farfetched. Its history and former members have made it an exclusive and ostentatious club. Famous people like Walter Cronkite, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Vincent Astor, and Ted Turner have at one time or the other been members of this sailing club.
Royal Yacht Squadron on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
This yacht club’s clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight. Member yachts are given the Suffix RYS to their names, and permitted to fly the White Ensign of the Royal Navy rather than the merchant Red Ensign flown by the majority of other registered boats in the UK.
Queen Elizabeth II is the patron of the club and the club’s admiral is Prince Philip. In other words, exclusive doesn’t even begin to describe this club. This club is for the tops.
Members: Notable members have included David Clementi, Daid Poole, and Aga Khan IV.
San Sebastián Royal Nautical Club
The need to improve the practice of water sports in Donostia-San Sebastián was why the Real Club Náutico was founded in 1896. Located just next to the beach, at the entrance to the harbour. Its building (1929), example of the rationalist architecture, has been declared Artistic Monument, so is its cultural interest.
The club organises many regattas and takes part in high level competitions. It’s also a member of the Spanish Association of Royal Nautical Clubs. It offers several activities for the spare time, such as canoeing, sailing and diving.
There are some free discos, deck chairs, competitions of sailing, kayaks and bridge/canasta.
They offer so many services such as anchoring area with berths, pier for mooring, boat’s warehouse for members, social rooms, conference room, gym, sauna, solarium, table-tennis and a small pelota court. They have a capacity of 300 people. The access requirements are private, just for members or members’ guests.
Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club
Another dinghy and cruising sailing club, with a small but fairly strong dinghy section which sees fleet racing for some classes together with mixed handicap racing. One of two clubs in the small town of Emsworth, on the Hampshire/Sussex border, it often runs racing jointly with its neighbour, Emsworth Sailing Club.
Its tidal location means race times vary and feature typical club courses on the creeks in the area. This is complemented by the millpond, which is often used for teaching. Regular cruiser races/cruises in company are also run and the club is home to a strong Model Yacht Racing section, particularly in the winter months.
Epping Forest Yacht & Country Club
The Epping Forest Yacht and Country Club is Located on the widest point of the St. John’s River. It is shaded by grand oak trees. The mansion was built as a sprawling home base for duPont’s favorite pastime, yachting (on his beloved Nenemoosha), and quickly became an illustrious meeting place for fellow industrial giants and heads of state of the day, including the Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and the Goulds. This should give you an idea of how ancient this club’s location really is.
The building blends Gothic and Baroque architectural elements with a sprawling Spanish Renaissance form. Today, the romantic mansion has been completely restored and serves as home to the Epping Forest Yacht & Country Club.
Yacht Club Argentino in Buenos Aires, Argentina
This sailing club in Argentina was founded in 1883 and today, it is not only the best sailing club in Argentina, it also regularly sends its delegates to symposiums of the Offshore Racing Council to make rulings on yacht racing in South America.
With more than 3,300 members and a total fleet of 38 yachts, the club owns learning boats, sailboats to race the various regattas, and dinghies to monitor the races. You can join the thousands of members who are part of this club.
Larchmont Yacht Club
Located in Westchester County, New York, the Larchmont Yacht Club has been in existence since 1880, when the original members met in a church where they had the right of use for a fee of $1 per year—every day but Sunday, unless they waited until Sunday services were over. Today, there’s of course an impressive waterfront clubhouse along with a pool, six tennis courts and four paddle tennis courts. A healthy regatta schedule is on the calendar from May through October.
Ida Lewis Yacht Club
Ida Lewis was a lighthouse keeper during the mid- to late 1800s. She got the job after her father, a light keeper, became disabled; she rescued her first boaters when she was 12 years old, and by the time she was 15, she was known as the best swimmer in Newport, Rhode Island. Today, the Ida Lewis Yacht Club hosts cruises, races and a juniors program. The 12 Meter World Championship Regatta is held during the summer, in the same waters where the boats raced for the America’s Cup from 1958 until 1983.
There you go! You have the royals and you have that which anyone can be part of. Joining a sailing club can change your sailing experience for life as you can see from there that it does not just include sipping tea together but other enlightening activities.
