Hereford Sailing Club
Welcome to Hereford Sailing Club
The Club is based in Hereford and membership is drawn from Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and South Wales. We have around 30 members who share a Dehler 39 yacht. The members have varying degrees of experience from complete novice to RYA Yachtmaster Ocean.
What we do. Our yacht Auburn Lass is based mainly in Plymouth during the summer, Cardiff Bay Yacht Club during spring, and she overwinters in Milford Haven. In summers she is usually taken by members on cruises abroad to such places as France, Ireland and The Scilly Isles. This variety of bases offers members many opportunities for mile-building delivery trips, extended cruises and weekend and day sailing.
At the start and end of each year’s sailing we run several short term charters. Individual members form ad hoc crews to go sailing for a day or two. In spring, these charters have recently taken the form of leisurely navigation exercises up the Avon to Bristol Harbour with an overnight stop to enjoy entertainment opportunities in Bristol. In autumn they have tended to focus on trips in and around Milford Haven, with additional time spent on improving sailing skills of the crew members.
How the club is organised: Members privately charter Auburn Lass from the club and sail with their families, friends, and other club members. The benefit of being a member is the use of a jointly owned and well maintained yacht at a cost of about 60% of the commercial UK charter rate. Please see our current charter rates here.
She is available to sail throughout the year except when she is on hard standing for winter maintenance. Membership fees make a major contribution towards mooring costs. Users’ charter fees make up the rest of the club’s income, including the costs of annual servicing of safety equipment and all the usual repairs and winter maintenance. Skippers and crews are expected to do some minor repairs on items that are discovered to be broken, for which they are reimbursed.
All members of the club are bound by the HSC club rules.
Skipper approval. Club skippers are vetted by the committee, and during any charter a club skipper or other suitably qualified and vetted skipper must be on board, together with a competent first mate capable of navigating home in case of an emergency.
Skipper qualifications. HSC skippers are required to have a coastal or offshore RYA yachtmaster qualification. In the past Auburn Lass has been chartered by members to take practical RYA courses and assessments. RYA examiners can be invited on board for this purpose – though it is still necessary for a club skipper to be present. The success rate is very high.
Safety equipment. Auburn lass is a class A offshore sailing vessel. Though classed as a privately owned pleasure vessel, she carries a full suite of safety equipment similar to that required by the MCA code of practice for small commercial vessels. The list of her safety equipment (and other documentation) can be found here in our safety policy section.
Committee and officers. The Club is run by the committee of officers and elected members. There are regular club social meetings, usually held at a local public house where members and their guests meet and often eat together. Click here for details of the forthcoming meetings.
New members, whether experienced or not, are normally very welcome, though due to the recent expansion in our crew-only membership, we are currently focused on recruiting possible members with more experience.
Download a membership form here, complete it and send it with your membership fee to our Treasurer whose address details are on the form.
For more information Contact Richard Heatly (HSC Commodore) or Graham Sole (HSC Membership).