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ClubCoastalShoreham-by-Sea and Southwick, West SussexRiver Adur, Shoreham Port and English Channel

Sussex Yacht Club

BeginnerTrainingJuniors

Sussex Yacht Club is a long-established Shoreham and Southwick members sailing club with yacht, dinghy, youth, RYA training, mooring and clubhouse activity.

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Can a beginner start here?

Yacht racing, Yacht cruising, Keelboat sailing, Dinghy sailing, Youth sailing, RYA training, Powerboating, Paddling, Diving

Beginner
Sussex Yacht Club explicitly offers beginner sailing. Its training page says the club is an RYA Recognised Training Centre and that its facilities are suited to teaching beginners of all ages, using Southwick protected non-tidal waters and Shoreham access to the River Adur and sea. The 2026 beginner keelboat Level 1 course is described as for complete beginners or people who have attended a taster session, with no pre-course experience required.
Training
The club is an RYA Recognised Training Centre. Current listed training includes beginner keelboat RYA Levels 1 and 2, RYA Level 3/improving sailing, RYA Powerboat Level 2, Safety Boat, RYA Young Sailors, Day Skipper theory, Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory, First Aid at Sea, Marine Radio SRC, Astro Navigation and Radar. Booking links and 2026 course dates are shown on the training page, and training enquiries are directed to training@sussexyachtclub.org.uk.
Taster
The SYC Coastal Water Sports page lists Keelboat Taster Sail evenings for people new to sailing who want to try the sport; spaces are limited and a small charge is returned if the participant signs up to an RYA training course. Family and cadet evenings also give children the opportunity to experience dinghy sailing, with no booking required on the training/dinghy pages and initial free sessions described on the site.

Activity tags

Keelboat sailing· ActivityDinghy sailing· ActivityDiving· ActivityPaddling· ActivityPowerboating· TrainingRYA training· TrainingYacht cruising· ActivityYacht racing· ActivityYouth sailing· Audience

Suitability

Juniors, families, and accessibility

Juniors
The club has youth-focused dinghy activity and family/cadet evenings from Southwick during May, June and July. The 2026 cadet guidance says family and cadets activity lets young and old sail in club craft, with a minimum sailing age of 8 and guardian attendance requirements. The club also offers an RYA Young Sailors course, with cadet membership required, and membership categories include children within adult memberships and cadet membership for ages 8-18.
Access
Sussex Yacht Club says it helped establish Sussex Sailability, which supports disabled people to start sailing, develop skills and gain qualifications. Sussex Sailability states that most activities take place at the Shoreham clubhouse, which is wheelchair accessible, with disabled parking, automatic doors, level access to changing and toilet facilities including a disabled toilet, a lift to the first-floor bar/restaurant, pontoon hoists, trained volunteers and adapted boats. Sailability asks first-time visitors to email before visiting so specific needs can be discussed.

Costs

Costs, membership, and boats

Prices

Membership fees for 1 Oct 2025 to 30 Sept 2026 are published: joining/rejoining fee GBP 75; joint adult membership including children 18 and under GBP 405 per year; single adult membership including children 18 and under GBP 282 per year; young person under 24 or full-time student GBP 67 per year; cadet membership age 8-18 GBP 54 per year. Monthly direct debit is available with an additional admin fee noted on the join page. The 2026 training booklet lists example course prices including beginner keelboat Level 1 or 2 at GBP 210 members / GBP 290 non-members, both Level 1 and 2 booked together at GBP 360 members / GBP 515 non-members, under-18 beginner course fee GBP 130 plus cadet membership, RYA Powerboat Level 2 at GBP 290 members / GBP 400 non-members, and Young Sailors at GBP 315 plus required cadet membership. The members fees PDF also lists mooring, lay-up, dinghy parking, slipway/scrubbing post and visitor berth charges.

Membership

Official site describes a members sailing club with main clubhouse, boatyard and moorings on the River Adur, original clubhouse and locked moorings inside Shoreham Port, racing, rallying, dinghy, youth and training activity.

Boat hire
The dinghy racing page says club craft are available to charter. Training sources also say the club has sailing craft ranging from Sonar keelboats to Oppies for members to use, plus safety boats, but the site does not give a general public boat-hire offer or charter price in the pages checked.

Facilities

Facilities and equipment

Boatyard· OtherRestaurant· OtherMoorings· StorageTraining rooms· OtherBar· ClubhouseClubhouse· ClubhouseChanging rooms· ChangingShowers· Changing

Location

Shoreham-by-Sea and Southwick · 6 nearby clubs mapped

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Trust

Sources and data quality

Data status
Verified
Find Watersports check
14 Jun 2026
Club verification
Not listed
Sources checked (2)