Whitstable Yacht Club
Welcome to WYC
Whitstable Yacht Club is one of the oldest and largest sailing clubs in England. The Club is situated on the north coast of Kent where the Thames Estuary meets the North Sea. WYC offers sailing in sheltered waters at all times of the tide for catamarans, dinghies, and windsurfers with yachts in nearby creeks which dry out.
Contact Us
Whitstable Yacht Club, 3-4 Sea Wall, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1BX
Tel: +44 (0)1227 272942
office@wyc.org.uk
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2023 WYC Sponsor:
Upcoming WYC Social clubs, Events and Meetings
Click here for the WYC bar opening times, and click here to book social event tickets.
New Year's Eve Party at Whitstable Yacht Club with music by The Dead Pelicans.
Date: Sun 31/12/2023
Price: Only £5 (with £3 going to the RNLI)
How to Buy: Grab yours from the club bar. Act fast – they won’t last!
Remember: Only 120 tickets are available. Club members can bring two non-member guests.
UFFA — Yachting’s Eccentric Genius
Date: Fri 19/01/2024
The sailing author Malcolm Turner, will give a talk at the club about the sailor and boat designer Uffa Fox. Malcolm’s recent book, UFFA — Yachting’s Eccentric Genius, is the first biography of Uffa Fox to appear for fifty years. Malcolm is an entertaining and amusing speaker, and his talks are often sell-out events. His book has created a lot of interest following the popular UF50 celebration which took place in Cowes in 2022. The event is free, and we’ll send out further details nearer the time.
Tuesday Nights - Games Evening
Every Tuesday from 7pm, Mexican train dominoes, cribbage or bring your own - come and join us! Bit of luck, bit of skill, bit of a laugh, bit of wine!! Or bring your own game.
Wednesday Nights - Pool League Games
From 8pm - Pool league games played by WYC pool teams. Feel free to come and support, or enquire at the bar to join a team!
2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month - WYC Book Club
We currently have two groups that meet on 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, If you’re interested in joining the WYC Book club get in touch with Kellie Gray on 079 6604 6693, it’s a lovely way meet new members whether you’re a sailor or social member.
Thursday Night - Open Pool Nights
From 7pm - open pool night. All over 16’s welcome. Free table, winner stays on unless players present want to change.
1st and 3rd Monday of the month - Art club
Starting on the 5th December - Its a fun get together and learn new skills with others, you will need to supply your own equipment. Meet in the sea room between 10:30 and 1:30pm for more details contact Tizzie on 079 2026 2673.
1st & 3rd Thursday of the month - Music Club
Meet 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month 7:30 to 10pm. We pick some songs to rehearse beforehand and get to play together as several bands. Welcome guitarists, singers, keyboards, drums, percussion, flutes, fiddles… anything with a tune! We put on a gig at the club every quarter, aim to showcase 24 songs. Contact: Andrew Provan 07899662412
Coffee Club - Every morning
Coffee club - meet every morning from 10.30 in the sea room, this is open to all WYC members
Whitstable Yacht Club news
Tickets Are Selling Fast for Whitstable Yacht Club’s New Year’s Eve Bash!
New Year’s Eve Party at Whitstable Yacht Club with music by The Dead Pelicans.
Price: Only £5 (with £3 going to the RNLI)
How to Buy: Grab yours from the club bar. Act fast – they won’t last!
Remember: Only 120 tickets are available. Club members can bring two non-member guests.
2024 WYC CLUB PROGRAMME: ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
The 2024 WYC Club Programme is currently being compiled. If you or anyone you know would like to advertise their business within the programme, please contact Sally for more details: sailing.secretary@wyc.org.uk.
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Public Ramp Warning
Anyone heading down, launching or landing on the public ramp at the Harbour, (between the WYC Club Ramp and the East Quay) please be aware there’s some damage near the bottom with a plank missing from one of the slots. At high and mid tide this is covered and could easily go unseen. Hopefully there won’t be too many people using it as we’re heading into Winter but take caution if you are.
Foreshore Services have been alerted and are arranging necessary action. Thanks to Sam Turner for the warning!
UFFA — Yachting’s Eccentric Genius
A date for your diary: on Friday 19th January (time tbc) the sailing author Malcolm Turner will give a talk at the club about the sailor and boat designer Uffa Fox. Malcolm’s recent book, UFFA — Yachting’s Eccentric Genius, is the first biography of Uffa Fox to appear for fifty years. Malcolm is an entertaining and amusing speaker, and his talks are often sell-out events. His book has created a lot of interest following the popular UF50 celebration which took place in Cowes in 2022. The event is free, and we’ll send out further details nearer the time.
Jon Blunt
We regret to report that Jon Blunt, father of cadets Tom and George and wife to Naomi, has passed away following a severe illness, which he bore with immense inner fortitude while continuing to take as active an interest as possible in club and cadet activity.
Jon was an ever helpful contributor to WYC cadets, supporting Tom and George in sailing their 420, at the club and away at 420 class events, volunteering to drive and crew safety boats for cadets and club races. Even when terribly ill he took pleasure supporting the Topper Nationals in May.
Congratulations to WYC members Max Hunt and Finn Crockatt for winning major events during September.
Max was crowned European Champion in the Great Grand Masters age group at the ILCA (Laser) Masters European Championship held in Douarnenez, France. Max posted a remarkably consistent set of results to beat world champion Vanessa Dudley from Australia by a single point.
WYC hosted the Kent Schools Sailing Association annual regatta on September 16th with a turnout of over 50 youngsters racing in tricky light conditions that tested competitors and race organisers alike. The day was won overall by Finn Crockatt from WYC who won the last race and ended with just 3 points to beat the Topper of Sam Macnamara from Chipstead and 420 of Jacob Websdale and Winter IIhan from Margate. WYC claimed 8 of the top 20 places with 15 cadet members taking part. Thanks also to all the WYC members who helped out in making this event a success.
Membership renewals due in October
The Whitstable Yacht Club membership year runs from 1st October, so subscriptions are due in October. For more details on the membership fees for the new membership year starting on 1st October 2023, and for the new online subscription form for new and renewing members, see www.wyc.org.uk/members/Subscriptions
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Wanderer National Championship at Whitstable Yacht Club
Ten Wanderers gathered at Whitstable during the last week of August and the first weekend of September. Wanderer East, a series of cruises up the Swale and over to the island of Sheppey was held during the week. On Saturday and Sunday the boats competed for the Ian Proctor Wanderer Nationals and Gavin Barr trophies over four races.
For the full report on the event go to www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/266251/Wanderer-Nationals-at-Whitstable.
Susan Barnes
We regret to report that Susan Barnes passed away on 29th August at home.
She was a long-standing member of WYC and wife of the late Brian Barnes (ex commodore).
The funeral will take place at All Saints Church Whitstable on Friday 22nd September at 1.30 pm to celebrate a much loved lady.
Whitstable Week 2023 - Report
Whitstable Yacht Club’s biggest event of the year is Whitstable Week, which this year ran from Wednesday Aug 2nd to Sunday Aug 6th. The format for the event is a ten-race series with two races per day and socials each evening which included a cadet night, a quiz night, an evening that started with commodore’s cocktails followed by the amazing WYC music group, and a Summer Ball with canapes and fizz supported by a further band ‘Betty and the Swingtones’. Whitstable Week was sponsored by Holidaycottages.co.uk who have kindly supported WYC’s major events in 2023 and WYC’s growing cadet fleet.
Returning to WYC from his recent emigration to the USA was Race Officer John Boorman, who ran an excellent race series when the weather allowed. Such dedication to Whitstable Week earned John the ‘Spirit of Whitstable Week’ trophy.
Wednesday was forecasted to be wet and windy which sadly proved to be correct with 25mph gusts resulting in racing been abandoned for the day, but fortunately the bar opened early so all wasn’t lost!
The fleet were keen to make up the lost ground on Thursday with a light northerly wind as they launched. The wind then went southerly, south easterly, and just as the RO was considering binning the day, a NE force 4 sprung up under a dark raincloud. The first race was won by Rick and Sarah Perkins from WYC in their Tasar followed by Paul and Bronwyn Ridgeway from Australia and also in a Tasar. Chris Marsh who is a WYC member but sails his Laser/ILCA for Thailand finished third to set a somewhat international tone to the results for the week. Chris won the second race of the day from Rick and Sarah and Millie Lewis from Medway YC in her Laser/ILCA radial.
There were medium breezes on Friday, but rain made for a rather cold and unwelcoming racecourse. The one race held was won by Chris Marsh, with Millie second and the Ridgeway’s third.
Saturday saw more wind and rain which failed to diminish the fleet’s enthusiasm. The 1-2-3 was the same in both races with Paul and Bronwyn finishing ahead of Rick and Sarah and Chris Marsh on corrected time. Most notable were Adam Whitehouse and Mike Hanson who borrowed Adam’s Dads Fireball for the event, capsized with the kite up in race 1 putting Mike through the mainsail, but with the split taped up took 4th place in the 2nd race – not too shabby for a scratch crew!
So, coming into Sunday the points were tight between the leading Tasars and Chris’s Laser/ILCA, however Chris had departed to compete in the Under 21 ILCA Open Europeans which left the Tasars to tough things out. Conditions were described as ‘a proper foam up’ with a brisk northerly onshore wind giving some big waves which made launch and recovery something of a challenge. A single race was held which resulted in a further win for the Ridgeway Tasar followed by the Laser/ILCA of Harry Newton and the Laser/ILCA Radial of Max Hunt both from WYC.
Overall, Paul and Bronwyn took the week and the Tasar prize by just two points from Rick and Sarah with Chris Marsh third overall also taking the Laser and first cadet trophies. Millie Lewis came 4th overall and took the Laser Radial trophy, the Fireball of Adam and Mike the General Handicap class and 10th overall (and submarine trophy for most spectacular capsize), and cadet Joe Barton took the Topper and slow handicap prizes at 14th overall.
It was a tough week of racing supported by some amazing parties which stretched the brain with a challenging Quiz, showcased the depth of talent in the club’s music group and showed that WYC members can scrub up well for Saturday’s Summer Ball!
Thanks must go to John Boorman the PRO and his team of volunteers, especially the safety boat crews who braved the worst of the weather whilst keeping an eye on the fleet. Thanks also to our sponsors Holidaycottages.co.uk who supported Commodore’s Cocktails and the live band, and Laser supplier Sail and Sport who provided the fizz at the Summer Ball, and perhaps just the odd fuzzy head the next morning!