General Information
For membership enquiries, please contact Don Appleton, our New Members Secretary on 0844 77 456 88 or alternatively e-mail [email protected]
LIFE AT BOLTON SAILING CLUB
Having celebrated 60 years on the water in 2012, Bolton Sailing Club is one of the longest established Sailing Clubs in the North West, with a strong tradition of dinghy racing at both club and national levels. Our clubhouse is situated alongside our picturesque 40 hectare reservoir, in the midst of breath-taking countryside and the shadow of Winter Hill. Being one of the country’s highest Sailing Clubs, we are afforded ideal weather conditions for sailing – the perfect way to relax after a gruelling week at work!
With a multitude of friendly sailors, you’ll never be short of people to discuss tactics and techniques with, or simply the rules of the road – countless races have been won, and lost, whilst propping up the bar after the last race. Our social calendar is fully booked, with New Members Evenings, a Summer Ball, our Annual Dinner and Prize Giving, Christmas Carol Concert, and many more, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and get to know your fellow sailors.
LEARN TO SAIL
If you’ve never sailed before, Bolton Sailing Club is the ideal place to start; we have a large number of qualified Instructors and Senior Instructors who run up to four Royal Yachting Association (RYA) beginners courses each year. Their time, knowledge, and expertise will help you to grasp the basics of the sport and, before you know it, you’ll find yourself sailing without instruction and eager to invest in your own boat!
When you reach this stage you’re ready to be let loose in the races, and our in-house Race Coaches will be on hand to teach you everything you need to know from the Start, the Finish and everything in the middle! Not to mention the encouragement and support you’ll receive from the comfort of the lounge at the end of the day, with many members pleased to offer advice to help you hone your skills. We find that all of our Newbies improve with each race they take part in, and they start to become real competition to their fleet on the water!
THE WEDNESDAY SERIES
Between April and October, we run races on Wednesday evenings, and it is an ideal opportunity to get out on the water and put your newly acquired skills to good use! With only one race, it isn’t too taxing and the perfect way to relax after a few days at work. By propping up the bar after the race, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grill our long-standing members on techniques and styles which will help you to improve your racing.
FRIDAY NIGHTS
Friday nights at Bolton are training nights for our Junior Members, with classes run both on and off the water for all ages and abilities. As there are plenty of volunteers on hand to provide safety and rescue cover, Friday Nights are ideal times for our adult members to practice on the water. It is a fun-filled, family oriented evening with fantastic, home-cooked food served each week by a dedicated group of volunteers. As a term of their membership, all Junior Members (members under the age of 18) must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times, whilst at the club.
SUNDAYS
Sundays are the main event at BSC, with 4 sets of races being run throughout the year (the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter series), and 3 races per Sunday. You’ll find that, as the series progress, you’ll be able to track your advancement through the results as you start to become more experienced on the water and you’re finishing races further up the fleet.
With exquisite food provided by The Galley, even if the weather’s a bit too challenging for you, it’s always enjoyable to watch our more adventurous members brave the elements from the comfort of the lounge.
HELMING ISN’T FOR ME
Don’t worry! There are plenty of experienced members who are looking for someone to crew their double-handed dinghy! By looking at the adverts on the fleet noticeboards, you’ll find someone to show you the ropes (no pun intended!), and help you to gain both confidence and experience in competitive racing. For many people, their sailing partner becomes a firm friend, who they enjoy taking to Open Events at other Clubs and taking part in fleet racing at a more competitive level.
We also actively encourage a Saturday Cruising Club. This is an ideal opportunity to get out on the water and have a sail, without a competitive edge. As it is solely for members to use the facilities and practice their sailing, the Club does not provide any safety cover on the water, but you are able to arrange this for yourself. If you find that you want to take a Safety and Powerboat Course, we usually run these on an annual or bi-annual basis – our Training Officer will be able to provide you will further information, as required.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS…
So, you’ve decided to invest in your own boat, but don’t know what type you want, where to get one, how much it could cost – don’t panic! By talking to club members, you’ll find many sailors who are willing to lend you their boat (either double or single-handed) to help you to gauge what type of boat suits you and your family. We find that many of our new members are pleasantly surprised at the cost of a dinghy, and it is an investment which boosts their sailing dramatically.
NEW MEMBERS EVENING
We organise an evening event specifically aimed at our newer members each year, affording them the opportunity to meet the Flag Officers of the club, as well as members of the various committees, training officers and instructors. It is an informal evening which sees long-standing members of the club introduce themselves (if they’ve not already done so) to our new members and, historically, it has seen many new members meet their future Helm! For further information on this annual event, you can sign up to our mailing list via our website, or simply check the New Members noticeboard when you’re at the Club.
HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?
Our New Members Secretary is a mine of information! Donald will be able to answer any questions or queries you may have regarding your membership before you join. When you’ve signed on the dotted line and are a fully-fledged member of the Club, he’ll introduce you to people he feels will be able to help you begin your career as a sailor – making sure that you feel welcomed into the Club!
CONTACT US
E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 0844 77 456 88
