Enjoy your sailing with us – we’ve a lot to offer

Bosham Sailing Club is a family based sailing club located at the Old Mill on Bosham Quay.  We are the oldest sailing club in Chichester Harbour and celebrated our Centenary in 2007.

Your kind of sailing is our kind of sailing

There’s something for everyone!  Our activities range from learning to sail and pottering, through to keen racing, Channel cruising and crossing oceans too. We also run an active social programme linked to sailing, so on or off the water you can be sure of good company, whatever your particular sailing interest.  And you’re especially welcome if you’re new to sailing – we’ll help you to get started and to find the kind of sailing you like.   

Racing in performance dinghy classes and handicap fleets

If you’re aiming high and have Olympic aspirations our Finn and Laser fleets will get you started, whilst our Optimist, Topper, RS Feva, Mirror, 420, Albacore, Wanderer, Wayfarer, RS200 and Chichester Scow fleets all enjoy a very active following. Our Sailing Programme features racing every weekend from Easter through to December and sunset racing on Fridays throughout the summer.  And for younger sailors, there are dedicated  sailing, social and training programmes.

So there’s lots of scope for competitive class and handicap racing as well as plenty of family sailing or just getting on the water in a more relaxed style.

Keen competition in classic dayboats

We have perhaps the largest fleet of competitively sailed classic dayboats made of traditional woods or modern replicas in the UK.  Individual heritage craft and traditional classes such as Chichester Harbour Twelves and Eighteens, Sharpie, National 18s, Yachting World Dayboats, Fairey Falcons and Tideways are all represented, together with more modern day-sailers including Devon Yawls.  What better way to enjoy the glories of Chichester Harbour! 

Cruising in good company – to the horizon and beyond

Friendly rivalry rather than cut-throat competition is the order of the day for our races and rallies around The Solent and longer cruises to France, the Channel Islands and the West Country.  Members sometimes take on distance events such as the Fastnet, the AZAB and the ARC – one or two of our 130+ boats have even completed global circumnavigations.

All this is complemented by relaxed conversation over dinner at our rally destinations and at our series of informal winter suppers at the Club which usually feature a presentation of sailing interest – everything from maritime history to members’ cruising exploits!   

Developing everyone’s sailing potential

Training is an important part of our contribution to the sport.  Being an RYA Training Centre, the Club has the expertise on hand to help you into the kind of sailing that’s right for you and to develop your full potential.

Lively Cadet Fleet

Our encouragement of sailing starts with our Cadets, who can progress through the classes from Optimist and Mirror to Topper, RS Feva, Laser, 420 and beyond.  The training and racing on offer to our Cadets means we have won significant recognition - Bosham Sailing Club is an RYA Volvo Championship Club. There are also social and interest events for Cadets during the year.

Each summer we host Chichester Harbour’s premier Junior Week Regatta, when, besides all the keen sailing there is a hectic social schedule. Cadets find time for a Family Hog-Roast, their own black-tie Dinner and the end of Regatta Disco.

Fun for Seniors Too

If you’re over 21, you can still have fun!  Our adult dinghy racing week, rebranded as ‘the Three Day Week’ is a lively time, with special social events to enjoy after all that hard work on the water! 

Uniquely beautiful location

A 10th century church, an historic Quay and all-tide access for launching dinghies make Bosham the perfect place for sailing.  Our lovely Clubhouse, once a water mill, is the ideal setting for the social side of sailing – watching the racing from our quayside terrace, chatting over a drink with friends and enjoying our excellent professionally-staffed bar and restaurant open Thursday to Sunday throughout the year.  We are proud of the fact that Bosham Sailing Club is the longest-established sailing club in Chichester Harbour – we celebrated our centenary in 2007.   

We are indeed fortunate to benefit from such a beautiful and historic setting.

By Members for Members

The Club has a small professional staff. The maintenance of a busy programme and the on-going management of the Club cannot be undertaken by the Club staff alone and the input of members is essential to support the racing programme, social events and the running of the Club. All Club members are therefore expected to undertake duties or to contribute their time and skills in true Corinthian Spirit. This increases our fun and is a matter of pride for members.

Excellent facilities

• 500 space dinghy park
  
• Secure storage for tenders and outboard motors in the Raptackle building on the Quay
  
• Changing and showering facilities and locker storage in the Clubhouse
  
• Bar and Restaurant open all-year round
  
• Fleet of Patrol Boats to support all sailing events
  
• Skippered Club Launch to ferry members to and from their moorings
  
• Club Moorings in Bosham Creek, the loveliest of sailing locations on the South Coast
  
• RYA Training Centre
  
• Accredited status as a Volvo Championship Club
  
• Nearby all-day, overnight and long-term parking
  
• Professional management, on-the-water, catering and bar staff teams to keep things running smoothly

Friendly social scene

Our year round programme of entertainments brings everyone together - family events, theme evenings, barbecues, quiz nights, gastronomic gatherings and black-tie dinners all feature. All ages and tastes are catered for, so whatever your principal interest, you can enjoy life on and off the water with us!

Joining is very straightforward

It’s just a matter of filling in an Application Form and sending it to the Club Office. We will take it from there. If you would like to visit the Club ahead of making your application, please do not hesitate to contact the Club Office – our Manager, Phil Cotman, or our Assistant Manager, Karen Burgess, will be delighted to show you round and answer any queries you may have. The process takes about three weeks – then it’s “Welcome to Membership of Bosham Sailing Club!” 

More information

Contact the Club office - email office@boshamsailingclub.com telephone 01243 572341

Information Pack including:

New Members' Application Form

Scale of Charges 2012

Proposers' & Seconders' Notes

New Members' Contact Information