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ClubRiverPutney / Barn Elms, Greater London and ThamesRiver Thames at Putney/Barn Elms

South Bank Sailing Club

Verified by the clubBeginnerTrainingJuniors

Member-run dinghy sailing club on the River Thames by Putney. Beginners can request a taster sail, but the club is recreational rather than a sailing school.

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About this club

South Bank Sailing Club is a Putney/Barn Elms Thames dinghy club with year-round racing, informal cruising, novice-friendly crewing and social sailing.

Start

Can a beginner start here?

Member-run dinghy sailing and racing on the tidal Thames, with social sailing, taster days and member-only club boat day hire.

Beginner
Novices are welcome. The club says it welcomes new people and novices, and explains that beginners can attend a taster day where an experienced volunteer can take them out as crew. It is a recreational club rather than a sailing school, so beginners should not expect paid instruction or skippered hire.
Training
The club explicitly says it does not sell training courses to the public. Its FAQ says it is a recreational club, not a school, and points people who want to learn to sail towards RYA Dinghy Level 1 or Level 2 courses elsewhere. Training may exist only for members, but public RYA/learn-to-sail courses were not found on the club site.
Taster
The club says it has regular public taster days to try sailing and meet the club before joining. Prospective visitors are asked to read the FAQ and email hello@southbanksailingclub.co.uk, or email Sara Bennett via the Join the Club page, to find a date and time.

Activity tags

Casual cruising· ActivityDinghy racing· ActivityDinghy sailing· ActivityInformal crew sailing· ActivitySocial sailing· ActivityBeginner-friendly sailing· ActivityTaster days· ServiceBoat hire· ServiceFamily sailing· Audience

Suitability

Juniors, families, and accessibility

Juniors
The club publishes family membership options and says its boats have accommodated crews from age 2 to 90. Legal minors must be accompanied under the club safeguarding policy. The site does not present a dedicated junior training pathway or youth programme on the pages checked.
Access· Unclear
Accessibility and access-needs information was not found on the official pages checked. The official directions say the clubhouse is not on a public road, guests should go to the front gate at Wandsworth Chelsea & Fulham Sea Scouts and continue 600 metres north along the river path on foot or bike, and rear-gate access requires contacting the committee exceptionally.

Costs

Costs, membership, and boats

Prices

Published annual membership prices are: Individual GBP 90 per year or GBP 45 for 6 months after 1 October; Additional Family Member GBP 50 per year or GBP 25 for 6 months; Family Group GBP 140 per year or GBP 70 for 6 months; Concession for pensioner, unemployed, or student GBP 50 per year or GBP 25 for 6 months; Social non-sailing GBP 35 per year. Boat storage for sailing members is listed as GBP 55 per year. The club says annual subscriptions run until 1 April and the first subscription is payable on application.

Membership

Annual membership runs from 1 April. The club lists individual, family, concession and social categories; newcomers can request a taster sail before joining.

Boat hire
Club boats are available for day hire by members only. The FAQ lists Lasers, Solos, Enterprises, GP14s, Xenons, Laser 13s, and a Supernova. No public boat-hire option or day-hire price was found on the official pages checked.

Facilities

Facilities and equipment

Boat storage· StorageClub boats· OtherRiverside access route· OtherRace programme· OtherSocial sailing· ClubhouseRiver access· OtherParking· AccessBoat park· StorageClubhouse· Clubhouse

Location

Putney / Barn Elms · 6 nearby clubs mapped

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Trust

Sources and data quality

Data status
Verified
Find Watersports check
14 Jun 2026
Club verification
16 Jun 2026
Sources checked (3)