Never tried sailing before? – We have something for you. Experienced sailor keen for team racing? – We have something for you too. Basically, we cater for all levels of experience. So why not pop down for some great time on the water!
UCL Sailing Club is the continuation of the former University of London Sailing Club; the third oldest University Sailing Club in the UK behind Oxford and Cambridge, with 75 years of prestigious Racing History.
We welcome sailors of all abilities; ranging from those who have never stepped foot in a boat before to those who have raced at an International level. Our club is a part of the UK Team Racing circuit, regularly taking part in competitions around the country from Exeter to Newcastle. Looking to push the boat out? We offer RYA courses for those looking to learn how to sail. For those more interested in the social side, we offer many exciting socials throughout the year and an annual Summer Sail Week, where we charter yachts around exotic areas such as the Saronic Islands in Greece!
Given that we are an ex-UoL club, we are still very much accepting of any and all non-UCL Students, who can join us by booking visiting / associate membership through the Students' Union.
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Membership
Sailing (£95): For Team Racers, Beginners and Casual Sailors.
- Regular Training and Coached Sessions in Team Racing.
- Access to beginner sailing courses at an additional fee far cheaper than any commercial training centre
- Access to our boats, equipment, and facilities
- Membership with our affiliate, Welsh Harp Sailing Club, giving you access to further Fleet Racing development and Club Racing.
- Subsidisation for competitions on entry fee and transport (including free entry to BUCS)
- Development opportunities in Powerboating and Instructor Qualifications
- Social Membership
Social (£10): For Social members and SSW enthusiasts,
- Regular Socials, including access to joining us at competitions for socials
- Opportunity to buy a ticket for the annual Summer Sail Week
- Access to our Rooster order and Stash order
Training Schedule
Racing (at King George Sailing Club):
- Wednesday 14:00-17:00
- Saturday 09:00-15:00
Learn to sail (at West Reservoir):
- Sunday 14:00-16:00
Where can you go sailing in London?
NOTE: As the Welsh Harp reservoir is being drained this year, we have relocated to King George V Sailing Club in North London for the winter months.
We sail on the Welsh Harp, a small reservoir just 45 minutes away from UCL! With a beautiful view of Wembley Stadium from the reservoir, our reservoir is one of the best kept secrets of London.
Team Racing
For those of you who don't know, team racing is a competitive and fun sport! It consists of 10 minute-long, action-packed, fast-paced races with a huge focus on using tactics and manoeuvres. It is an invaluable discipline of sailing and rarely practised outside of a university-level.
The club owns 12 Fireflies and trains in them regularly. Teams consist of 6 sailors, sailing Fireflies in pairs. We select sailors for 4 teams at trials that regularly train and compete throughout the year at BUCS and other university events.
Learn to Sail & Casual Sailing
Beginners' Training is ran by a RYA Qualified Instructor who coaches you through to achieve a RYA Sailing Level 2 qualification which is recognised by any UK Sailing Club and any RYA Clubs internationally. We have access to a flight of modern and well looked after training boats. Beginners' Training is offered for an additional fee due to hire and maintenance costs.
Socials
A Sailor Social is like none other, and our social secretaries are hard at work on making that so! We regularly take part in Sports Night and host many socials like our Curry Night. Many of our socials are also joint with Imperial Sailing, like Christmas Dinner and our black tie formal, Castaways Dinner.
For those who love a costume party, many of the competitions we visit have dress codes for the Saturday Socials. We've been Cinderellas, caterpillars and even dressed as the Circle Line so even if you don't want to race, you can still join us for a weekend away to watch some racing and enjoy the nights out.
Summer Sail Week
Every year, the club organises our annual SSW, a week of yachting and socials abroad at a price cheaper than most holidays! The trip usually happens in September and can either take place in Croatia, Athens or Corfu. Last year, we joined up with Imperial Sailing and sent 120 sailors to Croatia for what was a once in a lifetime experience of cruising, racing and partying. No Experience Needed!
