The Dinghy Section

Dinghy sailing at Netley Cliff tends to be relaxed rather than competitive. Our sailing programme is designed to offer something for everyone including cruises, beach barbeques and, of course, racing. Events are generally supported by the club’s rigid inflatable (RIB). Being a coastal club, there are no restrictions on when you may sail and the beach is usable for launching and recovery on all but the lowest of spring tides.

We currently have no formal training programme but newcomers to the sport are encouraged to sail with the more experienced members at organised events, thereby picking up the necessary skills to sail at club level. The club is also happy to recommend RYA-approved training courses in the local area for those wanting a more formal sail training approach or to progress their sailing abilities beyond club level.

For those not yet ready to commit to owning their own boat, we have a small fleet of club dinghies available for use in return for a small contribution to our maintenance fund. The boats range from excellent Topper Topazes – great for beginners and kids, to double-handers like the Comet Duo and Laser 13. A booking system for these boats can be found in the member’s section of the website.

The largest event in our calendar is the Civil Service Dinghy Championships, with competitors travelling from other Civil Service clubs in the south of England. Held over a summer weekend, the highlight is usually an evening barbeque accompanied by live music.

Stuart Beck

Rear Commodore Dinghies