ClubCoastalGosport, HampshirePortsmouth Harbour and the Solent
Hornet Services Sailing Club
Beginner
Start
Can a beginner start here?
Yacht cruising, Yacht racing
Beginner
Hornet Services Sailing Club has a plausible beginner route for eligible members interested in yacht sailing: the official training page says Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre training is available for Hornet members serving in the Armed Forces, other Hornet members can arrange training through the Army Offshore Sailing Centre, and RYA practical courses include Start Yachting and Competent Crew. This is not presented as a general public dinghy beginner programme, and membership is focused on serving and veteran Armed Forces members, reserves and auxiliaries, supporting MOD Civil Servants, and their regular crew.
Training
The official training page says JSASTC provides training for Hornet members serving in the Armed Forces and that other Hornet members can arrange training through AOSC. It says instruction is by RYA qualified instructors and lists RYA shorebased courses including Basic Navigation and Safety, Day Skipper, Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore, Yachtmaster Ocean, Short Range Radio, Sea Survival, Diesel Engine and First Aid. It also lists RYA practical courses including Start Yachting, Competent Crew, Day Skipper and Yachtmaster Coastal, plus certificates of competence assessments. The page also says HSSC supports own-boat tuition at no cost, with volunteer instructors embarking in members' boats.
Hornet Services Sailing Club | Find Watersports
Training
Juniors
Hornet Services Sailing Club is a Gosport-based coastal club focused on serving and veteran Armed Forces members and supporting Civil Servants, with yacht cruising, racing, marina facilities, and clubhouse activity close to Portsmouth Harbour.
The official membership page says Associate Membership can be used to sail as regular crew on a Full Member's boat or to try the club before applying for Full Membership, and the calendar includes sailing, rally and social events. However, I found no current official public taster sail, open day, try-sailing session, or beginner open day offer.
Family membership is available and comprises one Full Member plus their spouse or partner and children under 18. The official events calendar also lists a future Families' Day & Big Buoys Challenge on Saturday 18 July 2026. I found no current official junior sailing, cadet, or youth training programme details.
Access· Unclear
I found no current official evidence for disabled access, step-free access, accessible toilets or changing rooms, adapted boats, hoists for sailors, disabled parking, or regular accessible sailing provision. Official pages checked include the homepage, contact, membership, training, clubhouse, marina, visitors, events, and health and safety pages.
Costs
Costs, membership, and boats
Prices
The official membership page lists 2025/26 annual membership fees: Full Membership GBP 171, Family Membership GBP 208, Associate Membership GBP 50, and Veteran Membership GBP 104 single or GBP 129 couple. It also says the membership year starts on 1 December and that rates are advertised in the annual Scale of Charges. Training costs are described only as kept to a minimum, with no exact current course prices found on the public training page.
Official site says membership applications are welcomed from serving or veteran Armed Forces members and supporting Civil Servants. The club operates cruising, racing, social activity, marina facilities, and training pages.
I found no current official evidence of public boat hire or club boat hire. The site supports yacht owners through marina berthing, lift, lay-up and storage, and the membership page refers to regular crew of a Full Member and Associate Members sailing as regular crew on a Full Member's boat. The training page says own-boat tuition uses members' boats.
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