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Benfleet Yacht Club was first established in 1922 on the northern bank of Benfleet Creek adjacent to the railway line and Benfleet station. The present site position was aquired in the early 1970's and the current clubhouse building was completed in 1984. The club is wholly owned by the members with just one full time employee: the club Steward. The club administers bankside and trot moorings in the creek. On the surrounding land is lay-up area for several hundred boats, both cruisers and dinghies. Click here for an aerial view of the club and site (link to Google Earth).

Benfleet cruising yachts join in the local ‘Combined Club's Cruiser Series’ races with other local clubs, with some success, and there is an active social, cruising sailing program of events. Several members sail far and wide in Europe and beyond. Outside the sailing season there is a full diary of dinners, suppers, dancing and fun. The club bar is open every lunchtime and evening. Lunches are provided by Gary of ‘Purple Chilli Catering’, and the food is excellent.

Organisation

It is important to realise that this is a self-help club and not a commercial organisation. Charges are kept low and numerous members volunteer to perform various jobs. There are many formal and informal roles. Time and effort is freely given and attracts the gratitude and respect of other members. Of special note are the cruiser "launch and haul-out" teams to which we are particularly grateful for their skill and hard work. There are two schedulled weekend work parties each year, which give an opportunity for all members to help with general maintenance projects.

Officers of the club and the General Committee members are elected each year at the AGM in December.

This management team work with many active sub committees to ensure the smooth running of the club.

To view the full list of Yacht Club Officers and Committees, please click here.

Membership Fee's for 2009:

Full Member

Associate Member

Cadet Member

Country Member

Moorings:

Please note that Benfleet Yacht Club currently have a limited number of drying trot moorings available for members, suitable for shallow draft twin / triple or lift keel boats. Please contact the Bosun or a representative of the Moorings Committee at Benfleet Yacht Club for further details of availability and cost.

There is a strong social dimension to all club activities but the focus is always on the sailing. We are a recognised RYA dinghy sailing instruction centre. Members have many dinghies on site and enjoy ‘small boat’ sailing throughout the year, but especially in the winter period when the ‘big boats’ are out of the water, and there is a thriving club race series. Yachts of all types and sizes are stored on pads and hard standing in the boat park which has distributed water, electricity and lighting. There is currently a waiting list for 'bankside' moorings but trot moorings are generally available (* see note further below).

see further below for an explanation of these categories

£95 *1) see note below

£20

£15

*1 - There is a 'one off' joining fee of £150 applicable to all new "Full Members" when joining.

Membership Categories:

Full Membership - Prospective members are proposed and seconded by existing members and attend a short interview held at the club. If accepted and once all fee's are paid, the Full Member will then have full use of the club's facilities. (However, please contact the Bosun before a boat on site, or the Dinghy Captain in the event of a sailing dinghy).

Temporary Membership - Prospective new members not knowing

Associate Membership - available to partners or family of Full / Temporary Members, who are over the age of 18 years, are not keeping a boat locally and are living at the same address. Other situations may be accepted at the discretion of the General Committee.

Cadet Membership - is available to young people in the age range from 7 years until 18 years of age.

Country Membership - is available to people living more than 20 miles by road from the club and not keeping a boat locally.

Full details of membership criteria and conditions can be found in the club's printed General Rule book.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Nore Race

The Nore Race is organised by Benfleet Yacht Club and has been held annually in the Thames Estuary since the 1920's. The race is open to all sailing boats (except sailboards or kite boards) and draws entries both from local sailing clubs and from further afield. The race starts and finishes from Southend Pier and covers an 18 mile circuit around the Thames Estuary. All entrants, crew, friends and family can attend the prizegiving evening which is held on the Friday following the race, where we normally have a live band and provide barbecue cooked food. Entry to the prizegiving is included in the cost of the race entry fee. Click here for further details on the Nore Race.